Detailed Explanation of Key Technical Points for the Prevention and Treatment of Common Diseases in Meat Pigeons

In the process of raising meat pigeons, farmers will inevitably encounter various pigeon diseases. Today we will briefly discuss the prevention and treatment of several common diseases in meat pigeons.

Pigeon Pox

Pigeon pox mostly occurs on the eyes, corners of the mouth, feet, cloaca and sparsely feathered skin of meat pigeons. It starts as grayish white and gradually turns into brown scabs, which generally dry up and fall off in about two weeks. Pigeon pox sometimes occurs in the throat of meat pigeons, becoming the diphtheritic form. There is currently no specific drug for treating pigeon pox; applying iodine tincture or sulfur ointment to the affected area has a certain effect. For the diphtheritic form, the pigeon pox can be carefully removed with tweezers and then coated with iodine glycerin (the ratio of iodine tincture to glycerin is 1:2). Keeping the pigeon loft dry, hygienic and free of mosquitoes can prevent this disease.

Paratyphoid

The main symptoms of paratyphoid are anorexia in the sick pigeons, reluctance to move, often standing alone in a daze, listlessness, swollen eyelids, head lowered and eyes closed in a sleeping posture, loss of the original color of the cere, and greenish watery droppings. Acute cases die within 2 to 3 days, while chronic cases suffer long-term diarrhea, emaciation and swollen joints. Therapeutic drugs include: a 0.15% sulfonamide aqueous solution used as drinking water for the pigeons, given for 4 days, stopped for 2 days, then repeated once, which generally brings recovery. Alternatively, dissolve diarrhea-stop medicine in water at a concentration of 0.01% to 0.02% and let them drink it for several consecutive days. Aureomycin (or chloramphenicol) given orally at 15 mg per pigeon per day, divided into two doses, for 3 consecutive days, all have a certain effect.

Fowl Cholera

The symptoms of fowl cholera are listlessness in the sick pigeons, closed eyes and shrunken neck, ruffled feathers, poor appetite, lying prone in a corner, and fever over the whole body. They drink water frequently, the crop is distended, yellow mucus flows from the mouth, the conjunctiva is congested, and the droppings are white or green; death occurs within 2 to 3 days. For treatment, streptomycin can be given at 50 to 100 mg per pigeon per dose for 2 to 3 consecutive days. A 20% sulfadiazine sodium solution can be injected into the pectoral muscle at 1 ml per pigeon per dose, twice a day for 2 to 3 consecutive days.

Gastroenteritis in Meat Pigeons

The main manifestations of meat pigeons suffering from gastroenteritis are: ruffled feathers, poor appetite and diarrhea. If the droppings contain blood during diarrhea, it proves that the condition is already quite serious. For meat pigeons suffering from gastroenteritis, stop feeding hard foods such as corn and peas; it is best to soak wheat in boiled water before feeding to aid digestion. At the same time, give the meat pigeons sulfaguanidine tablets at 1/8 to 1/4 tablet per pigeon per dose, 4 times a day.