S & D Exotic Bird Rescue

Home

To find a vet in your area -

Oregon -

http://www.oregonvma.org/index.asp

Salem/Keizer Area

We use

Dr.Hillmer

Oak Hills Veterinary Clinic & Bird Hospital, LLC

1212 Wallace Rd N.W Salem, Oregon 97304 503-581-8161

McMinnville

Wood, Stan DABVP

Third St. Veterinary Hospital
303 N. Irvine St.
McMinnville, Oregon 97128
503-472-9418

Portland area
The Avian Medical center

15952 SW Quarry Road
Lake Oswego, OR 97035
503-635-5672
Fax: 503-635-2539

also they have many birds available for adoption-- please contact Kelly

Bird Health

Health issues to be aware of!

New update on PDD!

http://pub.ucsf.edu/newsservices/releases/200807295/

The importance of taken your bird to a vet! And keeping up on your birds health

What they look like from the outside is not what they look like on the inside!Please help keep your feathered friend healthy.

Having recently purchased a new bird, often at considerable expense, many people are understandably hesitant to spend more money on a veterinary examination and laboratory testing. The reasons for the tests, and the information that may be derived from them, are outlined here to help you better understand your bird's potential health problems. Our goal is for our avian patients to live a long and healthy life (which can be as long as their owners).

Why are tests necessary?

First of all, birds, unlike people, cannot tell you when they are sick. To complicate matters, they have evolved to "hide" any illness to prevent being recognized by a predator as easy prey. The day that a parrot looks sick in the wild is the day that bird dies. This "masking" of their signs of illness has led to the misconception that birds get sick and die very quickly. Many people will say, "He was fine yesterday—alert and eating – then we found him on the bottom of the cage, nearly dead, this morning. " In actuality, the bird was most likely ill for some time, but was not demonstrating any signs of illness. This is where a thorough physical examination and laboratory testing can identify problems before they become lethal.

Why are so many tests necessary?

Avian medicine is one of the most difficult specialties in private practice. The bird, due to its unique biology, is very adept at maintaining the appearance of health even when very sick. Birds can carry illness for a long time before becoming ill. Fortunately, using the latest in medical technology we can get " inside" the bird’s body and detect health problems. Without doing these tests, we as doctors have no way to determine if an illness is threatening your bird’s health. These test are like pieces of a puzzle. No one piece can give us the information, but together these tests give us a total picture of your bird’s health.

Routine Avian Tests

The following is a list of a complete avian medical examination, and a brief summary of the information that each test provides. (although no amount of testing can 100% guarantee a healthy bird, these tests can detect the most common diseases, giving you and your bird all the advantages that medicine has to offer.)

Please feel free to discuss these tests with the technician or doctor. The cost of each test is also listed.

Physical Examination

A complete physical exam will detect many common problems and/or symptoms (i.e. respiratory illness, maluntrition, Vitamin A deficiency, bone or joint abnormalities, sinus or eye infections, mites, feather disorders, etc.) Unless a bird is very young or extremely tame, a thorough physical exam cannot be used to allow complete visualization of the mouth and throat, and improved general examination of air sacs, lungs, bones, and joints, skin and feathers. While the birds is under the sedative effect of this gas, any other procedures that the bird might object to if awake (drawing blood samples, taking X-rays, trimming toe nails or wings, removing leg bands) can be performed. By sedating your bird we can eliminate any stress to your pet!

Complete Cell Count

(CBC): A blood analysis done her in our office by certified veterinary technicians. This test checks for anemia, infection or blood parasites. It also gives an indication of liver function and blood protein levels.

Psittacosis Titer (Parrot Fever)

This blood sample is sent to the laboratory to check for psittacosis (chlamydiosis). This disease can potentially spread to humans. Please ask the technicians for a handout on Psittacosis if you are not familiar with this disease. Results are available in 7 to 10 days. We usually do this test one time.

Fecal Flotation / Direct Smear Parasite Tests

These tests check for the presence of parasites (worms) or protozoa in the intestinal tract of birds, including roundworms, coccidia, and giardia (a potential human pathogen).

Fecal Gram Stain

This test checks for abnormal yeast infection and tells us how many abnormal bacteria the bird has in the intestinal tract. The gram stain with the bacterial and fungal culture and sensitivity determine if your bird is suffering from subclinical or clinical infections.

Bacterial and Fungal Culture and Sensitivity

Culturing your bird allows us to detect abnormal and potentially dangerous bacteria and fungal diseases. Birds are very prone to getting both bacterial infections and fungal infections. These diseases often do not cause any signs of illness until the infections are quite advanced.

X-Rays

X-rays are one of the most important tests due to the unique avian anatomy. Virtually every organ and bone can be visualized on the radiograph and is outlined by the air sacs. The number of disease states that can be detected with x-rays are too numerous to completely list. Pneumonia, abscesses, liver disease, fungl infections, malformed bones or joints, old fractures, egg binding are some of the most common.

SMAC (Serum Blood Chemistry Analysis)

This is a blood test that checks out the individual organ functions in birds – kidney, liver, pancreas, etc. This test gives us 25 biochemical tests, which give us information as to how the body is functioning metabolically. Conditions that can be detected with this test include severe liver disease, diabetes, kidney function abnormalities and calcium deficiency.

Psittacine Beak and Feather Virus Test

This blood test detects the presence of this deadly disease long before clinical signs of beak rot and feather disease occurs. This test is recommended for all cockatoos. In some cases this test is indicated for other species. All susceptible breeding birds should be tested before going into the aviary.

Polyoma Virus Test (Papovavirus)

This fecal test detects the presence of polyoma virus. This virus is the number one cause of death in baby birds. This test is very important for handfeeding babies and for birds that are going to be used for breeding. This test is very important for birds going into a breeding aviary.

Polyoma Virus Vaccine

This vaccine is a must for any handfeeding bird or any birds going into a breeding aviary.

In general the basic routine tests (or minimum data base) for a new pet bird include:

Physical Exam
Complete Cell Count
Psittacosis Titer
Fecal flotation/Direct Smear Parasite Test
Fecal Gram Stain
Bacterial and Fungal Culture and Sensitivity
X-rays (radiographs)
SMAC (Serum Blood Chemistry Analysis)

Other test may be indicated for your specific bird. The Doctor will discuss these tests on examination, for example birds for breeding aviaries should also receive the Psittacine Feather and Beak test as well as the Polyoma test and vaccination since these two diseases are the major causes of viral induced death in aviaries.

After the initial exam we recommend a yearly examination. Only a few of these tests are necessary on a yearly basis depending on your bird’s environment. The Doctor will discuss the routine yearly care at the time of examination.

© 2001 -2004 by Talking Green Parrot Aviary

yes these disease's sound scary! but your bird could have one of these disease and you would never know till it was to late!

1. West Nile Virus while West Nile is technically not transmitted to humans from birds, humans can get infected by the bite of a mosquito who has bitten an infected bird. The obvious lesson is that the fewer birds there are in any given area, the better. This translates into a smaller chance of an infected bird in that area, a smaller chance of a mosquito biting an infected bird and then biting a human.

2. Salmonellosis often occurs as "food poisoning" and can be traced to pigeons, starlings and sparrows. The disease bacteria are found in bird droppings; dust from droppings can be sucked through ventilators and air conditioners, contaminating food and cooking surfaces in restaurants, homes and food processing plants.

3. Psittacosis -- also known as parrot disease, parrot fever, and ornithosis -- can cause severe pneumonia and other serious health problems among humans. Approximately 800 cases of psittacosis (infection with Chlamydia psittaci) were reported to CDC from 1987 through 1996, and most resulted from exposure to pet birds, usually parrots, macaws, cockatiels, and parakeets. In birds, C. psittaci infection is referred to as avian chlamydiosis (AC). Infected birds shed the bacteria through feces and nasal discharges, which can remain infectious for several months. This compendium provides information about psittacosis and AC to public health officials, physicians, veterinarians, members of the pet bird industry, and others concerned about controlling these diseases and protecting public health. The recommendations in this compendium provide effective, standardized procedures for controlling AC in birds, a vital step to protecting human health.

4. Psittacine Beak and Feather Disease is a viral disease affecting all Old World and New World Parrots (Psittacini, Hookbills). The virus attacks the feather follicles and the beak and claws-growing cells of the bird, causing progressive feather malformation and necrosis. In later stages of the disease, the feathers develop constrictions in feather shafts, cease development early until eventually all feather growth stops.

The beak and claws are affected in opposite direction - overgrowth, malformation and necrotic tissue development. Cracking and peeling of outer layers makes it possible for fungi and yeast infections to take place and complicate matters even more. The necrosis of inner layers of the beak may cause it to break, at which point the bird will be unable to feed.

The disease also has a general immunosuppresive effect on the bird, clearing path for secondary systemic viral and bacterial infections which are usually the cause of death, not the PBFD virus itself.

5. Proventricular Dilatation Disease is a disease affecting psittacines (Parrots). It was first recognized and described in 1978 by Dr. Hannis L. Stoddard. Since the first reported cases were involving species of Macaw, the condition was termed Macaw Wasting Syndrome.

The symptoms of the illness are varied but invariably include a problem in food digestion, tiredness, sleepiness and rapid loss of weight, followed by death. The food is passed undigested, so the bird's body relies on its reserves of fat, and since they are quite small in most birds, the bird dies within a few weeks.

In autopsies it has been found that the nerve supply to the digestive tract is being disabled, impairing its function and slowing down the passage of food through the digestive tract. The proventriculus (or crop) has been dilated as the bird keeps eating, but the food is not being processed fast enough in the ventriculus and the intestine.

There is currently much research being undertaken to identify the cause of the disease, which is yet unknown. It is known, though, that the condition is infectious and still terminal.

6. Polyomavirus - This virus, also referred to as Budgerigar Fledgling Disease is a member of the papovavirus family. Polyoma virus is a 40-50 nm diameter in size, containing a double-stranded DNA genome of approximately 5000 basepairs.

This pathogen is considered one of the most significant threats to cage birds around the world. This highly infectious disease effects most if not all parrot species. Polyoma seems to be most problematic among neonates (young birds) between the ages 14-56 days. Young birds often die, while adult birds can develop a certain level of immunity. Polyoma is believed to have an incubation period of approximately two weeks or less.

7. Megabacteria

Virtually unheard of as recently as 5-6 years ago, Megabacteria is being increasingly found in more and more species of birds. Although very easy to diagnose and treat, many avian veterinary exams do not include a wet mount of a fresh fecal, generally the ONLY way it can be seen. Like it or not, this is something ALL aviculturists may be facing in ALL species in the very near future.

8.

Pacheco's disease - This disease is caused by a number of closely related members of the herpesviridae. Herpesviruses are 120 to 220 nm in diameter and their genome has a double stranded DNA structure. Replication of the virus occurs in the nucleus of a cell. These viruses primarily infect lymphatic tissue (B or T cells), skin (epithelial cells) and nerve cells.

PDV was first recognized in Brazil where aviculturalists began seeing birds dying only a few days after becoming ill. The virus can start shedding in the feces and nasal discharge of an infected bird in as little as 3-7 days after infection. Considered highly contagious , PDV can spread rapidly through an aviary. Often the first sign that the disease is present is when a new bird is introduced to an aviary and healthy birds begin mysteriously dying. Pacheco's disease is often fatal and affects psittacines of all ages. New World psittacines seem to be more susceptible to the disease than Old World psittacines.

9. Papillomatosis refers to pink, proliferative, vascular wart-like or cauliflower-like growths of epithelium. Papillomas may occur singularly or in clusters. Although they may occur in the oral cavity, crop, esophagus, proventriculus, ventriculus, cloaca, respiratory tract and conjunctiva, the most common locations are the oral cavity and cloaca. Thought to be of viral etiology and infectious, spread is probably through preening and other close contact between birds.

The highest incidence of papillomatosis occurs in central and south american psittacines - especially greenwing macaws (cloacal), blue and gold macaws (oral), as well as in amazons, conures and hawk headed parrots (cloacal).

10. RESPIRATORY DISEASES IN MACAWS

Pulmonary Hypersensitivity Syndrome

Providing a good environment as well as a good diet is essential in keeping your bird healthy. In addition to proper temperature, good ventilation is essential.

Although good ventilation is necessary for any type of bird, it is especially critical for macaws. Blue and Gold macaws, as well as several other species of macaws, seem especially sensitive to airborne irritants. They may develop a progressive respiratory disease known as "pulmonary hypersensitivity syndrome" if housed in a poorly ventilated room, especially if kept with birds that produce a great deal of powder - cockatoos, cockatiels and African grey parrots.
This powder is produced by specialized "powder down feathers" and is a white waxy substance composed of keratin. Powder down forms a water proof barrier for contour feathers. It is spread through the feathers when the bird grooms. The down is composed of very fine particulate matter which becomes airborne very easily and spreads via air currents and air ducts throughout the area.
The powder down can also cause irritation to people with respiratory problems and allergies. (People with allergies may be able to tolerate these birds, but they should be aware of this before acquiring one of them).
In the early stages of pulmonary hypersensitivity syndrome, the macaw may appear normal, but wheeze with excitement. As the condition progresses, dyspnea (difficulty in breathing), a cough and a bluish tinge to the facial skin (cyanosis) develop. Hypoxia or under oxygenation of tissues occurs, which often leads to an increase in the number of circulating red blodd cells (rbc). Polycythemia (increased rbc numbers) will increase the viscosity of the blood so that it does not flow normally. Clinical symptoms and xrays may support the diagnosis, but a lung biopsy is necessary for confirmation.
In order to prevent this, macaws should be housed in well ventilated rooms - without cockatoos, cockatiels or African greys. An air cleaner with a hepa filter is recommended.
Unfortunately, this pulmonary disease is often advanced when owners first notice a problem.
Affected birds should be moved to an environment with adequate ventilation. Certain drugs may provide temporary relief, but there is no cure for "pulmonary hypersensitiviy syndrome".

11. Tuberculosis is an infectious granulomatous (walled off area of infection) disease of animals and people. It is caused by an acid-fast bacterial rod known as mycobacterium. In humans, TB is caused by M. tuberculosis, M. bovis, and occasionally, M. avium. In birds, M. avium is the usual agent although M. bovis and M. tuberculosis can cause disease as well. In humans, the incidence of TB is increasing, especially in people whose immune systems are compromised, such as those infected with the AIDS virus.
All birds are susceptible to avian tuberculosis. It is most prevalent where there is a high population density, such as in zoos, or collections of birds. Brotogerid parakeets, ringneck and related parakeets, amazons, Grey Cheeks, and pionus parrots seem to be especially susceptible.
Although sudden death can occur in a bird with normal body weight, the usual presentation of a bird with TB is one of progressive weight loss in spite of a good appetite. Depression, diarrhea, increased thirst, and respiratory difficulty may also be present. Decreased egg production often occurs in birds that were laying eggs. Once the disease appears, it is impossible to eliminate. Eventual death is the usual outcome.
Oral ingestion of food and water contaminated with feces is the most common method of infection. Once ingested, the organism spreads throughout the bird's body and is shed in large number in the feces. If the bacterium is inhaled, pulmonary lesions may develop. Skin invasion may occur as well. Although spread via infected eggs can occur, it is not a common means of dissemination.
Diagnosis of TB in a live bird is often very difficult. Weight loss, depression, and diarrhea occur with many different diseases. Serological testing and skin tests used to diagnose TB in people don't work well in birds. It is difficult to culture the organism in the lab. An elevated WBC (White blood cell) count may be present, as well as anemia (low red blood cell count). It is sometimes possible to find acid-fast bacteria in the feces. This however, is not specific because other acid-fast bacteria that are not TB may also be present. The bacteria must be cultured in order to identify it.

12. Zoonotic diseases are diseases that are transmissable from animals to humans. Young children, elderly adults and individuals with poorly functioning immune systems are at the greatest risk of being infected by a zoonotic disease.

While there are a number of diseases which can be transmitted by companion birds, many are more likely to be transmitted by poultry or wild birds. If your bird has been examined by an avian veterinarian and is considered healthy, the risks of infection are significantly reduced


Virtually unheard of as recently as 5-6 years ago, Megabacteria is being increasingly found in more and more species of birds. Although very easy to diagnose and treat, many avian veterinary exams do not include a wet mount of a fresh fecal, generally the ONLY way it can be seen. Like it or not, this is something ALL aviculturists may be facing in ALL species in the very near future. 8. Pacheco's disease - This disease is caused by a number of closely related members of the herpesviridae. Herpesviruses are 120 to 220 nm in diameter and their genome has a double stranded DNA structure. Replication of the virus occurs in the nucleus of a cell. These viruses primarily infect lymphatic tissue (B or T cells), skin (epithelial cells) and nerve cells. PDV was first recognized in Brazil where aviculturalists began seeing birds dying only a few days after becoming ill. The virus can start shedding in the feces and nasal discharge of an infected bird in as little as 3-7 days after infection. Considered highly contagious , PDV can spread rapidly through an aviary. Often the first sign that the disease is present is when a new bird is introduced to an aviary and healthy birds begin mysteriously dying. Pacheco's disease is often fatal and affects psittacines of all ages. New World psittacines seem to be more susceptible to the disease than Old World psittacines. 9. Papillomatosis refers to pink, proliferative, vascular wart-like or cauliflower-like growths of epithelium. Papillomas may occur singularly or in clusters. Although they may occur in the oral cavity, crop, esophagus, proventriculus, ventriculus, cloaca, respiratory tract and conjunctiva, the most common locations are the oral cavity and cloaca. Thought to be of viral etiology and infectious, spread is probably through preening and other close contact between birds. The highest incidence of papillomatosis occurs in central and south american psittacines - especially greenwing macaws (cloacal), blue and gold macaws (oral), as well as in amazons, conures and hawk headed parrots (cloacal). 10. RESPIRATORY DISEASES IN MACAWS Pulmonary Hypersensitivity Syndrome Providing a good environment as well as a good diet is essential in keeping your bird healthy. In addition to proper temperature, good ventilation is essential. Although good ventilation is necessary for any type of bird, it is especially critical for macaws. Blue and Gold macaws, as well as several other species of macaws, seem especially sensitive to airborne irritants. They may develop a progressive respiratory disease known as "pulmonary hypersensitivity syndrome" if housed in a poorly ventilated room, especially if kept with birds that produce a great deal of powder - cockatoos, cockatiels and African grey parrots. This powder is produced by specialized "powder down feathers" and is a white waxy substance composed of keratin. Powder down forms a water proof barrier for contour feathers. It is spread through the feathers when the bird grooms. The down is composed of very fine particulate matter which becomes airborne very easily and spreads via air currents and air ducts throughout the area. The powder down can also cause irritation to people with respiratory problems and allergies. (People with allergies may be able to tolerate these birds, but they should be aware of this before acquiring one of them). In the early stages of pulmonary hypersensitivity syndrome, the macaw may appear normal, but wheeze with excitement. As the condition progresses, dyspnea (difficulty in breathing), a cough and a bluish tinge to the facial skin (cyanosis) develop. Hypoxia or under oxygenation of tissues occurs, which often leads to an increase in the number of circulating red blodd cells (rbc). Polycythemia (increased rbc numbers) will increase the viscosity of the blood so that it does not flow normally. Clinical symptoms and xrays may support the diagnosis, but a lung biopsy is necessary for confirmation. In order to prevent this, macaws should be housed in well ventilated rooms - without cockatoos, cockatiels or African greys. An air cleaner with a hepa filter is recommended. Unfortunately, this pulmonary disease is often advanced when owners first notice a problem. Affected birds should be moved to an environment with adequate ventilation. Certain drugs may provide temporary relief, but there is no cure for "pulmonary hypersensitiviy syndrome". 11. Tuberculosis is an infectious granulomatous (walled off area of infection) disease of animals and people. It is caused by an acid-fast bacterial rod known as mycobacterium. In humans, TB is caused by M. tuberculosis, M. bovis, and occasionally, M. avium. In birds, M. avium is the usual agent although M. bovis and M. tuberculosis can cause disease as well. In humans, the incidence of TB is increasing, especially in people whose immune systems are compromised, such as those infected with the AIDS virus. All birds are susceptible to avian tuberculosis. It is most prevalent where there is a high population density, such as in zoos, or collections of birds. Brotogerid parakeets, ringneck and related parakeets, amazons, Grey Cheeks, and pionus parrots seem to be especially susceptible. Although sudden death can occur in a bird with normal body weight, the usual presentation of a bird with TB is one of progressive weight loss in spite of a good appetite. Depression, diarrhea, increased thirst, and respiratory difficulty may also be present. Decreased egg production often occurs in birds that were laying eggs. Once the disease appears, it is impossible to eliminate. Eventual death is the usual outcome. Oral ingestion of food and water contaminated with feces is the most common method of infection. Once ingested, the organism spreads throughout the bird's body and is shed in large number in the feces. If the bacterium is inhaled, pulmonary lesions may develop. Skin invasion may occur as well. Although spread via infected eggs can occur, it is not a common means of dissemination. Diagnosis of TB in a live bird is often very difficult. Weight loss, depression, and diarrhea occur with many different diseases. Serological testing and skin tests used to diagnose TB in people don't work well in birds. It is difficult to culture the organism in the lab. An elevated WBC (White blood cell) count may be present, as well as anemia (low red blood cell count). It is sometimes possible to find acid-fast bacteria in the feces. This however, is not specific because other acid-fast bacteria that are not TB may also be present. The bacteria must be cultured in order to identify it. 12. Zoonotic diseases are diseases that are transmissable from animals to humans. Young children, elderly adults and individuals with poorly functioning immune systems are at the greatest risk of being infected by a zoonotic disease. While there are a number of diseases which can be transmitted by companion birds, many are more likely to be transmitted by poultry or wild birds. If your bird has been examined by an avian veterinarian and is considered healthy, the risks of infection are significantly reduced

Pseudomonas Infection

Pseudomonas Infection
in Pet and Breeding Birds
by Tiffany Margolin, DVM

Does your bird have a "cold"? Is his nose runny, is he sneezing, or having other signs of a respiratory infection? There are many causes of respiratory problems in birds, but one of the most stubborn and elusive culprits is Pseudomonas.
Recently, a green wing macaw named Jackpot was brought to our clinic because he had signs similar to those described above. A simple culture revealed that he had a sever Pseudomonas infection.
What exactly is Pseudomonas? It is pronounced "sudamonas", and is a water-loving organism. It is most often found in water sources such as hoses, taps and even water-filtering systems. It is a gram-negative rod-like organism that is not normally found in a healthy bird. If it gains a foothold, it readily proliferates in the warm, moist environment of a bird's respiratory system. Unfortunately for both the bird and its owner, Pseudomonas can be very resistant to many commonly used antibiotics.
Pseudomonal infections, by and large, involve the respiratory system. Signs of the infection may include clear or yellowish discharge from one or both nostrils, sneezing, scratching at the nose and ears, and conjuctivitis (red eyes). If the problem is detected early enough, much subtler signs may be the only ones present. For example, the feathers around the nostrils may just be slightly crusty.
When an orange winged amazon named ET was brought in, its owner said that he was, "Sneezing a bit, and just not acting himself.) ET turned out to have a very resistant form of Pseudomonas. It could be treated only with injectable antibiotics. Although we have most commonly observed the infection in psittacines, it is not limited to that group. Most adult birds have immune systems strong enough to wall the infection off to the upper respiratory system. As an infection progresses and becomes more severe, signs can include swollen sinuses around the eyes and complete obstruction of the nostrils.
Juvenile psittacines are at greater risk if exposed to Pseudomonas, because of their immature immune systems. Instead of localizing the bacteria to the respiratory tract, their systems may be overwhelmed and become septicemic (Carrying the bacteria in the bloodstream to all of the organ systems). This danger is very real if the formula water is contaminated. This can be avoided if one is careful to boil the water before using it. Also be sure that all utensils are thoroughly cleaned and disinfected before each use.
Recently, a four week old cockatiel was afflicted. The bird became extremely ill and died within 24 hours. It was brought to our clinic for necropsy. The environmeent was investigated for months before finding the bacteria living in the filters that purified her aviary water! One must culture taps, surfaces, and other areas that the water may contact. Even if bottled water is used --the most likely spot to find a problem is inside the cap.
We have discussed treatment in the individual bird, but how does one address aviary contamination? Surface disinfectants must be employed here. Nolvasan does not kill Pseudomonas. For surface disinfection with bleach, use a dilution of one part bleach to thirty parts water and rinse thoroughly. Remove all bleach residue from cages and bowls before contact with birds is allowed. Roccal-D, Kennelsol and many other disinfectants also labeled for use against Pseudomonas. Follow manufacturer's instructions.
If the water lines are contaminated, they must be flushed with an appropriate disinfectant and recultured. Check water filtering devices on a regular basis. It is also recommended to run the tap for several seconds before filling bowls to reduce the overall bacterial count.
I cannot overstress the importance of having a known Pseudomonas bird rechecked and recultured on a regular basis. This bacteria has an extremely high rate of recurrence if this is not done. If often becomes stronger and more resistant with each subsequent generation. Consult your avian veterinarian if you suspect a problem with your aviary or pet bird.

Ecoli

Posted by permission - Thanks to Penn State College of agriculture

Great information on Ecoli -

http://ecoli.cas.psu.edu/

PDD

What is PDD

Links to help educate you on PDD

http://www.stoppdd.org/

2008-07-29 :: Avian Bornavirus

Frequently Asked Questions:
Proventricular Dilatation Disease (PDD) and Avian Bornavirus (ABV)
1. What is proventricular dilatation disease (PDD)?
PDD is a fatal disease in birds that is named for one of the presenting symptoms, dilatation of the proventriculus, an organ located in the upper digestive tract that is primarily responsible for secreting digestive enzymes and transferring food from the crop to the gizzard where it can be ground up and digested further. When a bird has proventricular dilatation disease, there is significant damage to the nerves in the upper digestive tract, and it cannot move food efficiently through the different compartments. Food accumulates in the proventriculus, so much that the organ swells (dilates) dramatically. Digestion and food absorption are negatively affected, such that affected birds often regurgitate, pass undigested seeds, and begin to waste and lose muscle tone due to their poorly functioning digestive tract.

Birds with PDD can also exhibit additional symptoms related to damage beyond the digestive tract, in the central nervous system. Decreased function in motor neurons can lead to problems with balance, walking, as well as abnormal head movements and even seizures.

PDD has a varied course of progression; some birds diagnosed with the disease can live for years, while other birds can succumb quite rapidly. Sadly, little is known about what governs the severity of the disease, thus predicting outcomes for any individual bird can be quite difficult.

2. In what species of birds has PDD been observed?
PDD has been most commonly reported in parrots on four different continents and over 50 different species of parrots are known to have contracted the disease including cockatoos, macaws, African grey parrots, pionus, eclectus parrots, conures, cockatiels, and many more. Additional reports suggest that PDD may also infect birds very distantly related to parrots, including the spoonbills, toucans, peregrine falcon, Canadian goose, weavers, and possibly ostriches.

3. How is PDD diagnosed?
For living birds, a combination of clinical history, radiography or fluorography, and crop biopsy tests are used to diagnose the disease. The radiography and fluorography tests assess the size of the upper digestive tract organs and rate of food flow through the digestive tract. Crop biopsies can provide tissue for microscopic analysis. Lymphoplasmacytic infiltration of the neural ganglia that enervate the crop is the hallmark characteristic of PDD (translation: presence of the body’s immune cells in neural tissues where they are normally not present); however this test suffers from lack of sensitivity—a high rate of false negatives.
For deceased birds, clinical history combined with necropsy findings of dilatation in the organs of the digestive tract, and microscopic evidence of lymphoplasmacytic infiltration of the neural ganglia over a wider array of tissues is often sufficient to confer a PDD diagnosis.

4. Is there any treatment or cure for PDD?
There are a number of reports on PDD symptom management that use non-steroidal inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and amantadine that show some success in clearing lesions. However, no large-scale trials have been performed, so it remains unclear what the best course of action for PDD-affected birds is. In birds which have returned to normal following treatment, we have previously been unable to determine if they are still carriers of the virus and potentially infectious to other birds. Infected birds, (crop biopsy positive) which appear clinically normal also exist and can be a source of infection for other birds.

5. How is PDD transmitted?
This is unknown. Previous studies and our recent work suggest that PDD might result from a viral infection. Anecdotal reports suggest that an oral-fecal route is likely. Additional studies will be required to determine the exact cause and route of transmission.

6. When did PDD first appear?
PDD was first seen in the 1970’s in an outbreak among wild caught Macaws from Bolivia imported into the U.S. and Germany. It was initially described as Macaw wasting disease.

7. Can people get PDD?
There is no evidence that PDD is transmissible to humans.

8. What is Avian Bornavirus and how is it linked to PDD?
Avian Bornavirus (ABV) is a new member of the bornavirus family of viruses. See below for a further description of bornaviruses. We have demonstrated a strong correlation, or association, between the presence of a set of new novel ABVs and the presence of PDD symptoms in affected birds and the lack of ABV in unaffected birds. Thus infection with ABV is a compelling candidate cause of PDD. We do not have proof at this time that ABV causes PDD. Ongoing experiments are designed to test the hypothesis that the isolated virus can actually cause the disease in a previously healthy bird.

9. How was Avian Bornavirus discovered?
Researchers at UCSF, in collaboration with veterinarians Susan Clubb and Ady Gancz, analyzed the tissues of affected birds with the ViroChip, an advanced diagnostic that has the ability to detect all known viruses in addition to previously uncharacterized viruses.

10. What is a bornavirus?
Bornaviruses are a family of non-segmented single-stranded RNA viruses. They form a unique viral family within the set of non-segmented single-stranded RNA viruses because they possess 3 unusual features: first, they replicate in the nucleus of the cells they infect; second, they utilize pre-mRNA splicing to generate a variety of viral transcripts. The prototype member of this family was detected in a fatal disease of horses, Borna disease that was named for the town of Borna, Germany in which outbreaks of the disease were first described and observed. Borna disease in horses confers encephalomyelitis, ataxia, and behavioral changes, and is typically fatal. Since their discovery in the early 1990s, bornaviruses have been found in a wide variety of mammals and warm-blooded animals and has been implicated in a report of encephalomyelitis in a canine host, a neurological disease in felines known as cat staggering disease. Serological studies have also implicated bornaviruses in a paresis syndrome of ostriches, but to date, this has not been confirmed by virus isolation or sequence recovery.

11. I looked up bornavirus online and found it has links to schizophrenia and mental health disorders in humans. Should people with birds/parrots be concerned that they are at risk for contracting a disease from their pet?
There is no evidence that humans can get infected via their pet bird. Moreover, studies linking bornaviruses to mental health disorders in humans are controversial for two reasons: first, there have been conflicting results from study-study on whether the detection of bornaviruses actually correlates with the disease states, and second, because the human isolates identified to date are very similar to previously described isolates from horse and other animals, it has been questioned in some cases whether the isolates detected in humans were actually false positives due to contamination of specimens with laboratory strains of bornaviruses.

12. My pet has been diagnosed with PDD, how can I get it tested for ABV?
A diagnostic test will be available shortly.

13. My pet has been diagnosed with PDD, how can I participate in further PDD research?
If you would like to participate in ongoing research efforts. Please send a e-mail to our Logistics Manager, Tara Christiansen at tara@derisilab.ucsf.edu

14. All commercial inquires please contact Ha Nguyen in the UCSF OTM office at (415) 353-4461 or e-mail at ngoc-ha.nguyen@ucsf.edu.

A lady's Storie on her experience

Here is a story a good friend of mine shared with me about a friend of hers and the lady's experience with PDD.............Please read it! This could happen to you!!!!

http://many-feathers.com/Hybrid-Macaw-Community-02.htm

What is a Necropsy!!

In the last few months, The stories I have heard of people loosing there birds, would of love to have found out why there birds had died, Not alot of Pet bird people know about Necropsy's.

This will show and help you with the unknown answers of why your bird died! You can take your bird that just past away to your local Avian vet and have a necropsy done on your bird, this will help you find the truth.

Here is what a necropsy is

An autopsy, also known as a post-mortem examination, necropsy (particularly as to animals), or obduction, is a medical procedure that consists of a thorough examination of a corpse to determine the cause and manner of death and to evaluate any disease or injury that may be present. It is usually performed by a specialized medical doctor called a pathologist.

Schubot Exotic Bird Health Center

The Schubot ExoticBird Health Center at Texas A&M University was founded by an endowment from Mr. Richard M. Schubot in 1987, with matching funds provided by Texas A&M.

Our mission is to improve the health of wild and exotic birds by promoting research into the cause, diagnosis, treatment and prevention of avian disease.

http://www.cvm.tamu.edu/schubot/