Atypical parasitic migration and necrotizing sacral myelitis due to Serratospiculoides amaculata in a prairie falcon (Falco mexicanus).

An adult, wild-caught, female prairie falcon (Falco mexicanus) was presented with the chief complaint of anorexia. Radiographic findings included increased densities within the air sacs, and coelomic endoscopy revealed numerous slender worms within the air sacs and on the serosal surfaces of the ovary, oviduct, liver, proventriculus, and ventriculus. The bird seemed to improve for a short period of time with antiparasitic therapy (ivermectin and fenbendazole) and supportive care. Twenty-one days after initial presentation, the bird became recumbent with increasing pelvic limb neurologic deficits and was euthanized. On histopathologic examination, mature nematodes and larvated eggs identified as Serratospiculoides amaculata were found within the subdural space of the distal thoracolumbar and synsacral spinal cord and within the coelomic cavity. This case suggests that S. amaculata can cause clinically significant lesions in its falconiform host with potentially fatal results.