Trichomoniasis in pigeons: causes and symptoms, drugs for treatment, prevention

If trichomoniasis is detected in pigeons, pet owners should start treatment immediately. The disease spreads rapidly and is especially dangerous for young animals. A fragile body is not able to resist infection. Infected chicks are hard to tolerate the disease and may die. Adult flocks do not always show symptoms. Such individuals themselves become carriers of the virus.

Causes of disease

The causative agents of the disease are flagellated microbes. Harmful bacteria are active in warm water, but when they enter a dry environment, they lose their dangerous properties.Trichomonas multiply on the mucous membranes. Therefore, the disease affects the larynx or goiter of birds, as well as the organs of the digestive system.

Outbreaks of the disease are most typical for the summer period. Warm water is comfortable for microorganisms. For pigeons, to get trichomoniasis, it is enough to get drunk from a puddle. Bacteria die in cold water. Even during a thaw after frost, the parasites are not active. Therefore, in winter, the disease rarely manifests itself.

The sources of infection are most often drinking and poor-quality food, in which there is a lot of dust or unprocessed grain shells. Rigid particles injure the mucous environment, which contributes to the introduction of Trichomonas.

Symptoms of trichomoniasis in pigeons

When infected, birds lose activity and become slow and lethargic. Often birds refuse food and even stop drinking. A plaque that appears on the mucous membrane of the larynx blocks breathing and makes it difficult to swallow.

In an acute form, trichomoniasis occurs in young pigeons. At the same time, birds are observed:

1. Deceleration of development.
2. Thickening of the esophagus resulting in inability to swallow food.
3. Profuse production of mucus that accumulates in the beak.
4. Vomiting, often with blood clots.
5. Depletion of the body.
6. Diarrhea, accompanied by the release of a bubbling mass of a yellow-green hue.
7. Unpleasant smell of rot.

In adults, trichomoniasis rarely manifests itself in the form of unpleasant symptoms. Most often, the disease goes away without visible signs. Sometimes noted:

1. Suffocation.
2. Diarrhea.
3. Disordered gait.

Trichomoniasis in pigeons manifests itself in different ways. Some birds appear almost he althy, while others show only a few symptoms of the disease. Sometimes the disease leads to the death of birds. The clinical picture depends on the ability to resist the effects of microorganisms.

Diagnostic rules

For research on trichomoniasis, material is taken from the oral cavity of pigeons. The sample is examined under a microscope. The smears are first stained according to the Romanovsky method and then the number of bacteria in the drop is counted to establish the intensity of infection.

Unlike other bacteria, Trichomonas are not able to survive after being transferred from a bird's body to another environment. After 30 minutes, the pathogen dies. Therefore, it is impossible to delay the analysis. The biomaterial is examined immediately after sampling.

Sometimes, farmers will arrange for pigeons to be diagnosed that show no obvious signs of he alth problems. Studies help identify carriers of trichomoniasis in asymptomatic cases.

Treatment and prevention

Trichomonosis is treatable at an early stage of the disease.

In this case, drugs help:

Method of application"Trichopolum"For chicks - 35 g of the drug diluted in 2 liters of waterThe solution is instilled into the mouth from a pipette or injected through a probeFor adult pigeons - 3 g per 1 l

Name	Dosage
	Preparing a 0.25% solution	Lubricating areas with ulcers

Growths on the skin of pigeons are advised to be removed with a scalpel, then treat the affected areas with iodine. In young animals, formations in the form of a yellow plug in the oral cavity are removed and the goiter is massaged. On the eve of the breeding season, veterinarians advise adding "Trichopol" to the pigeons for prevention. Formalin, manganese, or other disinfectants also help. The course is for a week. Farmers need to pay attention to the cleanliness of the drinkers. Stagnant water is a suitable breeding ground for Trichomonas.

Closeness, dampness and drafts depress the immune system and increase the risk of pigeon infection. Young animals are best placed separately from the main flock. Contact with wild birds is limited as much as possible.

It is useful to add fish oil and vitamins to the diet of pigeons. Disinfecting the premises with a solution of bleach or soda ash helps to destroy colonies of harmful bacteria. Preventive examinations of pigeons by veterinarians, as well as studies of smears taken from the mucous membrane, will also save from outbreaks of infection.

Bird owners should remember that untreated cases of trichomoniasis in pigeons can be treated. Depleted individuals often die. In order for the winged livestock to remain he althy, they provide comfortable keeping of birds and good nutrition.

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