# Bird allergy??



## Rooster2312 (Mar 8, 2006)

Not sure where to begin on this, or if I should post this, but I think I am going to have to make some new arrangements regarding the housing of my birds.

I have kept birds for the past 15 years, and worryingly, I have felt unwell for the past few months, and am currently being investigated for 'bird fancier's lung' or more correctly, extrinsic allergic alveolitis/hypersensitive pneumonitis, whatever you want to call it.

I've had morning cough for a few years, but didn't see the need to get this checked out. I am a non-smoker so I guess this may be a little unusual. Around the beginning of November, I started to feel unwell with symptoms relating to airway irritation, intermittant excacerbation of symptoms and feeling generally unwell. The doc took my history of exposure to birds seriously and refered me to the respiratory clinic and asthma clinic. Asthma was subsequently ruled out and I took the lung function tests, chest x-ray etc. at the end of January. X-ray was normal and spirometry was not too bad apart from a couple of abnormal values in relation to oxygen transfer.

I was told that a chest high resolution CT scan could be preformed, but we would not go down this route yet until blood biochemistry results proved otherwise. I think I was tested for 'avian precipitants' antibodies to avian proteins. I was told that if this came back positive/high count then I would have to have the CT scan. A couple of weeks later, I had heard nothing so assumed it must have been a viral thing. That same day, I received an appointment for the CT scan which I had today. 

The waiting game begins...7-10 days for results but I may just wait till my next appt. at the resp. clinic at the end of the month. I am very symptomatic at present having just cleaned the birds out. I was told that if this is allergy then I will have to get rid of my birds.

I think the problem lies with the close proximity indoors I have shared over the years with between 2-5 birds. I used to live in a bedsit with them, and now I have 2 parakeets and 2 pigeons in my bedroom to keep them safe from the cats. I am very scrupulous regarding cleaning, but it is the feathers and dust that I particularly worry about. For weeks now, since I changed bedrooms with my housemate sister, both the pigeons have been sleeping on my bed. Jax keeps laying eggs there, breaking them, laying another on my bedside table, and about to lay more  The situation is comical, but serious also as I have to try and make arrangements so that I can keep my birds. I may have to re-home the parakeets, but I am keeping Jax & Paddy. Paddy is much more settled in the new room and is interacting much more. He is still very shy, but the fact that he is sleeping on my bed shows he is much more comfortable around me.

My only other option is to buy a shed with windows and attach a large flight cage to it and move the pigeons outdoors. We live in rented accom. so there may be a problem with consent to do this. On the other hand, my landlady would freak if she knew there were 2 pigeons in the house.

Sorry for the length of the post and yes, it's a bit 'heavy' but all this has been on my mind for a while now and am worried about losing my birds.

Lindi


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

Lindi,

I'm so sorry you are having these health problems. I'm sure Cynthia will see this post and be able to offer her input and advice. Cynthia has dealt with a similar problem.

Terry


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

I may help if you get a portable air cleaner although it would probably be better if you didn't sleep in the same room with the birds. I had some similar issues and have improved since I moved my house pigeons into my hospital room. The air cleaner has also helped. I got the kind that has the filters that can be cleaned and reused. The filters for the other kind are terribly expensive.


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## TerriB (Nov 16, 2003)

Sorry you are having some health problems. It must be difficult to wait that long for results! Sounds like you are already thinking of some alternatives. I use a hepa filter in the room when I have birds indoors and that really helps. If you can make your bedroom a bird-free area, that will give your respiratory system some time to recover between exposures. For my asthma, outside birds was the best long-term solution. I also wear a good dustmask and my "bird coat" when I'm with the birds. Good luck and let us know the test results!


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## eric98223 (Aug 4, 2007)

i have 3 inside birds and now almost 80 out in the loft. cannot stress enough the use of respirators when cleaning and such. allready had lung surgury once (non related to birds) and it was the single most painful experience ever. i wish you well with your testing. and hope you are able to keep your birds. you should be able to put a small outside loft up fairly inexpensively. the one on the au website comes to mind.

http://www.redroselofts.com/starter_loft.htm

then at least if you moved, you could move your loft on a small trailer.

hope it helps.. 

E..


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

Hi Lindi,

I'm sorry you are having issues with the birds, my doctors told me "get rid" of the birds, because of my diagnosis. 

It would be best if you can get the birds in their own coop and then wear a respirator type mask with filter when you tend to them. If you do have to keep them inside for observation/rehab then you should definitely get an air purifier with hepa filter.

I also use nutrition for added support for my lungs.


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## Pidgey (May 20, 2005)

The HEPA that Terri and Treesa mentioned means "High Efficiency Particulate Air" and is a rating that a specific filter has to achieve in commercial testing before it can display that word. That's the kind you have to use. I use one for going out to the loft and almost never go out there without it. I do have Unie, Pattie Cakers and other bird in the house right now. Unie's in with us for her whole life and we keep her in the kitchen. I use a very powerful filter in the vacuum (it's a Kirby).

Terri and Treesa, you might give links to the products you're using. This is the one I use to go out to the loft:

http://www.alerg.com/page/A/PROD/11MSK/MSK1000

Pidgey


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

Hi Lindi,

I went down this path the December before last, when I was an emergency admission at the hospital with atypical pneumonia. Like you I had shared my bedroom with pigeons for years.

I was told to get rid of my birds, I had 80 at the time, but eventually we reached a compromise which was that I would keep them outside.

However, the results of the CAT scan led to the diagnosis of Cryptogenic Organising Pneumonitis, pigeons aren't believed to trigger that. As it seemed strange that having all the conditions that would lead to "pigeon lung disease" I would develop another and extremely rare form of pneumonitis (7 patients in 100,000) I persuaded my doctor to take 10 ml of my blood, which I sent to the Pigeon Fanciers Medical Research team, and they confirmed that I had high sensitivity to pigeon protein, that my sensitivity level was high (100 they said at that level they stopped counting) and that I should routinely wear a mask , cap and coat and reduce contact with pigeons.

Needless to say, once I felt better I stopped taking as much care as I should and have two patients in the front bedroom at the moment.

I regularly consider using a filter in the house but haven't yet got round to it. The antigens that cause Extrinsic allergic alveolitis can be as small as 0.5 microns, so that has to be taken into account when choosing a filter.

When I go inside the aviary I use a Power Cap and if I am in a hurry a 3M particulate respirator.

When I was doing research on this condition I found that people with just a budgie indoors can develop sensitivity , so it is not the number of birds that triggered the condition, just a sad combination of exposure and a genetic predisposition!

This is the best site for information and advice, they have been researching the condition, specifically from the pigeon angle, for 25 years. http://www.pigeon-lung.co.uk/

There are other members that have developed a sensitivity to pigeon protein and try to balance their love of birds with the effect of the birds on their lungs.

This is the original thread http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/showthread.php?t=18457&referrerid=560, I noticed that even then you were worrying about your lungs. We bird lovers must have an amazing ability to bury our heads in the sand when it comes to our health versus our birds!

Cynthia


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## TerriB (Nov 16, 2003)

Pidgey said:


> ...Terri and Treesa, you might give links to the products you're using.
> Pidgey


This is the filter I use in the indoor pigeon room (when it is occupied):
Honeywell/Enviracaire Portable True HEPA Air Purifier Model 17000. Seems to be a popular model, as I found it at the local hardware store and a local department store. This is a room air filter. The dust mask/respirator I use is AirTek 973 (which has non-latex straps). I ordered it online, but haven't been able to find the URL again, but it's made by Gloves, Inc, 50 Suffolk Rd, Mansfield, MA 02048, USA, 508-339-2590.



cyro51 said:


> ...and that I should routinely wear a mask , cap and coat and reduce contact with pigeons.
> ...Cynthia


I forgot to mention that I also wear a cap when I'm around the pigeons. I found a neat source - www.surgicalcaps.com. Lots of neat patterns and they're machine washable.


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## mr squeaks (Apr 14, 2005)

Just a comment...

For those who have problems mentioned above in previous posts, just wondering if you have filters for your A/C and Heat. And, do you change them at least once a month? 

ALSO, many people pay no attention to their AIR DUCTS. Wouldn't hurt to have a professional come out and CLEAN/CHECK THEM OUT!

I had mine done in my _apartment (660 sq. ft.!)_ and was told I had the worst mold he had ever seen! He wondered why I wasn't in the hospital! I said that I had no idea since I felt just fine!

Won't hurt to check! 

Love and Hugs

Shi & Squeaks


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## Rooster2312 (Mar 8, 2006)

Thanks everyone for your comments and very helpful advice! You've provided me with a lot of valuable info for me to read and digest re choosing the most efficient air filters and personal protective equipment. Thanks so much  

Thank you Cynthia for reminding me of your own personal experiences regarding respiratory problems and for including the original thead link to your story. I shall take the time to re-visit your thread and read the advice provided there too, and visit the link for the pigeon-lung site. Like you, I have been doing some research on EAA/HP and yes, I was shocked when I read about the effects of keeping just a single budgie. I've kept budgies, cockatiels and pigeons, all of which fall into the causative allergen category. Interestingly, Shi also mentioned mold as a causative agent. We don't have that problem in this house, but the bedsit I was in for 14 years had mold in the clothes cupboard and lobby cupboard during the winter months as the house is ground-floor, single-glazed and within a common close. It looks much better empty and freshly decorated and went on the sale market last week. I have a viewer tommorow so fingers crossed for a quick sale. I'll need it in order to purchase an outdoors aviary, air filters etc.!!

Regardless of the results of the CT, the pigeons are definitely going to have to be housed outside if I can get permission from my landlady. She knows that I have pet birds but doesn't know about the pigeons which may be difficult for me to explain, especially now that I want to erect a big aviary down the side of her house  I've been looking online for suitable accomadation for them and I think I have found the aviary that would be most suitable for them. I know that Paddy would most likely be quite happy living outdoors as he came from a loft environment before I took him in. Jax on the other hand will find it difficult as she has always been an indoor pet since she was rescued as a squeaker and she is extremely close to me. It will be hard for me to put them out, but at least I can keep them and that's most important to me. 

Thanks again everyone for the advice, links etc. I have a lot of reading to do! I will keep you informed.

Lindi


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## Pidgey (May 20, 2005)

mr squeaks said:


> I had mine done in my _apartment (660 sq. ft.!)_ and was *told I had the worst mold he had ever seen!* He wondered why I wasn't in the hospital! I said that I had no idea since I felt just fine!
> 
> Won't hurt to check!
> 
> ...


You're freely admitting that you're moldy!?!

Pidgey


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## mr squeaks (Apr 14, 2005)

Pidgey said:


> You're freely admitting that you're moldy!?!
> 
> Pidgey


I MIGHT have known that you would pick up on that, Mr. Pidge!

DOES sound like I'm moldy, doesn't it...of course, we already _know_ what Pidgey thinks...but for the rest, I count as friends...I _meant_ that my air vents (ducts) had the worst mold....

Of course, I'm SURE EVERYONE ELSE knew what I was talking about!

Thanks for the laugh!  

Shi


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

Pidgey said:


> Terri and Treesa, you might give links to the products you're using. This is the one I use to go out to the loft:
> 
> http://www.alerg.com/page/A/PROD/11MSK/MSK1000
> 
> Pidgey


Sorry I am late on this, but my computer wouldn't start yesterday so I had to take it over to the computer repair shop and luckily they fixed it on the spot.

My mask is an older AOSafety mask that uses P100 filters. I'm probably going to upgrade it to one that looks more like yours, Pidgey.


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