David_vet

I would agree that this has become more of a problem over the years. I have used vaccine with great success but it is not a cheap option. In my view you will only create problems trying to control it with antibiotics alone. I have gone with the Chevivac S because it is just the one vaccination a year. In confirmed cases it can take 4 or 5 years to clear paratyphoid from the loft. There are no quick fixes. If anyone wishes to progress this further then contact me or check out my website. www.poultryhealthcentre.com look under pigeons! David

The sadness is that you are not going back to the supplier of the products. If your supplier does not know, then you are purchasing products from the wrong source. 1. Do not ever mix Baycox with anything else. 2. Fenzol is an excellent wormer when used correctly. As always it is important that you know the concentration of the active and tell everyone what it is before asking about dosing. Two separate treatments are required. Good luck

Tony C has it correct. Live LaSota vaccine is banned for use in the EU. However, it is the dead component of Colombovac PMV. Experimental work done many years ago showed that using the live vaccine was a waste of time and money. If you wish to race or show then only Colombovac or Nobilis can be used. It is always best to vaccinate all your birds not just the race or show birds. David

Just to confirm there is no need to vaccinate against Newcastle disease because you are already doing it. Newcastle disease is caused by Avian Paramyxovirus 1. Paramyxovirus of pigeons is also an Avian Paramyxovirus 1. Fortunately, we can distinguish between the two using genetic probes. Pigeons can be infected with the chicken strain and vice versa. Suspicion of both infections is Notifiable to DEFRA. Paramyxovirus of pigeons will not cause YBS. If it was suspected that it was the cause, then either fancier or vet should have reported this suspicion to DEFRA. Whilst the pigeon virus is slightly different from the chicken virus many who remember the beginning of paramyxovirus in pigeons will also remember that the first vaccines used to protect pigeons were the chicken Newcastle disease vaccines. Since then better vaccines have been developed using a smaller dose. Nobilis Paramyxo P201 is made from pigeon prarmyxovirus strain P201 and is a 0.25ml dose. Colombovac PMV contains Newcastle disease virus, strain LaSota, chicken paramyxovirus and is a 0.2ml dose. So by vaccinating against parmyxovirus of pigeons, you are also effectively vaccinating against Newcastle disease. Sunday will see me helping vaccinate the old birds. David

I am pleased to see all the words of caution. I reproduce part of Colin Walker's article. I could not put it better myself. "...Treating pigeons with ‘Baytril’ is not part of a routine pigeon health management program. At various times of the pigeon year, medication is used to prevent or control disease and prepare the birds for racing etc. ‘Baytril’ is not used in this way. It has no preventative property but simply kills organisms that are sensitive to it that are in the pigeon at the time of treatment. If birds are re-exposed to these organisms the day after the treatment stops they will be re-infected. I recently had a fancier tell me that every year as racing approaches he gives his race team ‘Baytril’ 1ml to 1 litre of drinking water for 10 days and that he considered this ‘essential’ for success. Using this drug in this way would achieve absolutely nothing apart from perhaps making the fancier feel better in some way. At the time of writing, it is about 8 weeks before racing starts in Victoria. I had another fancier ring me recently. He explained that he had given his race team, in preparation for racing, a long course of doxycycline, a long course of ‘Sulfa AVS’ (another antibiotic blend). The purpose of his phone call was to ask if he should now give a long course of ‘Baytril’. I found this call rather disappointing, for years well publicised pre-race programs have been published by vets. If nothing else, it just showed how some fanciers have an unreasonable over reliance on antibiotics."

I would assume that it has to be a congenital defect that have a genetic component or some other factor that affected development in the egg. Did you notice this soon after hatching? I could understand that it may have been too small to notice as a youngster. Is the toe firmly attached to it's normal counterpart and can you feel any bone in it? Very interesting, David

Thank you. How often you monitor depends on what you find and how you treat? Now doubt we will be in touch to discuss the specifics of your observations. Another presentation to go up shortly, I discovered that some samples were positive for worms when using one test and not when using another. end result, Hairworms present in the loft when it was thought there were no worms at all! Hence the regular checking. Best wishes, David

Well as a vet I would say vaccinate wouldn't I? What I will say is that I advise clients to vaccinate. There is more paratyphoid about now than there was 20 years ago. the precise regime depends on many factors but basically boils down to have you had clinical disease o not. One regime if yes and a different one if no. Paratyphoid is a problem because your birds could be carrying it for a long time before disease becomes apparent. If you vaccinate hopefully they will not show signs of disease but they could still become infected. Consequently, once you start you are into an annual vaccination of all the birds in your loft. Vaccinating part of the loft is not an option - all or nothing. You will start vaccinating as and when you get the disease. There will be those that never vaccinate and do not seem to have a problem. for me I do not want to take the risk. good luck, David

The product you refer to is no longer available "Ridsol". However, the active ingredient has been put up in pigeon form by various suppliers now. Firstly, buy from a reputable source, ensure it is a branded pharmacy or vet product. It should specify the active ingredient, it's concentration, recommended usage rate and should have some Batch number and expiry date. Secondly, if the label is not in english well .... I think it is more important to check for worms at this time. Best wishes, David

I will add my name to your list. Northern Hygiene is very good. If I can help then let me know. PM me if you wish. I only use UKAS accredited and DEFRA approved labs. for dropping samples does not really matter where you are in the country. Best wishes, David

It all depends on whether or not you have been unfortunate to suffer from Paratyphoid. The vaccine will give long term protection whilst the parastop at best will give protection whilst on treatment and for a few days after. It may also make the birds more susceptible to picking up any infection left in dirt and dust in the loft. Salmonella will survive a year or more in dust. If they were my birds and I would use the vaccine. For clients that are just starting down this road I also advise 3 or 5 days of amoxycillin before vaccination. David

No combined vaccine licensed in the UK. The two available products are PMV - either Colombovac PMV Paramyxovirus vaccine or Nobilis Paramyxo P201 and Paratyphoid - Colombovac Paratyphus Suspension for injection for pigeons. David

Seems a shame to have to go the states so you prompted me to do this. http://www.poultryhealthcentre.com/seminars/vacinatepigeon.php with all the other good advice may help.

Might be a short lived contribution then

I am delighted to learn that and my apologies. Fair few lady vet students at Bristol to. Not like that in my student days Thank you, much appreciated.