non-pathogenic disease mostly caused by poor animal husbandry
generally caused by poor welfare/neglect/incompetence
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Health Checking Birds
eyes
beak
skin and feathers
behaviour
weight
feet, claws, and talons
cloaca
diarrhoea is a symptom of digestive problems
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Bacteria
single-celled organisms
can often release toxins that cause ill health
generally cause long lasting infections or disease
relatively easy to treat since the discovery of antibiotics
e.g., yersinia, E. Coli, Salmonella, Psittacosis
Mycoplasmosis/P.P.I.O.
primarily pathogens of cattle which produce a disease known as pleuropneumonia
identical organisms affect poultry, turkeys, gamebirds, pigeons and cage birds
transmitted by inhalation of infected water droplets in the air
overcrowding encourages transmission
younger birds are more susceptible, as well as older birds
can spread from parent to egg or parent to nestling
symptoms: naval and ocular discharge, rattly sounding respiratory system, depression, reduced appetite, weight loss, sneezing, partial closure of one or both eyes
treatment: often unsuccessful, disease often not confirmed until after death, sometimes responds to antibiotics
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Viruses
not technically living, require a host cell to reproduce
difficult to treat
preventable by vaccination
examples: small pox, avian influenza, newcastle’s disease, marek’s disease
Avian Influenza
Zoonotic and notifiable disease.
Caused by poor quarantine procedures, high stocking densities, access to wild birds or their faeces to enclosures
Can be prevented with vaccinations (not economically viable), and good biosecurity measures.
Symptoms: haemorrhaging of the skin, nasal discharge, swollen or discoloured comb
all birds are affected
no real treatment, but good hygiene can help prevent it
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Fungi
a group which mushroom belong to
secrete digestive enzymes which damages tissue
tend to grow in moist places (respiratory system, crop)
Can be induced by prolonged use of antibiotics in drinking water, stale food, or general poor hygiene.
Antibiotics in the water can kill off beneficial bacteria in the body.
Overcrowding, especially in particularly wet enclosures, can cause it.
Prevention: regular worming, apple cider vinegar
birds may look bedraggled inappearance, patches of whitish dead epithelial material in the mouth, lesions can affect breathing, occasionally loose droppings or regurgitation
affects turkeys, parrots, gamebirds, pigeons
can be treated with fungicidal drugs (if fungal sour crop, sour crop can be bacterial)
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Parasites
ectoparasites
scaly face/scaly leg
louse
tick
fleas
mites
endoparasites
roundworm
threadworms
tapeworms
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Anthroponosis vs. Zoonosis
Anthroponosis – disease sourced from humans then spread to another animal species
Zoonosis – diseases sourced from a non-human animal and spread to humans
sometimes these terms are used interchangeably, however formally it is to do with which species is the reservoir of the disease.
Anthrozoonosis – refers to specific individual infections of a disease (animal to human)
Zooanthroponosis – to do with specific infections of a disease (human to animal)
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