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Steve Hutchings Budgie Site

Parasites that we frequently see in birds.

Three main groups cause a problem in birds. These are as follows:

Trichomonas gallinae is a parasitic that causes a variety of diseases in many species of birds.

In budgerigars it causes weight loss and vomiting, which can be blood stained. 'The bird's crop becomes thickened and they can die suddenly. Most budgerigar breeders now routinely treat their birds twice a year for this condition to reduce its prevalence.

Pigeons also suffer and they can get an infection within their crop; causing crumbly inflammatory deposits to build up.
Respiratory signs can also be seen. Transmission is primarily from bird to bird and it is passed onto young pigeons whilst being reared. Most pigeons will be carriers of this disease without showing clinical signs. Raptors can also suffer from the same condition that can lead to anorexia or discomfort whilst feeding.
In some cases the infection can Be spread to other areas of the head.

'Trichomoniasis is also a problem in game birds where it infects the digestive tract leading to weight loss, excessive drinking and all "anal" discharge.

Diagnosis is simple in most cases. Wet smears of samples from birds' crops mouths or faeces can lead to a quick diagnosis. Prevention or treatment involves the use of a variety of drugs all of which are of the same type and kill off the parasite. Most commonly used is dimetridazole.

This type of drug is currently under review, there is evidence that human cancer can be related to their use. This has lead to a change in both packaging and licensing. Currently they can only he used in non food producing animals and gloves should be worn when they are administered.

In Pigeons and Budgerigars there is one formulation available from pet shops.

However this is a very expensive way of treating multiple numbers of birds. The recommended retail price of this product is Ł8.34 for 21 grams. At the Drove we are able to buy the drugs in larger qualities and so a 30 gram tub only costs Ł3.23. Resistance to these drugs can occur.

Overdosing when the bird's water intake is raised can lead to neurological signs and detail. Please ask to ensure the correct dose and timing

Coccidiosis

Coccidiosis is a common parasite problem in both pigeons and poultry. In pigeons it mostly affects
young birds and can lead to weight loss and an inflammation of the bowel. In poultry all ages can be affected.
Cossidiosis is easy to identify by taking a sample of the bird's faeces and examining it for eggs under the microscope.
Re- infection occurs primarily by the birds ingesting more eggs from their environment.
Pigeons can be easily treated by using a drug that combats the parasitic, amprolium. This has the trade name "Coxoid" and is given in the drinking water. 500ml costs Ł14.60.
In poultry there are other licensed products that we have available. [Top of Page]: 1. Water medication
: This is an unreliable form of treatment and relies on the birds drinking sufficient of the drug. For this very reason most pet shop wormers are not effective against birds in parrot - like birds, including budgerigars.; 2. Food medication

This is fine provided the birds can be seen to eat all the seed source and can be given normal food afterwards. The product we use is fenbendazazole, known as "Flubenvet"

3. Direct dosing; This is ideal for small numbers of birds. " Panacur " is recommended for this.; 4. Spot on preparations; In this situation we use Ivermection; trade name " Ivomec". This is a cattle pour on and must be diluted down as over dosage can lead to death. it is applied to the bird's skin on the back of the neck. In some cases a repeat treatment is needed. A dropper bottle containing enough for over 200 small birds is Ł3.25. By law you may only obtain ivermectin from a veterinary Surgeon.; [Top of Page]