Veterinary Pathology
Online Resource for Unique Veterinary Pathology Lesions
Vitamin B1 Deficiency in Desi Poultry
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| Fig.1: Leg Paralysis in Thiamine Deficiency.
Thiamine(Vitamin B1) deficiency leads to polyneuritis in birds causing paralysis(neuro-muscular disorder). Paralysis of legs occurs first starting at toes. This Bird lost the ability to stand or sit upright and topple to the floor & lie with head still retracted. | Fig.2: Leg Paralysis in Thiamine Deficiency.
Thiamine(Vitamin B1) deficiency leads to polyneuritis in birds causing paralysis(neuro-muscular disorder). Paralysis of legs occurs first starting at toes. This Bird lost the ability to stand or sit upright and topple to the floor & lie with head still retracted. |
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| Fig.3:Star Gazing Posture in Thiamine Deficiency.
Bird sits on flexed legs /on hocks and draw back the head in a star-gazing position. Retraction of the head is due to paralysis of the anterior neck muscles. | Fig.4:Star Gazing Posture in Thiamine Deficiency.
Another typical star gazing posture from same bird (sitting on hocks with head retracted back). |
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| Fig.5:Star Gazing Posture in Thiamine Deficiency. | Fig.6:Star Gazing Posture in Thiamine Deficiency. |
Case History: Adult Desi birds, backyard rearing system, no commercial feed supplementation.
Case Discussion: The affected birds responded successfully to the oral administration of vitamin B1 preparation. The typical clinical signs, case history and therapeutic diagnosis supports the case diagnosis for Thiamine deficiency. As most feedstuffs used in commercial poultry diets contain enough quantities of vitamins to meet the requirements in this species, the deficiency of Thiamine is very rare in birds reared under commercial farming systems. As per Thiamine deficiency considered, differential diagnosis include riboflavin deficiency and avian encephalomyelitis.
Note: In riboflavin deficiency, the "curled toes" is a characteristic symptom. Muscle tremor is typical of avian encephalomyelitis. A therapeutic diagnosis can be tried by supplementing thiamine only in the affected birds. Response to administration of the vitamin B1 is rather quick, occurring a few hours later. If the affected birds do not respond in a few hours, thiamine deficiency can be excluded.
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