Diagnostic cytology in avian medicine.

Diagnostic cytology in avian medicine provides a means for better disease definition in the avian patient, which allows for a more specific therapeutic regimen. It is important that cytologic specimens are from fresh sources, since cells degenerate rapidly following the death of the bird or the tissue. Cytologic evaluation is an adjunct to other diagnostic procedures. A definitive diagnosis often requires information from the clinical history, physical examination, evaluation of samples obtained from the bird, radiographs, surgical procedures, necropsy, and histopathology.