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Polyuria

Condition Overview:

Polyuria is the production of excess urine; normal volumes are passed more often. It is to be distinguished from the symptom of urinary frequency.Polyuria is usually accompanied by excessive drinking i.e. polydipsia.

Polyuria may be defined as an increase in the amount of the urine component of the droppings. In birds, droppings are composed of three elements: feces, urates and urine. The droppings are stored in the cloaca, the common emptying chamber for the gastrointestinal, urinary and reproductive tract.
 Feces are produced in the intestinal tract and are normally green or brown in color. Urine and urates are produced in the kidneys.Usually, birds only produce a very small volume of liquid urine, and the majority of the waste from the kidneys will be in the form of semi-solid, white/beige urates. Occasionally, a larger volume of urine is produced (polyuria), which is often mistaken for diarrhea. Birds that are polyuric will have a more liquid dropping, but the fecal component remains solid and formed. Birds with diarrhea have a more liquid consistency to the fecal component.There are many causes of polyuria in birds. A few of the more common causes include:  Gastrointestinal tract disease, Kidney disease,Diabetes mellitus,  Dietary changes – increased amount of fruit or vegetables in the diet  Behavioral – increased amount of drinking,  Toxins.

Your veterinarian will recommend specific diagnostic tests depending on how severely your bird is affected, how long he has been polyuric, and whether other symptoms are present. Birds that exhibit other symptoms, such as anorexia or lethargy, may require extensive diagnostic testing.

If your bird occasionally has a few droppings with a clear, colorless liquid component and has no other symptoms, it may be normal. This is especially true if the diet has recently changed, or if increased amounts of fruits and vegetables have recently been fed, since these foods contain a large amount of water. If, however, polyuria is persistent (lasts more than a day), recurrent (returns frequently) or other symptoms occur, medical attention is needed.