BSAVA Manual of Backyard Poultry Medicine and Surgery

19 August 2019

Backyard Poultry Manual joins the flock

There has been a substantial increase in the number of people keeping backyard poultry in recent years. Whether to provide a self-sufficient supply of food, or for breeding and exhibition, these birds are frequently considered as pets, and owners expect access to veterinary care of the standard on offer to dogs and cats. The new BSAVA Manual of Backyard Poultry and Surgery aims to help meet this expectation.

The Manual begins by considering the origins and different types of poultry that may be kept, before moving on to provide general information on anatomy and physiology, behaviour, husbandry and nutrition. This is followed by chapters covering clinical examination and a range of diagnostic techniques, including imaging, clinical pathology and endoscopy. The subsequent chapters are dedicated to system-specific conditions, ranging from gastrointestinal and nutritional disorders to those affecting the eyes and skin. The final chapters are dedicated to anaesthesia and analgesia, soft and orthopaedic surgery, and the post-mortem examination.

Extensively illustrated and utilizing evidence-based research where available, this new Manual is a comprehensive starting point for veterinary practitioners wanting information about backyard poultry medicine and surgery. The Manual covers chickens, turkeys, ducks, geese, guinea fowl, ornamental pheasants and peafowl.

Editors, Guy Poland and Aidan Raftery say ‘We are very proud of the valuable contributions made by all the authors to the Manual. We hope that their hard work will provide a useful resource for veterinary practitioners unfamiliar with poultry medicine to deliver improved care for their patients and maybe inspire an interest that they develop further’.