Psittacosis: The Parrot Fever
When you are dealing with Psittacosis, you are dealing with a sickness that is found in birds but can be transmitted to other animals, as well as to people. It is a disease that is caused by an organism called Chlamydophila psittaci. Psittacosis can be infectious to humans, birds, cows, cats, sheep, goats and pigs. It will also infect all different kinds of birds.
Most of the time, birds get it from one another by inhaling dust from the droppings or from the feathers of the birds that have been infected. When a lot of birds have been together, like in a pet shop or boarding place, it might happen more often.
There are several symptoms that might show that your bird has Psittacosis, even though there aren't any for sure symptoms. If your bird doesn't eat or drink, loses weight, is depressed or listless, or has watery green droppings as well as discharge from anywhere, or dies suddenly, it might have Psittacosis. Even if a bird doesn't show symptoms, it can still be a carrier, and can pass it to its offspring.
If you think your bird has Psittacosis, you have to be sure that it goes to a vet, even though diagnosis is tough. Treatment should begin right away ,and is going to be done by a vet and should only be done by an avian vet. You should also get any birds that have been exposed to your sick bird treated as well.
There are several things that you can do to make sure that you prevent any of your birds from getting Psittacosis. You should always take your new pet birds to the vet, and should isolate them from other birds for at least 6 weeks to make sure that nothing develops. You should also only get your pet birds from a supplier that has a good reputation.
It is possible for humans to get Psittacosis. If you are sick or elderly, or have an immunosuppressive condition, you are gong to be at high risk. If you have lots of exposure to birds, and have developed something that seems like a prolonged flue, you are going to want to talk to your doctor about your exposure to birds and see if this could be the cause of your ailment.
Remember as well that good hygiene plays a role. Be sure to wash your hands carefully after handing your pet bird or anything that comes into contact with your pet bird.
Bird Health
Trimming Your Pet Bird's Wings
Toxic Household Items For Birds
Trimming Your Pet Bird's Beak And Nails
Diagnosing Disease In Your Pet Bird
General Safety For Your Pet Bird
Bird Health
Health Care For Your New Pet Bird
... and how to care for them. You have to be a responsible pet owner and be sure that you know exactly what your particular pet bird needs. Next, there are some general pet bird rules that will come into play to help you be sure your pet bird is well taken care of. First, be sure that their cage is located ...
... have been watching the news in recent years, you have probably noticed that there have been problems that arise from sick poultry. There is a lot of speculation as to what causes problems with poultry, but one thing is known: one of the best ways to make sure that your poultry is healthy is to be sure ...
Diagnosing Disease In Your Pet Bird
... with your bird. We most commonly associate x-rays with broken bones, but they can also indicate the size of organs, the condition of the lungs, and the appearance of masses like tumors. Blood test are another way vets approached diagnosis when it comes to birds. Blood samples are safe to be taken and ...
... birds that will live for a couple of years, but there are also pet birds that can live much, much longer. That means that in order to properly care for your aging pet bird, the first thing that you need to do is to figure out how long they are going to live for. Most birds don't really change their appearance, ...
... know that the cage has been built and designed to hold pet birds, and therefore is not going to be harmful in any way. If you keep your pet bird somewhere other than a bird cage, or if you let your pet bird roam in your house without supervising them, you always run the risk of having your bird be poisoned ...