Calcium and vitamin D3 deficiency in canaries and finches
Other names: Calcium deficiency، Soft bones
Symptoms
- Thin eggshells or eggs without shells
- Egg binding
- Tremor, seizures and weakness
- Fractures and bowed legs in chicks
How it spreads
Not contagious.
Diagnosis
Blood calcium and X-ray.
Treatment
Per Merck: calcium gluconate 10% (100 mg/kg intramuscularly) initially, then calcium and vitamin D in the food, and UVB light or sunlight. Excess vitamin D harms the kidneys, so do not overdo it. (All under veterinary supervision.)
Prevention
Cuttlebone, mineral grit and baked eggshell always available, direct sunlight without glass or a UVB lamp, and extra calcium before and during laying.
Season
Winter (less sun) and the egg-laying season
Treatment and doses are decided by an avian vet after an exam; Zajel does not publish doses.
Other diseases
- Vitamin A deficiency
- Vitamin E and selenium deficiency
- Iodine deficiency (thyroid enlargement)
- Obesity and fatty liver
- Riboflavin (B2) deficiency - curled toes
- Gout