| Subject: |
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Coccidiosis |
| Name: |
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ron C |
| Date Posted: |
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Apr 14, 06 - 3:07 AM |
| Email: |
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ron@ladygouldianfinch-ca.com |
| Website: |
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http://ladygouldianfinch-ca.com |
| Message: |
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I have received a few e-mails this week off the group on this and so I thought I would share some of my findings and replies on this illness.
The first is what is "Coccidiosis"
Coccidiosis is a parasitic disease of the intestinal tract caused by
microscopic organisms called coccidia. The disease spreads from one
animal to another by contact with infected feces. It is most severe in
young or weak animals and often causes bloody diarrhea.
What are coccidia?
Coccidia are small protozoans (one-celled organisms) that multiply in
the intestinal tracts of young finches and adult finches whose immune
system is suppressed or in finches/avian birds who are stressed in
other ways (e.g., change in ownership, other disease present).
Coccidiosis can be brought on by: poor dietary hygiene, wet aviary
floors, large fluctuations in temperature or weakened gene suseptibility
( for example Coccidiosis is more prevelant in blue gouldians then the
other mutations).
What are the symptoms?
The main thing to look for when diagnosing Coccidiosis is to look for
smelly diarrhea, going light, shaking, and blood in the feces.
HOw to control it?
Keep cages and aviaries dry. Dis-infect all hoppers , seed cups etc at
least once per week in a solution of 3 gallons of a=water to 1 cup
bleach. Rinse very thoroughly ( what we do is rinse the object for 60+
seconds after giving it a soak in soapy water).
Keep food fresh and do not leave wet foods out more then 5 hours.
Relieve stress by not over crowding.
How we combat it at LGFC
Firstly we never over crowd or leave food out to get moulds.
We make sure all our finches are Coccidiosis through fecal testing.
Once we are sure we do not have it we starta simple regime.
We follow a simple regime of giving the weanlings and adults ( non
breeders, chicks past parental dependancy) a product called carlox ( Rob
Marshall) every 3 weeks for 5-6 months annually.
What does the Carlox do:
it causes the coccidia to almost become attenuated from this the birds
build immunity to the illness. This is more natural then dosing with a
harsh sulfa based driug ( most common sulfquinoxaline). It makes the
bird ressiliant to the parasite.
Is it essential to stock my bird medicine cabinet with sulfaquin?
Unfortunately with the shoddier birds out there it is becoming more so.
When asked where to buy it I tell others that they can get it quite
readily through your local veterinarian.
It can cost up to $20 Can. for 1 1/2 litres.
Shelf life: 12 months in the fridge.
Any questions on coccidia or Coccidiosis do not hesitate to ask.
Want to learn more check out:
http://www.thepoultrysite.com/cocciforum/cocci6technicallysp.asp
This site was valuable in helping me to understand this in more detail.
(THIS POST IS THE INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OF LGFC and is subject to LGFC TOS. IT MAY NOT BE REPOSTED COPIED WITHOUT WRITTEN CONSENT FROM THE
AUTHOR: Ron Cloutier)
(')<-Keep Birding
Ron ~:> |
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