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Vetdle Archive

Archive Case #100: Avian Proventricular Dilatation Disease

Bird veterinary case - Hard - June 11, 2026

Clinical Clues

  1. A companion parrot is evaluated for gradual weight loss despite a reasonable appetite.
  2. The owner reports intermittent regurgitation and undigested seeds in the droppings.
  3. The bird has also become weak and occasionally uncoordinated on the perch.
  4. Imaging shows marked dilation of the proventriculus.
  5. The disease process affects both the gastrointestinal tract and nervous system.
  6. A viral neuropathic disorder of parrots is classically associated with proventricular dilatation disease.

Diagnosis

Avian Proventricular Dilatation Disease

This case is most consistent with Avian Proventricular Dilatation Disease because the parrot has wasting, undigested food, neurologic signs, and proventricular enlargement. The combined gastrointestinal and neurologic presentation is typical of PDD, a clinical syndrome associated with avian bornavirus infection, and is less consistent with a simple crop disorder.

Learning review

Review the case evidence

Use the paired clues to explain how the evidence in this bird case supports the provided diagnosis, Avian Proventricular Dilatation Disease, then compare your reasoning with the case explanation.

Evidence checkpoints

Clues 1-2

  1. Clue 1: A companion parrot is evaluated for gradual weight loss despite a reasonable appetite.
  2. Clue 2: The owner reports intermittent regurgitation and undigested seeds in the droppings.

Clues 3-4

  1. Clue 3: The bird has also become weak and occasionally uncoordinated on the perch.
  2. Clue 4: Imaging shows marked dilation of the proventriculus.

Clues 5-6

  1. Clue 5: The disease process affects both the gastrointestinal tract and nervous system.
  2. Clue 6: A viral neuropathic disorder of parrots is classically associated with proventricular dilatation disease.

Self-review prompts

  1. After clues 1-2, what evidence from this bird case shaped your initial interpretation?
  2. When you compare clues 3-4 with clues 1-2, what changed in your reasoning about Avian Proventricular Dilatation Disease?
  3. How do clues 5-6 align with the case explanation for Avian Proventricular Dilatation Disease?

Educational Use

Vetdle archive cases are educational veterinary games for diagnostic reasoning practice. They do not provide veterinary advice, diagnosis, treatment, or professional medical guidance.