In the presented study, the pathology of diclofenac sodium-induced visceral gout was investigated in domestic chicken, a validated experimental model for diclofenac toxicity for vultures. The experiment was conducted on eighteen day old commercial broiler chicks and 72 adult Leghorn chickens. The study was conducted in two phases to study the oral effects of diclofenac in young chicks and adult birds. Phase 1 of the trial was conducted for 15 days on young chicks. It comprised of three groups

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... cording to diclofenac dosing per kg body weight as C (0 mg/kg), C1 (0.25 mg/kg) and C2 (0.5 mg/kg). Similarly, Phase 2 of trial on adult birds was conducted for 28 days, with three groups A (0 mg/kg), A1 (0.25 mg/kg) and A2 (0.5 mg/kg). In Phase 1 only two chicks died of diclofenac toxicity after showing clinical signs of extreme dullness and revealed visceral gout on necropsy. None of the other birds in both phases revealed mortality or gout till slaughter. The histopathology of dead chicks revealed tubular necrosis, while De Galantha's staining revealed the presence of urate deposits only in cortical tubules of kidneys. The medulla was not showing any urate deposits. Urate tophi were also seen in other parenchymatous organs. The slaughtered birds in either phase of the experiment revealed mild to moderate degenerative changes in the kidney and liver of diclofenac exposed birds. The findings indicate obstructive nephropathy as the cause of visceral gout in dead chicks.