All diseases affecting pigeons can be divided into infectious, caused by viruses, bacteria and pathogenic fungi, and non-infectious, associated with injuries, poor housing and feeding. Many infectious pathologies of birds are incurable and dangerous to humans, so the owner of a dovecote must separate sick pigeons from their relatives and observe safety measures when caring for pets.
Psittacosis
The viral infection affects wild, domestic, and farm birds, and can attack the human body.The disease occurs in an acute form, accompanied by severe symptoms, and in a chronic form.
Symptoms of psittacosis in pigeons:
- exposure of skin around the eyes;
- narrowing of the eyes, making them oval in shape;
- fear of bright light;
- change in iris color;
- lacrimation;
- sticking of eyelids;
- heavy, wheezing breathing;
- weight loss;
- nasal discharge;
- diarrhea;
- lack of appetite;
- paralysis of limbs and wings.
In the chronic form of the disease, the pet eats poorly, breathes heavily, and discharge flows from the nostrils. For treatment, antibiotics “Azithromycin”, “Erythromycin”, “Tetracycline” are used and mixed into the feed. The areas of the head around the eyes and nostrils are washed with water and treated with tetracycline ointment. “Miramistin” is instilled – a drop into each nostril. To restore intestinal microflora damaged by antibiotics, a complex of vitamins is given. Treatment lasts 10 days.
In the absence of timely treatment, the pet dies due to impaired breathing and exhaustion. In advanced situations, sick birds are destroyed so that the infection does not spread to healthy individuals.
Smallpox
The viral infection attacks pigeons mainly in the spring. Symptoms of the disease in pigeons:
- shedding of feathers;
- covering exposed skin with red spots;
- the appearance of a yellow coating on the beak;
- damage to the mucous membranes of the oral cavity.
Sick birds should take broad-spectrum antiviral agents, for example, Albuvir. For preventive purposes, birds need to be vaccinated.
Twirly
Also called Newcastle disease. This is a common and deadly pathology that mainly affects wild pigeons. The virus invades the central nervous system, causing the bird to begin having epileptic seizures.
The whirligig develops in stages:
- at the 1st stage, the bird walks unevenly, keeps its head bowed, body temperature is a couple of degrees higher than normal;
- at the 2nd stage, the pet randomly turns its head, falls over on its back, does not eat, and dies from exhaustion.
Treatment is not always effective; you can try Lozeval together with immunostimulants.
Salmonellosis
The disease is also called paratyphoid. Salmonella bacteria are spread through food, drink, and droppings. Symptoms are determined by the form of the disease and the condition of the bird:
- the acute form is manifested by ruffled plumage, lethargy and depression, reluctance to take food and water, loss of the ability to take off;
- the intestinal form is manifested by bloody diarrhea;
- the articular form is accompanied by trembling and cramps of the limbs.
Treat salmonellosis in pigeons drugs "Levomycetin", "Tetracycline", "Baytril", the dosage is determined by the veterinarian. The course lasts 2 weeks. In addition to antibiotic treatment, it is necessary to disinfect the dovecote. Prevention consists of disinfecting the poultry house 2 times a year, regular cleaning and ventilation, and vaccinating pets.
The bacterium is tenacious both in the body and in the external environment. Many birds die even with timely treatment.
Salmonella is dangerous for the human body; it invades the heart muscle, blood vessels, and digestive organs. After about a day, an infected person develops tachycardia, fever, profuse diarrhea, and vomiting.A person with a strong immune system usually ends up with dehydration. A child, an elderly person, or a person with immunodeficiency may need hospitalization.
Worms
Many birds suffer from helminthiasis, but the disease is more dangerous than it seems. Parasites affect birds with weak immunity, poor nutrition, and living in unsanitary conditions. Sick pets lose tone, become lethargic, and hardly move. Their feathers become dull, their limbs, in most cases, become paralyzed, and bleeding may occur. In advanced cases, due to intoxication of the body, the birds die.
Pigeons are treated with drugs based on albendazole. The dose is a single dose, the dose is set by the veterinarian, it must be strictly observed, since anthelmintic drugs have a high degree of toxicity. After treatment, pets are given vitamin supplements.
Coccidiosis
Coccidia are the simplest microbes that spread through food and droppings, affecting the digestive tract in the bird's body, causing enteritis and inflammation in the intestines. Mostly young individuals are affected.
Symptoms depend on the form of the disease:
- in the subclinical form, the sick bird develops immunity, due to which the disease is asymptomatic;
- in the acute form, severe symptoms appear 5-7 days after infection.
Symptoms of acute coccidiosis in pigeons:
- unkempt state, ruffled plumage;
- lethargy;
- loss of body weight, reduction in head volume;
- bloody diarrhea;
- constant yawning;
- deterioration in coordination of movements on the ground and in flight;
- paralysis.
Pigeons should be treated with coccidiostats. The specific drug is chosen by the veterinarian, taking into account the physical condition of the pigeons and the severity of symptoms.Usually they prescribe Amprolium (added to food, course lasts 2 weeks), Baycox (added to food, treatment lasts a week).
The dovecote in which sick birds are found must be cleaned. But cleaning should be dry, mechanical, using a broom and scraper, since the reproduction of coccidia becomes more intense in a humid environment.
Tuberculosis
In pigeons, tuberculosis is chronic; sick birds can transmit the infection to humans. However, in humans, the avian form of the disease is mild.
Symptoms of tuberculosis in pigeons:
- lethargy, decreased body tone;
- drooping wings;
- loss of appetite, exhausted appearance;
- paw paralysis
The disease is incurable, sick individuals must be destroyed.
Trichomoniasis
Trichomonas multiply in dirty feed and stagnant water and enter the bird's body orally. In birds, it invades the digestive tract and liver. The infection can be transmitted to humans and affect the organs of the genitourinary system.
Symptoms of the disease in pigeons:
- lethargy, muscle weakness;
- loss of ability to fly;
- feathers stuck together;
- yellowish plaque in the oral cavity with damage to the upper respiratory tract;
- bloated belly;
- diarrhea, feces with a putrid odor;
- brown nodes on the body with the skin form of the disease.
If human trichomoniasis can be treated with folk remedies and herbs, then avian infection can be eliminated only with medications. Drugs are used to treat pigeons "Tricho Cure", "Ornidazole", "Metronidazole".
A sick pet is unable to feed on its own. The owner has to force the food down the throat.
Plaque in the oral cavity is carefully removed with a thin blade, the exposed surface is lubricated with iodine or a mixture of iodine and glycerin.The drug "Trichopol" in liquid form is used to blot the affected body and feathers, and also drop it into the mouth; for young birds, take 17.5 g per 1 liter of water. To lubricate the affected areas, you can also use 0.25% silver nitrate, Lugol's solution.
Trichomonas are unstable in the external environment; regular cleaning and disinfection of the poultry house is sufficient to prevent infection. Also, for preventive purposes, it is recommended to periodically add Trichopolum to the drinking bowl.
Candidiasis
Also called thrush. The fungal infection mainly affects young animals with poor nutrition, lack of vitamins, and crowded housing. Adult birds with strong immunity rarely get sick, but can carry an opportunistic fungus.
In pigeons with an acute form of the disease:
- health worsens;
- loss of appetite;
- the goiter swells;
- digestive function is impaired;
- A cheesy mass accumulates in the oral cavity, making swallowing difficult.
In the chronic course of the disease, lasting from half a month to several months, the bird loses weight, suffers from diarrhea, and the oral cavity exudes a putrid stench.
Fungal infections in pigeons are treated with Biomycin, Terramycin, and Nystatin. To strengthen the immune system, a vitamin complex is given. All surfaces of the poultry house are treated with a mixture of formaldehyde and sodium hydroxide.
Aspergillosis
The fungal infection multiplies in damp bedding and feed. The risk of disease increases when birds are kept in dusty, damp, crowded conditions.
Symptoms of aspergillosis in pigeons:
- lethargic state;
- incomplete closing of the beak;
- accumulation of gray mass in the oral cavity;
- yawning and sneezing;
- blueness of limbs and beak;
- the desire to stretch the neck;
- frequent wheezing;
- the appearance of yellow crusts on the body in the skin form of the disease.
The disease is practically incurable; young animals die in 80-100% of cases. In adult birds, the disease often becomes chronic; they are treated with a spray solution prepared from 9 g of powdered iodine, 1 g of ammonium chloride, 0.5 g of aluminum powder, 5 ml of water.
Ticks and fleas
If antiparasitic measures are ignored, parasites even infect pigeons living at home. By feeding on bird blood, they cause anemia. At the initial stage of the spread of parasites, birds constantly clean their feathers and tumble in the sand. In advanced cases, when the plumage begins to fall out, it is too late to save the pigeons.
How to remove parasites depends on their type:
- scabies mites are removed with tar soap or birch tar, the product is lubricated on skin treated with Vaseline;
- The periodontal beetle is removed with Pyrethrum insecticidal powder, the affected areas of the body are powdered 3 times with a weekly interval;
- Pigeon bugs and fleas are destroyed by treating the pigeon coop with the acaricide “Trichlorometaphos”; you can also bake the surfaces with a blowtorch.
Eye diseases
Eye diseases are usually associated with injury, infection and poor handling of pigeons. With conjunctivitis associated with poor nutrition, lack of vitamins, injury or contamination of the eye, the bird feels fine and has a good appetite. In this case, the affected eye is treated with a solution of boric acid. If the cause of eye suppuration is inflammation of the sinuses, salmonellosis or another infection, then it is necessary to eliminate the underlying disease.
Goiter
Pigeons' crops swell when they eat spoiled or vitamin-deficient food or drink rotten water. The goiter can become inflamed if glass, a pebble, or another hard and sharp object accidentally swallowed by a bird gets into it.
In sick pigeons:
- the goiter fills with unpleasant-smelling gases released when pressure is applied;
- appetite decreases;
- the goiter softens and becomes hot;
- When palpating a goiter, pain often occurs;
- body tone decreases;
- head down;
- Greenish discharge flows from the beak, which dries and turns into a crust.
The diseased goiter is washed with any of the following solutions:
- potassium permanganate (1:3000);
- 3% boric acid;
- 5% baking soda.
The birds are not given food for 24 hours after treatment. Drinking is not limited.
Listeriosis
Bacterial disease in pigeons is asymptomatic. Symptoms are observed only in birds with weak immunity; their central nervous system is affected, which quickly leads to death. There is no treatment; sick pigeons are destroyed.
The disease is dangerous for humans, especially for children, the elderly, and people with immunodeficiency. In them it can provoke blood poisoning, meningitis, endocarditis. Listeriosis can be detected in birds and humans only through laboratory testing of biomaterial. For a confirmed illness, a person is treated with antibiotics, the dosage of which is determined by the doctor.
Cryptococcosis
The fungus lives in bird droppings. In sick pigeons:
- Hard knots form around the beak;
- appetite decreases;
- the feathers on the head are covered with a gray hard coating;
- mucous tissues swell.
Treatment, in most cases, does not bring results; sick pets have to be destroyed. But you can try to save them using antifungal medications.
Toxoplasmosis
How pigeons become infected is not yet clear. A sick bird refuses food, moves staggeringly, and has paralyzed limbs.Approximately half of the infected pigeons survive but remain carriers of the infection.
The protozoal pathogen is unstable in the external environment; it is killed by solar ultraviolet radiation. To destroy the infection, disinfecting the dovecote is enough. Toxoplasmosis is dangerous for humans, especially for pregnant women. They are more likely to have a miscarriage.
Newcastle disease
The previously described disease, also called whirligig, is dangerous not only for pigeons, but also for humans. Infection occurs as a result of contact with a sick bird. Incubation lasts 3-5 days.
Symptoms of the disease in humans are less pronounced than in birds:
- runny nose;
- heavy breathing with wheezing;
- temperature increase;
- itching in the eyes;
- depressed emotional state.
The infection is treated with Metronidazole. A sick person should drink a lot of warm water and eat well. If symptoms of the disease appear in a child, you should immediately call a doctor. Hospitalization may be required.
To prevent infection, it is necessary to vaccinate pigeons. The inactivated vaccine “Virosalm” is used for Newcastle disease. It is administered to 3-week-old chicks and revaccinated after 2 weeks. When caring for sick pets, the owner of the dovecote must wear personal protective equipment: a medical bandage, rubber gloves. It is strictly forbidden to handle infected pigeons with unprotected hands.
