Puffy throats and necks when eating?

[rasbull]

Hi, I have just started back up in the sport again after having birds several years ago. I have purchased some pigeons from a very well known fancier. I have had the birds for about 2 months and they have been in superb condition. This last week the birds have been puffing their throats and necks up when feeding as if they are struggling to get the feed down. The droppings are good, although you can see there condition has deteriorated over the last week as well? I have changed the make of the food but still no change. I have not seen this before in pigeons. I have given them clean food, water, grit and minerals daily. I had one hen that lost a lot of weight and I put her in a basket, but she died tonight. She was quite lifeless in the main loft so took her out as a precaution. I have treated the birds for Cocci and Canker but this has not helped. I am at a loss? Has anyone got any ideas what the problem could be or anyone experienced similar problems themselves? Thank You

 

Ps I have enclosed two pictures of one of the birds with the problem. The majority of the birds are showing the same symptoms.

[rooster]

I WOULD GET THE DROPPINGS TESTED AND A SWAB TEST SOUNDS LIKE CANKER MATE ,

[Taylorsloft]

you have to give them a drink   ;D ;D ;D ;D

[Guest joshdonlan]

have you looked down the throats for canker?

[rasbull]

Hiya mate, the throats of all the birds are fine, no white specks, no yellow substances. Just all look fine.

[Guest joshdonlan]

i would try some aviform all in 1, and maybe get tested, from my limited knowledge the weight loss could be cocci. Maybe some old hand white sesqui.

[Novice]

How do they manage if you feed seeds For example Redband.

 

There is not much goodness in Redband but I wonder if they can swallow it normally

[Guest IB]

It certainly sounds like some sort of physical blockage, and the most common one I believe is a canker nodule, but I hesitate to say that that is what the birds have, because you have treated for canker and by the time it got to this stage I would expect to see yellow or white lesions in the birds mouth and throat.

 

The other thing I remember (and I hope I remember it right) is that the gullet and windpipe both run close together through a small opening into the body; there's always seems to be a bit of a restriction / blockage there, especially if the birds are gorging themselves before going to the water.

 

The dead pigeon could also be a bit of a red herring, but it is worrying.

 

I'd feed them less for a couple of days, and I'd put cider vinegar 5ml to 1ltr in the drinking water.

 

I'd also get them seen by an avian vet ASAP, Monday if possible.

 

[Gaz Jennings]

Definatly sounds like wet canker to me causing the birds to have a peguin like posture(leaning back on there tails) what have you treated them with for canker?????

[ribble]

I have noticed it happening when feeding linseed, the stuff sticks to anything.

[Guest bigda]

watch them very closely  give them a charcoal tab if you've  got any  this is  sign  the bird has a  bacterial infection and  could lead to sour crop, the vet will give you  stuff for it if left  to long the bird will waste away,  and the droppings   will turn lime green in color and if not treated the result will be death  its a bit like young bird sickness in old birds its more serious   baytril  is fast acting but leave that to the vet disinfect your loft  with bleach or sort

[Tony C]

How much are they eating a day?

[peterpau]

Sounds like you need to treat for kanker and cocci again try spartrix and coxoid. Kanker will make them have trouble swallow and cooci will make them go light before ultimately killing the bird. You will not always see white nodules down the throat with kanker. These two parasitical diseases will have a 4 week life cycle so treat again. You could also try Appertex and Ronidazole. If you are gonna get 'em tested tiz crop flush you need for Kanker and droppings for cocci. Best o' luck.  

[roy rogers]

I think the diagnosis would lead to Canker (Crop Mucosa) however the diagnosis of which strain is prevalent could be anyone of the 57 known varieties. I would treat them for 10 days with a canker treatment that specifically distroyed the "Hexamytosis" variety, whilst on the treatment please remember to remove all access to grit and mineral pots as this would render the treatment as useless. I would also feed small easy to digest grains so that the food is still being able to pass the severely inflamed throat passages enabling the body to derieve energy from the food given. I would not panic too much regards the death of the bird as this was most probably due to the bird slowly starving as food was not able to be digest due to obstruction/inflammation of the birds throat. After treatment 2-3 days of a vitamin in the drinking water then1-2 days on a probiotic, should see the right.Best of luck.RR.

[Guest joshdonlan]

out of intrest have they been wormed?

[Guest]

Only time I have seen that has been when the birds have gorged themselves,eating too quickly.Have you tried feeding them smaller meals more often so they don't gorge,might atleast help them get more food down if they are sick too.

If you have already treated for canker I would be tempted to try Amocicillin although you can't beat a swab sample for a more accurate diagnosis

Good Luck

[terry mccarthy]

treat for worms  with levamisole this will treat the worms and stimulate the immune system

[Guest strapper]

i would say worms in the throat cavity, when the bird swallows it has to force food past these worms.

 

or 2nd thoughts it may well be throat full of canker deposits.

[rasbull]

Thank you all for your help and advice. I have treated the birds with appertex and spartrix when the birds were first purchased. I have worm tablets but have not given any of these yet. I will do this tomorrow. I have been in contact with Dr Wim Peters from out of the BHW. He suggested it could be throat irritation caused by Herpes infection and suggested using 'bleach'? He also said it could be a candida infection and suggested a nystatin treatment.

 

I am going to treat for canker, cocci, and worms this week.

 

Does anyone know what he means by 'bleach' how do you administer this and what product do you use exactly? Also what nystatin product is available. Also what exactly is a herpes infection? Any answers to these questions would be welcome.

[Gaz Jennings]

Thank you all for your help and advice. I have treated the birds with appertex and spartrix when the birds were first purchased. I have worm tablets but have not given any of these yet. I will do this tomorrow. I have been in contact with Dr Wim Peters from out of the BHW. He suggested it could be throat irritation caused by Herpes infection and suggested using 'bleach'? He also said it could be a candida infection and suggested a nystatin treatment.

 

I am going to treat for canker, cocci, and worms this week.

 

Does anyone know what he means by 'bleach' how do you administer this and what product do you use exactly? Also what nystatin product is available. Also what exactly is a herpes infection? Any answers to these questions would be welcome.

 

Nystan is available -thats your nystatin ??? answered also Medistatin.As for Herpes there are 2 diffrent typesof herpes virus that can cause disease in pigeons,1 causes paralysis and the other causes body Hepititus and is very common.This virus effects the the bowels ,throat, and resirtory organs,birds between the age of 4 - 16 weeks old are the more likly to get it.Hope this helps mate.

 

[rasbull]

Thank you all for your help and advice. I have treated the birds with appertex and spartrix when the birds were first purchased. I have worm tablets but have not given any of these yet. I will do this tomorrow. I have been in contact with Dr Wim Peters from out of the BHW. He suggested it could be throat irritation caused by Herpes infection and suggested using 'bleach'? He also said it could be a candida infection and suggested a nystatin treatment.

 

I am going to treat for canker, cocci, and worms this week.

 

Does anyone know what he means by 'bleach' how do you administer this and what product do you use exactly? Also what nystatin product is available. Also what exactly is a herpes infection? Any answers to these questions would be welcome.

[OLDYELLOW]

bleach 5ml to a litre so adverage 4 pint 10ml of bleach , it is only active for one day  so will need to change water everyday

[peterpau]

So you treated with appertex and spartrix two months ago, the life cyle is four weeks. So it is time to treat again, but with something different, like ronidazole and coxoid. Best wormers would be Ivermectin or Moxidectin. As for bleach I would use Milton as  used for babies bottles. I put a splash in the bottom of the drinker 2/3 days a week. I would also use cider vinegar 2/3 days a week this will help with kanker and e-coli. Galic in with the cider vinegar will also help, or even on it's own. Try not to treat all on the same day and once you have got them right, I think you better start looking at your stock management. The loft must be bone dry, damp conditions will always cause problems even if you have a stream or river near by.

[Guest IB]

I would go along with Peterpau - if you think it is a combination of viral and bacterial / fungal attack, then the best all-rounder is garlic, even better at shifting candida than Nystan, according to laboratory research. It also deals with inflammation, so if theres swollen throats on the go, it will help ease that too.

 

It is also a very neutral treatment which if you've gotten the diagnosis wrong, will not queer the pitch for the vet if you do decide to see one - which I still think is advisable.

 

So peel & crush a full garlic bulb and empty the lot (mash and all) into the drinker. You can also add cider vinegar 5ml to ltr.

 

 

 

 

[Roland]

bleach 5ml to a litre so adverage 4 pint 10ml of bleach , it is only active for one day  so will need to change water everyday

 

Yep, agree there mucker, and what beautiful feathering it gives them.

As I posted on another topic, wha happens to the water with bleach in after say 3/4 days?

Teams with wild life! The most noticeable are the worm like creatures that double up and shoot ourwards to move... Don't know what they are called though, in fact have never asked or been told.