Polydipsia

Polydipsia

Polydipsia is a medical symptom in which the patient displays excessive thirst. The word derives from the Greek πολυδιψία, which is derived from πολύς + δίψα...

is an excessively large water intake. Its occurrence in captive birds has been recorded, although it is a relatively rare abnormal behaviour.

Toxins

Polydipsia can be the result of a bird having ingested a toxin, or overconsumption of natural substances. For example, in pet birds, crackers, snack items, chips, fast foods, and canned vegetables (unrinsed) if eaten in sufficient quantities may cause a mild salt toxicity (5-10 times requirement) and subsequent polydipsia. Polydipsia can result from zinc

Zinc

Zinc , or spelter , is a metallic chemical element; it has the symbol Zn and atomic number 30. It is the first element in group 12 of the periodic table. Zinc is, in some respects, chemically similar to magnesium, because its ion is of similar size and its only common oxidation state is +2...

 poisoning to which caged birds may be particularly susceptible because of the zinc coating often used on birdcage

Birdcage

A birdcage is a cage designed to house birds as pets.Antique birdcages are often popular as collectors' items or as household decor but most are not suitable for housing live birds, being too small, or of unsafe materials or construction...

 bars.
Polydipsia has been experimentally induced in pigeons, budgerigar

Budgerigar

The Budgerigar , also known as Common Pet Parakeet or Shell Parakeet informally nicknamed the budgie, is a small, long-tailed, seed-eating parrot, and the only species in the Australian genus Melopsittacus...

s and duck

Duck

Duck is the common name for a large number of species in the Anatidae family of birds, which also includes swans and geese. The ducks are divided among several subfamilies in the Anatidae family; they do not represent a monophyletic group but a form taxon, since swans and geese are not considered...

s, by the administration of lithium chloride

Lithium chloride

Lithium chloride is a chemical compound with the formula LiCl. The salt is a typical ionic compound, although the small size of the Li+ ion gives rise to properties not seen for other alkali metal chlorides, such as extraordinary solubility in polar solvents and its hygroscopic...

 (LiCl). The polydipsic effect was greatest in budgerigars, a desert-dwelling species with a well-developed fluid retention system, and least in ducks, a species with an efficient sodium-secretion system.

Symptom of disease

In waterfowl, polydipsia can be a symptom of duck virus enteritis. Polydipsia has also been listed as a symptom of many diseases including -

• Nephrogenic diabetes insipdus,
• Diabetes insipidus,
• Diabetes mellitus,
• Renal glucosuria,
• Vitamin A deficiency,
• Liver disease,
• Renal disease,
• Hypercalcemia?,
• Hyperthyroidism?,
• Hyperadrenocorticism?,
• Hypervitaminosis D3,
• Elevated dietary sodium,
• Excess dietary protein,
• Excess fruit consumption

Brain lesions

In hens, lesions of the supraoptic hypothalamus of the brain can result in polydipsia.

Psychogenic polydipsia

Polydipsia sometimes occurs under housing or experimental conditions which purportedly lead to stress or frustration.

Growing parent stock of meat-type chickens (broilers), subjected routinely to chronic food restriction, show increased drinking after a single daily meal along with other oral stereotypies. Expression of these activities is correlated positively with the level of restriction imposed, and is thought to be controlled mainly by central dopaminergic mechanisms

Dopaminergic pathways

Dopaminergic pathways are neural pathways in the brain which transmit the neurotransmitter dopamine from one region of the brain to another.The neurons of the dopaminergic pathways have axons which run the entire length of the pathway...

.

Under experimental conditions where birds receive reinforcement

Reinforcement

Reinforcement is a term in operant conditioning and behavior analysis for the process of increasing the rate or probability of a behavior in the form of a "response" by the delivery or emergence of a stimulus Reinforcement is a term in operant conditioning and behavior analysis for the process of...

s on a strict schedule, for example receiving one pellet of food each minute often indicated by a tone or other stimulus, the birds may develop polydipsia. Under these conditions it is called schedule induced polydipsia or sometimes, adjunctive drinking.

Genetics

Some strains of hens are polydipsic, drinking almost twice the normal amount of water. It has been suggested that a recessive major gene is involved in this condition.
Similarly, a quail

Quail

Quail is a collective name for several genera of mid-sized birds generally considered in the order Galliformes. Old World quail are found in the family Phasianidae, while New World quail are found in the family Odontophoridae...

 line that exhibits polyuria

Polyuria

Polyuria is a condition usually defined as excessive or abnormally large production or passage of urine . Frequent urination is sometimes included by definition, but is nonetheless usually an accompanying symptom...

 was found to be fixed for an autosomal

Autosome

An autosome is a chromosome that is not a sex chromosome, or allosome; that is to say, there is an equal number of copies of the chromosome in males and females. For example, in humans, there are 22 pairs of autosomes. In addition to autosomes, there are sex chromosomes, to be specific: X and Y...

recessive mutation that also induced polydipsia.