Nervous symptoms | Pigeon Paradise

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I live in Victoria, Aust. which has had an outbreak (the first time ever, I believe) of paramyxovirus in the past few months?

I live in Victoria, Aust. which has had an outbreak (the first time ever, I believe) of paramyxovirus in the past few months. A number of my pigeons have displayed the typical symptoms (neurological signs & distinct droppings). However at the same time a few other birds have become ill - displaying some symptoms not typical of paramyxovirus (as far as I'm aware) ie. slowed crop emptying, losing weight & occasional vomiting & looking unwell .. however the droppings still appear typical of paramyxovirus, together with lethargy & reluctance to move about - but NO neurological signs. So far 1 young bird displaying these symptoms has died (despite administering broad spectrum antibiotic Baytril) 2 other old birds are now presenting with the same symptoms. Could I be dealing with the same disease of paramyxovirus in both of these cases?

question by: Lora Stock

answer by: Ruben Lanckriet

Dear Madam/Sir,

All these pigeons are most likely infected with the disease. Actually the swallowing problem usually is also a neurological problem - the nerve to regulate the swallowing muscles is damaged -. Also it is logical that the pigeons will get generally weaker because of the severe kidney damage.

As far as therapeutical possibilities, like already mentioned in other answers to this disease, you should consider as much as nutritional support as possible, but also just vaccinating the birds could be of help. Although this is not the general rule it could be of great help to cope with this infection. This must be some kind of homeotherapeutic effect.

Kind regards

A pigeon who is infected with paramyxovirus has entered to my loft and after about 15days later my pigeons started showing symptoms?

Hi... A pigeon who is infected with paramyxovirus has entered to my loft and after about 15days later my pigeons started showing symptons. So when i tested the pigeon i got to know that all of pigeon have infected the disease so i chose to move them from my loft and after few days i brought in some new pigeons but i saw that the new pigeons have also infected later i got to know that my loft is still full with bacteria and the disease of paramyxovirus. Now what shall i do to my loft? What kind of action should i take to my loft? Because the loft is full with the disease.

question by: Miraj Marlan

answer by: Dr Johan Van der Cruyssen / Ruben Lanckriet

Dear Sir,

First of all when have you vaccinated your pigeons against PMV?

When a pigeon is infected with PMV the only thing you can do is give supportive care. The PMV infects the kidneys and the nervous system wich causes watery droppings because of the drinking of lots of water and nervous symptoms. Resistance to other diseases such as coccidiosis and tricho is reduced.

The disease can last for 6 or more weeks. When you have pigeons with heavy symptoms it is best to eliminate these pigeons. After 6 weeks the shedding of the virus has stopped but nervous symptoms and the symptom of watery droppings may persist longer.

Supportive care: electrolytes, probiotics, vitamins for boosting the immunity.

Consult your vet if antibiotics are necessary. After a secondary bacterial infection has been diagnosed you can consider to give an antibiotic.

Keep in mind that there is also a notification obligation when your pigeons are infected with paramyxovirus.

Kind regards,

Dr. Johan Van der Cruyssen

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Dear Sir,

The PMV virus is indeed very resistent in its environment and stays virulent for months between 8° and 20° Celcius (but also lower temperatures) and it resists acid and alcalic solutions. You can desinfect the loft by using a propane gas burner (very effective but be prudent in using), other desinfectants can be formol, fenol or butylhydroxytolueen. Most other desinfectants are not effective enough.

Kind regards,

Ruben Lanckriet

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?

i have a young 2 week old roller pigeon,it cant seem to hold its head upright,its walking backward and its eyes are partly close,droppings are fine its sibling is fine and it is eating and drinking well,is there anything i can do to make it better.thank you

question by: violet gillespie

answer by: Pascal Lanneau

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

A 4 year old stock hen is twisting her neck. She has a full body with no signs of bad droppings or loss of weight and all other birds are healthy?

Please could you advise . A 4 year old stock hen is twisting her neck. She has a full body with no signs of bad droppings or sickness or loss of weight. In fact only for her neck she looks fine. She is in a stock loft and these birds never flyout nore is there any race loft close by. There is around 60 stock birds and all look fine . I dont vaccinate my stock birds.

question by: don barrett

answer by: Ruben Lanckriet

Dear Madam/Sir,

From the information you give me, I would first think of a traumatic injury f.e. a bad fall, that is causing the nervous symptoms. Nevertheless it is still possible she is suffering from paramyxovirus infection or paratyphus. That is why it could be wise to vaccinate your stockbirds for paramyxovirus only to be sure and treat with antibiotics and vaccinate for paratyphus, this in accordance with your veterinarian.

Kind regards

Once the young pigeons reach 20 days old they vomit , no appetite, lameness and they die?

Dear doctor once the young pigeons reach 20 days old they vomit , no appetite, lameness and they die. Kindly diagnose and advise the remedy. thank you ramesh

question by: p.v.ramesh

answer by: Ruben Lanckriet

Dear Sir,

I cannot make a diagnosis without seeing birds and taking samples, but I can give you some information what possible diseases could give the problems you are seeing with your birds.

As possible diseases I'm thinking of paratyphus, trichomoniasis and adeno virus. There is a big chance the birds are also infected with circo virus and therefore lack the immunity to cope with diseases. You can find more information on these diseases by clicking on the corresponding tags. Let your birds be examined by an avian vet to get a correct diagnosis.

Kind regards

I have a hen that is raising one young bird that is very weak and has difficulties to stand?

I have a hen that is raising one young bird. 7 days ago I noticed she was on the floor with her wings open and could hardly move. When I picked her up she seemed very weak. It looked like she was going to die. I brought her to my heated garage along with the 2 week old baby which I started to hand feed. Afer about 1 day she started standing eating and drinking. After 2 days she started feeding the baby again. Everything seemed fine. yesterday when I looked at her she was leaning on her side and very weak again her eyes were closing and head was falling. I checked everything eyes throat no lumps. Her feet and legs seemed darker then usually so I soaked the in warm salt water for 15 min and put her back. She didn't move her feet at all and just sat tring to hold her head up. By the afternoon she was standing so I soaked her feet again. This time she had more life and some strength back. What could cause this? thanks gerry

question by: gerard

answer by: Ruben Lanckriet

Dear Madam/Sir,

This could be a problem of mineral shortage and/or dehydration. It is also possible the hen has caught an infectious disease following a downfall in immunity resistance. Some birds tend to give their youngsters too much feed and water (reason for polyuria in the youngsters). If that bird doesn't have enough minerals or doesn't eat enough minerals (calcium), then this problem can occur, especially with hens that also have to lay eggs. In combination with not enough water in the body of the hen (because she gives everything to her youngster) you can see these symptoms of weakness. In a lot of cases just removing the hen from her youngsters and give enough food, water and minerals, is enough to let all the symptoms disappear in just a matter of hours.

Off course there is a possibility there is also some infection f.e. parasites (worms), that can worsen the problem. So a clinical examination could give more clarity.

Kind regards

Does Avian Encephalomyelitis (AE) infect pigeons?

Does Avian Encephalomyelitis (AE) infect pigeons? Thank you.

question by: Fredericht

answer by: Ruben Lanckriet

Dear Sir,

There is no evidence whatsoever that this virus infects pigeons.

Kind regards

If a pigeon had the Paramyxovirus, but then months passed and no symptoms are still showing, is it safe to put the bird with other pigeons?

Dear Sir, If a pigeon had the Paramyxovirus, but then months passed and no symptoms are still showing (its droppings are solid and nervous symptoms seem to have disappeared), is it safe to put it with the other pigeons or is it still a carrier? If the nervous symptoms do recur, does it mean that it still has the virus? Thanks, Kristian

question by: Kristian Abela

answer by: Ruben Lanckriet

Dear Madam/Sir,

Normally the bird should be free of the virus. If the birds you put him with are vaccinated, there is absolutely no danger. If the bird gets nervous signs later on, there is still a possibility the bird has the paramyxovirus, but other infections like paratyphoid should also be considered.

Kind regards

A pigeon was found a few days back after heavy rain, thunder and lightning. It shows signs of being without balance?

A pigeon was found a few days back after heavy rain, thunder and lightning sitting under a tree. It walks with a tottering gait, goes round and round, head retracted and dropping to one side unsteady and shivering. loss of appetite / thirst. Does not eat on its own. When it sleeps the head almost touches the ground. doesn't want to be fed forcibly. excreta watery with large amount of white portions small amount of greenish. chest region seems swollen. seems to be very active when we want to catch it seem to be very quick, but when escapes from hands and lands on the ground loses balance. now the excreta contains a little greenish( slightly to the darker side) matter and water. no outer injury is visible.

question by: debadutta

answer by: Ruben Lanckriet

Dear Madam/Sir, This is most probably a pigeon with pigeon paramyxovirus. This virus attacks kidneys and the nervous system. If the pigeon doesn't eat or isn't able to eat, it will probably die. The disease is in a lot of countries controlled by law, which means sick birds have to be euthanised or be kept in quarantine for a period of time. Kind regards

A friend is having trouble with his breeders, They are walking hobbly and they seam to weak to stand?

A friend is having trouble with his breeders, They walking hobbly and they seam to weak to stand. They are not losing body weight. Some of the young seam to have it too. The ones that he has eliminated have like a green water coming out of there mouth. Could it be from some bad feed or grit.

question by: Joseph Marzola

answer by: Ruben Lanckriet

Dear Sir, It is possible there is an infection (bacterial or viral), but I suspect there could also be a problem of mineral shortage, especially calcium. It is important that breeding pigeons get a daily supplement of calcium containing elements. An infection like paratyphus can give enteritis. This can also be a cause of incapability of mineral resorption. Although the birds don't seem to lose weight, you should certainly also consider paratyphus. A good diagnostic examination of a veterinarian and perhaps autopsy could give some clarity. Kind regards

I have an old bird who this morning has a twisting head, he was injected for PMV and treated with Baytril?

I have an old bird who this morning has a twisting head, he was jabed for PMV and treated with baytril in nov 09 for 14 days.I have 4 ybs from him with no problems,he is isolated at the moment what is the problem and is there a cure or should i dispose of him ?

question by: Tony Boyle

answer by: Ruben Lanckriet

Dear Sir, Paramyxovirus is the most common cause for nervous problems and although the bird was vaccinated, there is still a real possibility it is paramyxovirus. It seems that vaccination isn't always 100% effective, especially for the new paramyxovirus strains which are more adapted to pigeons (and less to other birds). This also depends on the kind of vaccine. Vaccines developed from pigeon specific paramyxovirus strains seem to be more protective. It is possible that the bird heals from the paramyxo, but it takes a long time (weeks - months) untill the nervous symptoms disappear (if the nerves grow back, this goes very slowly). An extra vaccination can be of help. Sometimes paratyphoid can give nervous problems and in exceptional cases other septicaemic infections can give these symptoms. In that case antibiotics are the right treatment. There is a small possibility the bird has had a trauma. Kind regards

My young birds have watery droppings, look dull, their crop is full of water, some have tilted heads.

Dear Sir; Recently my young birds are having the following symptoms; 1- Do not want to train. 2- Looks dull. 3- their crop seems full of water which is yellow and smell very bad. 4- 1 or 2 days then dead. 5- Clear wattery droppings. 6- Some of them that didn't die have tilted heads but I beleive it is not paramyxo virus but I am not sure. In my place we do not have any facility to check pigeon droppings (no vets to diagonis pigeon problems). I Had to kill 20 of my 23 young birds to eleminate the problem. Please advise what we should do if we face disease knowing we cannot check the droppings and what was the disease ??

question by: Ahmed El Adawy

answer by: Ruben Lanckriet

Dear Sir, The symptoms clearly are indicative for paramyxovirus. Possibly other diseases like canker are complexing the problem. So I would advise you to certainly vaccinate the birds for paramyxo and in your case vaccinate them twice with 3 or 4 weeks in between. It is good to vaccinate your young birds as early as possible. At the same time preventive measures can be taken for canker, worms and paratyphus if you are not able to let your pigeons be checked. Kind regards

I have a complicated problem with my pigeons which has effected my birds for 2 years

Hello
I have a complicated problem with my pigeons which has effected my birds for 2 years. My young birds at 2 months old develop what i believe to be herpes the throat is red with yellow dots. They look healthy and the dropping are good but when they exercise they bomb around the loft like made almost vibrating in the air, they then hit the top of the loft like stones panting like hell. I have treated them for respiratory infection but it doesnt cure it.
I have trained and raced them and whilst losses are resoanably high 50% deal with it and in the end up with top prizes. This has happened 2 years running and for 2 years i have the best ybs in our combine, but this is at short distance. My old birds are now showing the same signs, they exercise at super speed but tight to the loft and fly with there beaks open, there weight is good and droppings nice with down feathers. When they land there mouths are open and wings out and they look like they are trying to swallow. I have recently given them a full treatment for respiratory infection. Most birds have yellow dots on the back of the throat Could it be a yeast of fungel infection? and how can i build up ammunity in the future.
To add a keep my pigeons on grills.

question by: Stuart Wilcox

answer by: Dr Pascal Lanneau

Dear Sir,
The symptoms you describe such as not flying like it should be, red troat, mouth that is open, etc... are all signs of respiratory diseases.
Respiratory problems can be due to all kind of different pathogens such as herpes virus, staphylococs, e. coli, Chlamydia, Pelistega, etc. Treating against virus is not possible, but treating against the bacterial infections can give very good results.
Depending on what kind of problem there is in your loft, you can give a specific treatment for the problem.
Fungal infections are possible, but we don't see that very much as primary problem.
Those yellow dots can also be due to trichomoniasis, then it is the best to treat against tricho.
In some cases yellow dots are due to Herpes, tricho, yeast, or old abscesses due to respiratory problems, and also sometimes just what we call 'sialolytes", these last ones without having any impact on the prestations of the pigeons.
I should recommend to try to check what the cause is of the problem so you can treat with the right medication.
Don't hesitate to contact me for more information,

When do I have to vaccinate for paratyphus and where do i get the vaccine?

Over the last couple of seasons i think i have been having problems with paratyphoid but only just began to realize it. Birds starting to limp or one wing hanging down, also the young birds, going downhill after weaning, also I had one of the cocks loose wieght but kept his condition but would not fly, he did make full recovery! Only to be lost racing I would be gratefull if you could advise on vaccination (the hows and whens) as I've read it is best to clear the birds fully with baytril. And could you advise on when to vaccinate the young, and last but not least could you advise on were to get the vaccine from ?

question by: Dave Leese

answer by: Ruben Lanckriet

In your case you should treat the birds for at least two weeks with Baytril. Then you can give a prime vaccination with an inactive vaccine. One month later you can boost the immunity by giving an inactivated or live vaccine f.e.chevivac-s.

My pigeon has flying problems and picks next to the corn. What is the treatment for this?

I have a racing pigeon that is heavily inbred, father to daughter. it is a late bred from fall of 2005. the first noticable symptom was what I thought was eye problems. he would try to pick up grain but would slightly miss it. he had control of his head but it took three or four tries before he could get the grain. He had less problems with larger grain like corn.he also had trouble flying up to the purch. he could fly up alright but just slightly miss the purch. then it hit him like an attack, on the floor flopping around head twisting no control of his wings or legs. it was like a seisure. he is now in a seperate cage. he eats and drinks ok. he has control then looses it . he has good days then bad . droppings ok and no weight loss. still can't see very well. has trouble walking and sleeps on his side. when i hold him he has lots of strength in his wings. feathers still soft and silky. eyes still seem clear and still has eye sign. do you have any ideas on treatment.

question by: Steve

answer by: Pascal Lanneau

According to your story, I think you might have problems with paramyxovirus.
Pmv can mainly cause two main symptoms: nervous symptoms and symptoms linked to the kidneys. In the first case, you can see trembling, picking just next to the corn, no control of the wings, the head that is turning around, noequilabration like it should be etc... In the second case you have watery droppings with some small pieces in the middle of the droppings. Most of the time they drink a lot.
It is possible that the symptoms go away after some weeks (can be till 6 weeks), if this is not the case, it is possible the symptoms will always stay.
In the meantime you have to make sure they have a lot of food in every corner of a seperate cage, a lot of water, you can give them extra Vit B, some electrolytes...
BUT BE CAREFULL: IN MANY COUNTRIES YOU ARE OBLIGATED TO MENTION TO THE AUTHORITIES THAT YOUR PIGEONS HAVE PARAMYXO!!!
Depending on the country, the authorities will take restrictions for a certain region around your loft and more particular measurements for your own loft!!!!
Once again, I only think it might be pmv, according to your story!!

My pigeon moves out of balance and looks like he is shocked.

Wir haben eine Taube, die rein äußerlich vital und gesund aussieht. Gleichwohl scheint sie keinen Gleichgewichtssinn mehr zu haben. Ihre Bewegungen deuten darauf hin. Vor einiger Zeit hatte sie am Hals eine kleine kahle Stelle. Deshalb bekam sie in den Nacken ein spezielles Tropfmittel für Brieftauben (gegen Milben). Kann das der Auslöser der Gleichgewichtsstörungen sein?

question by: A.P.

answer by: Ruben Lanckriet

If the medication was administered two months ago that won't be the reason. There is a possibility that he has an infection with paramyxo, paratyfus or an other bacteria that can infect central nervous tissue. It is also possible that he has had a trauma (hit his neck or head hard against something) and that is why he is behaving like that. I would advise you to give him an injection for paramyxo and treat him for 10 days with Baytril 2ml/liter.

Mijn duif laat een vleugel hangen en vliegt schuin. Wat kan ik doen?

Ik heb een duif die al goed gevlogen heeft voor een 2-jaarse. Deze duif heeft dit jaar Barcelona en Narbonne zeer succesvol afgewerkt , toch 3 dagen na Narbonne kon deze duif niet meer in zijn nestbak geraken en nu nog steeds niet. Hij laat 1 vleugel hangen en als hij probeert op te vliegen vliegt hij schuin. Hij is ook lichter dan normaal en zit nu reeds 3 maand in de volière en nog steeds is er geen verandering .Ik ben reeds bij verschillende dierenartsen geweest en deze spreken van een ontsteking in het vleugelgewricht en na verschillende behandelingen tegen deze ontsteking is er nog steeds geen verandering.
Wat kan ik nog doen ?

question by: E.Willems

answer by: Ruben Lanckriet

Indien een ontsteking zo lang aanhoudt, is er steeds een onderliggend probleem die bijna altijd van infectieuse aard is. In uw geval kan dit paratyfus, streptococcose, E coli of een andere kiem zijn. Een gericht diagnostisch onderzoek kan dit uitmaken. Het feit dat er al behandelingen geweest zijn, is wel nadelig voor de diagnostiek zelf maar kan een voordeel zijn om zaken uit te sluiten.

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