how do i test for for ornithosis ??

[DJ]

i had some problems last month (watery eyes/snuffles) with my pigeons but it cleared up or so i thought but now its back along with sneezing,grey wattles and a rattling sound? about ten of my pigeons are affected to various degrees but ive also noticed over the last week or so that some dont want to go out for excercise ? their symptoms seem to match ornithosis but rather then just treat for it i would be grateful if anyone can tell me how to have them tested for it just so i can be be sure that i am treating for the right thing?   last month i treated my pigeons with chevicet -t for the watery eyes/snuffles which seemed to work up until now? any advice would be appreciated

                debbie :-/

[ALF]

GET THEIR DROPPINGS AND A SWAB CHECKED OUT DEBBIE

[Guest]

I agree, either (1) take one the birds to a good avian vet for a proper diagnosis & treatment, or (2) do a dropping & throat swab test, with one of the companies doing that, e.g. Pigeon Health 01206-842221 , will send out a test kit same day (£15) and phone you back at a set time on the day they receive it. Kit + treatment may cost up to £50. Period of treatment 10 - 14 days or more, during which the birds are confined to the loft..

[Guest dogeon]

i had a bird with the same symptons 2 weeks ago i thought it was resporitry and gave chevcit-t that didn't work. i was going to treat with antibiotics but would only do this if it was really nessasary, so i gave the bird 10mm on neat cider vinigar for three days it done the trick, he's more than fine now

[jimmy white]

hope you dont mind debbie ,,but put this on the health board,,

 

there is a possibility this s a respiratory prob , sometimes in serious circumstances the vet will give antibiotics to clear this ,,, [but better under avian vet advice] ornithoses can show up in the birds head with eyes wattering wattles all bunged up ,finding it difficult to breath ,im not one usualy one to treat with antibiotics, but in certain circumstances , it can be a life saver , i would make sure youve plenty good ventilation, not too many birds and a dry loft , maybe a little milton in the water would stop any spread or even some tcp,, but would take a bird to the vet and get his advice ,, hope things improve debbie and good luck  

[Guest]

i had some problems last month (watery eyes/snuffles) with my pigeons but it cleared up or so i thought but now its back along with sneezing,grey wattles and a rattling sound? about ten of my pigeons are affected to various degrees but ive also noticed over the last week or so that some dont want to go out for excercise ? their symptoms seem to match ornithosis but rather then just treat for it i would be grateful if anyone can tell me how to have them tested for it just so i can be be sure that i am treating for the right thing?   last month i treated my pigeons with chevicet -t for the watery eyes/snuffles which seemed to work up until now? any advice would be appreciated

                debbie :-/

 

deb id advise u to go to a vet this week if possible, remember that humans can catch it,,its not very nice either....thought i had it but tested negative last year...better safe then sorry id say....at least if u go to the vet and he says yea or ney then ur minds at rest init...best of luck debs ....paul

 

[Guest shadow]

good ventilation is the main way to avoid most respiritory problems

[swilcox]

Hi D

 

At this time of year most lofts are under a little pressure with so much damp Air around, lofts that have to much ventillation or are draughty often get some problems in this climate.

 

A 10 day cure for ornithosis (watch the dosing as they dont drink much at present) would sort it short term.

 

My advice would be, contact an experience fancier who has achieved alot and ask him if he could spare 1 hour to look at your loft and see what he thinks.

 

Stuart

[DJ]

  thank u alf,bruno,dogeon,jimmy w (no i dont mind  ) inv spirit,shadow and swilcox for replying to my post and advising me, im going for the droppings/throat swab test with pigeon health so hopefully i should soon know what the problem is with my pigeons before treating them  thanks again guys  u are all stars

                            debbie

[DJ]

pigeon health are sending me out a testing kit today so within the next couple of days i will know for sure what the problem is    ive been given some 250mg amoxicillin capsules which according to some websites can be used to treat ornithosis if given in doses of 25-50mg per day for each pigeon    im very tempted to try and break down two of the 250mg capsule into 50mg doses and treat my worse affected birds until i can get the results of my droppings/swab test done?  what do u think?

                           debbie :-/

[Guest]

Patience, Debbie, only a couple of days, right diagnosis, right treatment.  

[Guest shadow]

I would wait for the test results and not use the amoxicillin you may not get the dose right

[DJ]

thanks for reply bruno and shadow, i was hoping that my test kit would turn up today but it didnt but then the post is busy this time of year with xmas isnt it  :-/  hopefully it will be here tomoro

                                               debbie

 

[jimmy white]

ornithosis

causes and clinical signs,,,,,ornithoses is caused by a micra-organism called  clamidia. it is susceptible to anti biotics like bacteria but lives within and destroys body cells like a virus. clinical signs vary from poor performanceto acute disease causing a marked conjunctivitis, decreased appetite, respiratory disease, diarrhoea and death, the acute form is particularly prevelant in yb,s and older birds under stress. in some cases the conjunctivitis can lead to secondry bacterial infection of the eye causing blindness. recovery birds are likely to carry the disease ans subsequently spread it to other birds

 

diagnosis; of this disease  in the live bird is difficult and must rely heavily on clinical symtoms present. blood tests will identify birds that have been exposed to the organism but a good indication of the present diseasestatus. where dead birds are available, samples of liver or spleen can give a positive diagnosis in the laboratory. the disease needs to be DISTINGUISHED FROM MYCOPLASMA INFECTION, HAEMOPHYLUS INFECTION AND ONE "EYED COLD"

 

THERE IS A DANGER OF THIS INFECTION BEING TRANSMITTED TO MAN. PIGEON FANCIERS WHO SUFFER FROM A PROLONGED FLU LIKE DISEASE ARE RECOMMENDE TO SEE THEIRDOCTOR WHO SHOULD BE AWARE OF THEIRCONTACT WITH PIGEONS. WHERE CASES ARE DIAGNOSED IN PIGEONS THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE MUST BE INFORMED.

 

treatment; because of the danger to humans infection , the risk to yb,s and the fact that chronically infected birds are more prone to other diseases, the treatment of affected birds with  CHLOROTETRACYCLINE for an adequate period is essential. treatment lengths of 30 to 60 days would be recommended .   the use of multivits may also be advised.

this is a page taken out the sandhills vets services on pigeon care ,, BUT DONT BE FRIGHTENED OF THIS , AS THIS IS THE WORST SCENARIO,,,,IT COULD QUITE POSSIBLY BE A BAD DOSE OF MYCOPLASMA [RESPIRATORY], WHICH COULD EASILY BE SORTED OUT AND HELPED IN THE FUTURE ,, so heres hoping your test kit prooves us all wrong and its a touch of respiratory,, i dont mean to frighten you , but giving it straight as printed ,,so as bruno says, patience,  the right diagnosis ,,,,the right treatment ,,,,,, this may also help others with the same problem that are not as brave as you in putting it up on the board ,,really wish you well debbie, and hopefully a happy outcome  

[Guest]

remember when buying treatments,....that only tetracycline has been successful in really treating most respitory infections and most others only mask or partially treat it,tetracyline is advisable to use and especially in humans....paul.