# Poo Analysis



## ZigZagMarquis (Aug 31, 2004)

Anyone out there in the Pigeon-Verse know where to get poo analysis done besides mailing some poo to Foy's????


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## Lin Hansen (Jan 9, 2004)

Hi Zig,

I don't actually own any pigeons, so never have had to do this, but I'm thinking probably a veterinarian....which would probably be more expensive than Foy's, I would think.

Since I can't give you a definite answer, I probably should have kept my mouth shut, but I couldn't resist giving you the link to Pidgey's excellent thread that tells you how you can do a fecal float _yourself!_ This would be way beyond my capabilities, but I thought you might like reading it:

http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/showthread.php?t=10561

Anyway, hopefully, someone will be along soon who can give you a better answer.....

Linda


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## Pidgey (May 20, 2005)

Well, when you say "poo analysis", do you mean for every doggone thing or just coccidia and worm eggs? You see, there's actually a few different tests that can be done. One is the fecal float which will float out coccidial oocysts, roundworm eggs and threadworm eggs. There are some other eggs that may float out as well but I haven't seen them in pigeons--it could be a locality issue. Anyhow, if it looks like a worm egg then you worm them. For coccidial oocysts, there are often a few and it's only when there's just too many that you medicate the bird.

Other tests are the "wet-mount", the "fecal smear" and various "stained smears". These tests look for anything from bad bacterial overloads to blood cells to flagellating protozoa like hexamita or trichomonads. If you've got a loftful of somewhat healthy pigeons and you just want to know if there's anything buzzing under the radar, you can take some fresh samples to a vet and get basic floats done. If, on the other hand, you've got birds that have something really suspicious like diarrhea and their behavior is off then you might find something simple with a float but may need more definitive tests.

Which begs the question, "what's behind your question?"

Pidgey


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## ZigZagMarquis (Aug 31, 2004)

Most poos normal, but some "loose & stinky"... of the suspect ones, some almost clear / water like, some brown / tan / loose, some green... I've got several hens on wooden eggs, but don't think its just nesting hen's toxic poop.  Was going to try another round of 4 in 1 or 5 in 1, but thought I'd get an analysis done first, if able.


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## Maggie-NC (Jun 22, 2005)

We pick out about 5 pigeons from the aviary, bring them into the house or garage, put them in cages with paper towels on the bottom and leave them there for about an hour or two until they have pooped. We then tear off the pooped on part of the paper towel, stick that in a plastic baggie and take to the vet very soon after we've collected the samples. If those sample poops show worms or coccidiosis, we treat them all.


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## Pidgey (May 20, 2005)

ZigZagMarquis said:


> Most poos normal, but some "loose & stinky"... of the suspect ones, some almost clear / water like, some brown / tan / loose, some green... I've got several hens on wooden eggs, but don't think its just nesting hen's toxic poop.  Was going to try another round of 4 in 1 or 5 in 1, but thought I'd get an analysis done first, if able.


Frankly, you can do a lot of damage by overmedicating. If the 4-in-1 is a Furaltadone-based deal, it really should be used more as a last-ditch effort in a major outbreak than the way it's probably typically used.

The fact is that when you've got a loftful of birds, you're going to have somebody mildly sick a lot of the time. The younger birds are the most susceptible as their immune systems are still in training. 

I suppose something should be made plain here, though: racers manage their flock's health differently than rehabbers do. In a racer's loft, it's usually axiomatic that you try to keep the circulating pathogens suppressed as far as possible so that the birds can give 110% on the flights home. This is usually done with copious amounts of medications. That's anathema to a rehabber so the two philosophies don't generally mix well.

Therefore (and not to be judgmental here), what kind of birds do you keep and what do you do with them?

Pidgey


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## ZigZagMarquis (Aug 31, 2004)

They're homers, but I don't race them. 21 birds total... 9 of which get to go fly (hatched in my loft), the others are prisoners, born somewhere else.


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## Pidgey (May 20, 2005)

So, other than the interesting variety of poo presentations, you don't see any other symptoms worthy of note?

Pidgey


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## ZigZagMarquis (Aug 31, 2004)

No, not really. They're active, eat, sleep, court, mate, pretty much just bein' pigeons.


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## TerriB (Nov 16, 2003)

This is an interesting thread for those of us with JPPs (Just Pet Pigeons). One of the most difficult things is knowing when something is out of the ordinary enough to require treatment.

Maggie, thanks for the great tip on collecting poop samples!


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## Pigeonpal2002 (Jul 27, 2002)

Hi Zig, 

Are you pigeons moulting? This sometimes causes irregular poops due to the stress. Mine have started to go into moult now and are dropping a few flights and lots of downy feathers. Extra vitamins, probiotics, brewers yeast and garlic would be beneficial at this time. Not only because of moulting, but also because the birds are nesting.

Do you have a vet? If not, you really should try to find one in your area to take samples to if needed. The tests for fecal analysis' aren't too expensive but it depends on all that they are looking for.


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## ZigZagMarquis (Aug 31, 2004)

I suppose I could call up a local Vet and see if they'll do a poo analysis, but I'm not sure if any of them are experienced with pigeons. I suppose I could also send a batch off to Foy's... its not like there's a shortage of poo when it comes to pigeons...


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## mountainstorm (May 3, 2006)

Is it possible to see chlamydia bacterium in the poop? I wonder this because about 1 1/2 weeks after picking up Cielo, I got horribly sick, with what I thought was a strange flu. Started with a sore throat, went to a high fever, severe cough, weak, exhausted, but no runny nose (which is very normal for me). The doctor prescribed doxycycline, after saying I had bronchitis, but a couple weeks after that I bought a pigeon book at Barnes & Noble for $8, and in the section on illness, it talked about seeing a doctor after having flulike symptoms after handling a pigeon. I know the doxycycline kills the chlamydia.

Rach


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## Pidgey (May 20, 2005)

mountainstorm said:


> *Is it possible to see chlamydia bacterium in the poop?* I wonder this because about 1 1/2 weeks after picking up Cielo, I got horribly sick, with what I thought was a strange flu. Started with a sore throat, went to a high fever, severe cough, weak, exhausted, but no runny nose (which is very normal for me). The doctor prescribed doxycycline, after saying I had bronchitis, but a couple weeks after that I bought a pigeon book at Barnes & Noble for $8, and in the section on illness, it talked about seeing a doctor after having flulike symptoms after handling a pigeon. I know the doxycycline kills the chlamydia.
> 
> Rach


No, not really. Chlamydiophila are exceptionally small because they're _intracellular parasites_. This means that they actually get inside the body's cells and commandeer the functions in an effort to survive and reproduce. They don't grow in any culture except in certain viable blood cells as I recall. The only way to find evidence of them with a microscope is to actually get an imprint smear of affected tissues (like pressing the slide to conjunctival tissues when they're inflamed due to these guys) and then fix and stain the slide with very specific stains. What you actually see are small differently-colored inclusions *inside* the body cells that stuck to the slide.

If you did actually get that from him, you'd be a very rare case. The CDC recorded only 935 cases in the 15 year period from 1988 to 2003. Naturally, there would have been more actual cases but we'll never know how many. You can tell your doctor that you want checked according to the methods specified in this link:

http://www.avma.org/pubhlth/psittacosis.asp

Your doctor may have the tests run or say something to the effect that it's so highly unlikely that that's what you had that it's not worth checking. Besides, you still have the bird and haven't exhibited any more symptoms. Is there anyone else in the house who remains unaffected?

Pidgey


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## mountainstorm (May 3, 2006)

No, I haven't gotten sick again. My mom and sister didn't have any contact with the bird, so they didn't get sick (as it said, in your link and other places) it's not contagious from person to person. Anyway, the important thing is I'm not sick anymore (and I hope I'm never that sick again!), so I'm not sure it would be worth testing for (besides which I have no insurance). Although Cielo isn't sick, he does sneeze a couple times a day, and they sound a lot like the myco sneezes that pet rats get.

Rach


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

*Just a reminder*

Good hygiene is important when handling any kind of bird or animal. Just a reminder for everyone to wash your hands thoroughly before and after handling your birds, especially when going from rehab to healthy birds.

I have to remind myself as I'm always carrying one or another bird, even though I love them to pieces and cuddle them like they are babies, they are still BIRDS.


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