Diseases to Birds

Contents of the Page ( Push at the subject)

The healthy Bird

Diseases in the Digestion

Diseases in the Respiratory system

Diseases in the Genitals

Diseases in the Feathers

Diseases in the Movements

Diseases in the Nervous system

Diseases in the Circulation

Diseases in the Kidney

Links to websites with informations about diseases to Birds:

Avian diseases

About Pet Birds

Disease-reaction to Birds:
	Birds are good at camouflage sign of disease, but a Bird will generally be more still early in the disease-course. You can observe the Bird does not fly as quickly as the rest of the flock. In most cases will the Bird has bloated Feathers.

Precautions:
	There is bigger chances to avoid diseases to Birds , if the enviroments of the Birds are clean, and they have a good nutritioncondition.

The appearance of a healthy Bird:
To the Top	A healthy and well Bird is lively in the movements, and can fly unburdened around. The Feets are without swellings, and the Bird can easily hold of the Stick. The Fethers of the Bird are smooth ( Young Birds can be the exception at smooth Feathers). The Eyes are clear and without swellings. The Nostrils are not clogged up ( can be sign of infection). The Beak is not overgrown and without damages or crookedness. The Chestbone is covered by Muscles, and there are not clearly cavities on both site of the Chestbone ( = undernourishment).

Diseases in the Digestion:

	Trachea, Lung, Uterus Kidney
Esophagus Crop Heart Proventriculus Gall bladder ´	Liver, Gizzard , Large intestines Pancreas	Fallopian tube Cloacha Small intestines

This kind of disease is the most common amongst the Birds.
Infectionconditions can be very difficult to locate, because the Digestion constitute in general in the function. The Digestion consist of Mouthcave, Gullet, Crop, Proventriculus, The intestine, rectum, and Cloacha. Therefore the infectioncondition will have influence at the whole Digestion and not only the place, where the Disease began.
Causes:
Infection, Intestineparasites , Poisoning, Wrong or rotten food,
Suddenly foodchange , Cold and draught.
Diseases in the Digestion can furthermore be seen by Egg binding, Liver- and Kidneydisorders, Fatness and Tumours.
Symptoms:
Can be very weak in the beginning, but gradually the Bird become still and is fluffed up. The appetite is redused. The Bird is near the bird table, but rummages more round in the Seed, than eating it. Often the Bird walks on the bottom and eat sand.The drink urge is changed, and in the beginning of the disease, there can be increa-
sed thirst.
When can you be sure that it is a disease in the Digestion?
Vomit:
When the Bird vomittes (The Bird become still and sitting with upright Head. Suddenly the Bird become restless and vomitting, or the Bird throws tremendously with the Head, so bigger or less numbers of vomit being spread wide around. If the Bird has vomitted, you can see it on the Feathers at the Head and Neck. They are sticked together.
Faeces:
All deviations from the normal Faeces, which is the characteristicly to each breed.
Generelly the Faeces become tough and slimy, så it will be hanging around the Cloacha , but often can you see from a porridge, thinfluid Faeces to watery Faeces = The Bird has diaahoea.
The Colour is green,yellow,or white, and it is different to distinguish between Faeces and Urine.

Roundworm ( Ascaridia):

The worms live in the intestine and the eggs are shed in the faeces to reinfect the same bird or other birds by direct contact with the faeces or by an intermediate host. When infected with these worms a bird can show a variety of signs from a "poor do-er" to
diarrhoea to death. It is in particular the Australien Parakeets, who have these worms.
Treatment:
There are many different prescriptionduty remedies to infection in Roundworms. Each Bird has to be treated via the Mouth. You must not give the medicine via common drinking water. Cages/ aviaries must clean very thoroughly, as the eggs from the Roundworm can be active in several years after the infection.

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Diseases in the Respiratory system


		oxygen-rich air Windpipe Air-sack Lung Air-sack
Windpipe Air-sack Lung Air-sack		Oxygen-poor air

The Respiratory system:

Due to the Bird´s high metabolic rate required for flight, they have a high oxygen demand. Development of an efficient respiratory system enable the evolution of flight in Birds. Birds ventilate their lungs by means of air Sacs, structures unque to Birds.
These Sacks do not play a direct role in gas exchange, but store air and allowing the Lungs to maintain a fixed volume with fresh air constantly flowing through them.
The airsacks of Birds extend into the Humurus ( The Bone between the Shoulder and Elbow), the Femur ( The Thigh bone) and the Vertebrae.
Birds lack a diaphragma. The entire Body cavity acts as a bellows to move air through the Lungs. The active phase of resperition in Birds is exhaltion, requiring muscular contraction.
As air flows through the airsack system and Lungs, there is no mixing of oxygen-rich air and oxygen poor air.
Therefore infections in the Repiratory system can easily be spread to other parts of the Body.

Infection in the Repiratory system:

Symptoms:
The symptoms of the disease are dependent on the form of the infection.
Birds will have a lack of appetite, breathing difficulties, and if not treated in time, the infected Bird may die.
Treatment:
After proper diagnosis (and if treated early), the Veterinarian can cure with antibiotics. The Bird must be in warm enviroment under the treament.

Diseases in the Repiratory system:

Air Sack mites ( (sternostorma tracheolum):

The Air Sack mite is practically invisible to the human Eye. These parasites thrive in humid condition that can be found in the Trachea as well as in the air Sacs and prosper there if no action is taken against them with drugs.

Symptoms:
In the early stages of an infection, the Birds subtly stop chirping. They then whistle less often and finally sound downright hoarse. In the further course of an infection, serious breathing difficulties occur that involve tail bobbing due to the enormous strain of breathing. Especially at night and during exertion (for example whilst flying), the clicking and groaning breathing sounds occur that can sometimes descend into an asthmatic whistle.
Precautions:
Air Sack mites are transmitted via the air through strong coughing onto Birds sitting nearby. The drinking water is another main source of transmission. If one Bird of the flock is suffering an infestation of air Sack mites, it is thus advisable to treat all Birds since it is likely that they have been infected via the drinking water. During treatment, it is important to clean the drinking containers carefully, even if you only have one Budgie. In spite of a treatment with drugs, the Bird could get reinfected via a drinking container that has not been cleaned properly.

Treatment:
Treatment of an infection with air Sack mites on one's own account is not possible. The diseased Bird will die if it is not taken to a Vet.
In order to kill the Mites, the Vet will dribble a drug onto the neck or between the shoulder blades of the sick bird which will enter its body and acts as a contact poison for the mites. This treatment should be performed thrice; on the first, fifth and ninth day of therapy. There is usually an improvement within 24 hours after the first course of treatment.

Link to website with informations about Mites

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Diseases in the genitals


	Female genitalis
		6)Ovary 7)Funnel 8)Fallopian tube 9)Uterus 4)Rectum 5)Cloaca

	Male genitalis
1) Testes 2)Seed strings 3)Ureter 4)Rectum 5)Cloaca

The Genitals:

The sex organs in Birds are located within the Body. There is no Penis or Vagina so to speak. There is a single, common opening known as the Cloaca in both the Male and Female Birds. Through this opening pass the waste (uric acid and fecal material) and the sperm to fertilize the Eggs.

When Birds mate, in the so called the "kiss of death", the cloacas meet for a brief second when the sperm is injected into the Female, and that's it. No Penis is inserted, even though in some Birds there is a penis like organ that turns itself inside out into the Female.
In many Birds, the only way to truly tell a living Female from a Male is through a surgical laproscopic examination where the testes or ovaries can be seen.
The Female:
Has only one Ovary and one Fallopian tube, which is located in the left site of the Body.
The Egg being loosed from the Ovary and falls out into the Funnel and further on til the Fallopian tube. When the Egg has been formed it will be secreted via the Cloaca.
The Male:
The Sperm is very capable of surviving. It can fertilize Egg from 6 Days to several weeks in the Fallopian tube. Out of the matingseason the Testes are sterile.

Diseases:

The sterility:

It can be diffecult to find the cause, but som factors can contribute.
a) The contents of vitamines and amino acid in the Food.
b) Climate conditions - light, warm and humidity can stimulate the breed-rhythm.
c) Cage or aviary must be adapted to the individual Birdspecies. Nestmaterial has to fit the needs of the species.
d) Commotion around and in Cage or Aviary, can be contribute cause to the Eggs not being hatch out, caused by the Female has left the Nest.
e)If it is difficult to tell the different between the sex ( two Males or two Females).
f)Hormone disturbances.
g)Inbreedin and shortage diseases.
h) Anatomical problems as fatness, Tumors, abnormally heavy Feathering around The Cloaca, or bad Legs.

Infection in the Fallopian Tube:

Salpingitis is the inflammation of the Fallopian Tube.

Symptoms:
The back of the Bird get swollen. The Bird is lively, but once in a while it sits still, and can have
a strange upright position.
Treatment:
The Fallopian Tube being removed, as it is the only possibility to cure.

Egg-binding:

Egg binding is the inability of a Bird to pass a developed or partially developed Egg. A partially developed Egg can have either a soft shell or no shell. Many cases of Egg binding occur when a Bird is trying to pass what appears to be a "normal" Egg. The inability to pass the Egg quickly results in the death.
Causes:
Egg binding can be a result of lack of calcium( D3) in the diet, The other major cause is poor condition of the mucus membranes in the vent area, Cool temperatures, or strong dry heat can lead to Egg binding, diseases after overdoing Egg production.Can be caused by seed only or lowprotein diets. Molting.
Symptoms:
Loss of appetite, depression, abdominal straining, and sitting fluffed on the Bottom of the Cage. Some Birds may pass large wet droppings while others may not pass any droppings due to the egg's interfering with normal defecation.
Complications from being Egg bound can be swelling , bleeding or prolapse of the Oviduct.
Treatment:
1)A warm water bath can be of great help (shallow water, of course, you don't want to drown theBird). Often the Bird will pass the Egg into the Water. Make the water as warm as you would like to take a long soak in.
2)Massage the Muscles in that area with olive oil. In many cases, this lead to a successful passing of the Egg Note: there is a risk associated with messaging this area. It could cause the Egg inside to break - which is life-threatening. Be very careful! If in doubt, it's always best to have the vet take care of it .
3) Few drops of oil or sugarwater in the Mouth of the Bird.

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Diseases in the feathers


	The Wingfeathers
Marginal Coverts Secundary Coverts Primary Coverts Scapulars Secundaries	Upperside Primaries

Primaries	Top site Secundaries	Marginal Coverts Primary Coverts
	Types of Feathers
Tail

Flight; Filoplume;Bristle
Sermiplume; Downy

The Plumage:

1) Firstly, Feathers provide insulation, this is very important in a warm blooded animal (body temperature of most Birds is maintained at around 40C).

2)Secondly, Feathers allow for flight. Scientists believe that flight evolved in Birds as a result of their possessing basic feathers and that this added selective pressure to the evolution of feathers making them larger, stronger and refining their structure.

3)Thirdly, Feathers control what a Bird looks like. A plucked Bird looks very different to a fully feathered one. Feathers supply the Bird with colours allowing for camouflage and secondary sexual characteristics and sexual display.

The Feathers:

There are three main types of Bird Feathers: The contour Feathers, the down Feathers, and flight Feathers, each different in appearance and serving their own function for the Bird.

a)Contour Feathers are the outer most colorful layers that most people are used to seeing. These Feathers form the Wings, the Tail and Body. They have a long stalk and interlocking barbs. When a Bird loses a Feather it is most often a contour Feather. Contour Feathers not only give the Bird its beauty but protect the Bird from the elements of nature.

b)Down feathers have short shafts and many interlocking barbs. They are found directly underneath the bird’s contour Feathers. The down Feathers supply insulation by trapping air near the Bird’s Body.

c)The flight feathers are the feathers located on the wings and tail. A Bird also has secondary flight Feathers which when comparing to a human would be our forearm. If you unfold the wing of a Bird you will see the flight Feathers. The primary flight feathers are the first five feathers on each Wing of the Bird.
Barb:
The branches coming from the feather shaft and forming the bulk of the feathers.
Barbules:
These branch off from the barbs and have small hooks on them (barbicels) which lock together the barbs and thus the feather.

	Hoocklets; Barb
	Rachis	Barbules and Hoocklets

Diseases:

The French Moult:

The French Moult is a disease that starts at very young age, therefore it is also called BFD what stands for Budgerigar Fledgling Disease. Fledglings (young Birds) whose plumage is nearly full-grown, suddenly loose all their secondary and tail Feathers. Some birds loose all these large Feathers, others are lucky and only loose a small number of Feathers. Usually, the small Plumage which is covering the rest of the Body, e.g. the Belly, is not affected by the disease. In some cases, however, abnormities of the body Plumage is known. Nearly all Birds suffering from the French Moult are not able to fly for the rest of their lives because their wing Feathers which provide the ability to fly either never grows again or - if it does - grows with abnormities. Most affected Birds are able to run very fast, others just hop around.
It's the so-called Polyoma virus that causes BFD.
Treatment:
Until today, no therapy that could heal the French Moult is known. Affected Birds who wear extremely breaking Feathers can be supported by special Food supplements and by an increased donation of silicic acid. New Feathers are supplied optimally with nutriments and usually regrow stronger then.

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Diseases in the movement

	The Skeleton of the Bird
Skull Orbit Nares UpperMaxillary Under Maxillary Cervical Vertebra Clavicle Coracoid Femur Sternum Tibia Tarsometatarsus Middle Toe		Thumb MiddleDigit ExternalDigit Metacapal Radius Ulna Humerus DorsalVertebra Ilium CaudalVertebra Pygostyle Ischium Pubis Rib
	Internal Toe External Toe Hind Toe
	The Muscles of the Bird
Biceps Humerus Supracoracoideus (Raise Wing) Pectoralis (Pulls Wing down )	Ligament Forearm Muscles	Triceps Thigh Lower Leg Muscle False Knee
	Keel Knee

Examples of bandage to damaged Leg

Bandage around a damaged wing

                                           The Bones:
Are extremely light and very strong. The Bones is build with a minimum of bonetissue in compinetions with many airfilled cavities. Many og the Bones are " melted together" so the number of Bones are less than for example to Mammals.

Hollow bones

The Muscles:

Red Muscles = Burn in particular fat in oxyidized areas.
Can be seen to Birds , who flight over long distances.
White Muscles = Consume carbohydrates inmore or less oxygenempty areas.

Can be seen to Birds, who have a short powerfull flight.

All the big Muscles are placed in or near the Body.
The biggest Muscle pulls the wings down under the flight.

Diseases:
Sprain, Dislocated joint, Fracture, Infection in and around Joint, Paralysis in nerves or Tumours.

Symptoms at diseases in movements:
The Bird has redused, or no functions at all in the concerned Joint. The Bird can either not fly, or not sit at
stick or at the bottom.

Sprain:

In the beginning you can see intensely soreness, but this disappears normally during the next few days, if the Bird is being kept in rest.

Dislocated Joint:.

Symptoms:

Compared with the similar Joint, you can see abnormal shape, and there is increased mobility in some directions, but opposite in other.
Treatment:
The two jointsurface has to be brought at the right place again. As Ligaments and Joint has been damaged, must the Bird get a bandage around the Joint until it is healed

Fracture:

Symptoms:
The concerned Limb is hanging more or less loose down.
The position depends of where the fracture is.
You can observe swelling, soreness,discoloured, and unusually mobility by the fracture.
Treatment:
The ends of the fracture has to brought back to normal place in continuation of each other.
The Fractured place must be held together with a bandage for 12-14 days.

Infection:

Symptoms:
The Joint is warm, sorenessly and sweeling, and the common condition is disturbed.
Treatment:
Antibiotica. Complete recovery is not particularly promissing, often you succeedly can see stiffness in the Joint.

At Abscesses it can be necessary to operate. The wound must be caring daily with ointment or woundpowder and covered by a bandage.

.
Paralysises:

The Limb hangs loose down, and the Bird can after a short time not use it. There will come big muscular dystrophy. The paralysis can be caused by tumour in the Testicles to Males, or disorders in the Brain. If the paralysis not goes away during the next weeks time, it will be incurable.

The Beak:

Wach this link to among other things Gouldsamadines with disaeses in the Beak . Wach here

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Diseases in the nervous system

The Brain of a Bird

Cerebrum

Cerrebellum

Hind Brain

Cluster

Middle Cluster

Mid Brain Thalamus

The Nervous system:
Consist of the Brain, the Spinal marrow and a network of Nerves, which have the task to connect the Nervous system with the rest of the Body.

The Brain:

1) Cerrebellum, which mainly controls the movements and balance of the Bird.
2) Cerebrum, which controls among other things the sight.
3)Thalamus controls among other things the Hormone system.
4)Spinal Marrow brings senseinformations on to the Brain.

Diseases:

Symptoms:
Cramps,paralysis, or a combination of those reactions.

Neuroses and other mentally diseases often show chewing in Feathers, or by hurting it self.
Symptoms from the Nervous system:
Cramps,tremors, wandring with the Wings, movements in circles, crooked headattitude, or loss of balanceability, faint, lethargy,blindness, paralysis / weekness of Wings or Legs.
Causes in Body or in back of the neck:
Headinjuries, nutritionproblems, germsinfections, virusinfections, thrombosis in the Brain, poisonings, Tumours, Liver- or Kidney-damages , Heat stress.
Causes in Wings, Legs or Feet:
Hanging Wings

Turning-disease:

Is a disorder, which among other thing can be seen to Gouldsamadines. It means that this disorder can turn up bcause the Bird needs B-vitamin, and by that can the diseasevirus cause the condition.

Symptoms:
The Bird sits with the Beak raised and turn Head and Neck sideways behind.
Gradually these turnings become more often and the
flight shaky.
The landing make problems to the bird.
Finally the Bird is lying at the bottom and turns in circles.

Treatment:
At an early stage a daily supplement with B1- vitamin will cure the Bird , but at the last stage the Bird will die.
As prevention treat-
ment can two drops of B-vitamin daily being given i the drinkwater.

Tumours and cerebral haemorrhage:

These disorders can cause paralysises and in most case the Bird will die.
(watch diseases in the movementorgans).

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Diseases in the circulation

The Heart of The Bird

Ascending Aorta
Right Atrium

Right Ventricle

Left Atrium

Left Ventricle

The Bloodcirculation

Circulation in the Body
(Oxygen from the Blood)

Lung circulation
(Oxygen to the Blood)

Heart

The Blood circulation:

A Bird´s Heart has smaller Ventricles and more musclemass in the Heart than for example Human beings. It is because the Bird under flying requires lots of energy, and a circulation, which effectively can supply the Body with this energy is neccessary.
To a Bird the Heart beats at least with 200-1000 beats each minute.

Diseases:

Heart attack:

Symptoms:
1) Loss of balance
A loss of balance may be visible in your Bird if he is having Heart attack. He may stumble, not be able to perch or walk well.
2) Weakness
Your Bird may experience weakened Limbs during a Heart attack and be unable to stand or walk.
3) Seizures
Due to lack of Blood flow to the Brain from clogged arteries, your Bird may suffer seizures during a Heart attack.
4) Lethargy
Your Bird may seem more lethargic than normal if he is having a Heart attack.
5) Abdominal distension
A swollen Abdomen is a common symptom in Birds suffering from a Heart attack.
6) Skin discoloration
Visible Skin may acquire a bluish tint on a Bird that is experiencing a Heart attack.
Treatment:
None

Infection in the Heart:

Symptoms:
The Bird is still and gasps for breath and coughing.
Cause:
The Bird gets too little oxygen to the Brain, because the Heart is weak.
Breathing is too weak, and secretion being mount up.
Treatment:
Antibiotics

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Diseases in the kidney


Kidney Urinleder

	Normal faeces from a Bird
		Faeces Urate Fluid part

Podegra

Urinary organs in Birds:

Birds have no bladder, but the urine gets out via the Cloacha together with the Faeces.
The Urinemateriel is white (urate), because Birds don´t drink enogh water so the the urine can be clear.
The Bird-kidney has an irregularly shape, and it is in, and protected by the boned Pelvis. Simultaneously the big movement-nerves are just next to the Kidney. Those nerves can be damaged by diseases in the Kidneys, which can lead to paralysises by one or both legs.
The Kineys are supplied with oxidized blood via the Heart and Aorta. The blood with lack of oxygen runs together with the blood from the Intestinecanal, Pelvis-area and the Limbs. Therefore can infections from the Intestine, Limbs and Feets easily be spread to the Kidneys.
Birds secrete urineacid / uratformation, which is a decomposeproduct from the proteinconversion.

This procuct can mounted up in joint and inner organs by urinediseases.

Diseases

Symptoms:
Diseases in the urinary organs turn often up together with diseases in other organs. Therefore the symptoms can be varily and often hidden by other diseaseprocesses.

By uncomplicated infections:
Too much urine, or urate in the faeces.
( Are often seen by , fear and dread and if the Bird only gets seed in the food).
Increased thirst.
(Can be caused by the food, the temperature, humidity and diabetes).
Blood in the faeces, vomitting and paralysises
(acute kidneyfailure)
Increased abdomesize.
(Tumours in the Kidnys)

Chronicly failure of the Kidneys:

Symptoms:
The Bird blows itself up now and again. Has reduced bodyweight, even though they eat. Paralysises in the Legs can often arise. Legs and Feet have a bluishly glow becaused of
the reduced bloodsupply of the Kidney. Urat outcoming can be seen at the Feet and joints ( Podegra). This is caused by the kidneys, because they can not secrete the urats.
Cause:
Acute kidneydisease, which has destroyed Kidneytissues
(Birds can not restore Kidneytissues).
Long lasting infections.
Poisoning.
Tumours in the Kidneys.
Treatment:

There is no cure treatment, and the Bird will die.

Podegra

Symptoms:
Nuisances as a result by mounting up urats in Feet and Joints.

Cause:
Chronicly failure of the Kidneys ( Not always)
Too much protein in the Food.
Cold and stress.
Treatment:
Food and environments had to be arranged so the nuisances reduced.

Tumours in the Kidney:

Symptoms:
Paralysises, possible increased abdomesize.
The Bird is thin and feeble. the Limbs can have a bluishly glow. The Bird often eat a lot, just as there is increased thirst. Therefore there are increased urine and urat in the Faeces. Blood can occure. The Tumour grows out of, and the Bird can look like as it has a hump at the Tail.
Cause:
The Blood - and nervepaths pass by and through the Kidneys and growth of a Tumour can
press at these so one- or a doublesite paralysise can turn up.

Treatment:
There is no cure treatment, and the Bird will die.

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Diseases to Birds

Disease-reaction to Birds:

Diseases in the Digestion:

Diseases in the Respiratory system

Diseases in the genitals

Diseases:

Diseases in the feathers

Diseases in the movement

Diseases in the nervous system

Diseases in the circulation

Diseases in the kidney