Diseases of pigeons and their symptoms

The main problem with any infectious disease of domestic animals is that due to long-term living together, microorganisms mutate and become capable of infecting other types of animals. There are already many diseases common to birds, mammals and humans. Diseases of pigeons are in most cases the same as in chickens and other poultry. This is why pigeons living next to humans are dangerous. Flying into the yard to peck grain with chickens, they infect the latter with all the diseases that they themselves suffer from. There are no chickens in cities, but many diseases of city pigeons are transmitted to people.

What diseases do pigeons have?

To find out what pigeons are sick with, you can safely open the veterinary guide on diseases of chickens... All problems and diseases of pigeons are absolutely identical to chicken ones: from traumatic injuries to infections. The only difference is that egg loss syndrome in pigeons is harder to notice. Pigeons usually quickly get rid of non-viable eggs, and they only lay 2 eggs. Then they sit down to incubate.

Since the diseases of pigeons are identical to those of chickens, their treatment is also carried out with medicines intended for chickens. If these medicines exist in nature at all, since many diseases of birds are not cured, destroying sick individuals. But the dosage for the pigeon should be lower than for the chicken. After the pigeon mail lost its importance, no one is dealing with the question of the dosage of medications for these birds.

Based on the live weight of the birds, the required dosage of medication for the pigeon in case of illness is calculated. The main signs of the disease in a pigeon, like in a chicken, are a depressed state and disheveled plumage.

Also, pigeons may have:

• worms;
• external parasites;
• fungal diseases.

Most often, these types of diseases affect pigeons in winter with crowded content.

Common diseases of pigeons and their symptoms and treatment

Although internal and external parasites are the most common types of disease, they can be easily treated with antihistamines and conventional flea medications. True, to destroy bugs and ticks, in addition to pigeons, you will also have to process the dovecote with the adjacent territory.

Fungal diseases are less treatable. But on healthy pigeons, fungi are usually not activated. It is enough to keep the pigeon house clean and feed the birds with high-quality complete feed.

In addition to parasitic diseases, pigeons are also susceptible to infections caused by viruses, bacteria and protozoa. The most common infectious diseases:

• salmonellosis;
• coccidiosis;
• smallpox;
• psittacosis;
• infectious bursitis;
• Newcastle disease;
• trichomoniasis;
• candidiasis;
• tuberculosis.

Many of these diseases are transmitted to humans. At home, the treatment of diseases of pigeons and chickens must be carried out carefully. Sometimes it is easier and safer to kill birds and buy new flocks.

Salmonellosis

It belongs to the number of diseases of young pigeons. The causative agent of the disease is the bacterium Salmonella.It enters the pigeon's body along with contaminated water and food. Also, a healthy individual can become infected through direct contact with another pigeon. Sick pigeons lay already infected eggs.

The incubation period is 1-3 days. The course of the disease in young pigeons can be:

• sharp: weakness; drowsiness; diarrhea; serous-purulent conjunctivitis; refusal to feed; seizures with convulsions, during which pigeons roll over on their backs, while the head moves randomly, and the limbs make swimming movements; mortality more than 70%;
• subacute: rhinitis; diarrhea; serous-purulent conjunctivitis; inflammation of the joints;
• chronic: diarrhea and developmental delay.

The type of course of the disease will depend on the age at which the pigeon fell ill: up to 20 days - acute, 20-60 / 90 (sometimes adult birds) - subacute, over 90 days - chronic.

Salmonellosis is treated with broad-spectrum antibiotics, but you need to start as early as possible. In parallel, immunostimulants are used.

Coccidiosis

Refers to invasive diseases. Coccidiosis / eimeriosis is caused by unicellular parasites belonging to the coccidia subclass. Aymeria most often affect young animals. The severity of the symptoms of coccidiosis in young pigeons depends on the number of parasites that have entered the intestines. With a small number of pathogens, the symptoms of coccidiosis in pigeons do not appear, and treatment is not carried out. With an asymptomatic course of the disease, the pigeon may develop immunity to eimeriosis.

Infection occurs when the dovecote is unsanitary through food and water. The causative agents of the disease can be brought in by rodents, wild birds or by the owner himself on clothes and shoes. Overcrowding of pigeons in winter and high humidity in the room contribute to the spread of coccidiosis.

If there are clinical symptoms, then an acute course of coccidiosis is usually observed with the number of deaths up to 100%. The incubation period is 3-5 days. Clinical signs:

• oppression;
• lack of appetite;
• thirst;
• lack of response to external stimuli.

The plumage of the pigeons is disheveled. They sit, ruffled, with lowered wings. After the first signs appear, death occurs after 2-4 days.

When the first clinical signs appear, pigeons are soldered with coccidiostatics from the group that does not interfere with the development of immunity. A live vaccine against emeriosis can be used as a preventive measure. But it must be borne in mind that the principle of the vaccine is based on the fact that a small amount of parasites will enter the pigeon's body. The main purpose of the vaccine is to protect chickens from disease. One has to be careful when calculating the dose for a pigeon.

Smallpox

A disease common to mammals and birds. But viruses are specific to each species. In pigeons, the disease is caused by the smallpox virus, which is not dangerous even for other birds. The symptoms are the same for all birds susceptible to the disease: chickens, pigeons, canaries.

The incubation period lasts 1-3 weeks. Pigeons have 4 forms of the disease:

• diphtheroid;
• cutaneous;
• catarrhal;
• mixed.

The symptoms of each form of the disease are very different from each other. Only a mixed form unites almost all of them.

With a cutaneous form in a pigeon, you can see pockmarks in the beak area and on the eyelids. With diphtheroid, films are formed on the mucous membranes of the nasopharynx. Films make it difficult for the pigeon to breathe, which becomes wheezing. The beak is open to allow air to enter the lungs.

The catarrhal form is distinguished by sinusitis, conjunctivitis and rhinitis. Mixed is characterized by pockmarks on the skin and diphtheroid films on the oral mucosa. Smallpox mortality ranges from 15 to 60%. Recovered pigeons stop rushing.

There is no real cure for viral diseases, not only for pigeons, but also for humans.The so-called "antiviral" drugs are just immune stimulants. For pigeons, only symptomatic treatment of smallpox is used: the diet is enriched with vitamin A. To prevent the development of secondary infections, antibiotics are added to the feed. For the prevention of pigeons, you can vaccinate with a live smallpox vaccine.

Ornithosis

A bacterial disease caused by chlamydia. Dangerous not only for pigeons, but also for people. The incubation period is 6-17 days. At the initial stage, psittacosis is expressed in food refusal and apathy.

The disease can occur in 2 forms: acute and atypical. The acute form primarily affects the respiratory system. When atypical, the lungs are not affected, but all other systems of the body are affected.

Symptoms of psittacosis:

• deterioration of vision;
• the appearance of rings around the eyes;
• the appearance of mucus on the eyeball;
• with the further development of the disease, mucus is replaced by pus;
• feathers around the eyes fall out;
• decreased appetite;
• exhaustion;
• apathy comes;
• if the lungs are damaged, a severe cough appears;
• breathing becomes loud and distinct;
• diarrhea appears;
• at the last stage, the central nervous system is affected.

At the final stage of the development of the disease, paralysis is observed in the pigeon.

Treat psittacosis with antibiotics. And you need to start treatment at an early stage. The veterinarian should prescribe an antibiotic and determine the dosage. Psittacosis responds well to early treatment, but late prognosis is poor.

Gumborough

The "exotic" Gumboro disease is also known by the names:

• infectious bursitis of chickens;
• infectious nephrosis of birds;
• avian nephrosis-nephritis syndrome;
• infectious bursitis;
• infectious bursal disease;
• IBB.

Both chickens and pigeons are ill with it. Young animals are most susceptible to the disease at the age of 2 weeks.

With an IBD disease, the following become inflamed:

• factory bag;
• joints;
• intestines.

The disease causes kidney damage. Birds develop diarrhea and intramuscular hemorrhage. Recovered pigeons lag behind in development from their non-sick peers by 8-11 days.

Causes disease RNA-containing virus, recently isolated into an independent family. In addition to a delay in development, viruses of this group also lead to the appearance of edema and foci of necrosis in the liver.

The incubation period for the disease is 36-48 hours. The course can be sharp and latent. In an acute course, the virus quickly spreads among birds, affecting 100% of the population. Symptoms of the acute course:

• diarrhea;
• sudden refusal to feed;
• shiver;
• depression;
• loss of ability to move;
• signs of damage to the central nervous system.

Further depletion develops. The droppings become watery, white in color. Within 3-5 days, all pigeons in the flock become ill. The usual number of deaths is 5-6%, but sometimes more than 40% die. Death occurs in a state of prostration.

The latent course of infectious bursitis is more common, since the effect of the virus is not noticeable. With this form of the disease, only signs characteristic of secondary infections can be noticed. Indirect signs of the latent course of IBD:

• atypical course of other viral and bacterial diseases;
• insufficient resistance against Newcastle disease (whirligig) and Marek's disease.

The treatment of Gumboro disease in pigeons has not been developed and their support with folk remedies in this case is fully justified. Exhaustion and dehydration in pigeons occurs not only as a result of loss of appetite, but also due to diarrhea. For the treatment of diarrhea in pigeons, you can solder astringent decoctions from the bark of oak, hawthorn, chamomile and other folk remedies. You will have to feed a sick pigeon with semi-liquid cereals, since due to intestinal inflammation, he will not be able to assimilate solid grain.

Twirl

This is the common name for Newcastle disease, aka pseudo-plague.This disease received this name due to the fact that the virus affects the central nervous system, and the pigeon begins to seizure. At the initial stage, a wobbly gait and apathy are observed in a pigeon. On the second, one of the signs of Newcastle disease in a pigeon is liquid green droppings. At the same stage, brain damage develops, due to which the pigeon begins to twist its head. At this time, the owner usually notices the "whirligig". In the third stage, the pigeon is paralyzed, it falls on its back and dies.

The disease has 4 types of course. With all types of the course of the disease, a runny nose is observed in pigeons. Birds keep their beaks open as their nostrils are clogged with dried mucus. The only case of the absence of not only a runny nose, but also other signs of the disease is an atypical form of Newcastle disease. With this form, there are no clinical signs.

Birds don't catch colds. A runny nose is always a sign of some kind of disease. Most often infectious.

A disease that is very infectious for birds in humans causes only a runny nose. If the owner of the dovecote is not afraid that all the livestock will die, he can try to cure a sick pigeon. But it usually doesn't make sense.

Trichomoniasis

An invasive disease caused by the simplest microorganism. Trichomonas have the ability to remain active for a long time in the aquatic environment. These protozoa are constantly present on the mucous membranes of the oral cavity in birds and mammals. At the same time, “non-sterile” immunity is formed in living organisms, due to which the disease does not develop into the clinical stage. Trichomoniasis manifests itself in two cases: when immunity is weakened and a large number of protozoa enter the body.

Newly hatched pigeons infect adults when young animals are fed with goiter milk. In adults, infection can occur with such a touching "kiss" for people or when drinking water contaminated with parasites.

The sand contained in poor-quality feed injures the mucous membranes and promotes the penetration of the pathogen into the blood. The form of the disease and the degree of its severity depends on the virulence of the Trichomonas strain and the strength of the pigeon's immunity.

Chicks usually get sick 4-20 days after hatching. It is characteristic that the worse the conditions of keeping and feeding, the more often the pigeons become infected, and the more severe the disease progresses.

The division into forms in trichomoniasis is conditional, since often protozoa affect several body systems at once. Trichomoniasis can be:

• diphtheroid;
• intestinal;
• scarring.

In the diphtheroid form, dense yellow films are formed in the oral cavity, blocking the access of air. Due to the inability to breathe, pigeons become lethargic. They sit motionless in the nest with their wings lowered. The beak is open in an attempt to enlarge the breathing channel. Birds are not capable of flying, as they begin to choke in flight. The plumage can be glued together if the pigeon is no longer able to clean itself.

In the intestinal form, indigestion is observed in pigeons. Liquid litter, with an unpleasant odor and putrid color. The intestinal form is more common in pigeons older than 1 month. The disease is difficult and often fatal. When a corpse is opened, trichomoniasis foci are visible in the liver.

The cicatricial form is characterized by the appearance of seals on the skin: small yellow-brown nodules. Of the nodules, protozoa penetrate deep into the body and affect internal organs.

Treatment of the disease is carried out with trichopolum diluted in water. The antibiotic is soldered in a course. For adult pigeons, 3 g of the drug is diluted in 1 liter of water, the young are soldered with a solution from a pipette.

Emaciated individuals with lesions of the pharynx and internal organs always die.

Candidamycosis

A fungal disease affecting immunocompromised pigeons. Yeast fungi cause candidomycosis. An outbreak of the disease is most likely in case of unsanitary conditions in the dovecote. The nutrient medium for fungi is droppings. Pigeons usually have very dirty nests, and chicks still have weak immunity. For this reason, young animals are most susceptible to candidiasis disease.

The disease manifests itself in very diverse symptoms. Candidomycosis has 3 forms:

• intestinal;
• pulmonary;
• cutaneous.

All 3 forms can be found in any living organism, but in birds the most common is intestinal.

The incubation period lasts 3-15 days. The duration depends on the resistance of the organism. In pigeons, the course of the disease is acute. Sick birds are depressed, prefer to stick together. No appetite. Diarrhea often develops.

Since the gastrointestinal tract is usually affected, the goiter swells. On palpation, the consistency of the goiter resembles plasticine. You can feel a strong thickening of the walls of the goiter. Soreness is observed. Due to the fact that the goiter is inflamed, the disorder of the digestive tract in pigeons is characterized not only by diarrhea, but also by vomiting. The bird often stretches its neck and yawns. Pigeons die on days 3-8 not because of the fungus, but as a result of the general septic process.

Only the mild course of the disease is treated. The birds are fed the antibiotic nystatin mixed with yogurt. The antibiotic dose is 25-50 mg / kg body weight. The course of treatment is 10 days. In severe cases, the pigeons are destroyed.

Tuberculosis

The disease is common to mammals and birds. Tuberculosis in pigeons is caused by an avian strain of bacteria, but the problem is that it is possible to infect humans or mammals with pathogens that are not typical for them. That is, a person may well become infected with avian tuberculosis.

Tuberculosis in pigeons is chronic. The appearance of clinical signs means that the bird has been sick for a long time. In a generalized form, the disease is manifested by a decrease in egg production and atrophy of the pectoral muscles.

Clinical form:

• diarrhea;
• yellowness of the skin and mucous membranes due to liver damage.

Lameness and tumor-like formations on the soles of the paws are sometimes observed.

Tuberculosis cannot be treated. An attempt to cure the disease with folk remedies for the entire existence of mankind has not yet helped anyone, but often led to the infection of other birds, as well as people.

Diseases of the eyes in pigeons

Eye diseases in pigeons are rarely caused by non-infectious causes. This is usually one of the symptoms of a contagious disease. Before treating only the eyes, you need to make sure that you do not need to treat smallpox, salmonellosis or any other similar disease. Rarely, but non-contagious causes of eye diseases do occur, although in any case the problem with the eyes is just a symptom.

Avitaminosis A

Pigeons get provitamin A by eating grain feed and fresh greens. Since the vitamin decomposes if stored improperly, pigeons may lack vitamin A. With avitaminosis, birds observe exhaustion, mucus in the nose and eyes, inflammation of the mucous membranes of the eyes. With the further development of the disease, blindness occurs.

Young pigeons are lagging behind in development. Juvenile molt slows down. The pigment disappears in the beak, legs and iris of the eyes. In severe cases, birds die.

Treatment is carried out by introducing vitamin A into the diet. Treating only the eyes is pointless. Symptomatic treatment will alleviate the condition of the pigeon and protect the mucous membranes of the eyes from secondary infection.

Conjunctivitis

The disease is often caused by various infections, but there are other causes of conjunctivitis:

• smoke;
• caustic substances;
• dust;
• mechanical injury;
• foreign substances.

This is the case when only the eyes can be treated, protecting them from secondary infection. But the main method of treatment is to eliminate the cause of the disease.

Signs of non-infectious conjunctivitis:

• swelling of the eyelids;
• photophobia;
• profuse tearing at the onset of the disease;
• thick pus in the eyes when neglected;
• pus can stick together the eyelids and accumulate between the eyeball and the eyelids;
• in the absence of help, perforation of the cornea occurs.

The most common cause of conjunctivitis in a dovecote is a large amount of droppings. Dried droppings begin to dust, wet ones decompose with the release of ammonia, which is corrosive to the eyes.

Xerophthalmia

Symptoms of the disease are dryness of the conjunctiva and cornea caused by damage to the lacrimal glands. Tears stop flowing and moisturize the eyes. The metabolism is disturbed in the cornea. With the further development of the disease, the cornea thickens strongly. The disease can have many reasons, one of which is vitamin A deficiency. Before treating xerophthalmia, you need to establish the cause of the disease. Perhaps it's an infection.

Wing diseases in pigeons

In addition to traumatic (wing fracture) injuries, pigeons often suffer from joint inflammation. A symptom of the disease in pigeons is bumps on the joints of the wings. The disease begins more often with the elbow joint. If untreated, the shoulder becomes inflamed. A common symptom of an illness caused by any of the causes is a drooping wing and poor flight in a pigeon.

There may be several reasons for the appearance of cones:

• advanced salmonellosis;
• urine acid diathesis / gout;
• excessive loads of young sports pigeons.

Salmonellosis in an advanced form is characterized not only by inflammation of the joints, but also by severe conjunctivitis, so it is difficult to confuse it with other diseases.

Uric acid diathesis

Today, in terms of prevalence, gout is in 3rd place after hypovitaminosis and alimentary dystrophy. Old pigeons are more often ill with gout, this disease is not peculiar to young animals. But today this disease is increasingly being diagnosed in young pigeons.

Causes of gout:

• food salt poisoning;
• poisoning with mycotoxins contained in moldy feed;
• poisoning with pesticides;
• violation of mineral and protein balance.

The liver is responsible for the elimination of toxic substances. In birds, the work of the kidneys and liver is closely related. Violations in one organ entail problems in another.

Diathetic cones on the wings differ from Salmonella cones in that they usually open themselves. Exudate flows from them.

Gout can be visceral, articular, or mixed. With visceral joint damage does not occur. This form is easily confused with some infectious diseases:

• white diarrhea;
• oppression;
• decreased appetite;
• ridge cyanosis.

With the visceral form, a large percentage of deaths.

The articular form is chronic:

• swelling of the joints;
• movement disorder;
• gray-white color of the skin of the affected joints;
• opening of abscesses.

Treatment is possible only in the initial stages of gout. It is carried out by drinking a 2% solution of baking soda to sick pigeons, a solution of urotropin 0.25% and a solution of novatofan 3%.

Overvoltage

A frequent problem of young sports pigeon breeds. Seals form on the elbow joints of the wings. It is necessary to exclude serious diseases that caused joint inflammation. If the cause of the disease is too much load on the wing, the pigeon is seated separately, training is canceled and additional vitamins and microelements are fed. As an adjuvant, drugs are rubbed into the joint for the treatment of articular rheumatism. After 2-3 weeks of rest, the pigeon recovers.

Goiter diseases in pigeons

The causes of goiter disease in pigeons can be:

• candidiasis;
• bacterial infection;
• trichomoniasis;
• poisoning;
• mechanical damage;
• insufficient watering;
• mechanical obstruction.

With an infectious infection of a goiter in a pigeon, other signs of the disease are usually present. If there are no such signs, then the nature of the goiter disease is non-infectious.

Poisoning

There is a belief that even rat poison does not take pigeons, but they can also be poisoned. Birds are poisoned:

• poor quality feed: moldy or containing pesticides;
• reagents used by utilities;
• poorly soluble fertilizers.

Since the pigeon is able to regurgitate, the main symptom of poisoning is profuse vomiting. It can appear even after drinking plain water. Depending on what the pigeon was poisoned with, the vomit may be odorless, but it may smell like liver or pesticide.

Treatment is carried out with sorbents intended for humans. Drugs are given frequently. A single dose of a solution of 2-4 ml, a gel - with a volume of a pea. Drinking water is unlimited.

A new portion of the sorbent is soldered after each case of vomiting. When the condition of the pigeon improves after the last vomiting with the sorbent, the bird is watered 2 more times with an interval of 1.5-2 hours. The pigeon is not fed during the soldering process. Feed is given only 12-16 hours after the end of vomiting.

Mechanical damage

Occurs when a pigeon swallows solid particles: glass, metals, sharp stones. Since the feed passes practically without interference, vomiting is rare. Vomit is odorless or smells of blood. Treatment is possible only surgical: dissection of the goiter and extraction of a foreign object. Pigeons are given antibiotics after surgery to prevent infection.

Lack of water

If the pigeon does not have free access to water, dry food clogs the crop. After drinking the water, the food will get wet and will pass further into the stomach. No specific treatment is required.

Mechanical obstruction

It can be caused by:

• whole grains;
• viscous feed;
• soft, theoretically inedible objects (pieces of foam, cotton wool, etc.);
• worms.

The symptom of mechanical blockage is vomiting and lack or scarcity of droppings. Sometimes, instead of droppings, the pigeon secretes only a whitish liquid.

If there is a blockage with grain or bread, there is enough moisture in the crop for the food to ferment. With this development of the disease, the goiter in pigeons swells. A gas with a sour smell comes out of it. The goiter hangs down.

Before determining the method of treatment, you need to understand what exactly caused the blockage of the goiter:

• viscous food and soft inedible pieces: the goiter is soft, sometimes resembling plasticine (bread) in consistency;
• dry, poorly soaking food: the crop is very hard;
• Waggliness: usual food in the goiter.

When clogged with viscous food, 2-5 ml of water is poured into the pigeon's crop every hour. After 5 hours at most, the problem usually resolves itself. If the goiter is not cleared, 4-10 ml of water is poured into the pigeon, the goiter is gently kneaded and the contents are squeezed out through the mouth or pumped out using a catheter.

Washing is done until the contents of the goiter in the pigeon are completely removed. In the process of washing, it is determined what exactly the goiter is clogged with.

When clogging with dry food or inedible soft pieces, first, the pigeon is forcibly soldered 2-4 ml of water. After 10-20 minutes, 0.5-1.5 ml of vaseline oil is injected and the goiter is massaged. The procedure is repeated every 1.5-2 hours until the goiter is completely released.

It is not absorbed by the body of the pigeon and comes out unchanged. It is impossible to replace vaseline oil with vegetable or castor oil, since the latter harm the bird's liver.

When the gastrointestinal tract is blocked with worms, only vaseline oil is used. After the restoration of intestinal patency, a day later, the pigeon is given antihistamines.

If the patency of the goiter has not been restored, a surgical solution to the problem is possible. Some folk craftsmen simply pour water into the pigeons, then turn the birds upside down, holding them by the paws. Under the influence of gravity, food falls out of the beak. But the method is extreme and it is better not to use it if there is an opportunity to consult a veterinarian. If the problem is only in very dry food, it is better to give the pigeon some water, leave the drinker full and let the bird deal with the issue on its own. Most often, the food gets soaked and passes into the stomach by itself.

Pigeon disease prevention

In advanced cases, diseases of pigeons are usually not amenable to treatment. To prevent the spread of infections, the most effective preventive measure is cleanliness in the dovecote. Most pathogens of infectious diseases are transmitted through the droppings of infected birds, others (fungi) multiply on the droppings. In addition to yeast fungi, black mold also multiplies on the droppings. In a dirty room, pigeons, in addition to candidiasis, often develop aspergillosis.

The second preventive measure is a complete diet. A pigeon that does not lack vitamins and minerals is less susceptible even to infectious diseases.

In some cases, pigeons can be vaccinated. Provided that there is a vaccine for the disease.

Dovecote and bird care items must be disinfected regularly. You can use a 2% bleach solution, but this substance is poisonous. A 3-4% solution of soda ash, heated to 40 ° C, also gives a good effect.

Conclusion

Diseases of pigeons are the same as in chickens. An outbreak of epizootics on a poultry farm often destroys all livestock, causing significant economic damage to the owner. In dovecotes, the number of pigeons is less, but these birds are often ten times more expensive than the most exotic breed of chickens. Especially sports pigeons. But compliance with sanitary rules and a complete diet significantly reduce the likelihood of an outbreak of an infectious disease.

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