infections of pigeons

Respiratory infections.  Often a problem with young birds during racing season when they are exposed to other pigeons in the hauling trailer.  Watery eyes , one eyed colds ,nasal discharge, and mucous in the throat are all symptoms. It is wise to treat all young birds before the training and racing season and intermittently treat every other week or so during the race season. Old birds and breeders can get this disease as well but most of the time it is due to overcrowding or poor ventilation in the loft.  A few drugs used to combat respiratory problems are listed below.
Combination of Tylan and Doxicycline together,  LS50, and  Suanovil 50. There are a lot of other great products available on the market.

Canker-   Also known as Trichomoniasis.   This disease affects mostly young birds in the nest or just after weaning. Old birds also carry this disease and pass it on to the young via feeding.  In young birds canker can be more visible and affects the throat, crop, or navel area.  The best way to spot canker in youngsters is to inspect their throats and look for a yellow, cheesy like growth in the back part of the throat or in some more serious cases the entire inside lining of the mouth. This is more than likely canker.  If it is covering the entire throat the bird will appear ill and a weight loss should be very noticeable. Keep in mind that birds can have canker and appear healthy. Old birds should be treated prior to racing or breeding and intermittent treatments given every two or three weeks during the race season or in between rounds while the birds are sitting on eggs of the second or third round.  It is always a good idea to alternate drugs to keep from creating resistance.  A few of the drugs used for treating canker can be hard on breeders and race birds so do a bit of research to use the drug that best fits your situation at the time.  Listed are just a few drugs used to treat canker in pigeons.
Ronidazole, Metronidizole, Emtryl and Spartrix

Coccidiosis - This is another disease that affects the performance of our birds both in racing and breeding.  Again in most cases the birds deal with disease very well but in some cases when the cocci count is to high the birds will fall off in the races or pass this disease on to the young in the nest. It is similar to strep throat in humans to the point that when the count gets to high it becomes an infection. In some loft conditions it is a bigger problem than others. Some never have this problem. It severe cases the birds look listless, ruffled up , watery droppings that have a bad odor to them and weight loss. It is wise to treat for this disease prior to breeding and racing and again intermittent treatment every three to four weeks if you have had this disease in your loft.  Listed below are a few drugs used to treat coccidiosis.
Sulmet 12.5%, Corid, Baycox, Agribon, and severel other new medications on the market.

Salmonellosis -  This is a more serious disease that can do a lot of damage to your loft. It has been around for a long time and sometimes it creeps up out of nowhere and becomes a disaster. The symptoms are common with other less serious diseases which makes it important to consult a vet and have them draw blood and do a culture on the bird to be certain.  You have to catch this disease early !  The birds will become thin, listless, watery droppings greenish in color, sour crop, and swollen wing and or leg joints. This is caused from the fluid that gathers in those areas when the disease settles there. There are some good treatments out on the market that can save the birds but many believe that in a lot of cases even after the bird appears well it can remain a carrier for life.  If you suspect this disease in your loft take action quickly. A few other signs that point to Salmonellosis is young dying in the nest at two or three weeks old or eggs that start chipping and then die in the shell before making it out.  As we said before consult a vet if you suspect this disease. A few good medications used to control Sallmonellosis are listed below. There is also a vaccine available.
 Baytril , amoxicillian, and Ceflexin. Other drugs also work well. Your vet can do a sensitivity test to see which drug will be most effective on the strain you are dealing with. 

Pigeon Pox- This viral disease is common in some areas more than others but is usually not fatal to the birds. They will break out with wart like lesions on their beak area, nose, mouth, and feet , much like chicken pox.  It is then spread bird to bird until it runs its coarse. This virus is also spread by mosquitoe's and in fact is many times started by them. The best thing to do to avoid this problem is to vaccinate for it. We have a great vaccine available to us that eliminates this virus from our birds.

Paramyxovirus - Another viral disease that is often very damaging to a loft. It spreads quickly and attacks the nervous system of the pigeon in a lot of cases causing the number one symptom of the bird having a twisted neck. The bird , if severe will not be able to stand and will fall on it's side or back with the head twisting out of control .   Other times the birds will not show this twisting but will appear listless and have watery droppings. Again we stress that this can be over 90% avoidable by vaccinating your birds against this disease. 

Keeping your pigeons healthy is the only way you will be successful in racing or breeding. There are many other viral and bacterial diseases that can affect our birds from time to time. Good loft management is very important in controlling the health of your birds. Good fresh water, clean feed, proper ventilation in the loft all play a big part in the success of any loft. Unless you have healthy pigeons you cannot judge the worth of your birds. The best birds in the World cannot win if they are not healthy. Today there are many pro-biotic products on the market that actually help your birds defend against a lot of diseases and cut down on the use of medications.  You should still vaccinate your birds !  Do not use antibiotics unless they are needed.    

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