All About Common Parrot Disease

There are some diseases that parrot owners should be aware so they can catch early signs of problems in their birds. Pacheco Disease (PVD), Psittacoses beak and Feather Disease (PBFD), Feather Plucking, Avian Salmonella, Escherichia coli - E. coli, Avian Tuberculosis, Avian Chlamydia, Avian Polyomavirus and Proventricular dilatation disease (PDD) are among the types of parrot disease which is common.

Good hygiene and healthy diet are the basic requirements for a healthy parrot, but to pay attention to the more common types of parrot disease would be useful to have a proactive pet owner. A quick visit to the vet also recommended.

Pacheco's Disease (PDV) is visible through symptoms as lethargy, diarrhea, ruffled feathers, sinusitis, anorexia, conjunctivitis, and tremors in the neck, wings and legs. Bird fecal material can become discolored with urate being green with proposals for possible liver damage.

Birds generally die from massive liver necrosis characterized by an enlarged liver, spleen and kidneys. But some birds that die suddenly without any specific or observable symptoms.

Infected birds may begin to shed virus in feces and nasal discharge as early as 3-7 days after infection. This viral disease is classified as highly infectious. 

Pacheco's disease is often fatal and affects parrots of all ages. New World parrots are perceived as more susceptible to PDV than the old world psittacines. Asymptomatic birds can be carriers of Pacheco's virus. Birds that survive an outbreak of PDV can be possible carriers.

PDV seems to be resumed when the parrot is under pressure at times as breeding, loss of a friend, or other environmental changes.

Avian Chlamydia, also known as Psittacosis, Parrot Fever or chlamydiosis is when parrots are infected by intracellular parasites. These are sometimes known as energy parasites because they use ATP (a crucial energy containing metabolite) produced by the host cell.

Dull plumage, decrease in body temperature, lethargy, conjunctivitis, and yellow to greenish droppings or grayish wet droppings are among the symptoms. Sometimes there is no external signs of an infection.

This is an airborne bacterial disease. The bacteria can spread from an infected bird through his bodily secretions, fecal material, and feather dust. The organism can remain relatively stable outside the host organism and can dry in a dust polluting the air.

Incubation periods in caged birds vary from days to months, although usually this is 3 to 10 days. The incubation period is difficult to measure because chronically infected birds sometimes develop persistent and asymptomatic infections.

Parrots in crowded settings are particularly susceptible to the disease. A significant detail on Avian Chlamydia is that it is a zoonotic disease transmissible from animals to humans. 

Psittacine beak and Feather Disease (PBFD) is the disease where we see the loss of feathers, the development of abnormal feathers, new pressed feathers shed develop feathers and loss of powder down.

Overgrown or abnormal beak, symmetrical lesions on the beak and occasionally nails are other possible signs. Immunosuppression, dramatic weight loss and depression is also seen as the disease progresses.

PBFD caused by a virus also sometimes affects the liver, brain and immune system. Secondary infections caused by this in some cases lead to complications and death. 

Transmission is through direct contact and contaminated environment must be thoroughly cleaned by the virus particles can remain in the environment even after the infected bird is removed.

PBFD presumed to be specific to psittacines and some species are particularly vulnerable to it, Cockatoos, Macaws African gray parrots, Ringneck parakeets, Eclectus Parrots, and Lovebirds.

PBFD can be fatal to young birds, and even adult birds that survive may become carriers. Others believe that the survivors develop an immunity which can be genetically transmitted to their offspring.

Feather Plucking can be a traumatic issue for the parrot and the pet's owner as it appears to indicate more entrenched problems. The main reasons for plucking the wrong diet or inadequate nutrition, emotional stress and bacterial or fungal infection.

Owners should ensure that the bird is not kept in too small a cage, and if the bird is molting special nutritional attention should be paid. Also keep an eye open for fleas, lice and ticks. While these are rare, they can cause skin irritations as well.

A balanced diet, a mentally stimulating environment, sufficient physical space and good hygiene are among the things that can help with this problem.

Escherichia coli (E. coli) is manifested as ruffled feathers, diarrhea, lethargy and chills. Baby birds with less developed immune systems are more susceptible to disease. 

Chronic infections in adult birds, which can lead to abscesses, lack hatch eggs and cause changes in eating habits. The extent to which a bird is affected will depend on age and immune systems of birds and the potency of the bacteria.

Clean feeding bowls and water, and antibiotics can help most birds recover fully from the infection of the common parrot disease.