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Clinical Technique: Imping in Birds
Topics in Medicine and Surgery
Clinical Technique: Imping in Birds Michael Lierz, Prof Dr med vet, Dip. ZooMed, Dip. ECZM, Dip. ECPVS, and Dominik Fischer, DVM
Abstract Birds often are presented with damaged flight feathers to veterinary practices that treat avian species. Pet birds will have traumatized, self-damaged, or diseased feathers. Additionally, damaged flight and/or tail feathers are regularly diagnosed in injured or debilitated free-ranging birds. In many cases in which feather damage is diagnosed, imping of the damaged feathers is an easy technique one may use to restore the flight capability of the bird, thereby decreasing the time needed for rehabilitation. The techniques for imping damaged bird feathers are described in detail along with the risk factors associated with this corrective procedure. Copyright 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. Key words: broken feather; feather clipping; imping; psittacines; raptors; trauma
F
eather disorders, which affect many different avian species, are a common finding in birds presented to veterinary clinics.1-4 In many cases the flight capability of a bird is restricted because of damage of the flight feathers. Traumatized primary flight feathers can lead to pain, hemorrhage, selfinduced feather plucking, aggressive behavior, and other overt disease problems.5 In the course of this unintended flight restriction, the body condition of the patient and its overall general health also may be affected. Pet avian species deprived of the ability of gliding gently to the floor can develop traumatic injuries like sternal lacerations, postventral lacerations, and/or beak tip fractures.5 Free-ranging birds found injured or debilitated are regularly presented with broken flight and/or tail feathers. The rehabilitation process can be very long for free-ranging birds that present with broken flight and/or tail feathers, because these birds have to be maintained in captivity for a complete moulting period until their flight capability is completely restored.6,7 Imping is a simple and efficient technique to repair broken or bent flight feathers to a functional state, thus restoring the flight capability of affected birds. The methods of imping are well known in raptors7 and have been used in falconry for centuries.8-11
Moreover, feather repair has proven useful when treating other bird species (e.g., psittacines, swifts) that are presented with feather damage too. The purpose of this article is to review the process for imping birds and raise the awareness of this useful and important tool for the avian practitioner.5,6
Anamnesis Before one initiates any feather repair, a thorough anamnesis and diagnostic examination should be performed to reveal the underlying cause of the feather damage. The list of differential diagnoses should include trauma, iatrogenic causes, nutritional disorders, organ dysfunction, behavioral disFrom the Clinic for Birds, Reptiles, Amphibians and Fish, Justus Liebig University, Giessen, Germany. Address correspondence to: Michael Lierz, Prof Dr med vet, Dip. ZooMed, Dip. ECZM, Dip. ECPVS, Clinic for Birds, Reptiles, Amphibians and Fish, Justus Liebig University, Frankfurter Str. 91 - 93, 35392 Giessen, Hessen, Germany. E-mail: michael.lierz@ vetmed.uni-giessen.de. © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. 1557-5063/11/2002-$30.00 doi:10.1053/j.jepm.2011.02.008
Journal of Exotic Pet Medicine, Vol 20, No 2 (April), 2011: pp 131–137
131
132 orders, and infectious disease (e.g., viral, mycotic, bacterial, parasitic).1-4 All of the pathological causes of feather damage listed above have to be differentiated from physiologic moult, where most birds change their feathers in a symmetrical and orderly process, thereby allowing them to maintain flight capability at all times. Although many of the underlying causes of avian feather trauma listed above affect nearly the whole plumage of a bird, some affect only the integrity of the long wing (remiges) and tail feathers (rectrices) crucial for the flight capabilities of a bird. Damage to even one flight feather can influence the performance of a hunting bird. Furthermore, any broken feather may jeopardize the stability of adjacent feathers.9 The surrounding feathers, especially those that are new and growing, become vulnerable, resulting in a cycle of continuing feather damage.7 Iatrogenic, self-inflicted, and traumatic feather damage are the most common underlying causes for impaired remiges and rectrices in birds. Other primary causes of feather damage should be considered and include iatrogenic, damaged, poorly clipped wing feathers, poor husbandry conditions (aviary/cage design), inadequate handling, and transport.5,11 In addition, feathers may become unstable and more vulnerable after an early starvation process or stress, which can result in stress mark development (Fig 1). In cases of traumatic and iatrogenic damage, imping offers a good option for treatment if it is combined with methods of improved management techniques by the bird’s owner. Unfortunately, imping is not suitable to solve behavioral problems such as self-mutilation of feathers in psittacines.5 However, it may remove the stimulus to chew at the cut ends of clipped wing feathers or feathers that fail to moult after clipping the wing feathers of these birds.12
Figure 1. Stress mark in feather causing line of damaged barbs. The feather damage occurs during its development when the bird is experiencing physiologic stress.
Lierz and Fischer
How to Perform the Imping Procedure What You Will Prepare in Advance If imping is indicated to repair damaged feathers, some advanced preparation is required. During the general examination all damaged feathers should be noted and listed to choose the correct spare replacement feathers. The new feathers have to match the size, shape, texture, and color of the feathers they are replacing. Consequently, the best source of donor feathers is from the same bird, and owners should be advised to keep moulted flight feathers as insurance for possible future use.1,8,12 If moulted feathers from the same bird are not available, feathers from the same species, and if possible, the same age and sex as the bird being imped, should be used as replacement structures. Moulted feathers from another bird or those that have been obtained from a dead bird/carcass can be used too. Therefore, the avian practitioner is advised to collect and store moulted or trimmed remiges and rectrices from dead birds.8,11,12 Because of the potential disease risk when imping feathers from one bird to another, only feathers from healthy birds should be used for this procedure.8,12 Additionally, before imping, all replacement feathers should be sterilized with ethylene oxide, formaldehyde, or partly decontaminated by freezing, which helps protect against ectoparasite exposure.8,12 Autoclaves and gas sterilization systems have also been used successfully to reduce the risk of disease transmission from replacement feathers.12 If feathers from the same species are not accessible, feathers from a different but similarly sized bird may be used, although there will be inconsistencies in color pattern between the replacement and natural feathers.8,12 After selection of the necessary replacement feathers, the materials and instruments required to perform the imping procedure include differentsized scissors and nail cutters, fine nail files, hair clips (100 mm long), thin cardboard cards or pieces of paper, curved and fine-tipped pliers, and a roll of masking tape. Other important materials consist of a tool to clean the inside of feather shafts (e.g., a paper clip, a drill bit), a pen to mark the cutting lines, a whittling tool, and a knife with interchangeable blades. The most important components, as they relate to the success of the procedure, are a suitable implant (so-called splint or imping needle) and the appropriate glue to secure the implant within the feather shafts. Splints, bamboo sticks,5-12 guitar strings (for thin feather shafts),13 steel hairpins,11 plastic rods, dowelling rods, and/or knitting needles8,13 have been
133
Imping in Birds
Figure 2. Assessing damaged primary flight feathers.
Figure 4. A selection of feathers are needed so that the replacements are of similar size and shape of those damaged.
used. Because bamboo has a similar swelling characteristic as the feather shaft and is strong and lightweight, it may be the best inlay material.10,13 Moreover, bamboo is slightly flexible, in contrast to a hard steel needle. This flexibility is important in an also flexible rachis to prevent rebreaking above or below an inflexible implant.9 Additionally, bamboo sticks are available in different diameters and are readily available in local stores that sell household goods. For each implant, approximately 5 cm of bamboo stick is needed, of which 2.0 to 2.5 cm is shaved until the implant fits tightly into the new feather shaft.7 Cyanoacrylate or 5-minute epoxy glues are suitable to use for securing the implant into the feather shaft. The 5-minute epoxy is preferred to cyanoacrylate because it is more stable over time and allows for an extended period to align the feathers relative to the rapid-drying cyanoacrylate. To speed up the curing process of the 5-minute epoxy, a handheld hair dryer may be used.
Step-By-Step Guide to Perform a Full Feather Repair
Figure 3. Masking tape can be used to retract the covert feathers from the base of the affected shaft(s).
Figure 5. Side-by-side comparison of a damaged feather against the replacement.
When all materials are in place, the imping procedure can commence by using the following established protocols.5,7,11,13 1.
The imping procedure should be performed with the bird under general anesthesia, thereby reducing stress and preventing the bird from destroying the freshly repaired feather through movement and struggle. Isoflurane is the recommended inhalant anesthesia agent because it is safe and easy to use for avian patients. Analgesia is not required; this feather repair technique is painless because noninnervated and nonvascularized parts of the avian integument are manipulated.
2.
Place the anesthetized patient on a towel and provide thermal support with conductive (e.g.,
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Lierz and Fischer
Figure 6. A cutting line is being placed on both the damaged and replacement feathers. The cutting line is determined after the sideby-side comparison establishes the proper length of the replacement feather.
Figure 8. Damaged feathers after being trimmed out with a nail cutter.
5.
Trim the damaged feather approximately 15 to 25 mm distal to the skin with a nail cutter. Then trim the new feather along the marked cutting line, leaving a clean, cylindrical shaft. Do not use scissors to trim the feather because this will cause the shaft to split (Figs 7, 8, and 9).
6.
Clean out the feather shafts with a blunt object (e.g., small drill bit, paper clip).
7.
Shave the bamboo until it fits tightly within the feather shafts of both feathers. Confirm that the shaft of the donor feather has perfect alignment with the feather shaft of the recipient site.
8.
Place a piece of paper or cardboard under the imping site to prevent glue exposure on adjacent feathers (Fig 10).
9.
Prepare the fast-setting 5-minute epoxy glue (a mix of equal parts of epoxy resin and hardener), then lightly coat the implant with the glue and insert approximately 2.5 cm into the shaft of the
heating pad) and/or convective (e.g., warm air) equipment. 3.
4.
Retract the covert feathers away from the broken flight feather with masking tape; this will expose the base of the affected shaft (calamus) (Figs 2 and 3). Compare the length and shape of the replacement feather with the damaged one. If the length and shape of the replacement feather are acceptable, align it in proper position relative to the adjacent feathers. Make sure to maintain bilateral symmetry with the opposite side of the tail or wing when replacing a feather. After determining the correct length of the replacement feather, mark the cutting line with a pen on both feathers. If more than one feather needs to be imped, replace the innermost feather first for optimum results (Figs 4, 5, and 6).
Figure 7. The damaged feather is trimmed approximately 15 to 25 mm distal to the skin with a nail cutter.
Figure 9. Cut feather shafts remaining in their respective feather follicles of the patient.
Imping in Birds
135
Figure 10. Paper is placed under the imping site to prevent glue exposure to adjacent feathers.
Figure 12. After injecting glue into the feather shaft, the recipient implant attached to the replacement feather is inserted into the prepared site.
new feather. Aspirate the remainder of the prepared glue with a 1-mL tuberculin syringe and inject into the old feather shaft. Insert the implant into the recipient feather shaft and connect both feather fragments (Figs 11 and 12).
possible or the feather is broken, repair by external splinting is necessary.11
10.
Rotate the new feather for proper positioning, close the wing/tail in the natural anatomical position, and hold all the feathers in place with hair clips until the epoxy cures (Figs 13 and 14).
11.
After the epoxy glue has cured, remove the paper or cardboard and recover the patient from anesthesia.
Step-By-Step Guide to Perform the Repair of a Bent Feather Bent feathers may be steamed (Fig 15) and reformed into their correct anatomic position. If this is not
Figure 11. The glue-coated bamboo implant has been inserted into the shaft of the replacement feather.
1-4. See above (Step-By-Step Guide to Perform a Full Feather Repair). 5. Curved, fine-tipped pliers or hemostats can be used to straighten the bent feather on its dorsoventral axis. 6. Split the feather shaft on in its ventral aspect approximately 15 mm proximal and distal from the bend by using a scalpel blade or a sharp knife. When splitting the feather shaft, the dorsal aspect of the feather shaft should not be damaged. 7. Fill up the groove in the feather shaft with cotton. Cotton is preferable to an inflexible imping needle, which may be placed within the feather shaft. 8. Apply methacrylate glue onto the cotton until saturated. Then gently press on both sides of the shaft with pliers or forceps in the mediolateral
Figure 13. Once connected and before the glue sets, the replacement feathers are rotated to achieve the proper position.
136 axis to close the created groove in the feather shaft. Hold the feather in correct position until the glue cures. If baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) is placed on the glue before curing, the stability of this implant is increased through the creation of a strong, cement-like compound. 9. Roughen the ventral surface of the affected feather shaft with a fine nail file, apply a thin layer of methacrylate glue, and sprinkle a small amount of baking soda onto the fresh glue. This may be repeated once or twice if a thicker layer is necessary. Afterward, file the upper surface and the edges with a fine nail file until smooth. An alternative to the technique described above is to make a splint using the main shaft of a spare feather, which is then glued on top of the bend.10
Conclusion Imping is a very useful, simple, and efficient technique to treat damaged feathers in birds.5,8 The imping procedure can be used to repair damaged feathers of companion avian species as well as free-ranging birds before release.6 Rehabilitated birds with damaged feathers can be released earlier, because they do not have to be maintained in captivity for a complete molting period. Unfortunately, imping is not suitable to solve behavioral problems like self-induced feather loss in psittacines.5 However, repaired feathers may remove the stimulus of behaviorally challenged birds to chew at the cut ends of clipped feathers or feathers that fail to moult after the wing feathers have been trimmed.5 Imping is neither painful nor invasive. Nevertheless, the imping procedure should be performed
Lierz and Fischer
Figure 15. Steaming bent feathers to reform into their correct anatomic position.
while the bird is under general anesthesia to reduce stress and to prevent bird movement while the repair takes place. The grafted feather provides a functionally normal feather until replaced by moulting. If the imping procedure is properly performed, it is difficult to identify the replacement feather from the bird’s natural feathers. The risk of anesthetic complications and exposure to disease organisms on replacement feathers are considerations that have to be addressed before performing the procedure. The major concern regarding the imping technique described above is the availability of matching replacement feathers to a specific patient. Therefore, it is wise to instruct owners to keep the molted feathers from all birds on a reserve basis. Additionally, wings and tails of dead birds can be removed, dried, and stored as a ready supply of replacement feathers for future use.
References 1. 2. 3.
4. Figure 14. Holding replacement feathers in place as the glue sets. Hair pins can also be used to hold the feathers in place at this stage of the imping procedure.
5.
Chitty J: Feather plucking in psittacine birds—1. Presentation and medical investigation. In Pract 25:484493, 2003 Chitty J: Feather plucking in psittacine birds—2. Social, environmental and behavioural considerations. In Pract 25:550-555, 2003 Chitty J: Feather and skin disorders, in HartcourtBrown N, Chitty J (eds): BSAVA Manual of Psittacine Birds (ed 2). Gloucester, UK, BSAVA, pp 191-204, 2005 Cooper JE, Harrison GJ: Dermatology, in Harrison GJ, Lightfoot TL (eds): Clinical Avian Medicine, Vol II. Palm Beach, FL, Spix Publishing, pp 607-639, 2005 Welle KR: Application of imping feathers in psittacine
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6. 7. 8. 9.
birds. Proceedings of the Association of Avian Veterinarians Conference, St. Paul, MN, pp 227-229, 1998 Hagen N, Lierz M, Hafez HM: Federreparatur zur Wiederauswilderung eines Mauerseglers (Apus apus). Der Klinische Fall: Tierärztl Prax 33:389-392, 2005 Lierz M: Imping feathers in birds of prey. Exotic DVM 6:13-15, 2000 Chitty J: Basic techniques, in Chitty J, Lierz M (eds): BSAVA Manual of Raptors, Pigeons and Passerines. Gloucester, UK, BSAVA, p 71, 2008 Remple JD: Feather tricks: practical pearls for the avian practitioner. Proceedings of the 7th European Committee of the Association of Avian Veterinarians (EAAV) Conference and 5th European College of
10. 11.
12. 13.
Avian Medicine and Surgery (ECAMS) Scientific Meeting, Tenerife, Spain, pp 185-189, 2003 Samour J: Imping, in Samour J (ed): Avian Medicine. London, UK, Mosby, pp 108-111, 2000 Samour J: Management of Raptors, in Harrison GJ, Lightfoot TL (eds): Clinical Avian Medicine, Vol. II. Palm Beach, FL, Spix Publishing, pp 924-929, 2005 Chitty J: Basic techniques, in Hartcourt-Brown N, Chitty J (eds): BSAVA Manual of Psittacine Birds (ed 2). Gloucester, UK, BSAVA, p 56, 2005 Arent LR: Maintenance care, in Arent LR (ed): Raptors in Captivity: Guidelines for Care and Management. Blaine, WA, Hancock House Publishing, pp 163-167, 2007
Clinical Technique: Imping in Birds Michael Lierz, Prof Dr med vet, Dip. ZooMed, Dip. ECZM, Dip. ECPVS, and Dominik Fischer, DVM
Abstract Birds often are presented with damaged flight feathers to veterinary practices that treat avian species. Pet birds will have traumatized, self-damaged, or diseased feathers. Additionally, damaged flight and/or tail feathers are regularly diagnosed in injured or debilitated free-ranging birds. In many cases in which feather damage is diagnosed, imping of the damaged feathers is an easy technique one may use to restore the flight capability of the bird, thereby decreasing the time needed for rehabilitation. The techniques for imping damaged bird feathers are described in detail along with the risk factors associated with this corrective procedure. Copyright 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. Key words: broken feather; feather clipping; imping; psittacines; raptors; trauma
F
eather disorders, which affect many different avian species, are a common finding in birds presented to veterinary clinics.1-4 In many cases the flight capability of a bird is restricted because of damage of the flight feathers. Traumatized primary flight feathers can lead to pain, hemorrhage, selfinduced feather plucking, aggressive behavior, and other overt disease problems.5 In the course of this unintended flight restriction, the body condition of the patient and its overall general health also may be affected. Pet avian species deprived of the ability of gliding gently to the floor can develop traumatic injuries like sternal lacerations, postventral lacerations, and/or beak tip fractures.5 Free-ranging birds found injured or debilitated are regularly presented with broken flight and/or tail feathers. The rehabilitation process can be very long for free-ranging birds that present with broken flight and/or tail feathers, because these birds have to be maintained in captivity for a complete moulting period until their flight capability is completely restored.6,7 Imping is a simple and efficient technique to repair broken or bent flight feathers to a functional state, thus restoring the flight capability of affected birds. The methods of imping are well known in raptors7 and have been used in falconry for centuries.8-11
Moreover, feather repair has proven useful when treating other bird species (e.g., psittacines, swifts) that are presented with feather damage too. The purpose of this article is to review the process for imping birds and raise the awareness of this useful and important tool for the avian practitioner.5,6
Anamnesis Before one initiates any feather repair, a thorough anamnesis and diagnostic examination should be performed to reveal the underlying cause of the feather damage. The list of differential diagnoses should include trauma, iatrogenic causes, nutritional disorders, organ dysfunction, behavioral disFrom the Clinic for Birds, Reptiles, Amphibians and Fish, Justus Liebig University, Giessen, Germany. Address correspondence to: Michael Lierz, Prof Dr med vet, Dip. ZooMed, Dip. ECZM, Dip. ECPVS, Clinic for Birds, Reptiles, Amphibians and Fish, Justus Liebig University, Frankfurter Str. 91 - 93, 35392 Giessen, Hessen, Germany. E-mail: michael.lierz@ vetmed.uni-giessen.de. © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. 1557-5063/11/2002-$30.00 doi:10.1053/j.jepm.2011.02.008
Journal of Exotic Pet Medicine, Vol 20, No 2 (April), 2011: pp 131–137
131
132 orders, and infectious disease (e.g., viral, mycotic, bacterial, parasitic).1-4 All of the pathological causes of feather damage listed above have to be differentiated from physiologic moult, where most birds change their feathers in a symmetrical and orderly process, thereby allowing them to maintain flight capability at all times. Although many of the underlying causes of avian feather trauma listed above affect nearly the whole plumage of a bird, some affect only the integrity of the long wing (remiges) and tail feathers (rectrices) crucial for the flight capabilities of a bird. Damage to even one flight feather can influence the performance of a hunting bird. Furthermore, any broken feather may jeopardize the stability of adjacent feathers.9 The surrounding feathers, especially those that are new and growing, become vulnerable, resulting in a cycle of continuing feather damage.7 Iatrogenic, self-inflicted, and traumatic feather damage are the most common underlying causes for impaired remiges and rectrices in birds. Other primary causes of feather damage should be considered and include iatrogenic, damaged, poorly clipped wing feathers, poor husbandry conditions (aviary/cage design), inadequate handling, and transport.5,11 In addition, feathers may become unstable and more vulnerable after an early starvation process or stress, which can result in stress mark development (Fig 1). In cases of traumatic and iatrogenic damage, imping offers a good option for treatment if it is combined with methods of improved management techniques by the bird’s owner. Unfortunately, imping is not suitable to solve behavioral problems such as self-mutilation of feathers in psittacines.5 However, it may remove the stimulus to chew at the cut ends of clipped wing feathers or feathers that fail to moult after clipping the wing feathers of these birds.12
Figure 1. Stress mark in feather causing line of damaged barbs. The feather damage occurs during its development when the bird is experiencing physiologic stress.
Lierz and Fischer
How to Perform the Imping Procedure What You Will Prepare in Advance If imping is indicated to repair damaged feathers, some advanced preparation is required. During the general examination all damaged feathers should be noted and listed to choose the correct spare replacement feathers. The new feathers have to match the size, shape, texture, and color of the feathers they are replacing. Consequently, the best source of donor feathers is from the same bird, and owners should be advised to keep moulted flight feathers as insurance for possible future use.1,8,12 If moulted feathers from the same bird are not available, feathers from the same species, and if possible, the same age and sex as the bird being imped, should be used as replacement structures. Moulted feathers from another bird or those that have been obtained from a dead bird/carcass can be used too. Therefore, the avian practitioner is advised to collect and store moulted or trimmed remiges and rectrices from dead birds.8,11,12 Because of the potential disease risk when imping feathers from one bird to another, only feathers from healthy birds should be used for this procedure.8,12 Additionally, before imping, all replacement feathers should be sterilized with ethylene oxide, formaldehyde, or partly decontaminated by freezing, which helps protect against ectoparasite exposure.8,12 Autoclaves and gas sterilization systems have also been used successfully to reduce the risk of disease transmission from replacement feathers.12 If feathers from the same species are not accessible, feathers from a different but similarly sized bird may be used, although there will be inconsistencies in color pattern between the replacement and natural feathers.8,12 After selection of the necessary replacement feathers, the materials and instruments required to perform the imping procedure include differentsized scissors and nail cutters, fine nail files, hair clips (100 mm long), thin cardboard cards or pieces of paper, curved and fine-tipped pliers, and a roll of masking tape. Other important materials consist of a tool to clean the inside of feather shafts (e.g., a paper clip, a drill bit), a pen to mark the cutting lines, a whittling tool, and a knife with interchangeable blades. The most important components, as they relate to the success of the procedure, are a suitable implant (so-called splint or imping needle) and the appropriate glue to secure the implant within the feather shafts. Splints, bamboo sticks,5-12 guitar strings (for thin feather shafts),13 steel hairpins,11 plastic rods, dowelling rods, and/or knitting needles8,13 have been
133
Imping in Birds
Figure 2. Assessing damaged primary flight feathers.
Figure 4. A selection of feathers are needed so that the replacements are of similar size and shape of those damaged.
used. Because bamboo has a similar swelling characteristic as the feather shaft and is strong and lightweight, it may be the best inlay material.10,13 Moreover, bamboo is slightly flexible, in contrast to a hard steel needle. This flexibility is important in an also flexible rachis to prevent rebreaking above or below an inflexible implant.9 Additionally, bamboo sticks are available in different diameters and are readily available in local stores that sell household goods. For each implant, approximately 5 cm of bamboo stick is needed, of which 2.0 to 2.5 cm is shaved until the implant fits tightly into the new feather shaft.7 Cyanoacrylate or 5-minute epoxy glues are suitable to use for securing the implant into the feather shaft. The 5-minute epoxy is preferred to cyanoacrylate because it is more stable over time and allows for an extended period to align the feathers relative to the rapid-drying cyanoacrylate. To speed up the curing process of the 5-minute epoxy, a handheld hair dryer may be used.
Step-By-Step Guide to Perform a Full Feather Repair
Figure 3. Masking tape can be used to retract the covert feathers from the base of the affected shaft(s).
Figure 5. Side-by-side comparison of a damaged feather against the replacement.
When all materials are in place, the imping procedure can commence by using the following established protocols.5,7,11,13 1.
The imping procedure should be performed with the bird under general anesthesia, thereby reducing stress and preventing the bird from destroying the freshly repaired feather through movement and struggle. Isoflurane is the recommended inhalant anesthesia agent because it is safe and easy to use for avian patients. Analgesia is not required; this feather repair technique is painless because noninnervated and nonvascularized parts of the avian integument are manipulated.
2.
Place the anesthetized patient on a towel and provide thermal support with conductive (e.g.,
134
Lierz and Fischer
Figure 6. A cutting line is being placed on both the damaged and replacement feathers. The cutting line is determined after the sideby-side comparison establishes the proper length of the replacement feather.
Figure 8. Damaged feathers after being trimmed out with a nail cutter.
5.
Trim the damaged feather approximately 15 to 25 mm distal to the skin with a nail cutter. Then trim the new feather along the marked cutting line, leaving a clean, cylindrical shaft. Do not use scissors to trim the feather because this will cause the shaft to split (Figs 7, 8, and 9).
6.
Clean out the feather shafts with a blunt object (e.g., small drill bit, paper clip).
7.
Shave the bamboo until it fits tightly within the feather shafts of both feathers. Confirm that the shaft of the donor feather has perfect alignment with the feather shaft of the recipient site.
8.
Place a piece of paper or cardboard under the imping site to prevent glue exposure on adjacent feathers (Fig 10).
9.
Prepare the fast-setting 5-minute epoxy glue (a mix of equal parts of epoxy resin and hardener), then lightly coat the implant with the glue and insert approximately 2.5 cm into the shaft of the
heating pad) and/or convective (e.g., warm air) equipment. 3.
4.
Retract the covert feathers away from the broken flight feather with masking tape; this will expose the base of the affected shaft (calamus) (Figs 2 and 3). Compare the length and shape of the replacement feather with the damaged one. If the length and shape of the replacement feather are acceptable, align it in proper position relative to the adjacent feathers. Make sure to maintain bilateral symmetry with the opposite side of the tail or wing when replacing a feather. After determining the correct length of the replacement feather, mark the cutting line with a pen on both feathers. If more than one feather needs to be imped, replace the innermost feather first for optimum results (Figs 4, 5, and 6).
Figure 7. The damaged feather is trimmed approximately 15 to 25 mm distal to the skin with a nail cutter.
Figure 9. Cut feather shafts remaining in their respective feather follicles of the patient.
Imping in Birds
135
Figure 10. Paper is placed under the imping site to prevent glue exposure to adjacent feathers.
Figure 12. After injecting glue into the feather shaft, the recipient implant attached to the replacement feather is inserted into the prepared site.
new feather. Aspirate the remainder of the prepared glue with a 1-mL tuberculin syringe and inject into the old feather shaft. Insert the implant into the recipient feather shaft and connect both feather fragments (Figs 11 and 12).
possible or the feather is broken, repair by external splinting is necessary.11
10.
Rotate the new feather for proper positioning, close the wing/tail in the natural anatomical position, and hold all the feathers in place with hair clips until the epoxy cures (Figs 13 and 14).
11.
After the epoxy glue has cured, remove the paper or cardboard and recover the patient from anesthesia.
Step-By-Step Guide to Perform the Repair of a Bent Feather Bent feathers may be steamed (Fig 15) and reformed into their correct anatomic position. If this is not
Figure 11. The glue-coated bamboo implant has been inserted into the shaft of the replacement feather.
1-4. See above (Step-By-Step Guide to Perform a Full Feather Repair). 5. Curved, fine-tipped pliers or hemostats can be used to straighten the bent feather on its dorsoventral axis. 6. Split the feather shaft on in its ventral aspect approximately 15 mm proximal and distal from the bend by using a scalpel blade or a sharp knife. When splitting the feather shaft, the dorsal aspect of the feather shaft should not be damaged. 7. Fill up the groove in the feather shaft with cotton. Cotton is preferable to an inflexible imping needle, which may be placed within the feather shaft. 8. Apply methacrylate glue onto the cotton until saturated. Then gently press on both sides of the shaft with pliers or forceps in the mediolateral
Figure 13. Once connected and before the glue sets, the replacement feathers are rotated to achieve the proper position.
136 axis to close the created groove in the feather shaft. Hold the feather in correct position until the glue cures. If baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) is placed on the glue before curing, the stability of this implant is increased through the creation of a strong, cement-like compound. 9. Roughen the ventral surface of the affected feather shaft with a fine nail file, apply a thin layer of methacrylate glue, and sprinkle a small amount of baking soda onto the fresh glue. This may be repeated once or twice if a thicker layer is necessary. Afterward, file the upper surface and the edges with a fine nail file until smooth. An alternative to the technique described above is to make a splint using the main shaft of a spare feather, which is then glued on top of the bend.10
Conclusion Imping is a very useful, simple, and efficient technique to treat damaged feathers in birds.5,8 The imping procedure can be used to repair damaged feathers of companion avian species as well as free-ranging birds before release.6 Rehabilitated birds with damaged feathers can be released earlier, because they do not have to be maintained in captivity for a complete molting period. Unfortunately, imping is not suitable to solve behavioral problems like self-induced feather loss in psittacines.5 However, repaired feathers may remove the stimulus of behaviorally challenged birds to chew at the cut ends of clipped feathers or feathers that fail to moult after the wing feathers have been trimmed.5 Imping is neither painful nor invasive. Nevertheless, the imping procedure should be performed
Lierz and Fischer
Figure 15. Steaming bent feathers to reform into their correct anatomic position.
while the bird is under general anesthesia to reduce stress and to prevent bird movement while the repair takes place. The grafted feather provides a functionally normal feather until replaced by moulting. If the imping procedure is properly performed, it is difficult to identify the replacement feather from the bird’s natural feathers. The risk of anesthetic complications and exposure to disease organisms on replacement feathers are considerations that have to be addressed before performing the procedure. The major concern regarding the imping technique described above is the availability of matching replacement feathers to a specific patient. Therefore, it is wise to instruct owners to keep the molted feathers from all birds on a reserve basis. Additionally, wings and tails of dead birds can be removed, dried, and stored as a ready supply of replacement feathers for future use.
References 1. 2. 3.
4. Figure 14. Holding replacement feathers in place as the glue sets. Hair pins can also be used to hold the feathers in place at this stage of the imping procedure.
5.
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