The avian pancreas in health and disease.

The avian endocrine pancreas shares some similarities with mammals but also some clinically relevant differences in anatomy and physiology. Diabetes mellitus, an uncommon disease of pet birds, is a challenging condition because of lack of knowledge of the exact pathophysiology and responses to insulin therapy. This article reviews the anatomy and physiology of the avian pancreas and describes the etiology, diagnosis, and treatment of diabetes mellitus in pet birds.