Salmonella (paratyphoid) in pigeons
Other names: Salmonella، Paratyphoid، Joint swelling، Swollen wing
Symptoms
- Intestinal: sticky green diarrhea
- Joint: swelling of the wing or leg joint, and the bird drops its wing or limps
- Neurological: neck twisting (confused with paramyxovirus)
- Reproductive: infertile eggs or embryo deaths and squab deaths in the first days
- Chronic carriers without symptoms
How it spreads
Droppings, eggs (from mother to embryo), carriers, rats, contaminated water.
Diagnosis
Bacterial culture from droppings or tissues with susceptibility testing; group swabs to detect carriers.
Treatment
An antibiotic based on susceptibility testing for a long period (often 10-14 days or more) as directed by the veterinarian, with thorough cleaning and disinfection; birds with affected joints are usually not restored to racing. Treatment is based on susceptibility testing because strains differ; enrofloxacin has the most consistently effective record (Harlin & Wade 2009). Doses are reference values from published veterinary sources for the veterinarian - not a prescription. Diagnosis, actual dose, weight and the withdrawal period before racing are under veterinary supervision.
Prevention
Vaccination with an inactivated vaccine (available in Europe - availability in Egypt unconfirmed), two doses 3-4 weeks apart before pairing, rodent control, clean waterers, isolation of new birds, testing before purchase.
Treatment and doses are decided by an avian vet after an exam; Zajel does not publish doses.
Other diseases
- Ornithosis (chlamydia)
- Mycoplasma
- Respiratory complex (ornithosis complex)
- Single-eye cold (one-eyed cold)
- E. coli
- Streptococcus (Streptococcus gallolyticus)
- Pasteurella (cat bite)
- Avian tuberculosis
Sources
- Vogel, Gehrke, Lehmann - 'Taubenkrankheiten' / Vogel & Gylstorff - standard German pigeon disease texts - not fetched
- pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Facebook: 'Veterinary Serum and Vaccine Research Institute, Gamsa branch sales outlet' + official VSVRI page (@vsvri) - snippets via Google
- Facebook: 'Egyptian Veterinary Prevention' (Cervac pigeon paramyxo vaccine, 20 doses) + 'Sunset Oasis for Meat Pigeons' - snippets via Google