Bird Illnesses and Diseases
Chlamydiosis in Birds
A Bourke Parrot with conjunctivitis caused by Chlamydiosis Avian Chlamydiosis | Psittacosis Psittacosis or Chlamydiosis. Psittacosis (also called chlamydiosis or chlamydophilosis) is a bird disease that can, on rare occasions, be transmitted to humans. In birds, it typically causes respiratory and/or liver problems or gastrointestinal upsets and can cause death. In humans it can cause…
Read MoreScaly Mites In Birds
Scaly Mites General Information Scaly mites, Cnemidocoptes pillae, are a microscopic species of mite that cause skin problems (‘scaly face’, ‘scaly leg’ and ‘tassel foot’) by burrowing under the skin in budgerigars, canaries, finches and a variety of other bird species. Cnemidocoptes mutans is a close cousin that causes scaly leg in chickens. Scaly Mites…
Read MoreWorms In Birds
Intestinal rupture caused by a heavy round worm (ascarid) infestation Bird Parasites Treatment and Prevention Common worm parasites in pet birds include roundworms (e.g. Ascarids and Heterakis), Capillaria, strongyles, tapeworms and spiruroids (gizzard worms). Tape worms and spiruroids have an indirect life cycle with a variety of beetles and insects acting as intermediate hosts and…
Read MoreGoing Light and the Sick Bird Look
My Bird Looks Fluffed Up, What Should I Do? My bird looks ‘fluffed up’ – what should I do? Going Light and the Sick Bird Look . Birds in the wild have a natural instinct to hide their illness or injury so that they do not become a target for predation. This means that a…
Read MoreChickens: Chronic Respiratory Disease (CRD)
What is Chronic Respiratory Disease in Chickens? CRD is one of the most common causes of disease in backyard hens seen at the chicken vet. Classic Chronic respiratory disease (CRD) occurs when chickens and turkeys that are infected with Mycoplasma gallisepticum are stressed. The bacteria then causes Respiratory disease. Mycoplasma gallisepticum is contagious and can…
Read MoreAvian Reproductive Disease
How To Prevent Reproductive Disease One of the most common reasons for backyard hens to come to Melbourne Chicken Vet is for reproductive tract disease. Laying breeds have been bred to lay eggs so prolifically that complications are common. Chickens are very good at hiding illness, so by the time they look sick the disease…
Read MoreChicken Coccidiosis | Cocci in birds
Treatment of Coccidiosis in Chickens Coccidiosis in Chickens is is caused by a protozoa. The chicken coccidia lives and infects various sites in the intestine and damages the intestinal lining. With a heavy infection birds loose weight, have diarrhoea, sometimes have red blood in the droppings and even death. Poultry Vets have found that coccidia…
Read MoreWorms In Chickens
Round Worms From a Chicken Treatment of Worms In Poultry Chicken worms, chicken coccidia, and poultry mites and lice, are common and regularly seen. Round worms in chickens have a life cycle of about three weeks. Consequently from the time the egg is eaten by the bird, and the worm grows inside the chicken, and…
Read More