Causes of twirling in pigeons
The dove is a common urban bird. It can be found in every square, in a park, in any outdoor recreation area. Poultry farmers are especially fond of pigeons, and therefore they are engaged in their breeding with enviable zeal, arranging for these unpretentious birds whole houses-dovecotes with all the conditions for living. But, like all living things, the birds of the world are susceptible to disease. One of the most common is the pigeon's whirligig. It is this blues that is especially dangerous for the winged friend of man. We find out the symptoms of the disease and which vaccine will help in the fight against the disease
Twig by pigeons
What is a whirligig
The second name of this disease is Newcastle disease. By the nature of the course, it can be attributed to the epileptic group of neurological problems. At the origins of the disease, according to scientists, experienced veterinarians and ornithologists, lies a virus. In the scientific literature, the first mentions of him appeared in the first quarter of the 19th century, but, unfortunately, to this day there is not a single protocol for the treatment of this terrible killer of beloved pets.
The first symptoms of the disease appear immediately after the end of the incubation period, which lasts from 2 to 10 days. The virus quickly infects the central nervous system, and the sick bird immediately stands out among its relatives. You can recognize a pigeon struck by a swivel by the following signs:
- gait becomes unsure, coordination of movements is impaired;
- feathers are ruffled;
- appetite decreases or disappears altogether;
- the pigeon refuses to drink;
- the beak may become stained;
- mucus appears in the droppings, it changes color to white or green;
- damage to the central nervous system causes in pigeons peculiar movements of the head in a circle, they seem to "twirl" their heads, hence the name of the disease "pigeon twirl".
Unfortunately, in most cases, birds do not survive after contracting the Newcastle disease virus. According to statistics, from 70 to 90% of affected individuals die, because even before the appearance of external symptoms in birds, other problems develop, for example, bleeding of internal organs.
The final stage of disease progression is especially severe in pigeons. The body becomes dehydrated, paralysis of all limbs occurs, and as a result, after 9-10 days, death occurs. In order to most accurately recognize the onset of twirling in pets, it is enough to watch several videos on the Internet, which show the external manifestations of the disease by examples.
The spread of the virus
The main carrier of the infection is wild birds. It is the pigeons living in the wild that vigilant owners should be wary of. It is very easy to get infected from them, because the disease is transmitted by airborne droplets, when birds come into contact with each other, it is carried by the wind. In addition, the virus is surprisingly tenacious: even a dead pigeon carcass can retain the virus for up to six months. High temperature can defeat a terrible infection, 57 ° C is fatal for it, but cold, on the contrary, is a companion of the disease: at a temperature of 0 ° C, the virus enters a state of conservation.
Caring poultry farmers should also pay attention to the fact that the whirligig can affect not only the pigeon, but also the domestic chicken. It is especially dangerous on farms, because all the livestock of domestic winged animals can fall from the disease, so the vaccine for the prevention of the disease can also be used for chickens. It should also be remembered that a person himself can also become a carrier of the virus, although the virus does not exert a strong influence on the human body. The maximum that contact with a sick bird threatens for a person is conjunctivitis or a slight increase in lymph nodes.
How to protect against the spread of the disease
Unfortunately, an effective treatment for this ailment has not yet been developed. The pigeon swirl continues to progress. If the development of the disease in pigeons has become obvious, it is almost impossible to save the infected individuals. Vaccinations won't help. After the disease enters the active phase, it is difficult to defeat it. But this does not mean that birds should not be treated at all. Yes, the pigeon swing is very dangerous and can take a very long time, but there is always a chance for recovery! Moreover, do not forget about other individuals that are nearby.
So, how to treat a pigeon wiggle? To answer it, it is important to follow the instructions.
- The first step is to disinfect the room where the sick birds were. It is necessary to find a place where you can put sick individuals and clean their main habitat. This will help solutions of formalin, phenol or cresol. It will be enough to process the dovecotes with them and, 15 minutes after processing, the virus will die.
- The next step is to immediately treat all birds that have been in contact with the sick individual. But, it would seem, how to treat? The main assistant in this is the vaccine Immunofan or Fosprenil. It can either be injected into the bird's chest, or given to it from a pipette or syringe. The dosage must be checked with a specialist. The drug is administered once a day, the course of treatment recommended by veterinarians is 20 days.
- Treatment of the disease in pigeons with a twist also implies watering the individuals with such a medicine as Piracetam. This drug is designed to treat humans, it improves cerebral circulation and normalizes the activity of the central nervous system. The twig affects the central nervous system of birds, so Piracetam can be used as a therapy for the disease. After using the medicine, be sure to thoroughly water the bird.
- Vitamin support completes the treatment regimen. It is important to consult a veterinarian to select the appropriate complex, but most often bird lovers choose the medicine Gamavit.
If for some reason the necessary medicines are not at hand, you can use folk remedies: they will help alleviate the symptoms of the disease.
For example, you can mix ground wheat, egg yolk, some milk, and garlic juice. The prepared mixture can be given for 2 days, introducing it into the goiter 2 times a day. Experienced pigeon breeders advise starting treatment immediately.
Prophylaxis
Of course, it is very difficult to deal with a whirligig. But, the surest way to preserve the health of feathered friends is disease prevention. Regular vaccination of pigeons will become a faithful assistant in this. Medicines that can be used have been mentioned above. An important factor is keeping birds in accordance with all the rules of veterinary medicine, maintaining cleanliness in the dovecotes, a suitable temperature regime and periodic disinfection of the cages.
The nutrition of pigeons should be balanced and enriched with B vitamins. They are present in large quantities in freshly cut grass and oats. It is important to keep the birds clean and fresh water. You should refer to the numerous videos of poultry farmers, in which they reveal in detail all the features of caring for pigeons.
The most sure way to fight the wiggle is a timely injected vaccine.You can ask the veterinarian to inspect young livestock that have reached the age of 1 month. Vaccination of chicks at this time gives a guarantee that they will remain immune to various diseases for the rest of their lives, including a whirligig. Of course, vaccinations are difficult for monthly pigeons, it is even possible that their condition worsens or even death in some cases. But in the future, this procedure can save the lives of beloved birds, so bird lovers are advised not to delay preventive treatment, no matter how dangerous it may be for some individuals.
Proper care of the bird and the stubborn struggle for its health will bring not only the salvation of the livestock from the influence of viruses, but also a lot of aesthetic pleasure from observing your favorite feathered pets. So thorough disinfection with special means leading to the death of all pathogenic viruses, a vaccine correctly selected taking into account the wishes of the veterinarian, attention to the symptoms that appear are the key to success in poultry farming. After following all the measures, you can be sure of the favorable condition of your pets.