Strange Growth on Shaft Tail's Beak

[Teresa]

Oh no, Ginene, I'm just now reading this. Aw, I hope it's nothing serious. Poor thing. I'll be waiting to hear what the vet has to say.

[Ginene]

Teresa
Sorry, Teresa... . Poor Juliet. I will let you know what the avian vet says. Hopefully she is going to be fine.

[Ginene]

So the vet says that Juliet had Avian Pox . We had to euthanize her. It is highly contagious and airborne...anyway, I wont know about the rest of my flock for a long time...I am sick...

[Teresa]

Ginene,
I'm so sorry and totally sick over this too. If your vet said that they can be carriers and not have any signs than how do I know if any of my birds are really ok? How could I ever breed any of them or rehome them?

[debbie276]

Oh Ginene I'm so very sorry
When I was searching for what it could be I kept coming up with AVIAN Pox but I thought Nah, can't be that cause there's only one lump and not others. This is so sad

[Martie]

Ginene, I am so sorry to hear this. Things like this happen rarely (thank heaven), but when they do, they are devastating.

You have a huge community of support here to go through this with you. You are in many thoughts. Please don't hesitate to call on us.

[Lisa]

Very scary. When I asked Ginene how the vet said birds catch this, she said she was told by mosquitoes. So then how could you ever really purchase birds that are kept outdoors without having a higher than normal risk of them being infected? Even an occasional mosquito that gets into the house could put your birds at risk.

Have you examined the other shaft tail, Ginene? Just praying that the vet somehow misjudged the situation.

[debbie276]

For a mosquito to pass it on the mosquito had to get it from another bird.
http://www.nwhc.usgs.gov/disease_inform ... an_pox.jsp

Indirect transmission of the pox virus can also occur via ingestion when food and water sources, feeders, perches, cages, or clothing are contaminated with virus-containing scabs shed from the lesions of an infected bird. The pox virus is highly resistant to drying and may survive months to years in the dried scabs. Indirect transmission can also occur via inhalation of pox virus infected dander, feather debris and air-borne particles.
Clinical Signs
Clinical signs observed with avian pox are weakness, emaciation, difficulty in swallowing and breathing, vision problems, a reduction in egg production, soiled facial feathers, conjunctivitis, edema of the eyelids and the presence of the characteristic wart-like growths on the unfeathered portions of the skin and/or formation of a diphtheritic membrane on the upper portion of the digestive tract.
Feeders, waterers, birdbaths and cages should be decontaminated with a 10% bleach solution.
http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,4570,7-15 ... --,00.html

[Ginene]

So far, Romeo shows no signs. But she said that he must have a good immune system to have not had an outbreak so far, but that he is most likely a carrier. He can't be kept with any other birds or bred . The vet had no doubt in her mind, and said she will send out the lesion if I want her too. But it will be $200 for that, plus the $110 I spent for the visit. Not to mention, I have thrown out everything in 2 of my cages that cannot be sterilized in bleach and water. She said the only other thing it could possibly be is Papiloma Virus. But this ends the same way as Avian Pox. So...all 6 birds that she was with (I put her in with my cut throat pair and zebra pair this Saturday ) have to be removed from the bird room and put in quarantine for 30 days. The vet said the outbreak was most likely triggered from the stress of moving her on Saturday. Maybe it was her first experience being with finches, other than her mate??? The thing I am MOST worried about, is that both of these viruses are airborne...so my entire flock might be infected... And the worst part...after moving the Shaft Tails into their new cage, I gave my societies a perch and swing from the shaft cage. I wiped them with wipes...but that's it...so they (my fosters) and my 2 hand fed babies are doomed...

[mayble]

I'm so sorry.
I can't imagine how you must feel, not only losing one bird but now to watch and worry about the rest.
You have my deepest sympathies.

[Musetta]

Oh, Ginene, that is so awful. I feel just terrible for you! That is the only thing I could find that it looked like based on my internet research, but I thought surely not and didn't want to scare you with my uneducated guess. Do you have any idea how long it typically takes for a bird to show signs? Are you in the clear after 30 days, as far as the rest of your flock is concerned? Poor Romeo. Please keep us posted.

[Nanajennie]

Ginene, I am so so so so sorry my friend. You don't deserve this and I am at a loss for words.

I am praying for you!! for YOU! for strength and peace and wisdom

I am praying for your birds as well.

I have seen picture of the human pap virus on a birds eye and it does look similar, is it just as contagious?

Oh man, I am so sorry, but you can overcome this! have faith, be strong! We are all here for you

[Ginene]

So I just spent the last 8 hours cleaning my bird room, contaminated cages and non-porous cage accessories with bleach and water. Tomorrow after work I will continue and clean as much as I can in the rest of the cages. The Cut Throats and Zebra Pair are in isolation in hubby's office. Romeo is in my room, which I'm really not happy about. But I have 2 cats to contend with. I don't know what to do with Romeo, as he is a carrier and can't be housed in my bird room ever again. I'm not really comfortable having him in my home. Any suggestions would be great. As far as the rest of my flock...all I can do is wait...

[Nerien]

Oh Ginene, I am so sorry!!! I don't even know what to say. Just know that I am thinking of you and hoping for the best with all your others.

[Ginene]

Nerien
Thanks, Ruth...I am @ a complete loss for words...I am so frustrated and worried...they literally were in quarantine for 4 weeks, went into my long cage on Saturday and Juliet gets her first lesion 3 days later...how is this even possible??? The vet said she has seen this thing take 75% of a colony. She said I might find birds dead everyday within days or weeks. She said the virus imbeds itself in the birds DNA and lays dormant until the outbreak is triggered. She said Juliet must have been bitten by a mosquito or contracted it from another bird somewhere along the line. Teresa only had her for about 8 months before I adopted the pair, so there is no way of knowing how she got it. Neither one of us know the history of the pair. I know that Teresa is very concerned about her flock too, but I am hopeful that she doesn't have to be since the outbreak occurred at my house. I have no idea what I am going to do if our birds start dying off. My poor son is going to be completely devastated, as am I.