Parrot and parakeet diseases
Parrot and parakeet diseases – By Wouter Dierckx
The alexandrine parakeet is not easily exposed to diseases, as long as the hygiene in the aviaries is strictly respected. This means a thorough cleaning of the aviaries preferably every week or every two weeks and every year disinfecting the aviaries and perches. However, it is possible that you will still have to deal with sick birds. It is important to recognize the signs, such as fat sitting, wet eyes, being skinny, etc. Then place the bird separately and in a warm place. I have my birds tested regularly and randomly for all kinds of diseases in order to prevent unpleasant surprises. The most important diseases are:
1) Chlamydia psittaci / parrot disease
This disease is caused by a bacterium. The Chlamydia bacterium can only multiply in the cells of the host. In infected birds, the bacteria is in the stool, urine, eyes, and nose. Birds can be infected in various ways, including by feather dust and dried stools. They can breathe it in or absorb it with the mouth.
Young birds can also be infected in the egg through the mother. Birds can also become carriers of the bacteria without showing symptoms. Young birds that become infected with a very pathogenic line of bacteria can become acutely seriously ill. They become slow, have conjunctivitis, grumble and get diarrhea. This can be green or gray and watery. They often die within 8-10 days. Youngsters that survive often have different plumage. Birds that are not treated can die within a few weeks. Treatment is done with antibiotics.
2) E. Coli / Sweating disease / E. Coli Complex
One of the most well-known diseases that E. coli causes is sweating disease. E. coli bacteria cause disease by producing toxins. In the intestines, these elements ensure that the intestinal cells release a large amount of fluid so that the intestinal contents become fluid and the birds develop sticky and thick diarrhea. This ensures that they dry up quickly and lose many nutrients. They can die in large quantities. In older birds, toxins can affect other organs as well as the intestines. This allows birds to drink a lot (when the kidneys are affected). They can become lame (with common inflammations). The bacterium is killed with antibiotics.
3) Proventricular dilatation disease (PDD)
The disease can develop after being infected with a bornavirus. It is most common in younger birds, but older birds can also develop symptoms. The symptoms are caused by damage to the brain and the nerves of the gizzard, gizzard, and the front part of the small intestine. The muscle activity of these organs will decrease as a result, and they will stretch. This ensures that there is no longer a good transport of food to distant parts of the gastrointestinal tract. This causes, among other things, vomiting, undigested food can be in the stool, and the birds become lean and slow.
The symptoms can occur within 3 weeks after infection, but sometimes symptoms are only seen years after exposure to the virus. In addition to the symptoms that are directly caused by nerve damage, the birds may be more susceptible to additional infections. For example, the crop is often filled for a long time because there is poor transport to the gland stomach. Crop acidification can easily occur in this situation. In addition to the nerves of the gastrointestinal tract that are affected. Some birds may also have other nerves involved. Birds can become weak in the legs if the spinal cord or leg nerves are affected. If the disease reaches the brain, the birds can become shaky, turn their necks and become paralyzed. No treatment is possible so far.
4) Rot and feather rot / PBFD / Psittacine Beak and feather disease
This disease is caused by a circovirus. There are different forms of the disease. There is the acute form. This is more common in infected birds at a young age. The first symptoms appear when they lose the nest down and the adult feather package begins to develop. They die, break, bend or bleed from the shaft of the spring. Also, the springs (if they do grow out) can fall out prematurely. In addition to the spring abnormalities, the birds can also suffer from slowness, stopping eating, and delayed crop emptying.
They can die in one to two weeks. The chronic form of PBFD causes deterioration of the plumage. The virus influences the development of feathers. This means that down feathers are the first to be hit for many parrots. These molting continuously, which means that new feathers are constantly growing. The large flight feathers and contour feathers will become more different during each molting period.
The feathers that come through often stop growing too early. They can have a different shape or easily break off. It is also possible that in the first period only the colors of the feathers differ. If a bird has the disease long enough, it will eventually become bald. In addition to the problems that the virus causes with feathers and beaks, it also weakens and reduces the immune system. This makes infected/sick birds much more susceptible to all sorts of other infections and they will get sick faster if the conditions are not optimal. Birds can also be carriers of the disease. The virus can be detected in the blood. PBFD-positive birds must be kept away from healthy birds. There is no cure for the virus itself.
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