Ornithosis Ornithosis is an infectious disease caused by chlamydia and can be transmitted from animals to man. Ornithosis is particularly frequent from May to July and from October to December. It is only in young birds that the disease causes substantial losses. If adult pigeons are infected, they usually do not show any, or only very slight symptoms. Chlamydia are excreted in the droppings, lachrymal fluid, beak and throat mucus and the crop milk. Birds visibly suffering from ornithosis and those who are carriers may excrete the pathogen. The pigeons contract the infection by breathing in dust containing the pathogen, by ingesting infected feed or water and by billing or feeding their young. Ornithosis manifests itself in impaired general condition. The pigeon will show listlessness, reduced feed intake, increased water intake, reduced performance and high losses in rearing. In some birds conjunctivitis (sticking together of the eye lids) is observed. The pigeon may show sensitivity to bright light and shut their eyes. The result of the inflammation causes the tear duct to become narrower and the production of lachrymal fluid increases. As it cannot sufficiently flow out through the tear duct, it is secreted via the eye lid. At first the discharge is aqueous but then turns to mucus, the eye lids stick together and begin to bulge with the accumulated fluid. If the inflammation persists for a long period, corneal opacity can occur, leading to blindness. Once the first case has been observed, several of the pigeons will successively show the same inflammation of the conjunctiva. Only a few birds will contract the infection at the same time. It may therefore take 3 or 4 weeks before all the pigeons in the loft are infected. The disease may spread to the upper respiratory tract. Nasal catarrh occurs, a milky yellow fluid may discharge from the nostrils and then dry and obstruct them. The pigeon will have to breath through the half opened beak. The inflammation causes pain and itching, which the pigeon will try to scratch. The pigeon may also try to clear his nostrils by sneezing and jerking its head about. Adequate treatment of ornithosis is very important for the following reasons; There is a danger that the infection is transmitted to man. With chronic ornithosis the entire offspring of the pigeons is at risk (losses up to 80%). Latent ornithosis opens the door to further diseases. Untreated ornithosis causes lasting damage. The medication of choice is: Baytril 10% (also good for paratyphoid and e-coli): Bacterial injection and drug sensitivity is the first choice in determining which drug your pigeon should be treated with, in lieu of that, Baytril is the drug of choice because it works in most cases against bacterial infections. Baytril can be purchased in tablets for individual birds or in liquid form for flock treatment.
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