# Pigeon Pox



## jak2002003 (Jan 10, 2012)

I rescued 2 pigeon chicks and they have been doing really well after some initial problems with slow crop and air in the crop.

They are now over 3 week old and just starting to feed themselves and are nearly ready to fly.

But yesterday I noticed one had a few spots. Examining them, I can see they are covered in the pigeon pox around their vents, and on the lower body. 

I am devastated as I have grown so fond of them and have put in so much hard work.

Will they die from this disease, or is there a chance they can recover? I can't believe they have caught this disease right at the stage when they are nearly fledged. I want to cry!!!!!


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## Bella_F (Nov 29, 2008)

If its pox, yes, they usually recover really well from pox, don't panic And the immunity they get during recovery will last for life, so they won't go through this again.

I had lots of babies in my care with it this year and all of them made it, except for a couple that I took in from the wild when the pox was very advanced and the bird was extremely sick. The pigeons that got pox whilst in captivity all made a full recovery and got over it quickly compared to the wild ones. The wild pigeons that got it and were fed by me daily during the virus all recovered too, but took longer to heal and the pox lesions were worse. Most of the ones I took in from the wild were just beginning to show signs of pox on the feet and face, and they all recovered...it took 2-3 months for the lesions to disappear in the wild ones...2-3 weeks for the ones in captivity. 

I didn't do anything special when they were getting over pox except keep things clean, feed them, leave the pox lesions alone, and minimise stress . I had heating for them too. The really bad cases got treated for canker, but it didn't help.

The only other thing I wanted to add is I've never seen pox in the places you described around the vent and lower body...pigeons around here get it on the toes and around the eyes and face. Pox can look a lot like canker, and they can occur at the same time. Also, internal pox is a different story- hopefully they don't have that form of the virus...you just have to wait and see if they stabilise and eventually improve.


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

*Natural treatment for pox*

*Can you post a picture of the lesions?

If this is pox, check this link for treatment, scroll down to pox treatment:

*http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/f107/natural-healing-10568.html?highlight=natural+healing


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Yes, a picture would help to make sure that it is actually pox.


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## jak2002003 (Jan 10, 2012)

thanks guys. I am sure its pox. Yellow hard nodules on the skin. They have only a few on the face and beak. Most are around the bottom area. The nodules are hard and yellow and just look like human pimples (apart for the colour). 

I don't have a camera at the moment as I lent it to a friend to take pics of her new baby. I will see if I can get it back tomorrow and get some pics.

I live in Northern Thailand and I think they got the disease form the mosquitoes (there are so many at this time of year - I am covered in bites!).

The chicks seem well in themselves. Very eager to eat, energetic and flapping wings a lot. The nodules don't seem to hurt them. I looked in the mouth / beak , and there are no signs of lesions in there at the moment.

Thanks everyone for the quick advise. I am just worries that now the disease will spread to my other pet birds. I have various dove species and also Japanese bantams, quail and finches. How is it spread. I am keeping everything really clean and not letting any equipment I use of the pigeon chicks near my other birds stuff.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

They need to be separated from the other birds.
Avian pox can also be transmitted by direct contact between infected and susceptible birds. The virus is transmitted through abraded or broken skin or the conjunctiva (mucous membrane covering the anterior surface of the eyeball). Indirect transmission of the pox virus can also occur via ingestion when food and water sources, feeders, perches, cages, or clothing are contaminated with virus-containing scabs shed from the lesions of an infected bird. The pox virus is highly resistant to drying and may survive months to years in the dried scabs. Indirect transmission can also occur via inhalation of pox virus infected dander, feather debris and air-borne particles.

http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,1607,7-153-10370_12150_12220-26362--,00.html


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## Bella_F (Nov 29, 2008)

jak2002003 said:


> I have various dove species and also Japanese bantams, quail and finches. How is it spread. I am keeping everything really clean and not letting any equipment I use of the pigeon chicks near my other birds stuff.


The research I did personally during the year while I was dealing with a pox outbreak revealed that Pox is spread via feather dander, sharing waterers/feeders, exchanging saliva, the pox pimples themselves (which are heavily infested with the virus), & blood transfer via mosquitoes (not sure about pigeon flies). I've had birds that were isolated indoors away from insects like mosquitoes , and they still spread the virus to other pigeons indoors, so I think its best to just isolate birds with pox. Its very contagious.

The pox lesions are especially infectious, you have to be careful about spreading the virus via handling the lesions and accidently touching another part of the bird or something they might come in contact with.

I would keep the infected pigeons away form other species of birds too. Not all species of birds can fend off pox like Pigeons do -some can't fend it off very well at all and mortality is very high.


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

I used to think that once a pigeon had pox, the bird would be immune for life. Actually, they will only be immune for the particular strain they are infected with. They will still be vulnerable to the other strains.


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## jak2002003 (Jan 10, 2012)

thank you for all the replies. 

The chicks still seem healthy in themselves and are eager to eat and are exorcising their wings a lot. 

I have moved them to a different location away from all my other birds and don't swap the food or water containers about.

I gave them cod liver oil in the morning feed as someone told me its good to heal the skin. I also am giving them an extra small feed to keep up their strength. 

Its strange the yellow spots don't seem to bother them. The won't peck at them or show any sign of pain if I touch one. Glad up humans can't catch this thing!

Today they don't seem to have any more spots so I am hoping they will not spread even more. Most of the spots are on the legs and vent area, with only 3 on one chicks face and 1 on the other chicks upper beak. 

I am also keeping them warm and making everything super clean.

Phew... I am tired!


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Thanks for the update. I hope the poor things don't get any worse. Just keep an eye to make sure they are eating and drinking enough on their own.


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## Joe Black (Nov 21, 2012)

Hi, your post is very interesting as two of my Baby pigeons are having the same symptoms that you described... If you don’t mind updating your post and informing of how your sick pigeons turned out.
I need as much information as possible to help these sick birds...
Thanks
Joe





jak2002003 said:


> thank you for all the replies.
> 
> The chicks still seem healthy in themselves and are eager to eat and are exorcising their wings a lot.
> 
> ...


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Got pox in your birds Joe?


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## jak2002003 (Jan 10, 2012)

Hi... sorry to hear your birds have the pox!

Both mine recovered fully and grew up into healthy adults.. and I was also able to release them into a small feral flock nearby where they are fed every day by the Buddhist monks.

One used to come back to see me every day... but the visits got less and less.. and one day she turned up with a mate as if to show off to me about her new boyfriend! After that the visits stopped. I am sure they are doing fine now in the 'wild'/

When they had the pox they were less active and I think they felt sick. They fed less.. and lost a bit of condition.. so I added chicken chick started to my food paste to boost their calories.. which seemed to work.

One bird was worse than the other.. and he got the pox all around his bottom and legs as well as the face and beak.. .he even had a few on his wings. The ones on his bottom blocked him from being able to poop properly.. I would have to bath his rear end several times a day.. and I even had to cut away some feathers and one big pox spot.. which was drying up anyway.. so did not bleed too much. After that he felt better.

The pox seem to take ages to dry up and fall off. But they will in the end. It made the more affected one have feeding problems as some were in his beak and made it swollen. But with care I could get enough food into him.

I was sure they would die as they looked so bad. But pigeons are really touch things and I am happy to report the full recovery of both of them.

Good luck with yours... keep them clean and dry... and if some pox look infected you can clean them up and swap with iodine.


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