Canary pox in canaries and finches
Other names: Pox، Wet pox، Dry pox، The wet canary (wet pox)، Avian pox
Symptoms
- Dry form: wart-like nodules on the featherless skin (eyelid, beak, legs)
- Wet form: membranes in the mouth and throat and difficulty breathing and eating
- Acute form: fluffed-up appearance, difficulty breathing and rapid death, and mortality in canaries can be very high
- Partial blindness
How it spreads
Mainly by mosquito bites, or through a skin wound. The wet form spreads by dust and droplets.
Diagnosis
History and examination, and tissues show Bollinger bodies (Merck). The incubation period is 5-10 days. It spreads mainly by mosquitoes and mites, and also by contact and droplets in crowded flight cages (Wikipedia).
Treatment
There is no cure for the virus. Supportive treatment: fluids, injected vitamin A, eye ointment, assisted feeding, and an antibiotic for secondary infection (Merck). Isolate the affected bird immediately. There is no antiviral treatment; supportive care: warmth, cleaning the lesions with Lugol's solution (iodine) and rinsing the eye with 1-2% salt solution, and an antibiotic only to prevent secondary infection (Wikipedia). (All under veterinary supervision.)
Prevention
Mosquito netting, preventing standing water, and there is a vaccine specific to canary pox (Merck) given before the mosquito season. The vaccine is not definitely available in Egypt, so ask the vet. Vaccine: Wikipedia (citing Drugs.com/Ceva): Poximune C is a live attenuated vaccine given by wing-web stab to healthy birds from 4 weeks of age, with a booster every 6-12 months if the risk is high, and not given during laying or in the 4 weeks before it. The appearance of a pustule at the stab site means the vaccination took. There is also POULVAC P CANARY (Zoetis) mentioned in Arabic videos. Confirm with the vet that the product is registered and available in Egypt (this was not confirmed from any source). Pigeon pox or poultry pox vaccines (such as Diftovac or Poximune AE) are different strains and must not be given to canaries without a vet's opinion.
Season
Late summer and autumn (August-November) with the mosquito season, especially in the Delta and agricultural areas
Treatment and doses are decided by an avian vet after an exam; Zajel does not publish doses.
Other diseases
- Polyomavirus in finches
- Canary circovirus (black spot)
- Paramyxovirus (PMV-3) in Gouldians
- Newcastle disease (similar to avian plague)
- Avian influenza
- West Nile virus
- Herpesvirus (eye inflammation in Gouldians)
Sources
- merckvetmanual.com
- en.wikipedia.org
- en.wikipedia.org
- YouTube (Arabic) 'Vaccinating canaries against pox' - POULVAC P CANARY (snippet only)