Mary Allen
Pox or bird pox is an infectious disease transmitted by the avipox virus. Smallpox can occur in all bird species. Various Avipox virus types are responsible for the infection. The pathogens are mostly parasites.
The Symptoms of Bird Pox
There are different forms of bird pox. Infection with avipoxviruses in birds produces different symptoms depending on how the viruses spread through the bird’s body.
The most common form of infection with avipoxviruses in birds is the skin form of smallpox. Here, primarily on the unfeathered skin areas on the beak, around the eyes, and on the legs as well as on the comb, purulent knots form. After a while, they dry up and turn brown. After a few weeks, they fall off.
In the mucosal form (diphtheroid form) of smallpox, changes develop on the skin and mucous membranes at the level of the beak, pharynx, and tongue.
In the pulmonary form of smallpox, the nodules form in the bronchi and trachea. Affected animals mainly have problems breathing (gasping). At the same time, smallpox can be peracute – without recognizable symptoms. The sick birds die without first developing the signs of the disease typical of smallpox. Sometimes general symptoms such as erect feathers, loss of appetite, sleepiness, or cyanosis also occur. The latter is a blue coloring of the skin and mucous membranes.
The Causes of Bird Pox
The canaries are primarily affected by this disease. This is caused by the smallpox virus and can also be fatal. Once smallpox has broken out, the birds cannot get rid of it. This means that they can always infect the roommates.
Other causes are transmission from sick birds and insect bites.
Almost all bird species can get smallpox. Most often transmitted parasites such as
- fleas or mites
- mosquitoes and
- virus the disease.
- Treatment of bird pox
There is Currently no Effective Way of Treating Bird Pox
Special treatment of sick animals is therefore not possible. Sick animals are to be isolated for protection. In the case of poultry used for commercial purposes, it is preferable to remove the diseased animals. New animals should also be isolated from the other animals for some time and kept under observation in the barn. The stables and utensils should be cleaned and disinfected after the infected animals have been culled. A waiting period between the culling and the new installation is definitely recommended because of the survival time of the viruses.
To prevent the disease, vaccination with a live virus can be carried out, which is given by a doctor once a year in larger animal populations. This vaccination is carried out with a double-needle by pricking the instep skin of the wings (wing web system) or in the area of the pectoral muscles (intramuscular). After about 8 days, smallpox develops at the puncture sites, which must be checked for success, and after 8 days there is vaccination protection that lasts for a year. Then, every year after the breeding season, vaccination can be given again as a preventive measure.