The Budgies have long been one of the most common pet birds in our homes, and although their origin is the other extreme In the world, few can say that they have never entered a house in which there was a pair of these colorful birds.
Although we associate them with longevity and sociability, life in captivity also takes its toll, and despite the fact that it is increasingly common to find them as patients in veterinary clinics, more pathologies due to improper handling also appear. For this reason, in this article on our site, we will try to summarize the most common diseases of budgerigars and how to prevent them, as a fundamental part of an adequate action plan.
Cnemidocoptic mange
The mite of the genus cnemidocoptes is responsible for this disease so common in Australian parakeets, which causes hyperkeratosis or thickening of the skinof the legs and beak wax.
Dermal overgrowths can give the sensation of "toes", as mentioned in the article on our site about mites in canaries, and can deform the animal's beak if it progresses without treatment.
A scraping of the lesions allows this mite to be observed under a microscope, which leads to the diagnosis along with the characteristic lesions.
How is it treated?
The Ivermectin is the most effective treatment, and can be administered intramuscularly, subcutaneously or even orally. If the scabies is very localized, and in the initial phases, it can be applied topically, mixed with some oil, such as tea tree oil, but it is difficult not to exceed the therapeutic dose in this way.
It is recommended to repeat after a couple of weeks, and a third dose may even be necessary.
Iodine deficiency
The lack of iodine in the diet can affect parakeets that exclusively consume little variety of seeds, especially when the most abundant fraction is millet. Its low supply of iodine in a sustained manner over time gives rise to a lack of this essential element for synthesizing thyroid hormones by the thyroid gland, that is, a secondary hypothyroidism
This gland hypertrophies in an attempt to maintain the production of thyroid hormones, causing the typical bulging of the neck known as a "goiter". We may notice the lump, and signs such as voice changes, shortness of breath, or regurgitation of food, because the overgrowth of the thyroid causes compression of the trachea and esophagus.
How is it treated?
The iodine supplementation in the drinking water in the form of Lugol drops while correcting the diet, is usually sufficient. It is important to remember that when adding medicine to the water, we should not give too much fruit or lettuce to the parakeet, as they contain a lot of liquids, and will reduce their need to approach the drinker.
How can it be prevented?
A varied diet that prevents the animal from choosing what it likes the most is essential to prevent the development of this common disease in budgerigars. Certain vegetables contain enough iodine, so offering the animal these foods two or three times a week guarantees that this problem does not occur, regardless of a balanced diet. The spinach or lettuce, can be an interesting food if provided twice a week, removing the excess after a while and avoiding abuse. For more information, don't miss the list of fruits and vegetables good for parakeets.
Chlamydia
Chlamydia psittaci infection can be subclinical, being our parakeets carriers without symptoms, but it usually develops in any stress situation (overcrowding, change of environment, illness, lack of hygiene…). This bacterium is excreted through feces, urine, nasopharyngeal and nasal secretions, and can generate chronic carriers that eliminate it intermittently and transmit it to the environment, infecting their congeners.
What are the symptoms of avian chlamydiosis?
Respiratory and sometimes liver signs will be indicative, along with other findings, of this infection:
- Conjunctivitis
- Dyspnea (shortness of breath, open beak)
- Breath sounds
- Biliverdinuria (green stools and urine, indicating liver involvement)
- Diarrhea
- In severe cases, apathy, lethargy and anorexia
Diagnosis
For its diagnosis, observation of the symptoms is combined with specific tests, such as a serological test that measures an increase in immunoglobulins M, or a laboratory technique called PCR, which shows the genetic material of the bacteria present in feces and pharyngeal exudate of the parakeet.
Taking blood samples is usually very helpful, an increase in leukocytes can be observed, and in the biochemistry, the liver parameters are usually elevated. Not all Chlamydia infections are equally serious, it depends on the serovar of the bacteria (there are many "races" within what we know as Chlamydia), and many times it remains as a chronic infection in the form of constant respiratory problems, for example.
Treatment
The use of doxycycline, an antibiotic of the tetracycline family, is the most effective treatment known to treat this disease so common in Australian parakeets. It must be administered for about 45 days, and intramuscular injection of the compound can be used for humans, although it produces a lot of tissue damage (necrosis). It is reserved for severe cases that require aggressive initial treatment. However, if there is no other way, you can opt for a doxycycline injection every 7 days, about 7 weeks in a row in the pectoral muscles.
The form of treatment of choice is orally, directly in the beak with doxycycline syrup, although it would be useful to add the powder resulting from crushing doxycycline tablets in the seed mixture, using some oil so that dust adheres to the surface of them.
Prevention
Avoid stress, stuffy and unhygienic environments, overcrowding of birds, and the introduction of new individuals without quarantine or of unknown origin, is essential. Cleanliness is once again the key ally at this point.
Remember that people who work with groups of birds, veterinarians, or people with intimate contact with parakeets (owners of a large group), can be affected by this bacterium, with what is considered a zoonosis.
Internal parasites
Internal parasitosis is not common in our companion parakeets, but it can be observed in birds that live in aviaries with dirt floors and in large communities.
- Microscopic parasites: such as Giardia, or Coccidia can affect our parakeets, giving rise to the typical intermittent or acute diarrhoea, the plumage dirty sewage, weight loss, apathy… An examination of the feces under a microscope allows us to observe the Giardia or the reproductive forms of the C occidia, respectively. Isolation of the sick animal, thorough disinfection, and treatment of the affected bird with toltrazuril (Coccidia), and metronidazole or fenbendazole (Giardia), plus the necessary supportive therapy, can solve the problem if caught early.
- Macroscopic parasites: ascarids may be the most common in budgerigars, but they are not very common in captive birds either. These intestinal nematodes (roundworms) can cause diarrhea and weight loss, as well as dull, dirty-looking plumage. In the microscopic examination of feces it is easy to detect their eggs, and treatment with ivermectin or albendazole or fenbendazole, are usually a very effective option.
Reproductive Problems
Like all birds, laying disorders may appear in females, such as chronic laying, or problems in formation of the eggshell causing breaking of the egg in the abdomen and consequent peritonitis.
Chronic clutch is complicated to manage, one tries to reduce the hours of light, moving the female away from the male (without seeing or hearing him), but the most effective is usually ahormonal implant that inhibits the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis. That is, to stop ovarian activity. It lasts a few months, is variable and requires sedation for placement, but sometimes it is the only remedy for this dangerous alteration.
The consequences of dystocia (impossibility of laying), due to an excessively large egg, or breakage of the egg inside the abdomen due to weakness of the shell, it causes peritonitis, or coelomitis when we talk about birds, which is a full-fledged emergency, and from which few birds manage to recover.
As signs, we can observe distension of the abdomen, anorexia, apathy, lethargy…, all of them very non-specific and that require an examination by our veterinarian to determine their origin and treat them appropriately, although the prognosis in these cases is not very favorable.
