Adjunctive Use of Intravenous Antibiotic Regional Limb Perfusion in Three Cranes with Distal Limb Infections

Simple Summary Foot and limb infections are common issues in captive cranes, and traditional antibiotic therapy can be unrewarding. Three cranes at two captive institutions in the United States with foot and limb infections were treated with regional limb perfusion of intravenous antibiotics. The details of treatment are described in this paper. All three cranes recovered from their infections following regional limb perfusion in combination with systemic antibiotics. Pododermatitis and wing lesions are commonly reported issues in captive crane species. Regional limb perfusion has been used as a treatment for distal limb infections in several avian species, as systemic antibiotic therapy is often prolonged and unrewarding. A black-necked crane (Grus nigricollis), Siberian crane (Leucogeranus leucogeranus), and wattled crane (Bugeranus carunculatus) were treated with amikacin (5-10 mg/kg IV infusion) regional limb perfusion for cellulitis and osteomyelitis of hind limb digits and alular osteomyelitis and septic arthritis of the carpus, respectively, with a range of 1-3 treatments per case. Clinical signs of infection resolved within 10-40 days following regional limb perfusion combined with oral or parental antibiotic therapy. No side effects were observed following regional limb perfusion. This is the first report of regional limb perfusion in cranes and the first report of intravenous regional limb perfusion in a wing of an avian species.

Automated summary

Foot and limb infections are common issues in captive cranes, and traditional antibiotic therapy can be unrewarding. This study reports the successful treatment of such infections in three crane species using regional limb perfusion of intravenous antibiotics in combination with systemic antibiotics. Clinical signs of infection resolved within 10-40 days following treatment, and no side effects were observed. This is the first report of regional limb perfusion in cranes and the first report of intravenous regional limb perfusion in a wing of an avian species.