 Dr Boddaert Wim |  Dr Gyselbrecht Carlo |  Dr Lanckriet Ruben |  Dr Lanneau Pascal |  Dr Schroeder Vincent |  Dr Van Der Cruyssen Johan |  Dr Van Rompaey Karlo |  Dr Werquin Guy |
My pigeons were affected by paratyhoid and i sent a dead bird for investigation and found out to be Hepatitis?
Dear Sir,
One of the most important effects of paratyphoid is hepatitis. Your story seems to me a perfect example of how antibiotic treatment alone is not always sufficient in dealing with the disease. If possible try to get also vaccine for this disease. Before vaccinating it is good to treat the birds again with antibiotics 8 days before the vaccination and I would continue the treatment untill 6 days after vaccination. Repeat the vaccination after one month (also depending on the kind of vaccine you can get) in accordance with your veterinarian.
In this way I suspect you will have much less problems.
Kind regards
my pigeons have a problem of vomiting. Whenever they eat any food they vomit so they got very weak?
Dear Madam/Sir,
The symptoms you are describing are indicative for an adenovirus type I problem complexed with E. coli or hexamita, if the birds you are talking about are of young age. It could be wise to treat your birds for this disease (antibiotics) in accordance with your veterinarian and let the birds be examined to exclude other causes that could complex the problem. If the problems are occuring with old pigeons, there could be a problem with adenovirus type II, candida, herpes and/or trichomoniasis.
Kind regards
When I'm dropping the forma drops in the eye it can't run away and take several seconds to pass?
Dear Madam/Sir,
When you drop drops in the eyes and it doesn't go away immediately, this is very indicative for upper respiratory problems, which is negative for navigation in racing pigeons. If the drops are coloured like forma drops, the drops should go away rapidly and the colour should be visible in the throat after dropping it in the eyes. This means the connection ducts between eyes, nose, throat is open as it should be. Depending on other symptoms, signs during the clinical examination and/or results from swab tests, different medication (mostly antibiotics) could help coping with these problems f.e. doxycycline, spiramycine, amoxicilline, etc... But there could be also a viral component with this like herpes. In that case antibiotics do not help completely. If you see this frequently with your birds it could be interesting to change your loft climate (better ventilation).
Kind regards
What should I do to get birds that are strong by nature, birds with a good immunity who do not need medicine constantly?
Dear Sir,
The answer is very simple, do not give medication constantly and only keep the exceptional healthy birds. It can also help to only purchase birds from lofts from which you know not much medication is given and still perform well in races. You can use vaccination to enhance the immunity status of your birds, so you have to use less antibiotics. It is also important the birds are in a good loft (extremely important for respiratory problems) and the birds get all necessary nutriënts, vitamins and minerals (these can be given in product form and/or from nature).
Kind regards
My pigeons have a problem of vomiting, not eating and then dying?
Dear Sir,
From the symptoms you describe this could be adenovirus, but a medical examination should be necessary to exclude all other causes. You can treat the birds for secundary bacterial infections like E. coli. These are antibiotics like trimetoprim, amoxicilline, doxycycline, lincomycine, enrofloxacine,... An antibiogram can be of help to determine the right medication.
Kind regards
During Breeding Season, all of the young's droppings are very wet. I mean soupy, sloppy wet. This has happened for the last four years?
Dear Sir,
The symptoms that you are giving are typically for a bacterial infection in the nest. It could be an E-coli infection or a streptococcus bovis infection. I think if you give them during the period that they are having youngsters in the nest a treatment of 8 days with f.e. products based on amoxicilline ( f.e. Amoxicure of Oropharma ) the problem will be solved. The best way is to start with the treatment when the youngsters are just out of the egg end then during 8 days giving this product. Directly there after you give them for a few days some muti-vitamin supplement . Afterwards it would be better the give some acids in the drinking water to make that the parents are not drinking to much and that they are not giving to much water to their youngsters in the nest.
Of course it would be better if we had the possibility to examinate some of the sick youngsters and to make a diagnosis to be 100 % sure of the problems and to make if necessary a antibiogram to be sure which antibiotic is working.
Best Regards
Over the last 3 or 4 months i have noticed my pigeons have no appetite, from then on they suffer from different symptoms and death?
Dear Sir,
It would be advisable to treat the birds also for trichomoniasis (f.e. with ronidazole 400mg per liter water) and paratyphus (f.e. with enrofloxacine). Were the birds vaccinated for paramyxovirus, herpes and paratyphus? If not it could be wise to do so.
I cannot be sure of a diagnosis without seeing the birds, but there is a good chance by taking care of these diseases your problem will be solved.
The treatments you had to give, accounted only for candidiasis, streptococs and other bacteria (salmonella temporary) and coccidiosis.
Kind regards
For the past few years I have experienced problems with Salmonella in my loft. This year my young birds showed serious side-effects after vaccination?
Dear Sir,
This is indeed a problem that occurs more with the live paratyphus vaccines but can also occur with dead vaccines. It means that the birds were already infected with Salmonella before the vaccination. The live vaccines are already a serious immunity challenge on their own. If there is a virulent Salmonella present, it can result in serious side-effects, in other words it is an outbreak of the disease itself. That is why if you vaccinate with live vaccines you should certainly do a 10 to 14 day antibiotic treatment before vaccination. But also with dead vaccines a treatment is indicated when there are problems with paratyphus. Certainly the first vaccination it is absolutely necessary. For the booster vaccinations the treatment is not always necessary. With dead vaccines you can do the injection also during the antibiotic treatment.
I doubt these pigeons will be able to become normal healthy pigeons and be able to perform on the level they were genetically able to.
Kind regards
Can you please tell me why my pigeons are having white watery droppings and then going light and dying?
Dear Madam/Sir,
It is advisable to let your birds be examined by an avian vet. Possibilities are paramyxovirus, paratyphus, endoparasites. Are your pigeons vaccinated/treated for paramyxo and/or paratyphus?
Kind regards
i have a young 2 week old roller pigeon, it can't seem to hold its head upright, it's walking backward and its eyes are partly closed?
Dear Sir,
Was this pigeon fine before, or is it due to a trauma that it can’t function like it should be? When the head is not hold upright, there is always a possibility of pmv infection, or paratyphus.
I think a examination of the pigeon itself together with a dropping analysis would be very good in order to try to heal this pigeon.
Depending on the results, a treatment with antibiotics can be necessary.
Is it still with the parents? Do you see there some problems?
Don’t hesitate to contact for more info,
Regards
I have found a pigeon who had puss kind of formation around both eyes and beak?
Dear Madam/Sir,
From the symptoms you describe and the advice of the vet, this is probably a case of ornithosis. Doxycycline for a longer period of time ( ten days or longer) in the drinking water or in tablet form, could be a good treatment. For the eyes you could use terramycine gel.
Kind regards
My this years young birds have come down with a serious case of young bird sickness?
Dear Sir,
Young bird sickness is caused by an adenovirus typical for pigeons (type I). This virus primary causes dammage to the liver and intestines. The liver and intestinal inflammation causes diarrhoea. The hepatitis causes also the vomiting and the not digesting of food. In a lot of cases other agents such as Escherichia coli (a bacteria) or hexamita (protozoön) takes advantage of the situation and causes more intestinal inflammation and diarrhoea. E. coli is normally present in the intestines of ALL pigeons. There is no such thing as getting rid of E. coli. This is the same for other bacteria like staphylococs, streptococs, etc... There is no treatment against the adenovirus although I have seen that pigeons vaccinated for paratyphus are less susceptible for the disease (and all kinds of diseases). Off course you can treat for the secundary infections (treatment for E. coli and hexamita) after clinical examination of the birds and exclusion of other possible infections. If the antibiotics do not help, it could be wise to do an antibiogram of the E. coli as there is a tremendous antibiotic resistance rate in E. coli. At the same time it is wise to give light digestible food and perhaps also a liver protection like sedochol, biochol or...
Kind regards
May I use probiotics while I'm using antibiotics? Or I can use them after the complete treatment?
Dear Madam/Sir,
No, it is not indicated to use probiotics during an antibiotic treatment as the antibiotic could kill the live (good) bacteria. So always give probiotics after the antibiotic treatment.
Kind regards
Je suis en colombophil italien, j'aimerai avoire Votre conseil sur un problem que j'ai dans l'elevage?
Bonjour Madame/Monsieur,
Les symptomes peuvent indiquer une E. coli problème. On doit aussi penser à la trichomonose, paratyphose ou herpes. Avec E. coli on peut traiter avec f.e. un sulfonamide avec trimetoprim (ou amoxicillin) pour 8 jours et/ou essayer de laisser faire une autovaccin.
Mes salutations sportives
I have problems with my birds sneezing and scrathing. I had them tested at the vet and it came back positive for E. coli in the throat?
Dear Madam/Sir,
Was there an antibiogram with the test result? Perhaps you could have results with spiramycine or enrofloxacine, individual treatment. In your case, when a lot of antibiotics have been given, you could do an intensive individual eye and nose treatment with a high quality colloidal silver solution.
Kind regards
I have lost 4 babies in the last week, all 15 -17 days old?
In 2009 4 of my widowhood cocks developed flying problem during the season, in 2010 3 cocks developed the same symptom?
Dear Sir,
Nevertheless your amoxicillin treatment I still suspect streptococcus to be the problem. It could be interesting in your case to let an antibiogram be made on the streptococcus strain found on your loft. It could be the strain got resistant for the amoxicillin alone, in a lot of cases combination with clavulic acid could be of use.
Kind regards
I have recently had routine tests before racing starts, the only reported problem is coliform bacteria and recommended a course of amoxycillin?
Dear Madam/Sir,
Coliform bacteria means bacteria of the Escherichia coli strain. These bacteria are normally present in the intestines of animals and birds. Only when they are isolated in organs like lungs, liver, etc., it is indicative to treat. If these bacteria were found in droppings there is absolutely no indication in giving antibiotics.
Kind regards
I have a problem with one of my hens. Today she should have laid the second egg but she doesn't lay even the first one?
Dear Madam/Sir,
There is a difference if there is an egg made already or not. If not, it has no use in administering oxytocin. If she appears to get ready to lay her egg but isn't capable to (in that case you can often feel the egg), it would probably be better to treat her with antibiotics. In the majority of cases a uterus infection is the cause of the problem. An X-ray and/or endoscopy could give a more accurate diagnosis.
Consider that not all hens are easy breeders and some tend to take longer to lay eggs.
Kind regards
I have had a terrible breeding season, out of thirty six bred, severel have died in the nest?
Dear Madam/Sir,
Your suspicion of Salmonella is probably correct, but nevertheless an autopsy could give more clarity and/or another diagnosis. In case of Salmonella I would treat all your birds and vaccinate them twice with four weeks in between.
Kind regards
Sinds een half jaar heb ik problemen met duiven die o.a. niet meer kunnen vliegen of scheef vliegen?
Beste,
Hoewel streptococcen een oorzaak of een complicatie kunnen zijn voor uw probleem, zou ik toch eveneens paratyphus niet uitsluiten. Ik zou u aanraden om naast een volledige amoxicilline-kuur in samenspraak met uw dierenarts (dit is zeker zonder probleem te verkrijgen), ook een paratyphus behandeling uitvoeren mét dubbele inenting! Indien de problemen verder aanslepen of als u nu meer uitsluitsel wil, is zeker autopsie van zieke duiven aangewezen.
Sportieve groeten
Eén van onze duiven heeft waarschijnlijk streptococcen en heeft een kuur van ca 7 dagen gehad van de dierenarts?
Beste Marjolijn,
Indien het werkelijk alleen streptococcen zou zijn, verwacht ik niet deze evolutie. Meestal is de behandeling voor streptococcen heel dankbaar. Vandaar dat ik u zou aanraden om in overleg met uw dierenarts ook een paratyfus behandeling en bij voorkeur ook vaccinatie uit te voeren. Probeer zeker ook alle parasitaire oorzaken uit te sluiten door onderzoek indien dit nog niet gebeurd is.
Sportieve groeten
My pigeons have always sputum in the throat, and I can not eliminate it. I've tried to various forms, but can not?
Dear Sir,
Causes of this could be: trichomoniasis, herpes, upper respiratory problems (bacteria like mycoplasma and others), candida infections. Depending on the problem you should give different medication. Try to get a diagnosis with an avian vet. Treatment for trichomonas could be ronidazole, for bacteria antibiotics like spiramycine, linco-spectin,..., for candida nystatin, for herpes there is no effective treatment without losing condition of the birds completely, but I have some results with L-lysine. As a preventive measure I have good results with a high quality colloidal silver solution.
Kind regards
Mijn vliegduiven hebben veel waterige maar geen groene mest. Ik heb ook al 10 jonge dood?
Beste,
Waterige mest met sterfte van nestjongen wordt vaak veroorzaakt door E. Coli. Andere oorzaken zoals paratyfus, coccidiose, paramyxo, trichomonas of een intoxicatie kunnen echter niet uitgesloten worden. Het is daarom aangeraden om dit verder te laten onderzoeken. Controle van de oude duiven, van een staal uitwerpselen en autopsie van gestorven nestjongen door een dierenarts kunnen hier uitsluitsel geven over de oorzaak. In afwachting van de resultaten geef je electrolieten en mineralen ter ondersteuning. Ook start je best met een antibioticumkuur tegen E. Coli en secundaire infecties. Eens de resultaten van het onderzoek gekend zijn, kan de strategie in functie van de uiteindelijke diagnose aangepast worden.
I have almost the whole flock who suffers from a dark red throat and the larynx is all the time pumping in and out I mean it's never stable?
Dear Madam/Sir,
The symptoms you describe are indicative for a throat inflammation. This can be caused by trichomoniasis, herpes, candida and/or other bacteria like E. coli, staphylococcus, pelistega. A simple diagnostic examination by a vet could show if the birds are infected with trichomoniasis or candidiasis. It is always first important to rule out canker (trichomoniasis) before you can take other steps. When the pigeons are free from canker or candida and the symptoms remain, you can give antibiotics for bacterial problems. Lincomycine-spectinomycine and amoxicillin are mostly good antibiotics for these indications, but an antibiogram (after isolation of pathogenic bacteria in throat swabs) could give more information on what antibiotic is best. But even then we should not underestimate the influence herpes virus could have on the symptoms, even an underlying problem like paratyphus could be of great importance. Try to rule out all of these causes and give the pigeons enough space and fresh air.
Kind regards