Viral Skin Conditions of Pet Birds
Viral skin conditions of pet birds are:
- Pox virus diseases
- Papillomas
- Psittacine beak and feather dystrophy (acute and chronic forms)
- Dystrophy and hyperplasia of feathers, beaks, and claws during the growing phase
Many viral condition affect the avian integument, namely the various pox viruses, papillomas
Psittacine beak and feather dystrophy: may occur as an acute overwhelming disease, wit bilaterally symmetrical loss of all actively growing feathers over a days, followed by death or partial or complete recovery or it may occur as a chronic progressive disease.
The chronic disease is characterized by repeated replacement.
The clinical abnormalities of the avian integument are due to a combination of dystrophy and hyperplasia in the in The epidermis of the feathers, beaks and claws during the growing phase.
Treatment
There is no reliable cure for affected birds. Although the following treatments have been tired:
- Prolonged systemic courses of antibiotics (tetracyclines, amoxicillin, tylosin, lincomycin)
- Topical antifungal application)
- Hormonal therapy with corticosteriods
- Topical application of insecticides
- Nutritional supplementation
- Elimination of oily seed from the diet
