Pigeonbasics.com

i have heard  that a treatment for canker is getting the end of a match (the one that ignites) and slowly rubbing it onto the infected area of the mouth (if caught in the early stages).  

BEST OFF GIVING THE INFECTED BIRD A SPARTRIX TABLET, AND IF IT DOESNT GO IN TWO DAYS, GIVE IT ANOTHER, IT SOON CLEARS. I WOULDNT REMOVE THE CHEESE LIKE SUBSTANCE AS IT MAY BLEED AND CHOKE THE BIRD!!

yes i agree with you sbelbin but you should remove the sick bird to treat it as they what all have it

Birdbrain, if you can see the canker enough to rub it with a match head, then it is not in the early stages and extends down the birds throat into the crop. The match will do absolutely no good, and if it is the only treatment will certainly do harm. Like Shelbin says give it Spartrix, and keep it seperate. If it is a new addition to the loft, it needs to build up immunity to the canker strains already in your flock. Read Pigeon Health and Management by the Flying Vet, Dr Colin Walker. It is an expensive book, but worth every penny.

Never heard of a match being used to remove canker ,but have seen it used to remove the cheese like substance from the throat when a bird has pox

Ah    hi ya shadow,little confussed with ya answer ,i though that" POX "was like warts,  around the eyes ,wattles,  yes, in the mouth,ect  but, i  like never new it, had any think to do with the "Cheese"  like stubstace that you get with "canker".As there is a vacine for the "Pox", &  treatment for Canker.So alittle confused,  Speckled.

BIRDBRAIN,I ALSO HEARD SOME YEARS AGO ABOUT USING A MATCH BUT CANT QUITE REMEMBER THE DETAILS BUT I DO KNOW OF A CURE THAT MY GRANDFATHER USED WITH GREAT SUCCESS AND THAT WAS TO GET A BOTTLE OF FOUNTAIN PEN INK IF YOU CAN STILL GET IT  AND WITH A FEATHER DIP IT INTO THE INK AND SORT OF PAINT IT ON TO THE INFECTED AREA,HAVE NOT HAD TO DO THIS FOR A LONG TIME NOW BUT IS DOES WORK.

THE IDEA WITH THE MATCH IS WELL OUTDATED NOW, IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE THE SULPHER IN THE MATCH THAT HELPED, NOWADAYS THERES FAR MORE MODERN ITEMS ON THE MARKET, SPARTRIX IS AS GOOD AS ANY BUT A LOT  DEARER THAN A BOX OF MATCHES

i remember attending a quiz night some years ago,a member of the panel that night was armand scheers well known dutch pigeon fancier  & authority on pigeon health matters,during the question  & answer session the subject of  canker in pigeons came up.from memory he stated that there were approx. 29 different strains of trichomonasis(canker),26 of which were fairly mild & could be treated with over the counter products supplied by your corn merchant,but ther were 3 very virulent strains which these products would not shift,he suggested these could be tackled by using metronidazole tablets(only obtainable from your vet)1/4 tablet given prior to pairing & 1/4tablet every 4 -5 weeks during racing, hope this helps.

if any one you know on holiday in continent tell them to get you fragyl [i think thats the right name,] its sold over the counter there and is very cheap, its actualy for humans and available on prescription here.it will cost you about 3 euros

JIMMY THE NAME OF THE STUFF YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT IS "FLAGYL" IT IS USED AS AN ORAL TREATMENT FOR THRUSH IN HUMANS, HALF A TABLET PER BIRD AS IT IS BASED ON A 250mg TABLET.

HOPE IT HELPS

I ALSO ATTENDED AN ARMAND SCHEERS TALK AND ANSWER SESSION A FEW YEARS BACK AND YES BILLYMAC HE SAID EXACTLY THE SAME AS WHAT YOU ARE SAYING WITH REGARDS TO TREAMENTS.


HE ALSO SAID "ALL" PIGEONS ARE CARRIERS OF AT LEAST ONE STRAIN/LEVEL OF CANKER AND IT JUST NEEDS THEM TO REACH A CERTIAN LEVEL OF STRESS TO TRIGGER THE CANKER OFF.

HOPE IT HELPS

Speckled of course you were right my brain was not in gear that day thanks for pointing it out bet you had a good laugh

Hi ya Shadow, never mind,but No only a chuckle. got the brain in gear now i hope. On the ball Speckled.

Birdbrain Hi Mate , Spartrix is okay but Metronidazole is by     far the best from the vet approx 20-30pence per tablet matchsticks and ink is just codswallop i'm afraid   good luck buddy

Haven't seen canker in years so can't say how I would go about treating it. I would be more worried about the underlying cause though, because a healthy bird lives with trich all the time and, when healthy, its own body systems keep trich levels low. Also, if it bleeds, then I know you haven't got canker - you have something much more serious. Get the bird isolated and get someone knowledgeable to double-check this bird for you

have to say bruno  [its getting on to bruno time haha]you said in an earlier post that you couldnt find anything offensive,,, in taking a sick bird to a fellow fancier    ,the previous post explains this . youve never seen canker in years.  well if someone brought a canker ridden bird to you., im quite sure you would see it then, in your own birds.i understand you were meaning well , and i could see what you were meaning, but you wouldnt catch it over the phone.  phew that was a bit of a nasty one, hope you take the right way.  jimmy

Completely missed this one, Jimmy, you midden!  

Take your point (up to a point   ) about taking a sick pigeon to a fancier; there's a big difference in seeing a bird and trying to 'see' in your mind's eye what the bird may look like from various descriptions - like in this forum. Still not sure whether the bird has pox or canker, but coming down on pox.  

Then there's the advice to give the bird a treatment which is actually to get rid of a candida (a yeast / plant) - for canker (a protozoan / animal)

But on your last point - me spreading the illness to or from my birds - it just can't happen.  I've shown 2 birds with eye problems to a local fancier (in my own loft) WITHOUT him handling them. I also sprayed my hands with Virkon before touching anything else. If I was asked to look at a bird and give an opinion (and that's all it could be because I'm no expert) I'd probably handle it, and again use my Virkon spray.

Where do you get Virkon-S from Bruno??

Sbelbin, I get mine from my local granary 'Russell's Country Stores' Stirling Road, Larbert (near the bus Depot).

Retails at around £1.30 a sachet which makes 5 litres.

Our 'local' Central Scotland grain & specifics supplier Tam Law 'Woodside Farm' Stirling Road, Torwood, also stocks it.