After deciding to get pigeons or to breed them, you need to learn basic rules for caring for them and preventing disease, because these birds are carriers of many diseases. You need to know what symptoms may be harbingers of the disease. To still understand how you can help your pet, you need to know what you are struggling with. The most common disease is coccidiosis in pigeons.
- Possible symptoms
- What kind of disease is this?
- Treatment in birds
- How can you be saved from this disease
- Prevention of the disease
Coccidiosis in pigeons
Possible symptoms
To protect your pet, you need to constantly carry out preventive measures, preferably for 2 weeks before the fall and 2 weeks before the spring. It is during these seasons that the peak of the exacerbation of the disease falls. Symptoms and treatment are very t The components are closely related, because at the first symptoms a pigeon needs to be treated immediately so that the disease does not turn into a severe form.
Often this ailment overcomes those birds that spend the night on bedding made of straw and sand, and, of course eating bad and poor quality food.Veterinarians say that you can understand that the pigeon is sick right away, and highlighted several main signs of coccidiosis:
- complete loss of appetite;
- fatigue;
- signs of apathy (no matter what she does, she will not care, no aggressive actions);
- severe disorder.
What kind of disease is this?
Coccidiosis is Escherichia coli that could get through poor-quality and unclean food to feathered organism, it causes intestinal invasion.They say that with age, pigeons develop immunity to the disease and can easily endure it. But the chicks and young animals are at risk, because their body has not yet built a blockade against this ailment, so the winged ones can not fight back or overcome coccidiosis.
The stick starts to develop as soon as turns out to be in the body. In the digestive system, the bacterium develops within 6-8 days, then comes out with droppings and thus infects other members of the pack. Often the disease overcomes pigeons from 2 weeks to 2 months old. It is when a child flies out of the nest that there is a big risk of becoming infected. Veterinarians remind that even after the pigeon has cured the disease, it is a carrier of the disease for another 6-9 months.
If you keep such a specimen together with healthy birds, there are 80% that healthy pigeons will get sick Therefore, the bird should be immediately planted and treated. The general symptoms of the disease can manifest themselves differently in all birds. Everything will depend on how many months or years the bird, at what stage of the disease and how strong the immune system and the possible predisposition of the bird to the disease. Pigeon should be treated only with the drugs prescribed by the veterinarian and only at the dosage that was in the prescription.
Treatment in birds
The treatment of coccidiosis in pigeons is different , everything will depend on the stage of the disease.If, however, specialists diagnosed and confirmed coccidiosis, then you need to start treating the bird right away, because in no case can you start the disease. First you should observe the behavior of the bird well. If she, for example, flies a little, does not touch food and always sits with her neck outstretched, these are the first signs of coccidiosis.
It is extremely important to take the bird to the veterinarian’s office, because self-medication can kill the bird, and possibly all the pack, if the relatives then also became infected. Only an experienced veterinarian can get ahead of what kind of disease it is, at what stage and with what medications it should be treated. You should not pull it, you need to take the pigeon right away to the doctor for the first symptoms, because only a professional can provide qualified help and prescribe the necessary medications that can help the pigeon overcome the disease and build immunity. Such a disease spreads very quickly and can infect an entire tribe in a matter of days.
Often they use various drugs against the disease.
- There are drugs that have already established themselves as the most effective, so very often, veterinarians prescribe a specific one. Drugs are always prescribed along with a complex of vitamins, since many drugs have a bad effect on the digestive tract and microflora.
- Also, trivitamin and, of course, fish oil can be connected to the treatment.Often, such medicines give no more than 2-3 days, but only a doctor should prescribe a dosage.
The symptoms and treatment of coccidiosis in pigeons are closely related. Due to the symptoms that have already manifested, you can understand what stage the pigeon has, prescribe the right treatment and the right dosage.
How can you be saved from this ailment
Since the disease contagious, the pigeon can catch coccidiosis from another bird, so you should carefully monitor who the bird is in contact with. The bottom line is that at first the disease can proceed hiddenly, then the pigeon will behave as before, without showing any signs of the disease. It is advisable not to let out pigeons for walks when it is cold and humid, because such weather leads to a weakening of the immunity of the bird, and it is precisely these environmental conditions that are a paradise for coccidiosis. There were times when a client bought a bird that was already infected, without even knowing it.
- Remember that you should stress the bird as little as possible. This can be done if it is decided to transfer the bird or to drive the winged away from each other. Adaptation in birds is not good, therefore it is better to leave everything in its place.
- In order for the bird to feel good and be healthy, it is necessary to maintain proper and high-quality nutrition. Feed must be top grade and not raw. You should only buy goods from sellers you trust.
- To prevent birds from getting used to it, regularly change the food menu.The main thing is, regardless of the season and weather, to give pigeons the necessary vitamins and minerals outside the window, and the water in the drinkers should always be boiled and clean.
- Before feeding the bird, the food should be sorted and cleaned of garbage and dirt.
Prevention of the disease
In order for this to never happen, you need to take care and watch your birds. Firstly, if nevertheless the pigeons have confirmed the diagnosis of coccidiosis, infected individuals must be immediately and urgently put off. Pigeons should be placed in a separate room for at least 6-9 months, because even after recovery, the pet will be a carrier of the disease for several months. The main thing is to adhere to the order and rules of hygiene: clean once a week, as well as carry out disinfection of blueberry. It is advisable to wash all dishes, equipment, drinkers, and so on every day, and water should be changed every 4-6 hours, because if a disease gets into it, the whole flock will be infected.
Among other things, it is important to change the litter and soil. The stick can penetrate the ground, breed there and eventually infect everyone. If cement is in the dovecote, it must be constantly washed and disinfected. They also say that it must be pierced and disinfected. After processing, it is important to wash your hands, implements and work clothes thoroughly, especially shoes. General cleaning should be carried out once a week, but disinfection – 2 times.
