Psittacosis in Lovebirds

Once you made up your mind to purchase a pair of lovebirds to your home, equip yourself with enough knowledge about lovebirds care. Do you know lovebirds are prone for Psittacosis? Yes!!! It is a respiratory infection that will affect human beings also!

So, you should seek an appointment with your vet for a check-up some-time within the first week of purchase. He will do aoutine testing for psittacosis. It is always good to discuss this matter with your vet shortly after purchase. Fortunately, this is uncommon in lovebirds.

Symptoms

The psittacosis is technically called as Chlamydiosis. The common symptoms include

• Weakness
• "Fluffed up" appearance
• Lethargy
• Loss of Appetite
• Diarrhoea
• Laboured breathing
• Eye discharge or swelling

Treatment

The best drug of choice for this condition is antibiotic doxycycline, however some newer drugs are also proving of value. But it is mandatory to discuss this matter with your vet to get final opinion about thsis dreadful disease. Although it is uncommon in lovebirds, there is every possibility of outbreak of psittacosis among your flock of lovebirds. Hence the lovebirds care against psittacosis is mandatory.