Fw: [Pigeon lovers paradise] New Doc: Canker
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From: Jasim Lofts
Sent: Tuesday, January 10, 2012 12:34 PM
To: Pigeon lovers paradise
Subject: [Pigeon lovers paradise] New Doc: Canker
Jasim Lofts posted in Pigeon lovers paradise.
Jasim Lofts created the doc: "Canker"
CANKER - ITS PREVENTION, CONTROL AND TREATMENT
Nature of the disease
The disease canker is caused by a protozoan Trichomonas columbae. This is a microscopic
single-celled organism. It lives within the digestive tract of pigeons, in particular the throat and
crop, and can also involve associated areas such as the bile duct. The organism is fragile in
the environment, only surviving for a few minutes once outside the bird. This helps with control
of the disease and means that the birds cannot become infected from the loft or immediate
environment as happens with other diseases such as worms and paratyphoid. The organism
(trichomonad) requires intimate contact between birds to be spread and is usually transmitted
by saliva or pigeon milk. Saliva contaminates food and water. As a pigeon drinks, the
organism swims away from its beak and, when another pigeon comes to drink, it not only
drinks the water but also the trichomonads there. When a pigeon sorts through grain, each
dropped grain contains a small amount of saliva. In this way, the disease can also be spread
through a feed hopper. Adult birds 'billing' can transmit the organism, as do parents when
feeding their nestlings.
Control of canker during the breeding season
Correct medication is vital during the breeding season so that the level of natural immunity in
the weaned youngster is as high as possible. Because the severity of the disease varies in
different lofts, there is no single blanket program that is best for all lofts. There is no drug that
by itself will cure canker in a loft. It is a matter of using medication correctly so that the birds
can establish a strong natural immunity to the disease. It is this natural immunity that, in the
longer term, protects them from the disease.
How to manage an outbreak of canker during the breeding season
When canker does appear during breeding, its management is two-fold. It is a matter of:
1. treating the sick youngsters - In lofts with a canker problem, all youngsters should be
checked daily. If a sick youngster is noticed it can be successfully treated, and such
youngsters can go on to become champions. Either Spartrix or Flagyl tablets* can be used,
however, Spartrix is more convenient to medicate the nestlings. The dose of Spartrix is one
tablet per adult bird. Estimate how big the youngster is compared to the adult and give it this
proportion of the tablet once daily until well. Usually, one to four doses are required. It is often
good to also medicate both the nest mate and parents for 2 days. If the unwell youngster is
slow to respond, it is usually best eliminated. Individual pairs that breed youngsters with
canker are best mated to different birds for subsequent rounds.
At the same time, it is important to
2. decrease the number of fresh cases - This is done by checking the number of trichomonads
that the stock birds are shedding. This is achieved by giving 2 days Turbosole* periodically.
The exact frequency depends on the incidence of canker but usually every 1 - 3 weeks is
appropriate. One needs to give sufficient 2-day courses to limit the number of new youngsters
with the disease, but at the same time to avoid overuse of the drug so that the developing
youngster is still getting an on-going exposure to the organism. It is a matter of working
between these two extremes.
The important thing to always remember with canker during the breeding season is that the
disease can never be controlled through medication alone. It is the development of a strong
natural immunity that protects the birds in the longer term. It is important that medication is
used to keep the birds
View Doc
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From: Jasim Lofts
Sent: Tuesday, January 10, 2012 12:34 PM
To: Pigeon lovers paradise
Subject: [Pigeon lovers paradise] New Doc: Canker
Jasim Lofts posted in Pigeon lovers paradise.
Jasim Lofts created the doc: "Canker"
CANKER - ITS PREVENTION, CONTROL AND TREATMENT
Nature of the disease
The disease canker is caused by a protozoan Trichomonas columbae. This is a microscopic
single-celled organism. It lives within the digestive tract of pigeons, in particular the throat and
crop, and can also involve associated areas such as the bile duct. The organism is fragile in
the environment, only surviving for a few minutes once outside the bird. This helps with control
of the disease and means that the birds cannot become infected from the loft or immediate
environment as happens with other diseases such as worms and paratyphoid. The organism
(trichomonad) requires intimate contact between birds to be spread and is usually transmitted
by saliva or pigeon milk. Saliva contaminates food and water. As a pigeon drinks, the
organism swims away from its beak and, when another pigeon comes to drink, it not only
drinks the water but also the trichomonads there. When a pigeon sorts through grain, each
dropped grain contains a small amount of saliva. In this way, the disease can also be spread
through a feed hopper. Adult birds 'billing' can transmit the organism, as do parents when
feeding their nestlings.
Control of canker during the breeding season
Correct medication is vital during the breeding season so that the level of natural immunity in
the weaned youngster is as high as possible. Because the severity of the disease varies in
different lofts, there is no single blanket program that is best for all lofts. There is no drug that
by itself will cure canker in a loft. It is a matter of using medication correctly so that the birds
can establish a strong natural immunity to the disease. It is this natural immunity that, in the
longer term, protects them from the disease.
How to manage an outbreak of canker during the breeding season
When canker does appear during breeding, its management is two-fold. It is a matter of:
1. treating the sick youngsters - In lofts with a canker problem, all youngsters should be
checked daily. If a sick youngster is noticed it can be successfully treated, and such
youngsters can go on to become champions. Either Spartrix or Flagyl tablets* can be used,
however, Spartrix is more convenient to medicate the nestlings. The dose of Spartrix is one
tablet per adult bird. Estimate how big the youngster is compared to the adult and give it this
proportion of the tablet once daily until well. Usually, one to four doses are required. It is often
good to also medicate both the nest mate and parents for 2 days. If the unwell youngster is
slow to respond, it is usually best eliminated. Individual pairs that breed youngsters with
canker are best mated to different birds for subsequent rounds.
At the same time, it is important to
2. decrease the number of fresh cases - This is done by checking the number of trichomonads
that the stock birds are shedding. This is achieved by giving 2 days Turbosole* periodically.
The exact frequency depends on the incidence of canker but usually every 1 - 3 weeks is
appropriate. One needs to give sufficient 2-day courses to limit the number of new youngsters
with the disease, but at the same time to avoid overuse of the drug so that the developing
youngster is still getting an on-going exposure to the organism. It is a matter of working
between these two extremes.
The important thing to always remember with canker during the breeding season is that the
disease can never be controlled through medication alone. It is the development of a strong
natural immunity that protects the birds in the longer term. It is important that medication is
used to keep the birds
View Doc
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