We have just been introduced to the "curtain" throat theory this past winter, through the Movie "Secrets of Champions" by Jim Jenner.
We are a small group of flyers in Atlantic Canada and frankly, this is new to us. However, we have been taken by the possibilities of this theory. I am not sure if you subscribe to the curtain review or not, but my question is..
We have reviewed a couple hundred of our birds. We are seeing everything (from good to bad) that the video showed. Added to that we have observed some birds with White Spots, some with a Vertical crust at the curtain more than a smooth seam, etc.
Is there a site where good information about how to look, what to look for, more examples of good and bad, etc. exist and do you have an opinion on same.
question by: Carlyle Smith
answer by: Pascal Lanneau
I want to explain a bit more concerning the white spots you have noticed on some birds that you looked .
White spots noticed in the troat can be caused by infectious agents, but also sometimes causing no problems at all.
Trichomoniasis is a parasite that can cause white spots in the troat. Depending on the severity of the tricho infection, the spots can be small of much bigger. When you take a swab from the troat, you can be sure whether there is trichoor not. To solve this problem, a treatment against tricho will help, but it is possible that the spots don't disappear very fast.
Another possibility is an infection with Herpes. This virus can cause also white spots in the mouth, especially in younger birds (also in older) who have some respiratory problems. Most of the time, Herpes is one of the different infectious agents that will cause the respiratory problems. To treat Herpes virus, this is not possible, but treating the whole respiratory problem can be of great use.
Pox virus is a virus who will give som yellow spots in the beak, especially in and outside the mouth, the eyes, and sometimes in the troat. When the pigeons are very infected with the pox, it is possible that there are some nodules in theoesophagus, and also interior.
Preventive the birds can be vaccinated, curative, the pigeons will normally cure in 3 - 4 weeks time, desinfecting with iodium can be a great help, but whatever you do, it lasts some weeks before everything is normal again, as long as the pigeons are eating, the problem will be solved normally after some weks.
Another possibility of the white spots are the sialolites, this is not harmfull and stays there all the time, without causing any problem at all. These are the most important reasons of white spots, I hope this willhelp you a bit further.