Diseases of pigeons Flashcards

1
Q

What is significant about pigeon breeding?

A
  • Pair for life
  • First egg after 8-10days post pairing, another one after 2 days
  • Breed all year round
  • Incubation 17-19days pending breed
  • Chicks fed crop milk for 1-4 days
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

What should you assess when looking at a healthy pigeon?

A
  • Normal dropping
  • Alertness
  • Having clear bright eyes
  • Good posture
  • Movements are strong and vigorous
  • Skin, plumages, shanks, feet are clean
  • Actively feeding and drinking
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

What are signs of unhealthy pigeons?

A
  • Evidence of not eating
  • Not laying eggs / eggs fail to hatch
  • Little / no preening / loss of bloom / ruffled feathers
  • Little noise / different noise
  • Hunched up, huddled together, pale wattles, sunken eyes
  • Abnormal / watery droppings
  • Little / no activity, failure to exercise, tail bobbing, dropping wings
  • Skin, plumages, shanks, feet are clean
  • Actively feeding / drinking
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

What are normal parameters for pigeons?

A
  • Life expectancy = 20-30years
  • Body temp = 39.8 - 43.3 oC
  • RR = 26/min
  • HR = 180-250BPM
  • Haematocrit = 48.7%
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

What are factors that affect health of pigeons?

A
  • Stocking density
  • Perch space
  • Bedding material/quality
  • Water availability and quality
  • Air quality (Temperature, humidity, ventilation)
  • Lighting (density)
  • Feed, amount and quality
  • Basic hygiene and sanitation
  • Immune status
    – Infectious
    – Non-infectious
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

What lice are found in pigeons?

A
  • Columbicola columbae - seen on white feathered birds wings + body
  • Tx = permethrin powders , sprays
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

What are common pigeon mites?

A
  • Depluming itch mite (Knemidocoptes gallinae)
  • Red mite (Dermanyssus gallinae)
  • Northern Fowl mite (Ornithonyssus sylviarum)
  • Scaly leg mite (Knemidocoptes mutans)
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

What are clinical signs of pigeon paramyxovirus infection? Px?

A
  • Polyuria + polydipsia
  • Torticolis
  • unable to feed / fly
  • Sudden death
  • Feathering abnormalities
  • Px = vaccination
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

What are differential diagnoses of neurological signs in pigeons?

A
  • Pigeon paramyxovirus
  • Dimetridazole toxicity
  • Streptococcus
  • Pigeon herpes virus
  • Salmonellosis
  • Young bird sickness - circovirus infection
  • Arbovirus infection
  • Botulism
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

What is canker? How is it spread?

A
  • Trichomonas meleagridis
  • Spread via crop milk almost within hours of hatching
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

What are clinical signs of canker? Dx? Tx?

A
  • CS = most subclinical, excess mucus in oropharynx
  • Lesions = yellow necrotic in mouth, when dislodged = ulcerated surface
  • Dx = culture
  • Tx = carmidazole, rondidazole, dimetridazole
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

What are clinical signs of cocci in pigeons?

A
  • Fluffed up
  • Weak + emaciated
  • Drinking a lot
  • Green diarrhoea
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

How is cocci diagnosed / treated in pigeons?

A
  • Dx = CS, pathology, oocyst count
  • Tx = clazuril, sulphonamides, amprolium, toltrazuril
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

What can different worm infestations cause in pigeons?

A
  • Ascaris = little pathology but may cause intestinal obstruction
  • Capillaria obsignata = subclinical to clinical impact depending on age at infection
  • CS = listless, weak, regurgitation, inappetence, diarrhoea, emaciation, mortality, catarrhal enteritis
  • Dx = CS, pathology + egg counts
  • Tx = benzimidazoles, piperazine
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q
A
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly