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.

Psittacosis in Lovebirds

Psittacosis is a disease of parrot family. Lovebirds are also commonly affected by this disease. Moreover this disease would spread to other human beings also, if the lovebirds with psittacosis is being stressed too much. Thats why Psittacosis is considered as one of the Significant Zoonotic Diseases of Lovebirds

Other factors that predisposes Psittacosis include poor quality of feed, overcrowding and other infections of the lovebird. If you want to prevent this disease among lovebirds, you need to follow sensible hygiene as well as proper feeding.

Regular cleaning of the cage to remove fallen feathers and droppings will help to check this disease. This disease will spread through the dust. while cleaning the lovebirds cage, it is mandatory to wear a mask and hand gloves to prevent exposure to this dreadful disease.

Symptoms

The common symptoms of Psittacosis are-

• Conjuctivitis
• Discharges from eyes and nostrils
• Diarrhea
• Weight Loss

Treatment

If you have discovered the disease in early stages, it is really possible to get rid of Psittacosis provided the lovebird should not suffer from any other underlying disease. You should quarantine the sick birds immediately. Keep in mind that only the sick birds need not to be treated, but rest of the lovebirds in the cage should be given suitable treatment.

Usually Tetracycline group of antibiotics are found to be very useful in containing this disease. Disinfect the cage using disinfectants like Glutaraldehyde, etc.

Last not to be least, do love your lovebirds, but don't kiss them to get exposed to Psittacosis.