# Pigeon Breeders Lung



## WhiteWingsCa (Mar 1, 2002)

This was being discussed in another thread, and I feel is important enough to warrant it's own area.

I have "Pigeon Lung", as it's often referred to. I was very very sick for about 2 years before it was finally properly diagnosed. (long story) 

Pigeon lung is a hyper-reactive, allergic like reaction to the "bloom" from the pigeons (similar to cat dander). It is also known as *Extrinsic Allergic Alveolitis *, among other things.

Here is a fairly good article about it -- the symptoms, treatment, etc. It is not caused by JUST pigeons, as you will see. 

Most people with pigeons do NOT develop pigeon lung. I think that most articles quote about 5% of pigeon keepers will develop it -- usually within less than 5-7 years of starting with the birds. 
http://health.allrefer.com/health/hypersensitivity-pneumonitis-info.html


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

Thank you for the information.

My pigeon lung was properly diagnosed, and treated, the treatment being stay away from enclosed areas with pigeons. 

The doctor said mine was definitely caused by pigeons (protein), the scarring on my lungs, the cough, etc. No drugs, nothing prescribed, except "get another hobby", I was told.

Well, I won't get rid of my birds, and I haven't had to. My husband is in charge of cleaning and maintaining the coop. I take care of the birds. I'm doing well, and have had no further complications. 

I have used alot of good preventive maintenance, eat well, and load up on the nutrients good for lungs and the immune system.

We are all different and react different to things in our environement. There are other factors involved, that make my problem different from others, and I am not going into that...

Treesa


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## Pigeonworldwide (Dec 10, 2003)

Can't you get those special pigeon masks over there for people who have problems with the pigeon lung problem. We have them over there. I can't remember the maker, or what the product is called, but if you want to know it, I can ask around.

Sam


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

Hi Sam,

Yes, we have them available here, I don't really like to use them. The ones that really work are awkard and uncomfortable.
The more lighter masks that are easy to wear are not effective.
Treesa


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## turkey (May 19, 2002)

Thanks WhiteWingsCa for the article and bringing to to everyone's attention. 

I wanted to point out that allergies can also play a part when you have many birds in your house or many birds in your loft. 

If you are inhaling a lot of feather dust in your house or loft, that can't be healthy. So, whether or not you develope pigeon lung, you should still do your best to keep the feather dust down. I'm sure your birds will benefit from it too.

If you have birds in your home, it was recommended to use a Hepa Air Filter. 

My husband is allergic to dogs, but has not had any problems with having birds in the house. (He is not allergic to poodles) If a dog was in the house, my husband would be in the hospital. 

Julie


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## WhiteWingsCa (Mar 1, 2002)

> Originally posted by Trees Gray:
> *
> The doctor said mine was definitely caused by pigeons (protein), the scarring on my lungs, the cough, etc. No drugs, nothing prescribed, except "get another hobby", I was told.
> 
> ...


Our situation is similar -- my hubby looks after the birds, but I am able to train them, and for limited periods of time (with a mask of course), spend time in the loft, feeding, banding babies, etc. And I was very very sick -- to the point where I couldn't walk 5 feet without stopping to catch my breath. I was on antibiotics for about 8 months before the diagnosis was made, and then 6 months of high doses of prednizone afterwards to get the fluid and swelling down in my lungs. 

I too have 'other factors' which I think contributed to how sick I was, but won't go there either...


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## Tallaria (Jul 10, 2001)

Hello! I wanted to bring another thing up about this....
There is also another lung/respitory condition associated with pigeons. It is a form of fungal menengitis called Cryptococcosis. It is caused from fungus that is harmlessly passed through the digestive track of pigeons(their high body temperature keeps it from affecting them).
Spores in the dried droppings can then be picked up by us or our pets in our respitory tracts. My cat got very ill and almost died when she got this. She was in a small percentile of people/animals who have it pass the blood/brain barrier and cause problems in the brain. It is very easy to treat with anti-fungal drugs, but alot of times goes 'un' or mis-diagnosed.

Most healthy people with stong immune systems will keep it contained in their lungs with no problems, but for those who are unfortunate enough to have it hit them, it can be a real danger.

You can read more about it here http://www.thebody.com/pinf/cryptococcosis.html 


[This message has been edited by Tallaria (edited February 01, 2004).]


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

I just wanted to mention one more thing on this subject, 

If any of you goes to the doctor, with any respiratory problems: please make sure to tell him or her, immediately that you keep pigeons. The doctors need the information to make a diagnoses. In the U.S. they have not seen many cases and will not automatically check you for Pigeon Lung. Like I said, my doctors joked about, at first, when I brought up the fact that I kept pigeons, until they read up about it, and then got it diagnosed.

You may or may not have it, but let them know about your pigeons, anyway. Yeah, they will tell you to "get another hobby". But you can work around that. Treesa


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## santhosh_pigeons (May 29, 2002)

Thanx for all the info 
There are a whole list of diseases that can be contracted from pigeons while most of them are just mild strains of flu there are these deadly ones like different kinds of menangitis,the doc can really scare you.
GET ANOTHER HOBBY just isnt scary enough is it?
anyway best of luck guys


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

Bumping up for Arty


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