A growing problem
Recently scientist have alarming news about trichomoniasis (cancer).
Cancer is not a matter of viruses or bacteria but single celled pear shaped protozoan.
What the alarming news then is?
Some find it hard or almost impossible to eliminate the parasite due to an increasing immunity.
The problem may concern the whole loft or pigeons individually.
They treat and treat but fail to cure the bird(s).
And the tragic thing is we have to blame ourselves.
In the past we did not have that problem and the fact that we did not have the medicine either is food for thought.
When we got the medicine things went worse and worse, despite the fact that we medicated and medicated; before the breeding season, before the racing season, before the moult and sometimes every one or two days after every race.
And that is exactly the reason that we face this problem now.
We have undermined the immunity of our birds dramatically.
Sorry for the little one but it should go, regardless
the origin.
AND NOW?
What we can do now in case of problems is double the proportion of the medication but that will inevitably lead to bigger problems on a longer term.
Till the moment has come that the parasite just 'laughs' at any medicine.
Therefore my advice is to do the opposite: Medicate only if necessary.
I myself have the medication at hand (Ronidazole or metronidazole) but never ever will I treat birds that are in good shape.
2000 Was probably my best old bird season ever.
The whole year round the birds were in such a good shape that I did not see any reason to treat them.
So what I do now is restrict myself as much as possible
I will treat birds only if I feel the need to do so and I advise others to do the same.
I agree you need some experience for that but fanciers that do not medicate one day too soon nor one day too late are the people that we call 'champions'.
In case you do not have the feeling and no good vet lives nearby you may ask what you have to watch out for.
Or, in other words, what are the symptoms of birds that suffer from canker how little it may be? Well, here we go.
SYMPTOMS
- Birds are depressed
- Babies in the nest have watery droppings with a sour smell and they are skinny.
- Birds appear listless, ruffled and dull.
- They have difficulty closing their mouth.
- They display repeatedly swallowing movements.
- They have no list to train, they eat little and drink much and their bodies do not feel tight, on the contrary.
But' if you see these symptoms in fact you are too late, since pretty much damage has been done already.
You should not let it come that far.
People sometimes say that champions see to day if a pigeon will get sick to morrow.
There is much truth in these words.
All champions are good observers, therefore they became champions and they act at the right time with the right medication.
If they fear they might have a problem soon they do not wait till there IS a problem.
The beak is a good indication and may teach you a lot.
If you open it and you see little threads at the back that means danger.
If you see there are grey slimes at the back you need to take action as well.
Furthermore a throat that is too reddish is also a warning.
Now you may understand that the first thing I do in case I doubt a birds' health is open its beak.
And vets do the same!
SELECTION
Of course you can also select birds on canker.
What I mean is eliminate those that are vulnerable and keep the others, but this is not without risks.
Since good pigeons are vulnerable as well you may end up having a family that will not easily get canker but that are unable to perform since they lack quality.
Therefore one should select both on results and natural health rather than on eye sign or pedigree.
Finally it is very important that in case you do medicate, you treat all the birds, Some do not want to waste money and medicate the widowhood cocks that they race only and not their hens.
That is a big mistake. If pigeons are not free from canker the hens will immediately infect the cocks again.
This happens when they mate or through the drinker,