It is important to take care of your pet bird. Pet birds are distinct from cats and dogs, but keeping them safe is no more different. The basics are the correct pet bird diet, a clean cage, fresh bird food and water, bird toys, daily exercise, and a lot of attention.
But sometimes even this is not enough. Parasites can infect birds easily and cause them serious health issues. Bird parasites are of different types and can be treated or prevented if proper care is taken at the right time.
To familiarize you and ease your task, here are a list of common bird parasites, how to recognize them and what treatments are available:
1. Trichomoniasis
Trichomoniasis is caused by a group of one-celled protozoa and is known to affect many bird species.
In this disease, birds develop sore throat or mouth because they are unable to swallow food. Contaminated food is dropped and consumed by other birds, thus spreading the infection to them.
Trichomoniasis is also transmitted between birds through direct contact and therefore can spread relatively easily.
Symptoms:
- Weight loss
- Diarrhea
- Anorexia
- Dull appearance
- Difficulty in standing
- Difficulty in breathing
- Difficulty in eating/drinking
- Difficulty in swallowing
- Loss of appetite
Treatment: Emtryl Soluble Powder for Birds
- Easy to dose and water-soluble powder
- Prepared solution retains its activity for at least 3 days
- The most cost-effective Trichomoniasis treatment
2. Lyme Disease
Due to their ability to fly long distances, birds play a significant role in transmitting tick-borne disease.
Ticks get attachedto skin around the eyes of birds, making it difficult for the bird to visualize.
Symptoms:
- Extreme weakness
- Stiffness
- Eye irritation
- Weight loss
- Red spots on skin
Treatment: Ultrum Flea and Tick Powder
- Eliminates fleas and ticks
- Controls feather mites, red mites and lice on birds
- Prevents flea and tick infestation
- Removes 100% fleas within a day
- Provides protection against flea eggs and larvae for up to three months
3. Coccidiosis
Coccidian parasite is one of the most common and is found in almost every bird species. Infected birds discharge feces with eggs into the environment. A healthy bird can ingest this. The infectiousoocysts then invade the intestines of the bird, where the parasites undergo several stages of development.
Eggs laid by these parasites are passed out with the feces.
As the parasites enter the bird’s body, they start to invade the intestinal tract, kidneys and liver of birds.
Symptoms:
- Blood in feces
- Weakness
- Reduced head size
- Inflamed cloaca
Treatment: Coximed for birds
- One dose cures up to 98% of Coccidiosis cases
- Prevents resistance build-up
- Highly effective
- Cost-effective
- Double strength tablet
4. Hexamitiasis
Hexamitiasis is an intestinal disease of pigeons,transmitted by faeces, fomites, carriers. There may be inter-species transmission too. In many cases, affected birds refuse to eat and drink water causing health deterioration due to starvation.
Symptoms:
- Watery diarrhea
- Weight loss
- Weakness
- Depression
Treatment: Medizole for Birds
- Highly effective and very safe
- water-soluble powder
- Easy to dose
- Safe to use in the breeding season
- Water is not given at all during the usage of Medizole
You should take birds to visit an avian veterinarian before the purchase of these doses from CanadaPetCare. Afterwards, routine visits help to understand the progress and keep the birds healthy.
