Newsletter June 2015

Young pigeon disease

The term youngsters disease surfaced in the course of time. Previously we spoke of Adenocoli. But the charge of the problem was that the term Adenocoli or just 'Coli' no longer fully covered. Originally refers to the symptoms of vomiting and diarrhea that could take out the youngsters around the months of May to July. Now a days, lovers reported to have “Coli” in February. In many of these cases, there is just something else going on. Because similar symptoms can have different causes, we often speak of the young pigeon disease.

In the late eighties the sport was rocked by a severe form of diarrhea and vomiting. Because the pigeons often before the onset of the disease occurred that pigeons began to look up moss and began to pick in it, was mistakenly thought to picking in the moss was the cause of the vomiting. Some time later one thought that the reason of infection with the adenovirus was caused by picking in the moss. Usually the complaints were quickly remedied with the gift of electrolytes. The disease was aggravated by an additional infection with Escherichia Coli bacterium then succeeded and succeed often not without antibiotic gift symptoms to disappear quickly. A preventive approach to acidifying herbal drinks appeared on the one hand to prevent the outbreak of the disease in many cases, on the other hand, the symptoms of a preventive gift of these beverages were generally gone faster if the disease broke out anyway.

In some of these outbreaks where the lover thinks of "The Coli ' are not caused by this ailment. But the average enthusiast is usually so focused on the quick fix at the first symptoms of vomiting and abnormal manure by the youngsters, that antibiotics often been given until it is determined whether these actually act well for this condition. In the event of a violent Hexamiten infection it may happen that the pigeons appear to exhibit the same symptoms. The animals often do not respond or only for short periods on antibiotic treatment.

I often hear from fans that they think they already suffer from “The Coli” and that the drugs were not strong enough. In those cases, however, it is much better to make a cloacal swab. The Hexamites are often present in large numbers. In this infection, we see the green manure and other symptoms often slowly through the flock of pigeons. Then this pigeon has symptoms and a few days later another. A good treatment with an agent that works against trichomoniasis and Hexamites solves the problem often in short time. Would you not take the trouble to let your pigeons be examined to these complaints often preffered to use a tool that works against both diseases. In this case you do not need a wrong approach because the Hexamites often make the intestines weaker so that the pigeons are more susceptible to other infections. Heavy infections with trichomoniasis can also give symptoms of the gastrointestinal tract and then must accordingly be treated as the Hexamites.

The complaints from the side of the intestinal tract we see sometimes occur in recent years as the birds are infected with the paramyxovirus. Where this virus earlier gave more classic image of twist necks with watery stools, we now also see cases of diarrhea like symptoms of the paramyxovirus. With the aid of a rapid test you can quickly make a distinction between the Adenovirus Infection and a Paramyxovirus Infection. More and more veterinarians recommend vaccinating the pigeons twice against the paramyxovirus in the first year. Especially now that even vaccinated pigeon can show the symptoms in there manure. If one uses the combination inoculation paramyxovirus-herpes one grafts the youngsters twice anyway. The lovers who use the opportunity to vaccinated the youngsters are overwhelmingly pleased with the results. It is often stated that the impression that the youngsters, by applying, suffer much less from respiratory problems. In fact very often you hear of the fact that after this double grafting the youngsters disease has not recurred since long time. Now of course this vaccination protects against the youngsters disease. But possible that, improved by the vaccination, the immune status of the pigeon get so much better that also the sensitivity of the pigeons decreases for this ailment. But things have to be investigated scientifically detailed. That is merely a practical observation. Be it is at a large number of fans now.

The presence of the herpes virus at the pigeons generally leads to a weakening of the immune system which makes the pigeons appear to be more sensitive to many common infections. Lofts where this virus is usually also lose much more than boy around pigeon lofts where this virus is not present. The picture is similar with the bacteria which we established in 2013. The lofts who have an bigger contamination have greater losses then the lofts who suffer less. Of course, in case of vehement coccidiosis infection, the manure can also be very bad as well as in an infection with streptococci and other bacteria from the group of the Enterobacteriacae.
There are lofts who seem to have problems with the youngster disease every year, but other lofts have remained free of the disease.

In our clinic we have the impression that all the lofts who wait for an outbreak to arrive and do treatments once they see the first signs, and more likely to suffer from this disease and then lofts that also have their eye on the preventive approach . When preventive approach here we should think of a thorough vaccination with available vaccines against diseases where the youngsters can suffer. In addition, it is on the cages where these phenomena occur far less frequently remarkable that more use will be made of natural resources to support the intestines. We must think of acidification available herbal drinks, but also to the use of probiotics.

There are also a variety of products based on colostrum proteins with the aim of causing the E. coli bacteria to bind. Here too, seems to be a deterrent to go out.

But all good precautions with regret as the infection pressure in the journey baskets is too strong then even with the best-groomed youngsters the protection is less and illness occurs. The youngsters then begin to vomit and feces get a typical green coloration and beginning to get thin. We advise you to give an electrolyte drink with an acidifying herbal drink. In cases where despite all preventive measures to prevent symptoms still occur, it is often inevitable to give antibiotics in capsules or over the feed to reduce the damage. If no one wants to take supportive measures by acidifying the drinking water may be considered in an outbreak of Coli to make antibiotics in drinking water. The pigeons often drink so much and get plenty of medication inside. In general, we are not in favor (anymore) of drinking water medication because the birds tend to drink less if there's something in the drinking water. Especially in cures against the yellow is providing drinking water cures completely inadequate in the majority of cases. Many enthusiasts are following a drinking water treatment as they dumbfounded look into the doctor's office on the monitor that the treatment has not worked well given in this way via the drinking water. Needless the pigeons must again be treated with capsules over the feed for a second time.

As we can see there are multiple causes of the phenomena that we once derided the term "Coli." Given the fact that the lofts, where cured regularly, appear more and more problems against infections, have the appearance of coli to, but not to forget the large loses of the youngsters it may be wise for those who love to expand their horizons, broaden the possibilities for a more natural approach to examine more closely.

In our clinic, we advise the youngsters after spawning to check for the presence of the yellow, Hexamites, bully, worms and coccidiosis. Even healthy-looking birds can be infected with it. For youngsters to start their live with a contamination above infections undermines the immune system of young animals and can give gastrointestinal discomfort which, while not involve E. coli, but there often are mistaken. Here often a wrong-blind treatment is used against it. These unnecessary gift of the antibiotics undermines the construction of a sound immune organ. Precisely frolicking with the common bacteria in the gut makes it stronger immune organ. Needless cures can stagnate this development. Targeted treatments is desired at a young age. Targeted treatments is only possible when one knows what the real cause is.To that end, they need to want to do research.

Giving probiotics regularly may also help to stabilize and bring to maturation of the intestinal flora. The aforementioned acidifying herbal drinks also are a contributing to this. By optimizing the pH in the intestine is apparent for the harmful intestinal bacteria more difficult to be able to develop rapidly. A proper bowel function, the entire frame of the dove benefit and thus carries this approach to the development of strong and healthy youngsters who usually fall prey slower to the Adenocoli if a high infection pressure in the journey baskets lies lurking. As mentioned, the gut immune to these pigeons at a higher level than at the pigeons that (too) often with antibiotics (preventive) have been cured. When the pigeons with a stronger immune intestine become a necessary course of antibiotics will lead to much faster effect.

If one of the pigeons not only goes vaccinated against paramyxovirus (and herpes) as the flights are coming, but at an age between 5 and 8 weeks, it still takes a good step in staying ahead of these stress inoculation entails in a period when the Adenovirus more precisely for seems to come. The avoidance of stress plays therefore indeed a role in preventing an outbreak of disease of the young birds. Stress reduces the immune system and makes the body more susceptible to infection. Our position is and always will be: 'prevention is better than cure'.

Good Luck!
Peter Boskamp