How do I know if my pigeons even have the disease?
Cold or flu-like symptoms or runny or green droppings are often an indicator of the disease. Respiratory symptoms are common too.
But the only certain way is to have a vet test your birds for the disease. I always recommend a vet test for the disease if you have any
doubts but you need to be aware that this disease is know as a ‘reportable disease’. What this means is that if your vet confirms the
disease in your birds, then the vet must report the findings to your state Dept of Ag. Since this can infect humans too. This is nothing to
worry about but the state may verify that you treat properly to control the disease. If you refuse to treat, then in extreme cases, the
state will either make you treat or destroy all your birds as a last resort.
What are my treatment options?
There are really only 3 treatment options for this disease although the federal government only recognizes one (feed treatment with
chlortetracycline). The first way is with doxycycline injections directly into the breast muscle every several days for 45 days. This is not
preferred since the injections will cause a small necrosis, or dead spot, in the breast muscle each time. The second option, although
not recognized by the government, is by placing drops directly in to the mouth of EACH BIRD EVERY DAY FOR 45 DAYS. This will work
but is labor intensive for a large loft and can cause a lot of stress. The one thing you NEVER want to do is to mix doxycycline or any
antibiotic into the drinking water bowl. The dosage will not be enough for a cure and will only suppress the symptoms for a few weeks.
This also will increase the chance of antibiotic resistance and make it harder to treat the next time. Also NEVER treat for less than 45
days for the same reasons. The best way is treatment with chlortetracycline antibiotic pellets as the only source of feed for all birds on
the property for 45 days. Treatment in the drinking
water works for most other bacterial disease, so if you have treated for this disease in the past and it worked, then you birds had some
other disease that you only believed was this one.
How expensive is treating?
With any option used properly, treatment is always expensive. Short cuts with amounts or durations will only make the problem worse.
Depending on the brand of feed and the distance it needs to be shipped to you, costs usually run between $1.00 and $1.75 per pound
of feed including delivery and remember that you will need enough feed to last 45 days. Most lofts of any size will use several hundred
pounds of feed in a month and a half. With costs running several hundred dollars, many fanciers will consider putting down less
valuable birds before treatment. No, every bird on the property must be treated or the untreated carriers will only re-infect the treated
birds. If one bird in a loft has the disease, all will be exposed and most without symptoms will be carriers.
Can I give anything else during treatment?
No, the pellets are the only feed for the entire 45-day treatment. Any mixing with other feeds will reduce the antibiotic level to the point
where it will not be effective. Also any mineral grit must be removed, as calcium will interfere with the absorption of the antibiotic. Even if
symptoms clear up before the full 45 days, treatment must continue the full length of time to prevent a relapse.
What do I do after treatment?
Since the disease is contacted through the dust from the droppings, you need to clean out the loft of all droppings right before the end
of the treatment so the birds do not become re-infected.
How often should I treat?
Well there are two different schools of opinion on this topic. The first is that you only treat when you can confirm that you have an
infection. This will help reduce the chance that the bacteria will build up a resistance to the antibiotic from over use. The second
opinion is that treatment once a year keeps any small infection from exploding in the general population and cleans up the loft. This
treatment is typically done either before the breeding season or before the racing season. Treatment more than once a year or
continually would not be a good idea. If you have a closed loft with minimal exposure to outside birds, including both domestic pigeons
and wild birds, then only treating when a disease occurs would be the best option. If, on the other hand, your birds are exposed to other
pigeons in competitions on a regular basis, then your risk of infection may be large enough
to justify treatment once a year.
How common is this disease?
Several studies have been done that show that the feral pigeon population has an infection rate of at least 60%. In other words, at least
6 out of 10 feral pigeons that your birds may come into contact with have the disease. Many starlings carry it too. I receive calls every
day from loft owners who believe they have it in their lofts.
Can I use these pellets to treat other diseases?
Technically, manufactures are allowed by the federal government to manufacture, sell, and ship across state lines, this pellet only for
the treatment of this one disease. But any bacterial disease that is sensitive to chlortetracycline will be cured with these pellets.
Why should I care if my birds are infected?
First, this disease can infect humans and can kill young, old, or weak people. Second even if pigeons do not die from the acute
infection and only become carriers or maintain a low-grade infection, the main symptoms are poor lung capacity and poor feather
condition. Respiratory problems are not all caused by this one disease but this one accounts for many of them. All the money spent on
top quality stock, training and care is worthless if the birds cannot breath well! The birds will look unthrifty and will loose many chicks
before fledgling.
Remember, the best defense against disease is knowledge. Pretending nothing is wrong will only make matters worse. So
focus on how to prevent, how to treat, and how to discuss disease problems that are common to all pigeons with other fanciers
who’s birds may come into contact with your birds. We have covered the treatment this time and I will try to address the
prevention and communication with other fanciers next time.
Cold or flu-like symptoms or runny or green droppings are often an indicator of the disease. Respiratory symptoms are common too.
But the only certain way is to have a vet test your birds for the disease. I always recommend a vet test for the disease if you have any
doubts but you need to be aware that this disease is know as a ‘reportable disease’. What this means is that if your vet confirms the
disease in your birds, then the vet must report the findings to your state Dept of Ag. Since this can infect humans too. This is nothing to
worry about but the state may verify that you treat properly to control the disease. If you refuse to treat, then in extreme cases, the
state will either make you treat or destroy all your birds as a last resort.
What are my treatment options?
There are really only 3 treatment options for this disease although the federal government only recognizes one (feed treatment with
chlortetracycline). The first way is with doxycycline injections directly into the breast muscle every several days for 45 days. This is not
preferred since the injections will cause a small necrosis, or dead spot, in the breast muscle each time. The second option, although
not recognized by the government, is by placing drops directly in to the mouth of EACH BIRD EVERY DAY FOR 45 DAYS. This will work
but is labor intensive for a large loft and can cause a lot of stress. The one thing you NEVER want to do is to mix doxycycline or any
antibiotic into the drinking water bowl. The dosage will not be enough for a cure and will only suppress the symptoms for a few weeks.
This also will increase the chance of antibiotic resistance and make it harder to treat the next time. Also NEVER treat for less than 45
days for the same reasons. The best way is treatment with chlortetracycline antibiotic pellets as the only source of feed for all birds on
the property for 45 days. Treatment in the drinking
water works for most other bacterial disease, so if you have treated for this disease in the past and it worked, then you birds had some
other disease that you only believed was this one.
How expensive is treating?
With any option used properly, treatment is always expensive. Short cuts with amounts or durations will only make the problem worse.
Depending on the brand of feed and the distance it needs to be shipped to you, costs usually run between $1.00 and $1.75 per pound
of feed including delivery and remember that you will need enough feed to last 45 days. Most lofts of any size will use several hundred
pounds of feed in a month and a half. With costs running several hundred dollars, many fanciers will consider putting down less
valuable birds before treatment. No, every bird on the property must be treated or the untreated carriers will only re-infect the treated
birds. If one bird in a loft has the disease, all will be exposed and most without symptoms will be carriers.
Can I give anything else during treatment?
No, the pellets are the only feed for the entire 45-day treatment. Any mixing with other feeds will reduce the antibiotic level to the point
where it will not be effective. Also any mineral grit must be removed, as calcium will interfere with the absorption of the antibiotic. Even if
symptoms clear up before the full 45 days, treatment must continue the full length of time to prevent a relapse.
What do I do after treatment?
Since the disease is contacted through the dust from the droppings, you need to clean out the loft of all droppings right before the end
of the treatment so the birds do not become re-infected.
How often should I treat?
Well there are two different schools of opinion on this topic. The first is that you only treat when you can confirm that you have an
infection. This will help reduce the chance that the bacteria will build up a resistance to the antibiotic from over use. The second
opinion is that treatment once a year keeps any small infection from exploding in the general population and cleans up the loft. This
treatment is typically done either before the breeding season or before the racing season. Treatment more than once a year or
continually would not be a good idea. If you have a closed loft with minimal exposure to outside birds, including both domestic pigeons
and wild birds, then only treating when a disease occurs would be the best option. If, on the other hand, your birds are exposed to other
pigeons in competitions on a regular basis, then your risk of infection may be large enough
to justify treatment once a year.
How common is this disease?
Several studies have been done that show that the feral pigeon population has an infection rate of at least 60%. In other words, at least
6 out of 10 feral pigeons that your birds may come into contact with have the disease. Many starlings carry it too. I receive calls every
day from loft owners who believe they have it in their lofts.
Can I use these pellets to treat other diseases?
Technically, manufactures are allowed by the federal government to manufacture, sell, and ship across state lines, this pellet only for
the treatment of this one disease. But any bacterial disease that is sensitive to chlortetracycline will be cured with these pellets.
Why should I care if my birds are infected?
First, this disease can infect humans and can kill young, old, or weak people. Second even if pigeons do not die from the acute
infection and only become carriers or maintain a low-grade infection, the main symptoms are poor lung capacity and poor feather
condition. Respiratory problems are not all caused by this one disease but this one accounts for many of them. All the money spent on
top quality stock, training and care is worthless if the birds cannot breath well! The birds will look unthrifty and will loose many chicks
before fledgling.
Remember, the best defense against disease is knowledge. Pretending nothing is wrong will only make matters worse. So
focus on how to prevent, how to treat, and how to discuss disease problems that are common to all pigeons with other fanciers
who’s birds may come into contact with your birds. We have covered the treatment this time and I will try to address the
prevention and communication with other fanciers next time.
Written by Mike Underwood, President of Avi-Sci, Inc.
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