Simple prevention and treatment methods for common pigeon diseases

Pigeon plague: caused by pigeon type I paramyxovirus. This disease has a high mortality rate and presents with neurological symptoms, head shaking, and often diarrhea. Drug treatment is ineffective. Necropsy: hemorrhagic spots in the proventriculus, intestinal mucosal hemorrhage, encephalitis. Prevention: (1) Use 0.3% peracetic acid for spray disinfection with pigeons present, and 0.5% peracetic acid for disinfection of sheds and the environment. Iodine-based disinfectants may also be used. (2) Use inactivated pigeon type I paramyxovirus vaccine for preventive injection into the breast muscle. Inject slowly rather than quickly, 0.5 ml per bird, generally injecting squabs after 30 days, first healthy pigeons then sick pigeons. Once pigeon plague is confirmed, especially in pigeons showing neurological symptoms, cull each one as soon as it is found. After injection of inactivated pigeon type I paramyxovirus vaccine, immunity is generally produced in 15 days, with an immune period of 6 months. Pigeon pox: the pathogen is pigeon pox virus, with skin type, mucous membrane type, and a mixed type of both. It presents as scabs on hairless areas of the skin and oral mucosa, with the mixed skin and mucous membrane type occurring frequently. Mortality in adult pigeons is not high, but mortality in young pigeons is relatively high, and it often occurs in summer and autumn. For prevention, note two points: (1) Pay attention to mosquito control; (2) Use fowl pox vaccine for needle inoculation. For treatment, apply concentrated salt water and scrape off the scabbed areas. Ornithosis: the pathogen is Chlamydia. Symptoms are swelling and inflammation of the conjunctiva, runny nose, blue discoloration of the breast muscle skin, and difficulty breathing. For prevention and treatment, use water-soluble doxycycline in drinking water for 5 consecutive days. Pigeon mycoplasmosis: the pathogen is Mycoplasma. Symptoms include difficulty breathing, and necropsy shows caseous exudate in the air sacs. For prevention and treatment, use doxycycline raw powder, adding 12 g per 50 kg of feed for 5 consecutive days. Pigeon paratyphoid: the pathogen is Salmonella. The intestinal type presents with diarrhea, with green or watery droppings. The septicemic type presents with acute death. The joint type presents with inflammation and swelling of the leg joints and wing joints. For treatment, use chloramphenicol, adding 50 g per 50 kg of feed for 3 consecutive days; it is prohibited for laying breeding pigeons. Norfloxacin may also be used for prevention and treatment, adding 12 g per 50 kg of feed for 5 consecutive days, and sulfonamide drugs may also be used for prevention and treatment. Generally, 2 to 3 courses of treatment are required. Pigeon cholera: the pathogen is Pasteurella. Acute death without visible symptoms is common, mostly caused by stress. Necropsy: hemorrhagic spots in the epicardial fat and myocardium, enlarged liver, and lumpy necrosis. For prevention, pay attention to disinfection and reduce sources of stress. When pigeon cholera occurs, dead pigeons must strictly not be discarded randomly within the pigeon farm. For prevention and treatment, use norfloxacin, adding 12 g per 50 kg of feed, or use compound avian bactericide or kuiyuling for prevention and treatment, for 5 consecutive days. Pigeon trichomoniasis: the pathogen is an anaerobic protozoan. Mortality in young pigeons is relatively high, with caseous exudate in the oral cavity and throat and difficulty breathing. For treatment, use metronidazole, adding 25 g per 50 kg of feed, for 5 consecutive days. Pigeon coccidiosis: presents as intestinal bleeding. Use 25% clopidol (coccidiostat powder) or amprolium and other anticoccidial drugs for prevention and treatment for 3 to 5 consecutive days, while also using penicillin in drinking water. Pigeon ascariasis: roundworms are present in the intestine, and pigeons become emaciated. Levamisole may be used for prevention and treatment. Pay attention to promptly removing pigeon droppings. Pigeon feather lice: feathers break easily and lose their luster. Fenvalerate may be used for prevention and treatment at a concentration of 1:2000, and medicated sand baths may be used.