Canary circovirus (black spot) in canaries and finches
Other names: The black spot، Circo، Viral black dot
Symptoms
- Young chicks die with a swollen belly
- A dark spot on the side of the abdomen (enlarged gallbladder)
- Poor or falling feathers
How it spreads
Droppings and dust, and possibly from the mother to the egg. The virus survives long in the environment (Merck on circovirus).
Diagnosis
PCR. The "black spot" may also be caused by atoxoplasmosis, so necropsy and testing are important.
Treatment
Treatment is decided by the veterinarian after examination. Do not give any medication without consultation.
Prevention
Quarantine and PCR testing of new birds if possible, hygiene, and reducing dust.
Season
Breeding season
Treatment and doses are decided by an avian vet after an exam; Zajel does not publish doses.
Other diseases
- Canary pox
- Polyomavirus in finches
- Paramyxovirus (PMV-3) in Gouldians
- Newcastle disease (similar to avian plague)
- Avian influenza
- West Nile virus
- Herpesvirus (eye inflammation in Gouldians)
Sources
- merckvetmanual.com
- KB (not web-verified this session): widely repeated aviculture/breeder consensus; treat with stated confidence
- Arabic breeder pages (alhawy YouTube, Facebook pages, evolutionofcanarybreedinginlebanon.blogspot.com) - snippets using 'the black dot' for coccidia/atoxoplasma/circovirus in canaries
- merckvetmanual.com
- pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov