Hidden (?) Defects ? (2)

We talked in the last newsletter about pigeons that despite good intentions and concerns and despite various antibiotic treatments do not seem to be better.. The ventilation in the loft can play an aggravating factor that slows the cure ore makes the problem worse.
But if we assume that the problem concerns a loft that played well , and where prices were achieved without excessive courses of antibiotics, there must be another problem..

There are with these problems cases where in winter a paratyphoid cure is given and nothing else . With the approaching of the racing season it is striking that the pigeons are training quite poor without apparent cause. They do not show symptoms of respiratory or other problems. They are often bad in plumage and the flesh is too blue.
Visit to the vet we may find a bit of coccidiosis in the manure and some yellow in the crop. This is treated after which little improvement occurs. Then to be sure a respiratory cure. Even that is not helpful. Then someone tells that one should use this or that treatment because .... but that does not help. Baytril is given then but it is known that this helps against everything, is not it? Darn the pigeons show little improvement. Another vet injects the pigeons. This seems to indicate improvement here .. but not really. Meanwhile, the flightresults are not improved, and frustration is growing.. The pigeons are know for there results, what is wrong ??

If you are somewhat familiar with the story above you really should start thinking about underlying causes for example viral or fungal infections due to excessive antibiotic use. And, it better not be true, selection of staphylococcen due to improper antibiotic use.

We see this every year.. The problems with viral infections suggest to increase in severity. I have stated in previous newsletters that the Circovirus since the beginning of this century playes a part in the sport. This virus can pass from parent to young through the egg and thus cause a persistent infection in the loft . This virus makes the pigeon accesible to other (virus) infections. Infections therefore are longer able to survive in the pigeon. This could include the herpesvirus, influenza viruses but also the Adenovirus and the paramyxovirus.

Because we are able to determine the presence of viruses in birds by simple tests, we found that several lofts with chronic problems including poor performance, but also an increased loss, often harbor virus carriers .
The seriousness of this problem seems clearly to dependent of the number of pigeons.

Often we hear that pigeons from a loft with these problems performe significantly better in another loft with less pigeons. The stressor and population pressure playes a major role. Also, hygiene factors. What must be said is that we must ensure that the pigeons health on increasing lofts should not be maintained by the use of antibiotics. .This is a wholly undesirable situation.

It will be clear that various remedial courses of antibiotics without notable effect isn't the right track.
Certainly not when it was established by research that there are viruses present.
What is needed in such cases, is patience and calm and support of the natural defenses.

Providing antibiotics in cases of viral infections are necessary to combat secondary infections but it does not solve the real problem .
Anyone who has had flu knows that top performance will take a few weeks althoug your already feeling good. This requires recovery. So it is with our pigeons..
The gift of unnecessary antibiotics negative affect the intestinal flora that the pigeon needs to recover.

Where possible we recommend to vaccinate against the virus.
Currently, unfortunately only the paramyxovirus and herpesvirus. The past several years we have seen that despite years of vaccination against paramyxovirus this virus is still carried on. The cause is not due to a bad vaccin.The circovirus fact also plays a significant role. . The acquired immunity is insufficient and the birds may be more or less asymptomatic carrier of the paramyxovirus.
The presence of this virus but also of the herpesvirus can cause that the pigeons are not able to get in shape.

(to be continued)