After spending most of the time since April out of Australia, I am now pleased to be back and am looking forward to resuming racing in 2024, particularly, as all 4 major Melbourne federations will be racing on the same line and there will be the opportunity for combined events. My good friend , John Mallia, did a great job looking after my birds while I was away. I will once again resume writing my monthly article for the ARPJ and aim to present topical and new information which I hope is of interest and value to the Australian pigeon fraternity
Priming the Immune System in Young Birds As young chicks emerge from the egg, their skin, gut and respiratory tract are colonized by bacteria, fungi ,viruses and even parasites from the environment. These come from their parents and the nest environment. In the normal situation these don’t cause disease. In fact, quite the opposite. These organisms once established live in harmony with the developing youngster and actually help to prevent disease. Many of these organisms produce substances that inhibit the growth of harmful organisms or in some cases actively destroy them. Most importantly, however, the growing young pigeons immune system is primed by exposure to these organisms. Once primed the immune system is then equipped to respond in an appropriate way when exposed to disease. If the immune system is not primed then the immune response is either inadequate, delayed or inappropriate. The need to prime the immune system affects the way that pigeon fanciers manage their birds in 2 ways :- 1/ Pigeon fanciers need to maintain clean but not immaculate loft conditions – this allows the developing young pigeons to be exposed to the microorganisms in the environment so that a healthy population of protective microorganisms can establish , prime the immune system and lead to appropriate immune responses throughout life. 2/ The correct use of medication – most pigeons carry canker organisms and some coccidia in their system as young birds. Many carry a principal potential cause of respiratory infection namely Chlamydia and all ( every single pigeon ) has another potential cause of respiratory infection , Mycoplasma in their airsacs. In an otherwise healthy youngster none of these cause disease. These are not harmful infections, in fact, the young pigeons need them to stay healthy. The skin, gut and respiratory systems have a host of creatures that call those places home .The gradual low grade exposure simply allows the pigeons immune system to develop an immunity and in the process enables the mature pigeon to develop a tolerance that protects them from disease. It has now been shown that some normal bacteria in the gut and respiratory system actually seek out, hunt and destroy potentially harmful bacteria. These normal bacteria also “educate” the immune system to also target these “bad” bacteria. Antibiotics can wreck this situation. If antibiotics are given the difficulty is that they are usually not selective , killing not only the bad bacteria but the beneficial bacteria as well. If antibiotics are used inappropriately through development the normal priming process does not occur. But it gets worse – the harmful bacteria are more likely to be resistant to the antibiotics so that with time we tend to shift bacterial populations, trading what was a healthy blend of beneficial , protective microorganism for populations dominated by harmful ones. It can be a “slippery slope” with more and more medication being needed to keep the pigeons “healthy”. To see this in real life all one needs to do is get a group of young pigeons four weeks old and treat them for canker every 3 weeks for several months. When treatment is stopped many of these pigeons that are now several months old will develop canker. This is obviously a very unusual situation because most pigeons by several months of age ( through their gradual exposure to canker during development ) have significant immunity . Canker is uncommon in them unless they are significantly stressed. Exactly the same principle applies to the development of immunity against Chlamydia, Mycoplasma , many bacteria and coccidia. So what does this mean in practical terms. Throughout development fanciers must meet the basic needs of the growing youngster -- feed them well, don’t overcrowd them and keep them basically clean. If a youngster gets sick, treat it individually. Don’t give flock treatments. If more than 5% of a batch become unwell then a flock treatment is considered but essentially this means that there is some environmental or management flaw that is weakening the birds and blocking the functioning of their immune system. Failure to identify this means that the birds will fail to respond to medication well. This underlying flaw will need to be corrected. Unless readily apparent it is time to call the vet. It is important to remember that it is not primarily drugs that protect pigeons from disease during their racing lives but rather the strong natural immunity that they have form throughout their development. Once racing starts then the principles of drug use and medication change but the maintenance of health at this critical time of racing is always going to be a challenge if the immune system has not been “primed” when these birds were young. As a foot note I notice on one of the online veterinary sites that the advice for the use of a commonly used ronidazole based canker medication states “This product may be used as often as needed and will not harm hatchlings or young birds.” It really is a matter of “fancier beware”.
Cost of medications. A recent survey showed an amazing difference in the cost of commonly used medications. The cost of common medications for canker and respiratory treatment were compared . It is important to mention that these are prescription only medications and so can only be obtained through a veterinarian. As such their use should always be directed by a veterinarian. The listed prices are prices quoted by vets and the suppliers of veterinary products in the last 4 weeks for supply of these products. There are 2 common ronidazole based products available in Australia to treat canker in pigeons – Turbosole and Ronivet 4 Pigeons. Turbosole prices—Australian Pigeon Company Turbosole ( 10 % ronidazole ) 200 grams $42.90, NSW veterinary supplier Turbosole ( 10% ronidazole ) 200 grams $85 . Ronivet 4 Pigeons prices --- Various veterinary outlets Ronivet 4 Pigeons ( 12% ronidazole ) 100 grams $60 to $80 ( note 100 gram size ) Doxycycline is an antibiotic used to treat, primarily in pigeons , respiratory infections due to Chlamydia and Mycoplasma. Common names that this medication is sold under include Doxycycline 10%, Doxyvet and Psittavet . Comparative prices are below . Australian Pigeon Company Doxyvet ( 12% doxycycline) 200 grams $38.50, NSW veterinary supplier Doxycycline 10% 200grams $85, various veterinary suppliers Psittavet ( 4% doxycycline ) 100 grams $40 to $60 ( note 100 gram size ). Mentioning these products is not encouraging their use . They are prescription medications. As such they need to be supplied by a veterinarian and used under that vets guidance. I do find it interesting however the huge variation in what fanciers are asked to pay for these very similar products .
$100,000 Victoria Cup cancelled 2 days prior to event. Potential competitors were disappointed to learn just 2 day before the scheduled event that this years $100,000 Victoria Cup run by Pigeon Racing Victoria (PRV ) had been cancelled. Members had purchased rings in late 2022 and early 2023 and placed these on favoured youngsters for the event. These birds had then been trained and prepared with the idea of them being sent to the race. The event had been regularly promoted through advertising in this magazine for the previous year. The exact reason for the events cancellation remains unclear. However, the event was overshadowed by the untimely death of popular fancier and major sponsor and supporter, Joe Phillips , just 2 days before. Joe had generously provided funds to ensure that the advertised prizemoney was available and had also offered the use of his unit and SUV to take the birds to the race. Before his death the funds had been transferred so these were available however it was unfortunately found that the SUV and trailer were not insured and that there was some doubt about the roadworthiness of the SUV. Not insurmountable problems as a covering insurance note could have been obtained and there were offers of other vehicles and drivers. However, it was a difficult and unfortunate time. Chairman of the PRV , Tas Gazis sent out the following message to fanciers Hi All, with the agreed transport no longer available three days before basketing, constant phone calls made in an effort to find alternatives and multiple new problems plus liabilities coming up. The decision has been made to cancel the Vic Cup this year and for the foreseeable future. Decision made in consultation with the four senior founding members of the PRV. Please request fed secretaries advise their members. Notice to go out on Facebook. Refunded cheques of which there will be over one hundred will be processed in order received and people will be contacted to pick up. This is the fastest and most practical method. Apologies for the late notice but it was thrust upon us and not of our doing. regards Tas Gazis A letter was also sent out to club and secretaries. The PRV was founded in 2017 by Tas Gazis supported by several prominent fanciers with the aim of promoting pigeon racing. It conducted the first $100,000 race in 2018 with the aim of the race being run every second year. Unfortunately due to Covid this was not possible and this year’s event was to be their second race. I think that the initiative of a high profile, lucrative race is a good one and helps to give the sport professionalism and legitimacy. I hope that any glitches in the running of such an event can be resolved When people search the internet for information about pigeon racing in Victoria, some land on the PRV site. Tas advises that he has fielded 54 enquiries from members of the public since the PRV’s inception 7 years ago and has been able to direct these to the appropriate local clubs and federations . The hope is that this has led to some of them becoming fanciers. Is this the correct decision? Each year the Victorian Homing Association gives a prize for the “Bird of the Year”. This is the bird that is deemed to have been the most successful throughout the year. There is no rule guiding this selection but there is the precedent of the prize being awarded to the bird with the highest number of federation positions ie positions in the top 30 in federation races. In the 1980’s and 1990’s when the VHA had over 500 members it was unusual for a bird to get two fed positions and exceptional for a bird to get three. Checking the records, for example , in 1995, with over 40,000 rings sold there were just two birds which gained three positions in the top thirty. Fast forward thirty years and the VHA membership has dropped by 75%. Just over 100 fanciers start the season and by the second half of the season only 50 fanciers, or less, compete in some of the races. Yet, still 30 federation positions are awarded. This year one fancier had a bird gain 4th Fed, 2nd Fed and then when entered in a further race 1st Fed. The bird had gained 3 fed positions in the top 5 . Another fancier had a bird gain four fed positions. This bird was placed 5th, 10th ,20thand 26th . Certainly a great effort, but with the lower number of fanciers the two lower positions was essentially mid –field. Which bird would you prefer to have in the stock loft? At the time of writing it is likely that the bird with four fed positions is likely to be awarded bird of the year. In my opinion, this is an example of where federations need to be flexible, nimble and be prepared to change and modify in order to adapt to changing circumstances. As membership continues to decline there may be birds that get five or more federation positions simply because they are clocked. A failure to change, as the sport itself changes , in my opinion , will only hasten its decline.
Vitamin B – the performance booster The level of vitamin B in most pigeon diets is fairly marginal and yet adequate vitamin B is essential for successful performance. All of the vitamins that pigeons need except vitamin C and vitamin B, are oil based. This means they are stored well in the body and are available for use. Vitamin C and vitamin B however are water based, This means that that these two vitamins cannot be stored and so the birds need to continuously access them otherwise deficiency occurs. Vitamin B is not made by plants, birds or animals but rather by bacteria that live in the dirt and bowel. The usual dietary sources of vitamin B are things like meat, cheese and eggs. Although pigeons can be trained to eat these they are not commonly fed by fanciers. Wild pigeons get their vitamin B by eating dirt and manure that contain these bacteria. In our racing lofts because of the risk of disease transmission and exposure to, potential pathogens this opportunity is limited. So how do fanciers get around this? Fanciers can ensure that their birds get enough vitamin B either by giving a yeast supplement, multivitamin supplements containing vitamin B, full feed pellets or one of the few seeds rich in vitamin B. Yeasts All experienced fanciers are familiar with the addition of sterile inactivated dried ( ID ) yeasts to the grain . This additive is just like “Pigeon Vegemite” and has been used as an additive for decades in Europe. Feed additive ID yeasts are high in Vitamin B and also very high in protein ( 45% ) which makes them particularly useful as a supplement during time of increased protein demand such as growth , moulting and breeding. Dried yeasts added to grain don’t stick well so it is usual to add a seed oil to the grain initially before adding the yeast. It is important that as young birds the pigeons become familiar with thes supplements. Because most seed oils have a smell adding them to the grain mix can initially make youngsters wary of their own food. I personally start by adding just 5mls of Hemp oil to a whole bucket of grain and then add about 2 tablespoons of Inactivated Dried Yeast ( ID Yeast ). After stirring it all through the grain I give it to the babies. It only takes a few feeds for them to get used to it and in fact once they become familiar with the taste they actually love it. Over a period I build them up to the recommended level of 1 to 2ml of Hemp oil per kilo of grain and 3 teaspoons /kg of seed of ID Yeast Multivitamin supplements There are no shortage of vitamin supplements on the market. Some are better than others. For clients of the Australian Pigeon Company , we produce a multivitamin/ mineral supplement called Multivite Plus and a multivitamin/ amino acid supplement called Multiboost. Both go in the drinking water and can be given every 7 to 10 days. There use ensures that the birds have plenty of vitamin B in their diet Seeds that contain vitamin B Sunflower and linseed naturally contain Vitamin B. Black sunflower seeds are better. They are smaller than grey and striped sunflower seeds, contain the highest percentage of oil (40 percent) and have the thinnest hulls. Pellets Although not suitable as an exclusive diet for race birds because of their fluctuating calorie requirements , formulated pellets such as the APC Maintenance Pellets can be addred to the grain mix as a vitamin B source. Most fanciers provide one of these and so avoid problems. It is easy however to think that if the pigeons look basically Ok then why should I bother. Some fanciers think that if their birds are off the pace then the answer must be more tossing or medication. A good starting point if the birds are not performing well is to ensure that the diet is right. Adequate levels of vitamin B in the diet are essential for birds to give top performances
Combined Melbourne federations 500 mile race release falls through In August 2022 the PRV offered to sponsor the transport for a combined 500 mile race in 2023 for the five Melbourne federations at an estimated cost of $6000. This year the VHA raced the NW line while the WPF, VPU, GMPF and VPO raced the north track. I wrote about this in the April Journal. I thought this sponsorship was a good initiative , reducing costs and providing more cover for the competing birds. With declining membership co-operation is also, I feel, the way of the future . A proviso for the PRV sponsorship was that at least 3 of the federations had to compete. An initial arrangement was made where the WPF, VPU and GMPF would compete. Later the VHA and VPO also agreed to send birds. This later inclusion raised some issues for the WPF. The VHA usually has 50 or so of its members competing in 500 mile races and also has a 50 bird limit which is higher than the other federations . The WPF, which is based in the western areas of Melbourne, felt that it would not be acting in the interests of its members, particularly those in the west, by having a combined release with the VHA, which is based in the east of Melbourne. As the WPF was transporting the GMPF and VPU birds this meant that there would no longer three federations competing. The WPF did however advise that it is “committed to build long term transporting relationships with other organizations in the future as we believe this is the way of the future.” The WPF had already demonstrated this by agreeing to have joint liberations with the GMPF & VRPU ( both of which are east of the WPF ) from the 400-mile race points in 2023. The WPF also advised that it “is mindful of doing too many things too quickly and its potential impact on its membership.” Although it is unfortunate, in my opinion, that this combined release could not occur this year , at least the offer of PRV sponsorship has stimulated further dialogue between the five Melbourne federations about combined releases. The VHA has deliberately altered is line of flight for 2024 from the north line to the NE track to bring it into line with the 4 other federations which are also flying the NE track. This will provide multiple opportunities for financial savings with shared transport and better racing with larger releases. With all federations indicating a willingness to make changes and adapt to the challenges presented by lower numbers of members and birds it is hoped that these can occur for the betterment of the sport. Most Common Enquiry Since the Victorian Racing Pigeon Body ( VRPB ) site became active several years ago I regularly receive phone calls from members of the public about pigeon racing. It must be a bit confusing for people who know nothing about pigeon racing trying to get in contact with someone about pigeons. If you enter search words like “pigeon” or “racing” or “Victoria” in a google search, you can end up at the sites of any of the five federations in Melbourne as well as the PRV or VRPB. The interesting thing is that when these people do get onto me what the most common enquiry is . The most common request is – “there is a pigeon here with a ring on its leg, can someone come and catch it and take it away”. Fortunately sometimes the bird can be caught and I can then walk them through interpreting the details on the ring. It seems ironic that out of all the possible pigeon racing questions that the most common concern is collecting strays.
Is one PMV vaccination enough ? Among some pigeon circles I note that it is being suggested that one PMV is enough to protect the birds. This is definitely not the case. When we ran the PMV trials in 2012 to 2013 we found that one shot was enough to confer protective immunity in 70% of birds. The trap is that the other 30 % may have enough immunity to prevent them from dying or becoming unwell but they fail develop sufficient immunity to prevent the PMV virus from causing some internal damage. It is well known now that PMV can damage the kidneys ( that maintain fluid balnce and prevent dehydration ) the pancreas ( that controls one of the main energy release mechanisms in the body) and the brain. Pigeons are so tough that it is only when these organs are severely damaged that the birds can look unwell even to an experienced eye. Birds however with even mild damage to these organs have had their ability to perform compromised often permanently. It is hard enough to win a race with a perfect bird let alone with one that is carrying internal organ damage. The strong advice is – make sure all of your birds have 2 PMV shots 4 weeks apart with given after 6 weeks of age. Fanciers may read on the internet where it is recommended that the birds only need one PMV vaccination. Generally these recommendations are referring to modified live vaccines made from pigeon origin PMV strains. These are quite different from the PMV vaccines available in Australia. Some fanciers will remember the issues that we had several years ago where some Australian fanciers illegally imported some of these vaccines and used them on their birds. Their birds subsequently caught PMV . Part of the reason was probably the vaccine losing potency during shipping because of the inability to keep the vaccine cold however you have got to ask yourself –why would you bother? Quite apart from being illegal and potentially introducing a harmful contaminant virus into this country , we have an effective , safe and cheap vaccine readily available here. As an interesting aside, I read on one of the sites that recommended a single PMV shot in pigeons . “In cases of hypersensitivity reactions treat immediately with glucocorticoid intravenously or adrenaline intramuscularly.” These are treatment options for mammals that would almost certainly lead to the death of the pigeon. In pigeons, deaths have occurred after single topical applications of glucocorticoid let alone giving the drug intravenously. Interesting how bad information gets repeated on the internet by uninformed people.
Moxidectin and Moxidectin Plus The APC is pleased to let fanciers know that after a manufacturing hiatus of nearly 10 months that both of these popular products are again available.
The Great Pink Minerals Scam Have you ever been to the supermarket and found that there is a product that looks to be as good as an original brand and yet is much cheaper. Reading the fine print on the label shows that in fact the “ look alike” is very different. This is the situation with pink minerals ( and other products available to the fancier ) in Australia. The Australian Pigeon Company’s PVM ( Pigeon Vitamin Mineral ) was formulated by nutritionists, qualified experts in avian nutrition, hired by the APC for just that purpose, is blended in a pharmaceutical factory for the APC to human standards, is a registered product and is guaranteed to contain exactly what is on the label – a full list of minerals and vitamins required by pigeons in just the right levels. No other pink mineral is the same or as good. I recently rang a company that supplies pigeon products, including pink minerals and asked whether their pink mineral was the same as Dr Walker’s . I was emphatically told - yes! Some products from other suppliers I notice even have similar names. It is hard to imagine that this is not done to confuse potential purchasers. For over 30 years the Australian Pigeon Company has been aiming to produce top quality, international standard products at economical prices for the pigeon fanciers of Australia. It is up to the fancier to check that he is getting what he is paying for and not some cheap “knock off”
Wild Forage – exciting new APC product . Racing pigeons have a natural desire to forage for food. Dry seed or grain diets lack many essential nutrients. Most fanciers will be familiar with the gusto that pigeons devour vegetables such as silverbeet. Despite the best of grain blends being offered, when at liberty it is common to see pigeons foraging through dirt and grass areas near their loft. This activity gives access to many non specific natural nutrients including trace elements, prebiotics, vitamin precursers, anti oxidants, minerals, growth and health enhancers, proteins and immune stimulants that are hard to provide in a loft environment. Leading the trend to provide organic nutrients from natural sources Wild Forage is one of a group of new innovative nutritional supplements called nutraceuticals that act almost in a pharmaceutical way. By helping to ensure optimal health they contribute to the birds ability to remain healthy and resistant to potential disease organisms. This is particularly important during development as the immune system becomes primed and during racing when stress and disease exposure is high. The provision of any nutrient lacking in the diet can be expected to improve fertility, resistance to disease, race performance and health generally. All of the minerals and trace elements are in the proteinated ( or plant form ) which makes them easier for the pigeons to digest. All vitamins are in their precursor form and only converted to active vitamins if needed by the pigeons system. This means there is never deficiency but at the same time never too much. Wild Forage is totally organic and made from human grade ingredients . It can be added to food or drinking water. Wild Forage contains extracts from beetroot, spirulina, broccoli, barley grass, spelt grass, kale , spinach and other superfood plants. Wild Forage makes providing all of the nutrients that these foods contain to your birds easy, hygenic and accurate. It has been my experience that some fanciers accept some poor nutritional outcomes as normal. Examples include obesity in stock birds through winter, hens not breeding good race birds after 6 years old and stock birds looking “run down” after raising three rounds. The APC offers a range of products including our full feed Maintenance pellets to be used in stock birds and a range of targeted and general nutrient supplements. I am pleased to be able to offer Wild Forage Powder to this range
Why do pigeons with Rota get hungry while PMV affected birds are thirsty and weak ? Rota virus targets the liver. The liver produces enzymes that digest food. If the liver becomes inflamed or damaged the pigeon cannot digest its food properly. With the liver damaged many of the nutrients in the food cannot be absorbed into the body so, despite eating well as they recover, many birds remain persistently hungry. This continues until the liver has healed sufficiently for adequate digestion to occur. PMV on the other hand damages the kidneys and pancreas. In addition to excreting the body’s ammonia based wastes as urine , the kidneys retain fluid in the body by concentrating urine so that a normal level of hydration is maintained. If the kidney is damaged , the kidney loses the ability to conserve fluid by concentrating urine and all urine passed will be dilute. This uncontrolled loss from the body of dilute urine leads to dehydration. The pancreas produces digestive enzymes but also produces the hormone insulin. Insulin moves sugar from the blood stream into the body. With damage to the pancreas less digestive enzymes and insulin are produced. With low sugar , even though there is a lot of sugar in the blood ( which itself is a problem ) , this cannot be accessed and so affected birds become weak – not being able to utilize a major energy source. The end result is that PMV affected birds are dehydrated and weak. Many birds that recover from PMV and Rota recover completely. A difficulty, however, for pigeon racers is that not all birds do. Some that have recovered from PMV and Rota may look quite normal but may be carrying perhaps 30% or more persistent damage to these organs. In a sport where it is hard enough to do well with “perfect” pigeons it can be extremely hard or even impossible to do well with these compromised birds.
Second World Congress IVPA The International Pigeon Veterinarians Association (IVPA ) Conference was held at Brussels in Belgium on the 25th November. This year’s event was organized by the Belgian branch of the IVPA headed by Dr Pascal Lanneau. Various topics concerning pigeon medicine were addressed by experts in their fields including Salmonella, advances in diagnostics, genetic testing, the risk that OLRs pose with the spread of disease , genetic markers for performance, pigeon racing and the law, antibiotic use, Rota virus and doping issues. I will present new information for Australian fanciers from this conference in the following months.
Suspect PMV in Western Australia Multiple cases of suspect PPMV have been reported in Western Australia. Affected birds show a variety of neurological signs. Live birds showing typical symptoms have been taken to The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development in Western Australia for diagnostic work. The birds were euthanised by injecting barbiturate into their abdomen. At autopsy no gross diagnostic changes were visible apart from a mass in the throat of one bird. A range of tissues were collected and subsequent microscopic examination of those tissues revealed no abnormalities. A swab from the gut was collected and grown to determine if Salmonella was present.. None was found. Swabs were taken from the windpipe and cloaca and tested for PMV, PPMV, NDV , AI and Rota virus. All were negative. Further tests are scheduled to check for lead, OP and other toxins including fungal toxins . Comments The mass described in the throat is likely to be a trichomonad abscess. I have seen cases that invaded the floor of the brain and caused CNS signs. In my opinion it is unfortunate that the birds were euthanised by injecting directly into the abdomen as this can mask pathology. Either iv or deep pectoral im barbiturate as opposed to IP are more common methods for euthanasia. The euthanasia liquid when injected into the abdomen can damage the tissues making subsequent diagnostic examination difficult and can also create an unpleasant drowning sensation for the bird if the liquid gets into the airsacs.. Based on the clinical signs the most likely pathology is an encephalitis ( inflammation of the brain ). Despite the negative tests to date, PPMV remains the most likely cause . Often in this situation, if only a small part of the brain is affected, the pathologist needs to do multiple sections through the head, after chemically decalcifying the bone, to find the pathology. With the symptoms displayed by the birds there must be pathology there, it just has to be found . Pigeons rarely carry PPMV for longer than 60 days and CNS signs often appear late in the disease so PCRs ( that check for DNA ) become negative with time. Symptoms persist because of the earlier damage done by the virus. As PCRs test for DNA they need to be collected from areas where PPMV is likely to persist. High yield sites where the virus is most likely to persist for PCR for PPMV would include the brain, pancreas and kidney . Testing for Salmonella from a bowel swab is of dubious significance. This test was negative but Salmonella but if the result had been positive this may not have been of any diagnostic value as the bacteria is found there in many clinically normal pigeons. Identifying this bacteria in a location remote from the bowel such as the brain would however be a diagnosis. It is good that the laboratory is testing for lead and OPs toxicity but based on the history and clinical symptoms these problems seem less likely. In the meantime I have suggested that the birds of affected fanciers all be vaccinated against PPMV now and again in 2 weeks ( repeat vaccination brought forward in the face of an outbreak ).There can be advantages in having a clinician overseeing some of these cases on behalf of the fancier and helping to guide the diagnostic process. Vet Questions 1/My local avian vet "diagnosed" E. coli by looking at the dropping on a microscope slide (is this possible?), then later changed it to Staphylococcus and generic "Bacillus" after a culture test. To me that seems like "I don't know what the problem is, but I can sell you something and we'll see what happens.". Also is it possible to diagnose respiratory infection by looking down the throat? I know enough about pigeon health to know that I can't do it without a vet, but my local vet is not afraid to over-prescribe unnecessary and expensive treatments. I'd really like to avoid the expensive and dangerous overuse of antibiotics.. E. coli cannot be diagnosed by simply looking down the microscope. E coli is a rod shaped bacteria. Looking down a microscope it is standard to see lots of rod shaped bacteria. It is not possible to tell if these are E.coli without further testing. Further testing involves staining , culture ( ie growing the bacteria) and further biochemical tests. It is also important to remember that even if E.coli is found , this in no way says that it is causing a problem. Just because E.coli is there does not mean that it is causing disease. Many pigeons, like humans and other animals, carry E.coli in their bowel as part of the normal bowel bacterial population. It is only when the E.coli invades the bowel wall to cause an enteritis ( inflammation of the bowel wall ) or penetrates the bowel wall and gets into the body that there is a problem. Further testing is required to identify this. Looking down the microscope at droppings and saying that a pigeon has an E.coli infection is just nonsense. Can a respiratory infection be diagnosed by simply looking down the throat? In the presence of an advanced infection , the answer is yes. Discharge, swelling and tonsillar changes can be seen with the naked eye. In the early stages vague signs of redness or increased mucous levels can be hard to interpret. Usually swabs for bacterial testing and PCRs to check for Mycoplasma and Chlamydia are necessary for a definitive diagnosis. 2/ My race birds have red throats and are not racing well. What are some common causes? Red throats with visibly increased amounts of mucous and significant race losses can be associated with wet canker , bacterial infections, yeast infections or respiratory infection due to Chlamydia, Mycoplasma or bacteria. These signs can quite commonly also be due to Exertional Polycythaemia Vera (EPV). Canker, bacterial and yeast infections are diagnosed by tests done on swabs collected from the throat. The usual symptom that separates respiratory infection from Polycythaemia Vera is the presence of sneezing. With no sneezing EPV is more likely. EPV is diagnosed with a blood test . Respiratory infections are diagnosed definitively by collecting a deep swab from the “slot” and windpipe lining for PCR and culture . Birds withEPV are reluctant to fly freely and their muscles often feel a bit hard. 3/ What is the correct way to use the new Abavet Wormer? The preferred way to administer Abavet is directly to each pigeon orally. This is because in addition to abamectin ( that kills roundworms and hairworms ) the product also contains praziquantel ( that treats tapeworms ) that is unpleasant tasting for the birds. Pigeons will drink it but reluctantly. A concern is that all birds may not get an effective dose if medicated via the drinker . The dose per adult pigeon is ¼ to ½ ml per bird. The drug in overdose can cause vomiting in some birds. Smaller hens should receive ¼ ml while large cocks ½ ml. Vomiting is not a serious sign and if a a bird is given a bit too much this passes quickly. Expect the birds to be a bit quiet for several hours after treatment. I find the medication useful if other wormers have been used for years and resistance is a possibility. Killing all common worms Abavet is a good “cleansing “ wormer to use as racing approaches. There is no problem using it during moulting. If you did want to try it in the drinking water the dose is 25 to 50 ml per 5 litres depending on the temperature on the day of treatment . On a day that is 23C a mid- range dose of 35 ml would be fine.
4/An EU vet ,Dr Delhove, writes that he raises 200 spring-bred youngsters annually, that are injected with a trivalent vaccine. In the trivalent vaccine are Rotavirus, Paramyxovirus and Circovirus. So my simple question to you as one of the main suppliers of pigeon vaccines and products and recognised as the leading avian vet in Australia, why is it that other countries are able to access this type of vaccine (3 in 1) which would mean that the pigeon (and it is all about the welfare of the pigeon) is that we have to buy three separate vaccines and inject our birds up 6 times and European flyers only have to purchase the one product and inject twice. Making it less stressful for the pigeons and fancier.In my eyes, if they are able to access it, we should be able to as well. Especially when these vaccines are dead viruses. Further, I view this as a profit making exercise for suppliers of pigeon products in Australia. I also see that people like yourself should investigate the reasons why Australia is not able to import or make it locally as you have with other vaccines, this trivalent vaccines and offer its distribution to fanciers. This would help fanciers and their pigeons in many ways, as we try to hold onto this dwindling hobby and sport, when costs continue to rise and they don’t seem to ever stabilise in the interest of the fanciers.Would I be correct in stating and reassured that if something was to occur that enabled Australian avian veterinarians and fanciers to access this vaccine that you would be one of the first in Australia to be informed? You raise a number of interesting points. Things to consider are:- 1/ The trivalent , bivalent and many of the single vaccines available to fanciers in Europe are not registered, have had no clinical data submitted or immunity curves done which means that we don’t actually know if they work 2/ It is not possible to import avian vaccines( killed or otherwise) into Australia because of the unacceptable risk of contamination with other live viruses 3/ The cost of registering ,if indeed a newly developed vaccine was shown to stimulate the development of a protective immunity , would be at least $500,000 and could be nearer $5,000,000. As an example, the registration of a recently developed footrot vaccination for sheep was sought by an Australian company but failed. This despite being funded by a $1,500,000 donation by the sheep industry . It is usual for development and registration of a single vaccine to take over 5 years. With the small size of the pigeon sport in Australia and the anticipated number of sales I cannot see any company being prepared to spend this amount of money on such a vaccine. As you suggest, it would be great if such a vaccine could be imported or produced here but unfortunately it is just not possible . Regarding a possible change to import vaccine situation in Australia -- I am a member of the Australasian Association of Avian Veterinarians. As an interested party, yes, I think that we would be notified.