avian pox

[Skyeking]

Hi warriec,

I'm sure it is difficult, but I live in a hot humid area too.

Do you have high humidity and high temps all year round?

If not, then stop breeding during the mosquito months, the hot/wet ones. Stopping breeding will not rid you of pox, but it won't be as bad if you breed in months of less heat and humidity.Less heat and humidity means you will have less mosquitos and less chances of giving the babies pox.

If you stop breeding it will stop infection among your youngsters, until you breed again. But the months when heavy mosquito infestation is likely, breeding should be avoided.

[warriec]

Its all year round, humidity @ 90%, temperature @ 32 degrees celicius. perfect mosquito habitat. Since the mosquito nets were put up it has not been so bad but all the young do get infect around 3 weeks of age. some if they are strong enough are put into the quarantine cage until they are cured.

I have been having some success looking after the infected birds. I think my probelm is pigeon flys - they are the vecter.

Please tell me if i am right or wrong here. Pox travels only by wounds, can it be transmitted via the parents feeding, what age can the pox vaccine be given to the young birds - i need to give at 2 to 3 weeks of age.

[warriec]

I just bought Ivermectin its 1% ivermectin W/V. its says to give .5ml per 25kg of animal weight. How much and how should i give this to the pigeons.

[warriec]

I had to vaccine my birds asap before the rains start. 1 gave 0.01 ml per bird using an insulin syringe for all the birds. I pinched the skin on the neck and injected into the skin. I hope i did it right.

When should i see the results (no parasites). Does it kill feather lice also.

[warriec]

one more small thing, the gel based cream of metrodizole does a very good job in healing and drying.

[Skyeking]

Here is some information that can help answer your questions on pox:

http://www.unbc.ca/nlui/wildlife_dis.../avian_pox.htm

[warriec]

That site is super. Have i vaccinated the birds right? when will these parasite & pigeon flys die. I think controlling the vector is important. I have about 2 months to get the right as i will be going to India for a few months

[Skyeking]

I'm not an Ivermectin user, you will need to get someone else to answer that. I know it kills any blood sucking mites and worms in the intestines, even gape worms, not sure about pigeon flies. It might keep the pigeon flies dying until the Ivermectin is no longer viable. But Ivermectin is something you would use only a couple times a year.

I think pigeon flies should be controlled thru proper cleaning and with pigeon sprays and powders, like seven dust. Also, the birds should be allowed to bathe regularly.

I have found several sprays with Permethrin that work well and the pigeon flies drop off within a half hour,- on rehab birds that I got.

[warriec]

Isnt bathing bad when birds are having pox. I am hoping for the best.

Hi Fp,

I know you are a ivomec user, please give me yr precious advice

[feralpigeon]

Originally Posted by warriec

…………If I stop breeding for a few months willthe virus die away. Its only the young who are getting infected not the adults.

Warriec, this is where hygiene plays a very important role in controlling a viral or bacterial agent causing illness in the loft. Many of these microbes have a life span in the environment far longer than the length of the disease once contracted. It’s for this reason that loft hygiene plays such an important role.

A simple, easily obtained solution for cleaning that will kill the pox virus and other nasties is ½ cup of bleach to one gallon of water, this being the recommendation from the Vet as some loft cleaners will not kill the Poxvirus. Separate sick birds and clean their utensils separately. These are just critical steps to controlling the Poxvirus.

Originally Posted by warriec

Its all year round, humidity @ 90%, temperature @ 32 degrees celicius. perfect mosquito habitat. Since the mosquito nets were put up it has not been so bad but all the young do get infect around 3 weeks of age. some if they are strong enough are put into the quarantine cage until they are cured.

I have been having some success looking after the infected birds. I think my probelm is pigeon flys - they are the vecter.

Please tell me if i am right or wrong here. Pox travels only by wounds, can it be transmitted via the parents feeding, what age can the pox vaccine be given to the young birds - i need to give at 2 to 3 weeks of age.

In a sense, if you consider the bite that an insect inflicts a wound, then yes. It is transmitted by blood. It is also shed in the droppings of birds who have or once had the virus. It lingers in the environment for a long time as a viable organism.

Originally Posted by warriec

I just bought Ivermectin its 1% ivermectin W/V. its says to give .5ml per 25kg of animal weight. How much and how should i give this to the pigeons. .

Warriec, if you can, why not take a picture of the packaging as you did w/the Metronidazole Gel and post that?

Originally Posted by warriec

I had to vaccine my birds asap before the rains start. 1 gave 0.01 ml per bird using an insulin syringe for all the birds. I pinched the skin on the neck and injected into the skin. I hope i did it right.

When should i see the results (no parasites). Does it kill feather lice also.

Ivomec is an internal/external parasitical treatment. If you choose to vaccinate, you will need to make sure that you only vaccinate healthy birds and stick around to keep an eye on them after doing so.

You may/may not see results from the Ivomec within 24 hours, but it is none
the less on duty and in the blood stream. It is advertised as killing lice.

Originally Posted by warriec

That site is super. Have i vaccinated the birds right? when will these parasite & pigeon flys die. I think controlling the vector is important. I have about 2 months to get the right as i will be going to India for a few months

Here’s a link to Doctor’s Corner:

http://www.internationalmodenaclub.c.../formulary.htm

Just under the 'heading' there’s a picture of a bird being given an injection. Notice the direction and angle of the needle.

The mechanical part of dealing w/hygiene is incredibly important, so who you choose to replace you is going to be critical as well as how you train them. The pigeon fly lays its eggs away from the bird itself, this is why cleaning and spraying the loft and birds every other week is going to be a first line of defense for you especially given the climate that you live in. This is very important.

You have just given them a parasitical treatment. You may not notice the effect immediately, but the results are fairly immediate anyway. Here’s a link on Pigeon Fly:

http://creatures.ifas.ufl.edu/livestock/pigeon_fly.htm

Originally Posted by warriec

Isnt bathing bad when birds are having pox. I am hoping for the best.

Hi Fp,

I know you are a ivomec user, please give me yr precious advice

Ohhh, Warriec, flattery will get you….

You can give Ivomec treatments once every 21 days, but you would have to ask yourself if this is the best you have to offer your birds as it will tax their livers in the long run. I can see in crisis mode, using this until the loft hygiene has taken place and you’ve treated the birds, but as a long term solution, it will most likely place a tax on the liver that will shorten the lifespan of the birds. You will have to weigh the pros and cons of any treatment that you give your birds and think about the long term effects of the choices

Yes, bathing while birds are sick w/PoxVirus is a no-no, it will help spread the disease.

fp

[Skyeking]

[quote=warriec;191230]Isnt bathing bad when birds are having pox. I am hoping for the best.

We were talking about remedies/prevention for pigeon flies, not pox. Yes, I would not allow any sick bird to bathe, they need to be isolated.

[warriec]

I am happy, injected the correct way (behind the neck) any other place i could not grab any skin. Thanks for the advise

[feralpigeon]

Originally Posted by warriec

I am happy, injected the correct way (behind the neck) any other place i could not grab any skin. Thanks for the advise

Good deal, warriec

fp

[warriec]

opinion and advise needed.

If i stopped breeding for 6 months (no babies for 6 months) and sold or gave away all the fertile eggs will the pox virus die down?

Will the fertile egg carry the pox virus to the babies?

[Lovebirds]

Originally Posted by warriec

opinion and advise needed.

If i stopped breeding for 6 months (no babies for 6 months) and sold or gave away all the fertile eggs will the pox virus die down?

Will the fertile egg carry the pox virus to the babies?

I don't know about the pox being passed to the egg. Can you separate your birds? That would be best. Stop them from not only breeding/raising babies, but from laying eggs all together. I personally wouldn't give and certainly not sell eggs from any birds that are sick. You would be best to just throw out the eggs if they must be laid and replace with dummy eggs.
But, like I said, the BEST thing would be to separate your cocks and hens.