Air Sac Mites

[pineapplesnapple]

I have two gouldians who seem to have ASM, and they've been treated for a while. I took them to a vet and he administered a powdery medicine that I mixed in their water daily. It seems to have worked for the male - he stopped coughing (but his song never fully recovered.. shame) but the female, who caught ASM earlier, is still coughing pretty badly. Right now I'm treating her with a medicine bought at a local pet store, which the storekeeper said would cure anything, but it's not working. It's also mixed in the water. I'm afraid I may be overloading the birds' systems.
I'm looking to order either S76 or Iverlux but don't know where I can get them shipped to Taiwan. Anyone know?

[aboutrelaxing]

Has anyone seen black discoloration on the sides of the beak black areas as a sign of air sac mites. My LG male has not sung since I had him, his brother seemed fine singing, then seemed not well, got out and hit a window and died some time back. I treated with Scatt, and he seemed better, now he is more listless, and slightly puffy again. I am afraid I do not want to grab him to be able to hear if he is clicking, although he has never seemed to stuggle with breathing. I have canaries and lots of zebras and silverbills, no one else seems to be having any problems, and that, the black on his beak, his only symptom.

[carmena]

I can't find this anywhere but is there a minimum age to treat for ASM with ivermectin?

[Sally]

Just had a query from a member about SCATT. Vetafarm has changed their instructions for how to apply SCATT. They now recommend applying it to the skin of the thigh, one drop for finches. Here is a link to a video showing how to do it:

http://www.vetafarm.com.au/pages/Air-Sa ... tment.html

The second video is how to use a crop needle--I don't think I could do that, looks a little scary to me.

[Kathryn]

One of my Gouldians has ASM. We're using SCATT. I will update.

[Pukasand]

The video Sally recommended is very informative .. shows exactly where/how to apply the Scatt.

[Kathryn]

One of my Gouldians has ASM. We're using SCATT. I will update.

OMG. I just quoted myself. Prince Sunkist (gould) is doing much better. Now we have (somewhat newbie) Prince Horizon "scatted." He hasn't made a peep. I'll update again laters. (Sorry, I'm in a weird happy mood!)

[Kathryn]

Horizon responded to the Scatt finally! It seems like it has been forever since we've had him without hearing a peep. I'm so happy!

[lea]

hi.
i have the problem with my goulds.
two months before i have treated them with ivermectin solutinion. three times, in three weeks, on the same day, in water.
and yesterday i've heard them clicking again while breathing
was the treatment bad or sth?

now i am reading info and found this.

http://www.avianweb.com/airsackmites.html

in this page they are writting three methods, so wich one are the best?
which one you recommend?
thanks

"The producer of Abba Seed recommends the following dose and method to cure Airsack Mites by using Ivervmectin 1% Injectable Solution (it is available in many veterinary supply places or from your local veterinarian). In the evening, just before the birds go to sleep, remove all the drinking water from the cages or aviary. The next morning the birds will be nice and thirsty. Vigorously shake the Ivermectin bottle. Then to 16oz. of drinking water add 1cc of Ivermectin. Again, shake the mixture well and place before the birds in a clean pre-sterilized container. The birds will drink the solution with gusto. Usually one good drink will cure the above mentioned problems. Leave the water treated with Ivermectin before the birds until they drink all of it or until the next day. Repeat the treatment in two weeks. Personally, as well as many fellow fanciers we treat the birds with the above mentioned method twice a year, in January and at the end of the breeding season. Be careful, Ivermectin is a very powerful parasiticide. An overdose may kill your birds. Do not administer Ivermectin straight from the bottle. GA.

Common treatment protocol by a vet:

The vet dribbles the drug onto the neck or between the shoulder blades of the sick bird which will enter its body and acts as a contact poison for the mites. The vet usually performs this treatment three times: on the first, fifth and ninth day of therapy. Usually an improvement can be seen within 24 hours after the first course of treatment.

Vets commonly treat birds with Ivermectin Propylene Glycol, which differs from the Ivermectin one finds in the farm stores with the picture of a cow on the front of the bottle. Birds require a special dilution and if given to a bird full strength, or improperly diluted, death could result. Only the Ivermectin available for birds is correctly formulated for birds and can be given right from the bottle. Please note that this a double application treatment. After the first application repeat in twelve days, as during the first time you are killing the mites but not the eggs. During the second application you are killing the mites that hatch from the eggs. The usual vet recommendation is to treat twice a year, or up to 4 months in humid / warm climates. Your vet will be able to advise you on the details."

[lea]

anybody

[debbie276]

i've heard them clicking again while breathing

If you treated for air sac mites and they are "clicking" again maybe they have a respiratory infection (I wouldn't think air sac mites).
I use scatt so can't help you on the ivermectin dosages.

[lea]

if it infection, where it can come from? from dead mites?
and treatment of this infection is only antibiotics?

[mickp]

it could just be the bird trying to cough up the dead mites that are still in the respiratory tract.
best way to think of it is like a human who has recently recovered from a cold or the flu, it takes another couple of weeks to stop bring up that horrible flem.
I find it easier to treat my birds by mixing the treatment in the drinking water (which they also bathe in).
All water sources are removed late on the first day. Early the next morning the medicated water is made available and left in with the birds for 24 hours. this is repeated 3 weeks later.
I do this to all my birds twice a year using a product called 'Moxidectin Plus' which treats for worms as well as asm.

[lea]

after i have treated my birds for ASM passed 3.5month, goulds are clicking, especially after flight. could it be dead mites? or new hatched mites?

[annague]

I have used both S76 and Scatt.

IMHO I had better results with the Scatt. Scatt is harder to use -- birds must be caught and it has to be applied individually -- my avian vet just said apply one drop to the top of the head for finches (you kind of roll the feathers forward and apply it to the skin and rub it in) and then again in 3 weeks.

S76 didn't seem to work as well for me but I know other people like it.