# twisting & tilting of head in pigeon



## naq55 (Jun 19, 2010)

hi,
i have a pigeon who has a recurring middle ear infection.his symptoms include head shaking and head tilting and stargazing towards the right side. also he has loss of balance in the latter stages of the infection. he has been treated two times before this by the vet once in jan 2008 & march 2009. he was given ocytetracycline, tribivet, prednisalone injections then. one of his sisers also had the same problem but she used to fall over and get up frm other side. she died some time later due to egg binding during this problem
Rt now he has been having this problem since 3 days he has no loss of balance this time but he has head shaking and head tilting. he is eating well n his poop is good. ie no loose motions or green motions. but he has a rumbling grunting sound coming from his chest/ stomach.
i took him to a vet today who said he has a respiratory tract infection. gave him some antibiotics. what do u think could cause the head tilting and stargazing. could it be ND. but he has been vaccinated for ND two years back n he has no contact with outide pigeons.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

paramyxovirus?....


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## naq55 (Jun 19, 2010)

hi,
wht are its symptoms. is dioherrea a symptom. but this one dosent have it has a solid poop.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

naq55 said:


> hi,
> wht are its symptoms. is dioherrea a symptom. but this one dosent have it has a solid poop.


The symptoms are what you described, but other diseases have symptoms like that also, my first guess when the star gazing happens is a strain of pmv. the virus may show itself in times of stress, perhaps because of the respitory issue.


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## John_D (Jan 24, 2002)

As spirit wings says, those symptoms _could_ fit PMV - certainly the combination of a couple of the symptoms, more than each individually. 

Pigeon Paramyxovirus (or PMV-1) is the pigeon variant of ND, similar but classified as a different strain of ND.

If he hasn't been exposed to any new intake recently, and he was vaccinated (though that's only good for a year max) I'd agree that it could well be a recurrence of neurological symptoms, and another health problem could trigger it. This does not mean that he has the virus. Once the virus has run its course in the original infection, the bird is free of it (unless, obviously, re-infected from proximity to a pigeon that has it).

That would mean, however, that he would have had PMV in the past. We have pigeons who suffered PMV and recovered well, but at a later date displayed one or two of the original symptoms again. Apparently it's due to the virus leaving permanent brain lesions which may interfere with the nervous system months or even years later. I have one here right now, and she has quite good poops and eats well, but can't fly properly at present and will walk about and then suddenly do the stargazing thing.

Stargazing in itself can occur with other conditions, but if this recurs periodically, it would seem likely to be an effect of the original illness, whatever that may have been.

With PMV, the 'head shaking' is a tremor of the head and eyes - the pupils can sometimes be seen 'jumping about'. 

If the bird is literally shaking his head as if to clear an irritation, however, that could certainly indicate an ear infection or ear mites.

Simply holding the head in a tilted position for long periods is also suggestive of an ear infection, but stargazing is not a common symptom, as far as I'm aware.

Guess it comes down to whether the original diagnosis was correct, or whether there was a viral infection going on that was undiagnosed. Among other symptoms, birds with PMV in the initial infection may often not be able to focus on a food item and thus peck and miss, and may pick up food and uncontrollably toss it away. 

John


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## naq55 (Jun 19, 2010)

hi, 
thanks fr the response.the rumbling and voice coming from the stomach has stopped now. the doctor had prescribed him enrofloxain tablets. his head shaking is not severe just little have to notice it specially if u have to see it just a minor shake. but he has a pemanent head tilt towards the right side. even while pecking food he will peck with the tilt. 
n he stargazes when usually someone appoaches him. n today in the morning when sleeping his head was not in his control, like his tilt was even more increased. but since afternoon he seems better, his head is firm even when he sleeps. like not looking loose but a tilt of arnd 30 degree is still there. ive been giving him a homeo medicine hypericum since morning which a dotor had prescribed last time. n he seems better after taking it. 
how can we knw if its PMV or not. can any tests be done on poop etc.


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## John_D (Jan 24, 2002)

A blood sample would have to be tested, to look for active PMV virus. But then there would be the question of how did the bird get infected.

A sample can also be tested for PMV antibodies, the system's defensive response. I don't know how long the antibodies remain in the system, but their presence could show that (a) the bird has been vaccinated in the past year or so, or (b) the bird had been exposed to the actual virus at some indeterminate time past.

A poop sample could be tested for potentially harmful bacteria, but not virus.

John


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## jenfer (Jan 7, 2008)

John_D said:


> A sample can also be tested for PMV antibodies, the system's defensive response. I don't know how long the antibodies remain in the system, but their presence could show that (a) the bird has been vaccinated in the past year or so, or (b) the bird had been exposed to the actual virus at some indeterminate time past.


One of my vets told me that to diagnose PMV, you'd need to do a paired titer: an initial one to check the antibody level and another one some period later to see if the antibody level has increased, which would indicate active infection rather than prior exposure.

Jennifer


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## John_D (Jan 24, 2002)

jenfer said:


> One of my vets told me that to diagnose PMV, you'd need to do a paired titer: an initial one to check the antibody level and another one some period later to see if the antibody level has increased, which would indicate active infection rather than prior exposure.
> 
> Jennifer


Interesting stuff. Sounds logical to me and to be committed to the memory banks..

Thanks Jennifer

John


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## naq55 (Jun 19, 2010)

thanks fr tht


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## pdpbison (Mar 15, 2005)

I just realized there are multiple Posters seeking advice on different Birds in the same Thread.


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## pdpbison (Mar 15, 2005)

naq55 said:


> hi,
> thanks fr the response.the rumbling and voice coming from the stomach has stopped now. the doctor had prescribed him enrofloxain tablets. his head shaking is not severe just little have to notice it specially if u have to see it just a minor shake. but he has a pemanent head tilt towards the right side. even while pecking food he will peck with the tilt.
> n he stargazes when usually someone appoaches him. n today in the morning when sleeping his head was not in his control, like his tilt was even more increased. but since afternoon he seems better, his head is firm even when he sleeps. like not looking loose but a tilt of arnd 30 degree is still there. ive been giving him a homeo medicine hypericum since morning which a dotor had prescribed last time. n he seems better after taking it.
> how can we knw if its PMV or not. can any tests be done on poop etc.




Is he able to eat and drink well enough to be well fed and well watered?


Please do not let him try and fly for now...if need be, provide a Cage or other somfortable enclosure.


If he has an infection in his Ear, a drop of regular Peroxide might ammend it...the drop being put into his Ear itself.


PPMV wise, it is difficult to obtain a positive clinical diagnosis since it is a Virus, and, the illness is usually deduced on the basis of observable gross symptoms rather than by clinical tests.


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## John_D (Jan 24, 2002)

pdpbison said:


> I just realized there are multiple Posters seeking advice on different Birds in the same Thread.


Yep ... the one about the woodpigeon now a new thread to avoid any further confusion

http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/showthread.php?t=46408


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## Bones1970 (May 30, 2017)

Hi I have a pigeon who is tilting his head right back but he has had the pmv vaccine already could anyone help me on what I give him


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Pictures of the bird? If you don't know what is wrong, then hard to treat.
This is also an old thread. You should start a new one.


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## Jass SamOplay (May 29, 2012)

Bones1970 said:


> Hi I have a pigeon who is tilting his head right back but he has had the pmv vaccine already could anyone help me on what I give him


How many birds do you have? Separate the bird most immediately... keep it warm. Are other birds showing any symptoms??? Observe closely...
John_D, Hi... could you pls part this to a new thread..??..thanks


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