Fishy Smell

[Clarkey1990]

What causes this is a young bird. It went light aswell.

[Guest]

Has the bird maybe been down on the coast or on a tidal river bank for a drink? Had two YBs did that a few years back, came home with feet black with caked mud, and stank of fish.

[Clarkey1990]

no dont fly them

[Guest]

sour crop  

[Clarkey1990]

sour crop  

 

Its a yb

[Guest]

 

Its a yb

 

DONT MATTER OLD BIRD YOUNG BIRD SOUR CROP AM TELLIN YI :o

[Clarkey1990]

How can yb's away from the nest get sour crop?

[Guest]

How can yb's away from the nest get sour crop?

 

cause they aint digesting there food thats how

[Guest CS]

Yes it is a sour crop, mate

[Guest]

I’m puzzled by the ‘fishy’ smell and it’s obviously not normal. Only fish food that I know is fed to pigeons is cod liver oil, but I think you would need to feed an awful lot for that to happen.

 

The most likely explanation is an imbalance of bacteria which create a certain substance which is known to cause a fishy smell in animals. The substance is called trimethylamine and is normally created in the gut when gut bacteria break down vitamin B. So it would appear that you have a specific bacterial infection. Two types of bacteria which break down trimethylamine oxide are known to cause problems in pigeons  – e coli & salmonella.

 

I’ve done a quick search following the ‘fishy smell’ lead, and found these references:

 

 

during reduction of trimethylamine oxide to trimethylamine by Escherichia coli

 

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=3900275&dopt=Abstract

 

 

anaerobic metabolism of a number of bacteria ….. [in] animal intestines (Enterobacteriaceae)

 

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=retrieve&db=pubmed&list_uids=3904597&dopt=Abstract

 

 

Stimulates the growth of  e coli, Salmonella and Proteus.

 

http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/pagerender.fcgi?artid=216587&pageindex=1

 

 

If it has happened more than once, I suggest you take the latest 'patient' along to the vet for a diagnosis. Apart from curing the bird, you need to find out what is actually causing the problem - and the source of  the infection.

[andy]

What causes this is a young bird. It went light aswell.

 

Is it been near the wife?

[Clarkey1990]

I’m puzzled by the ‘fishy’ smell and it’s obviously not normal. Only fish food that I know is fed to pigeons is cod liver oil, but I think you would need to feed an awful lot for that to happen.

 

The most likely explanation is an imbalance of bacteria which create a certain substance which is known to cause a fishy smell in animals. The substance is called trimethylamine and is normally created in the gut when gut bacteria break down vitamin B. So it would appear that you have a specific bacterial infection. Two types of bacteria which break down trimethylamine oxide are known to cause problems in pigeons  – e coli & salmonella.

 

I’ve done a quick search following the ‘fishy smell’ lead, and found these references:

 

 

during reduction of trimethylamine oxide to trimethylamine by Escherichia coli

 

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=3900275&dopt=Abstract

 

 

anaerobic metabolism of a number of bacteria ….. [in] animal intestines (Enterobacteriaceae)

 

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=retrieve&db=pubmed&list_uids=3904597&dopt=Abstract

 

 

Stimulates the growth of  e coli, Salmonella and Proteus.

 

http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/pagerender.fcgi?artid=216587&pageindex=1

 

 

If it has happened more than once, I suggest you take the latest 'patient' along to the vet for a diagnosis. Apart from curing the bird, you need to find out what is actually causing the problem - and the source of  the infection.

 

 

Cheers for the info