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| Diseases & other Health Problmes | |
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| Topic Started: Oct 24 2006, 01:06 PM (318 Views) | |
| BUUZBEE | Oct 24 2006, 01:06 PM Post #1 |
Administrator
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Diseases As with all animals, birds are susceptible to certain diseases. I will discuss a few here, but if you have any doubts what-so-ever, PLEASE take your bird to the vet as soon as possible. All of these diseases are dangerous and need immediate attention from a vet. Aspergillosis A respiratory infection caused by breathing spores of the fungus Aspergillus fumigatus. Symptoms include heavy breathing and tail bobbing. Please see the VET IMMEDIATELY! Colds and Sinus Inflammations These frequently affect cage and aviary birds as a result of drafts, temperature differences, vitamin A deficiency, stress and exposure to various bacteria and viruses. Symptoms include nasal discharge, runny eyes, and sneezing. Affected eyes tend to look droopy. Please see the VET IMMEDIATELY! Diarrhea This is not a disease but a symptom. Please see the vet! Egg Binding This is caused by oversized or soft-shelled eggs, stress, muscle weakness or disease. The hen will usually sit at the bottom of the cage with her feathers ruffled up breathing heavily. Again, Please see the VET IMMEDIATELY! Feather Plucking This is usually the result of vitamin deficiency, listlessness, boredom or over-crowding. A Vet can certainly help with the vitamin deficiency. The boredom and listlessness can be alleviated possibly with new toys, twigs or treats. However, sometimes it is not really clear why some birds are pluckers. I would suggest seeking out other owners of birds who have experienced this and obtaining their feedback. Pacheco's Disease This is a massive problem in the US. It is caused by a specific virus and is primarily seen in areas where many birds are kept, such as pet shops, zoos, or quarantine stations. The symptoms include stress, diarrhea, depression and appetite loss. Please see the Vet IMMEDIATELY! Psittacosis This disease is caused by an intracellular parasite. Affected birds do not want to eat, fluff up the feathers, gasp for air while moisture drips from the nostrils. Their droppings are a gray-green in color. The final stage of this disease is marked by nervous disorders. Affected birds die quickly. Please SEE YOUR VET IMMEDIATELY! Humans can get this disease too!! Proventricular Dilitation Disease (PDD) This is an infectious and deadly disease for which there is currently no cure. Symptoms include: depression, weight loss, regurgitation, and/or passage of undigested food in the feces. Please see the Vet IMMEDIATELY! Psittacine Beak & Feather Disease (PBFD) This is another infectious and deadly disease for which there is no known cure. The virus is spread by inhalation or ingestion of virus particles. Feather dust is known to contain vast amounts of the virus. All newly purchased birds should be tested for this virus before being introduced to an existing flock. Symptoms include: loss of feathers or abnormal feather development, depression, weight loss, and diarrhea. Please see the Vet IMMEDIATELY! Giardia This is a microscopic parasite which is transmitted through the injestion of contaminated food, water or fecal material. Symptoms include weight loss, soft lime green stools, dry flaky skin and sometimes feather plucking. Please see the Vet IMMEDIATELY! Mites Although uncommon in Conures, these external parasites burrow into the skin around the beak, eyelids, legs, and feet and are responsible for scaly face and leg disease. Apply benzylbenzoate or Eurax cream while your vet treats the bird with an injectable medication. Worms There are two types of worms that can infect birds: roundworms and threadworms. These are also uncommon in Conures, but please see your vet for the proper medication if you suspect their presence. I can not stress enough how important it is to take your bird to the vet if your bird shows any of these or other disturbing symptoms. Birds will very often try to hide their symptoms in order to appear healthy because of survival instincts. In fact, they are so good at this that by the time we notice the symptoms it is often too late. Conures kept under optimum conditions and given a balanced diet are remarkably resistant to disease and you should rarely have any problems. It is my belief the best prevention for these and other diseases is cleanliness and regular checkups |
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 10:43 AM Nov 28
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