Department of Veterinary Pathology, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan

    A 9 months old Fayumi layer, having 2.5 kg body weight with distended abdomen was examined. On physical examination, the hen was found anaemic, dyspnoeic and recumbent with pulpy abdomen distended with fluid. Upon aspiration, about 800 ml of straw-coloured fluid was collected which contained proteinitious casts but no fibrin. Haematological examination revealed that RBC counts, haematocrit and WBC counts were 3.5 x 10¹²/L, 25% and 50 x 10⁹/L, respectively. Differential leukocytic counts revealed that heterophils, lymphocytes, monocytes and eosinophils were 50, 26, 18 and 6%, respectively, without any basophils. The concentrations of plasma proteins and fibrinogen were 7.9 g/dL and 312 mg/dL, respectively. The hen was given supportive therapy along with antibiotics and flusher.

Key words: Ascites, Fayumi hen, haematology, plasma proteins.