Experimental studies on etiopathology of visceral gout in broiler chicks

The present experimental study was conducted to know the role of marginal high protein (27%), high calcium (1.6%), water deprivation and diclofenac drug (2.5 mg/kg body weight/day) for causation of visceral gout in broiler chicks. For this experiment, day old broiler chicks were divided in to different groups with different treatments and samples were collected on 3^rd6^th9^th12^th and 15^th days of age from each group. Blood samples and kidney tissues were collected from all the birds on fifteenth days for plasma uric acid and histopathology. The plasma uric acid concentrations were increased on 6^th day onwards with high protein diet (27%). In water deprivation group the plasma uric acid concentrations were increased significantly on ninth day onwards. The kidney body weight ratio gradually increased from first to fifth collection in water deprivation group. In high calcium fed group the concentration of plasma uric acid was increased three times at fifteenth day of age. Diclofenac caused hyperuricaemia and mortality due to visceral gout in broiler chicks by oral administration. The plasma uric acid concentration increased gradually from collection I to collection V in diclofenac treated group. The lesions were characterised by varying degree of white chalky deposition on the serosal surfaces of visceral organs.