Lovebirds have become one of the most frequently found birds in our homes. Their color, their beauty, and that nickname of "inseparable" that we like so much, makes them as appreciated as the canaries used to be.
But the arrival of any bird, exotic or not, puts us in front of new situations that sometimes we are not used to facing. our site will try to help distinguish pathological situations from those that are not, and to manage ourselves in the event that our agapornis has diarrhea, in the following article we will explain the possible causes that cause it
It's not always diarrhea, even if it seems like it
We may notice that there are more liquid stools than usual in our lovebirds on the floor of the cage and identify it as diarrhea, although it is not.
The cloacal evacuations in birds are composed of a greenish part (they can vary in color if they take feed, they are real faeces), a white part (urates, mineral s alts), and a liquid part (urine). Everything comes out through the cloaca, the place where the urinary, digestive and reproductive systems converge.
There are many common situations that can liquefy stools, giving them an appearance similar to that of diarrheal stools, but that are sometimes due to a cause as simple as increased water intake in the diet. So, before stating that our lovebird has diarrhoea, we must reflect on possible changes in his life:
- Stress: can be caused by a change of location within the home or, for example, separation from a partner (death or arrival of a new individual). The most acute stress may be detected at the visit to the veterinarian. They will ask us not to remove the newspapers from the cage, or the base that we have in place to compare the faeces prior to the consultation with those that are emitted in it, because there they will surely always be practically liquid, abnormal, without there being any digestive pathology..
- More fluid intake in the diet: for example, more fruit or more leafy foods (especially lettuce).
If our lovebird has general symptoms of illness (apathy, anorexia…) in addition to apparently diarrheal feces, or we find traces of feces around the cloaca, staining the feathers, surely it has genuine diarrhea, and it will be time to look for the causes, bearing in mind that even mild diarrhea can quickly dehydrate such a small animal, and our lovebird will surely need to be hospitalized for treatment support (maintain fluid and heat supply) until the process is controlled.
Diarrhea of parasitic origin
There are many parasites that can affect our lovebirds, but basically three that can cause diarrhea:
- Giardias: They are flagellated unicellular parasites (they move by means of a flagellum), typical in communities, and that can cause diarrhea without major alteration of the general state of our agarpornis. Our veterinarian will diagnose it by direct observation of fresh feces under a microscope, and will prescribe albendazole or fenbendazole (although some opt for an antibiotic with action against giardia, metronidazole) for several days. It is necessary to monitor the rest of the lovebirds if they live with more, as it is quite contagious, and they will require us to thoroughly clean the cage and carefully dry all surfaces, since giardia thrive in humid areas.
- Coccidia: other unicellular parasites, and very contagious, although more typical of other birds such as canaries or goldfinches. It causes almost always hemorrhagic diarrhea, accompanied by general signs of illness (anorexia, despondency, ruffled and unsightly plumage, weight loss…). Coccidiosis is spread through contact with the faeces of sick animals, so again separating the birds if there is more than one, and thorough disinfection, are essential. The diagnosis is also made by direct observation under the microscope, and our veterinarian can prescribe different drugs: sulfadimethoxine, sulfaquinoxaline, metronidazole… Although if nothing works, it may be necessary to use diclaruzil or toltrazuril. The treatment will last several days and can be administered in drinking water, although the safest thing is directly at the peak. Supportive therapy is obviously necessary in these cases again.
- Nematodes (worms): the so-called "metazoans" are not very common in pet birds (they are in free-living birds), but depending on their origin, they can affect our lovebirds. If the infestation is very marked, they can cause diarrhoea, almost always accompanied by non-specific signs such as weight loss, dull plumage, blood in feces… They respond well to treatment with albendazole or fenbendazole for several days, having the advantage of acting for several days and manage to eliminate them little by little, so they will not obstruct intestinal transit. They are diagnosed by locating their eggs in feces through microscope observation, and our veterinarian may ask us for feces of several days.
Diarrheas of viral origin
Sometimes our lovebirds suffer from a process beyond diarrhoea, but the first thing we notice or notice about this disease is precisely the appearance of diarrhoea. There are multiple viral infections that can affect our lovebirds, many of them with an acute course and leading to death in a short time without much being done.
Regardless of the virus that causes diarrhea, we must know that when they are responsible for it, the life of our lovebird is compromisedfor injuries that go beyond enteric.
Those involved are usually reovirus, adenovirus, polyomavirus… all of them usually cause hemorrhagic diarrhea due to acute enteritis, encompassed within a process that can cause sudden deaths, and that produce depression and anorexia. The diagnosis is made through specific laboratory tests (PCR in feces, for example), and sometimes many lives are lost until it is reached.
The treatment of all viruses is symptomatic, which means that we limit ourselves to providing fluids and nutrients, maintaining the heat, and antibiotic therapy to prevent secondary bacterial growth (antibiotics do not kill viruses, but stop bacteria from joining).
The cleaning, disinfection and isolation of birds that we observe sick, are once again essential to control these outbreaks. Like almost all causes of diarrhoea, it is much more common to observe them in communities, for obvious reasons.
Diarrheas of bacterial origin
Bacteria can also be responsible for diarrhea in our lovebirds. Among them, the most frequently involved will be:
- Clhamydia psittaci
- Escherichia coli
- Clostridium
- Slamonella
The chlamydosis is perhaps the most notable, due to its zoonosis status (it can affect immunocompromised man) and because in addition to a of depression, anorexia, and diarrhea in the bird, can cause less general signs, more localized in the respiratory system: conjunctivitis, sinusitis, pneumonia…
Diagnosis can be made by taking samples from the cloaca with a swab, and looking for the causative agent (Clhamydia psittaci) using techniques such as ELISA or PCR, but it takes too long, so sometimes search for antibodies against this bacteria. There are fast kitts available, but the fact that there are antibodies only shows that they have ever come into contact with this bacterium and may have repelled it, so be open to other possibilities.
Treatment is based on antibiotics, the choice being doxycycline. Adequate nutrition, support therapy, and care of sanitary hygienic measures, is again essential.
Diarrhea of fungal origin
Yeasts are the fungi most implicated in diarrhea in birds. Among them, two are especially important:
- Avian gastric yeast: a large yeast, which, like practically all of them, is found naturally in the digestive tract of our lovebirds and other birds. In situations of stress, immunosuppression, general illness, prolonged treatment with antibiotics… etc, they can grow disproportionately, causing diarrhoea. They are identified by staining the samples obtained, and their treatment is based on antifungals (itraconazole, fluconazole or nystatin). But we must correct the underlying cause that is causing the unbridled proliferation of these yeasts.
- Candida: again naturally present in the digestive tract and oral mucosa. Its treatment and control are very similar to that of avian gastric yeast.
Other causes of diarrhea in lovebirds
Less frequently, diarrhea can be caused by other reasons, in addition to those mentioned, which we will mention briefly:
- Cloacoliths: they are accumulations of urates that form a small stone in the cloaca. They can lead to poorly formed stools, an episode of diarrhea, and then the opposite.
- Dystocias: retention of the egg in the cloaca, with no possibility of coming out (too big, for example). Causes the same effect as a cloacolith.
- Foreign body in intestine: if our lovebird has swallowed a toy, or some foreign body, we can notice a slight diarrhea, before of the total absence of feces due to obstruction of the intestinal lumen.
