Article Published: 18 December
2008
Article courtesy
of Dyllan Debord
Here is a list of the 15 most common diseases that your pigeons
will be facing throughout there lives at any occasion.
Some of them are avoidable and curable with Improver together with
AntiFungal, while for some a vaccination or specific Antibiotic
will be needed:
Diseases list:
1. Canker - Trichomoniasis Canker
2. Coccidiosis
3. E. coli or Collibacillosis
4. One-Eye Colds
5. Paratyphoid - Salmonellosis
6. Pigeon Pox
7. PMV - Paramyxovirus
8. Adeno Virus
9. Circo Virus
10. Pigeon Malaria
11. Respiratory infections - Mycoplasmosis & Ornithosis
12. Sour Crop - Candida, Thrush
13. Worm Diseases
14. External Parasites
15. Diarrhea
Canker - Trichomoniasis Canker
Cause - This is the most common pigeon disease. It's caused by
a microscopic protozoan which is flagellated and therefore mobile.
It can be transmitted from one bird to another usually through
the drinking water and parent birds can infect their young through
feeding.
Symptoms - Infected birds show a
definite reduction in activity, ruffled feathers, loss of weight,
increased water intake and diarrhea. Cheesy yellowish deposits
can often be observed in the mouth or throat. In advanced stages
a stringy mucous and putrid odour can be detected in the mouth.
Young birds are most susceptible.
Prevention - Control stress with
half dosage of Improver and AntiFungal, this will control the
stress to 0 in the birds.
Maintain regular feed and watering schedules, sanitize drinkers
regularly, isolate and observe any newly acquired birds for several
weeks and administer an anti-canker drug or Improver on a regular
basis throughout the year. Veterinary recommendations vary from
once every three months to once a month. This will depend upon
incidence and susceptibility in your own flock.
Coccidiosis
Cause - This highly infectious and very common disease is caused
by a protozoan that infects the intestines of our birds. It’s
usually present to some degree in all pigeons but most adult birds
have developed enough immunity to the disease to remain healthy.
Most often infected are young pigeons or birds that has been subjected
to severe stress (i.e., racing, showing, lack of feed/water or
relocation). Adult birds may become infected from drinking unclean
water or from being in contact with moist droppings.
Symptoms - Infected birds have little
or no desire to eat or drink, will remain puffed up on perches,
lack any desire to move and often close their eyes. Droppings
are usually very loose, greenish in color and may become very
watery. Loss of weight occurs and death can occur in young birds.
Prevention - Use Improver and AntiFungal,
keep lofts dry and sanitary. Do not allow feed to come into contact
with droppings and regularly disinfect drinkers. Do not allow
birds to drink from gutters or mud puddles and keep feed and water
free from contact with rodents. Always isolate new birds as described
earlier as they are a primary target for the spread of coccidiosis.
Returning race birds should be given a preventive treatment shortly
after their return especially if out overnight. Baskets should
be disinfected weekly.
E. coli or Collibacillosis
Cause - This disease which is now thought to be more prevalent
in pigeons than once suspected is caused by gram negative bacteria
which can invade our lofts through infected dust particles, rodent
droppings and through infected pigeon droppings coming into contact
with eggs in the nest. Infected adult pigeons will emit the bacteria
throughout a pigeon loft.
Symptoms - Since the E. coli bacteria
can manifest itself in any part of the pigeon's body, symptoms
can be diverse. Most often young will die in the nest, adult birds
will become listless and lose weight and their droppings will
become loose, mucous and greenish-yellow in appearance. Sometimes
the droppings will have a foul odour. Occasionally some birds
may have nasal discharges and respiratory problems associated
with this disease.
Prevention - Maintaining good loft
hygiene and keeping rodents away from feed and water are very
important. Also keeping dust and ammonia levels down will help
to control any outbreaks.
General Antibiotics - Any fancier would be well advised to have
a good general antibiotic in his medicine chest. It can be useful
as "first choice" drugs if and when problems occur.
General antibiotics are effective against a broad range of both
gram positive and negative bacteria. Excessive use of them can
really damage the microflora of the bird, therefore, most veterinarians
suggest the use of Improver as it is called 'green antibiotic'
and will have the same effect as any other anitbiotic but will
leave the good bacteria and keep the balance of the pigeon intact.
One-Eye Colds
Cause - Often confused with the onset of mycoplasmosis, one -
eye colds are usually associated with a peck in the eye or some
other type of physical injury affecting the eye. One-eye colds
can also be caused by improper ventilation, drafts or dampness
in the loft.
Symptoms- A watery or mucous discharge
in only one eye is usually the symptom most commonly noticed,
occasionally both eyes will have watery appearances. Sometimes
one eye can become completely shut depending upon the degree of
infection.
Prevention - Maintaining proper ventilation
and not allowing overcrowded conditions to manifest themselves
in our lofts will go a long way in preventing one-eye colds. It
is also considered good loft hygiene to keep dust levels to a
minimum as many types of infectious bacteria are carried by dust
particles.
Paratyphoid - Salmonellosis
Cause - This very common and quite widespread illness is caused
by a gram-negative bacterium which is flagellated and therefore
mobile. It can be brought into a loft either through introduction
of infected pigeons, by rodents, through inhalation of infected
dust, on the soles of fanciers shoes, by roaches, or through contact
with wild pigeons. Often an adult bird that has overcome the disease
remains a carrier and continues to produce infected droppings.
Symptoms - Salmonella flagellates can be found throughout
the body in severely infected birds, thus a variety of symptoms
is possible. Most adult birds will show rapid weight loss along
with somewhat loose, greenish droppings. Some birds may develop
swelling in the leg joints or feet or may develop wing boils.
Other birds may have the "twisted neck" syndrome commonly
associated with PMV. Baby birds will often show laboured breathing
or die in the nest before the second week after hatching. Another
symptom, young dying in the egg.
Prevention - Loft hygiene is critical
as salmonella flagellates can live in the droppings for some time.
Once AntiFungal and Improver are given in the drinking water of
the pigeons the droppings will stop being infected with salmonella.Regular
cleaning and disinfecting of lofts, feeders and drinkers are imperative.
Minimizing contact with rodents, roaches and wild birds, quarantining
newly acquired birds and maintaining an acid pH level below 4.0
thanks to Improver in our lofts are all helpful steps in keeping
this disease under control. Several veterinarians have recommended
the use of Nolvasan disinfectant together with Improver at one
teaspoon per gallon (4.5 liters) of drinking water regularly to
help maintain an acidic environment in the droppings. Regular
use of the Improver against salmonella has proven to be especially
effective.
Pigeon Pox
Cause and Symptoms-
Pigeon pox is caused by a virus that is generally carried by mosquitoes
and other biting insects. When a nonresistant pigeon is bitten
by a carrier parasite the virus enters the bloodstream of the
bird and within five to seven days a small whitish wart-like lesion
appears on the head, feet, legs and beak areas. These deposits
can grow to become large yellowish bumps which if removed may
ooze blood. In time these lesions will dry and fall off, so it
is our advice to leave them alone.
Prevention - Other than using the
pigeon pox vaccines no remedy is acceptable. Improver and AntiFungal
can only reduce the virus to it’s minimum and cure up to
75% of the time. Controlling the mosquito and fly populations
in and around one's loft may be helpful, but the only sure way
to prevent pox is to vaccinate.
PMV - Paramyxovirus
Cause and Symptoms - Paramyxovirus
or PMV-1 is a viral infection unique to pigeons and is extremely
contagious, especially in the racing sport where hundreds or thousands
of birds are mixed and confined prior to release. Direct contact
or indirect contact through contaminated feed, water or litter
can spread the disease. Symptoms include extremely loose, watery
droppings, lack of appetite, ruffled feathers poor coordination
and sometimes paralysis of wings and legs. In advanced stages
birds will show "twisted neck" symptoms and many birds
will die.
Prevention - Currently in the U.S and Europe the only effective
means of protection is by vaccination with the Maine Biological
oil-adjuvant PMV-1 vaccine. Many fanciers are using the LaSota
vaccine, thinking that they are protecting their birds, but challenge
tests using LaSota vaccine was not effective in producing antibodies
for the pigeon PMV-1 virus. While the LaSota vaccine was effective
for short duration, protection for Newcastle's disease, as this
disease is almost non-existent in pigeons and should be differentiated
fromPMV-1.
Adeno Virus
Cause and Symptoms - Only birds whose
immune systems are suppressed are vulnerable to this disease.
There are two types of Adeno Virus that infect pigeons. Type 1
affects young pigeons primarily and causes vomiting and diarrhea
from which many birds recover. Type 2 is contracted by older pigeons
and strikes the liver with most affected birds dying within 24
hours. Some birds display a fluid yellow diarrhea and vomiting
before death. The main sign is sudden death occurring within 24
hours of the onset. None of the affected birds live longer than
48 hours. E. coli often accompanies Type 1 ( which is associated
with young pigeons ) and complicates the infection, making the
diarrhea and vomiting more severe and adding respiratory symptoms.
This Type 1 Adeno Virus/E. Coli are sometimes successfully treated
with antibiotics. Cases that are the best managed are those in
which the loft environment is good and in which all secondary
diseases like canker and coccidiosis are treated so that birds
are best able to resist the virus.
Prevention - Adeno virus is always present in a young bird
and it erupts when the immune system fails. It is important to
wait until the 12-th week for any type of vaccination. There is
currently no vaccine that is proven to be effective against Adeno
Virus. It's also important to keep stress in the loft at a minimum
with AntiFungal and Improver and to boost pigeons' general health
with vitamin supplements that are already included in Pigeon Vitality
products, etc.
Circo Virus
Cause and Symptoms - Because of the way this disease damages
the immune system and seems to invite secondary infection Circo
Virus is sometimes called pigeon AIDS. Circo Virus damages the
lymphocytes in the blood which are closely associated with the
immune system. With damaged lymphocytes the pigeons become susceptible
to secondary infections with other viruses, parasites and bacteria.
Pigeons infected with Circo Virus can also have continuing problems
with diseases like respiratory infections, chlamydia or canker
due to the fact that they cannot form natural immunity to them.
Most often Circo Virus kills very young pigeons and strikes older
youngsters that have already molted three or four flights. Birds
with Circo Virus have a yellowish discharge dried on the beak
and they are very reluctant to move, thin and dehydrated and have
no appetite and difficulty breathing. It is extremely hard to
diagnose Circo Virus by looking at the birds. The signs that can
be observed are typically caused by many different types of secondary
infections.
Prevention -Use of improver and AntiFungal
while keeping the disease out of the loft by not introducing birds
from lofts known to have health problems. Stray youngsters should
be immediately removed if they do not look well and try to identify
carrier stock birds by re-pairing those whose offspring seem weak
or die. If the virus comes into our loft, minimize its spread
by taking sick birds out immediately and isolating them while
giving them full doses of Improver, paying attention to on-going
hygiene. Good care given day to day places your pigeons in the
best situation to resist infection and gives those that become
infected the best chances of recovery. The main defense against.
Circo Virus is to identify and treat secondary infections, allowing
the birds to live long enough for the immune system to repair
itself. Probiotics help well birds resist the disease by maintaining
a healthy bowel population of bacteria.
Pigeon Malaria
Cause - This fairly common pigeon
disease is caused by a protozoan that attacks the red blood cells
of our birds. It is primarily carried by the pigeon fly which
acts as the intermediate host. Random tests of pigeon flocks have
shown as much as a 30% malaria rate.
Symptoms - Symptoms are vague. Except for some loss of gloss in
plumage and reduced performance in racing events there are no
real visible symptoms.
Preventionn - Since the pigeon fly is the primary carrier
of this disease it is imperative that these flies be controlled.
It’s important to quarantine newly acquired birds, dust
or dip birds after they have mingled with others and eliminate
contact with wild pigeons as curing this disease is very difficult.
Respiratory infections - Mycoplasmosis & Ornithosis
Cause - These diseases all fall into
the infectious bacterial category.
Coryza is actually the descriptive term used to identify the thick
mucous discharges usually associated with both Mycoplasmosis catarrh
and Ornithosis. The bacteria ( termed Chlamydia in the case of
Ornithosis ) lodge in the upper respiratory tract and can be extremely
hard to completely eradicate. Often infected birds never completely
recover. Although their external symptoms may disappear, they
can remain carriers for life.
Symptoms - The classic symptoms of respiratory infections include
mucous in the throat, open beak and heavy breathing, rasping or
gurgling while breathing, watery discharge from eyes sometimes
associated with swelling in the eye area. Other symptoms include
discharge from the nasal area and occasionally air sac swelling
or crop swelling as torn air sacs trap air under the skin. As
is usually the case with pigeons other diseases can quickly manifest
themselves when birds are in distress, so other symptoms can occur,
such as loose, greenish droppings and loss of weight. Most often
the only noticeable difference in our birds will be their unwillingness
to fly or their complete failure in the racing events. Respiratory
infections are the most damning for racing fanciers as many populations
are carriers of the disease in one form or another , and symptoms
are hard to identify. But results will definitely be diminished.
Prevention - The most important aspects in controlling
respiratory infections are adequate ventilation without drafts,
keeping dust and ammonia levels low ( which means keeping droppings
from accumulating ) and controlling dampness and overcrowding
Since tests have indicated that in some areas as much as 70% of
the wild pigeon population is either infected with or carries
respiratory disease, it would be wise to limit contact with feral
birds. Since sporadic drug treatment at inadequate levels can
cause rapid resistance to medication, always treat with effective
drugs for the recommended length of time. Proper quarantining
of new birds is also a must.
Sour Crop - Candida, Thrush
Cause - This very common disease
is caused by a fungus infection of the digestive tract. It is
often associated with excessive use of antibiotics.
Symptoms - Infected birds become listless, won't eat, lose weight,
develop a water-filled crop and vomit often. This vomit often
has a very putrid odor. Sometimes, in later cases, thrush will
show itself as just small whitish spots in the throat, which causes
confusion with canker, Another much less noticed symptom usually
found only in adult birds are feather pulling.
Prevention - Avoid overcrowding, maintain a sanitary loft
and most importantly, do not medicate indiscriminately, use Improver
to regulate naturally the immune system of the pigeons.
Worm Diseases
Cause - The most common worms found
in pigeons today are roundworms, hair worms, stomach wall worms,
gapeworms, stromglylids and tapeworms.
Symptoms - The symptoms vary with the type of infestation and
conceivably pigeons can live with slight infestations and show
no ill effects. Severe infestations generally cause droopiness,
loss of weight and some diarrhea. Gapeworms can cause breathing
problems. The best way to determine if a worm problem exists is
to have the droppings checked.
Prevention - Clean, sanitary lofts are most beneficial to keeping
worms in check, but since pigeons often mingle with many hundreds
of other birds a bird can become infested through ingestion of
worm eggs from the basket or through contact with stray pigeons.
Therefore it is advisable to develop a preventative worming program
in which all birds are wormed at least twice a year.
External Parasites
The most common external parasites that pester our birds are feather
lice, red mites, pigeon flies and mosquitoes. Since parasites
like these can occur in almost any climate it must be accounted
for when planning a loft strategy. Feather lice chew holes into
the flights or cause other types of visible damage to the feather
which can affect a show or racing pigeon's performance. The common
red mite can be a real problem in some lofts if it becomes established.
It commonly hides somewhere in the loft during the day and at
night comes out from its hiding place to bite and feed on the
blood of our birds.
Besides being a nuisance and not allowing the flock to rest properly
it can help to spread an assortment of diseases. The pigeon fly
is probably the most dangerous parasite that can attack our birds.
It lives most of its life on our pigeons, leaving only to lay
its eggs somewhere in the loft. Pigeon flies bite the birds often
and besides causing considerable discomfort they can be a major
cause of pigeon malaria. Mosquitoes would have to be considered
the next worst parasite simply because they are found in almost
all climates.
They are the most common carrier of the pigeon pox virus. There
are numerous precautions we can take within our lofts to help
control external parasites. In the case of lice, pigeon flies
and even mites it mostly involves controlling there numbers by
quarantining any new birds and dipping or dusting our birds with
pesticides. By keeping our lofts clean we can eliminate many of
the places where mites and flies can hide their eggs.
Diarrhea
Sometimes our birds develop diarrhea, often just after medication
treatments or high stress, so we wonder how they could be sick
when we have just treated them. Often the birds aren't actually
sick but they do have the loose droppings of sick birds because
of the chemical imbalance created by the loss of the lactobacillus
bacteria or " friendly bacteria " which inhabit our
pigeon's gut and help the digestive process.
By using AntiFungal together with Improver you will reduce the
stress dramatically and the good bacteria will stay protected
in the pigeons which will keep the microflora perfectly in shape.
The guts and digestive process will act normal naturally.
The veterinarian team.
Pigeon Vitality
Svinten 19
3941 Porsgrunn
Norway
Tel: +47 99 03 96 67
Fax: +47 35 55 67 62
www.pigeonvitality.com
/ mail(at)pigeonvitality.com
