COMMON AVIAN DISEASES

By David Hannon, DVM

Trying to stereotype all birds into one category is like trying to stereotype all mammals into one category. Certainly, a finch is about as much like an ostrich as a mouse is like an elephant. For that reason, it is important that, as an avian veterinarian, one cannot get into the mindset that all birds were created equal. Even among psittacines, there are remarkable inter-species differences, more than there are between different breeds of dogs. What I have compiled here is a list of some of the more common diseases seen in certain common pet species. This may give the average bird owners an idea of the possible problems they may encounter medically with different breeds. Now, I don't mean for this article to scare anyone from owning these breeds, and these diseases are certainly not isolated to the species under which I listed them. So file this one under FYI. This was compiled from an article written by Dr. Walter Rosskopf in the 1993 AAV Annual Symposium Proceedings. Because of space constraints, I am unable to list much information about these diseases, other than the causative (or supposedly causative) agents. If you would like to know more about any of these diseases, consult with myself or your regular avian veterinarian.

African Grey Parrots

1. Behavioral abnormalities
2. Feather picking (behavior, infection, allergies, parasites)
3. Hypocalcemia syndrome (genetics, diet)
4. Resistant bacterial infections (Klebsiella, Pseudomonas, Salmonella, E. coli)
5. Aspergillosis (fungus)
6. Malignant tumors
7. Tapeworm infestation
8. "Ghana Grey Syndrome" (reovirus)
9. Psittacine beak and feather disease (circovirus)
10. Constricted toe syndrome (genetics, environment)
11. "Head shaking" (behavior, ear or sinus infection, feather abnormalities)
12. Progressive anemia in neonates (reovirus)
13. Earthquake and fright-related injuries (behavior)
14. Proventricular dilatation syndrome (virus?)
15. Hematuria with heavy metal poisoning

Amazon parrots

1. Upper respiratory disease (gram-negative bacteria)
2. Vitamin A deficiency (diet)
3. Bacterial infections (E coli, Pseudomonas, Proteus, Acinetobacter, Enterobacter, Klebsiella, Staph. aureus)
4. Chronic subclinical psittacosis (Chlamydia)
5. Lymphocytosis (stress, inflammation)
6. Hematuria with lead poisoning
7. Avian pox (poxvirus)
8. Mutilation syndrome (virus?)
9. Cloacal papillomatosis (papillomavirus)
10. Mating season aggression (hormones, behavior)
11. Epilepsy in Red-lored Amazons (?)
12. Neoplasia (genetics, carcinogens, ?)
13. Amazon tracheitis (herpesvirus)
14. Obesity in Meale and Blue-crowned Amazons (diet, hypothyroidism)
15. Monocytosis, basophilia (normal)
16. Fatty liver syndrome (diet)
17. Snuffling in Red-lored and Spectacled Amazons (behavior)

Australian Parakeets

1. Intraspecific aggression (behavior)
2. "Wall crashing" (behavior)
3. Bacterial infections (E. coli, Pseudomonas)
4. Psittacosis (Chlamydia)
5. Proventricular worm infections (Capillaria, nematodes)
6. Intestinal worm infections (Ascarids)
7. Panic on handling (stress, behavior)
8. Beak overgrowth secondary to fatty liver syndrome (diet)

Budgerigars

1. Neoplasia (genetics, carcinogens, virus?)
2. Unilateral paralysis (renal or gonadal tumor)
3. Scaly-face mites (Cnemidocoptes)
4. Gout (kidney infection or neoplasia, diet?)
5. Trichomoniasis (protozoan)
6. Goiter (diet, iodine deficiency)
7. Brown hypertrophy of the cere (estrogen)
8. Hypothyroidism (?)
9. Diabetes mellitus (?)
10. Pseudodiabetes (?)
11. Tibiotarsal fractures (trauma)
12. French moult (polyomavirus, PBFD)
13. Feather duster syndrome (herpesvirus?)
14. Polyomavirus
15. Giardiasis (protozoan)
16. Bacterial infections (gram-negative and gram-positive)
17. Mycoplasmosis (Mycoplasma)
18. Atypical psittacosis (Chlamydia)
19. Reproductive disorders (egg binding, egg overproduction, abdominal herniation, egg yolk peritonitis, ectopic eggs)
20. Stroke syndrome (cerebro-vascular accident)
21. Lipomatosis (genetics, diet, hypothyroidism)
22. Fatty liver syndrome (diet)

Canaries

1. Bacterial infections (gram-negative and gram-positive)
2. Feather cysts (genetics)
3. Alopecia (baldness) syndrome (genetics, hormones)
4. "Straw feather" syndrome (genetics, virus?)
5. Tassel-foot (Cnemidocoptes mites)
6. Air sac mites
7. Canary pox (poxvirus)
8. Dry gangrene of extremities (nesting material, fungus?)
9. Myeloproliferative disease (virus?)
10. Egg binding (genetics)
11. Tibiotarsal fractures (trauma)
12. Lymphocytosis (excitement, stress)
13. Malaria (Plasmodium, Atoxoplasma)

Cockatiels

1. Giardiasis (protozoan)
2. Mycoplasmosis (Mycoplasma)
3. Psittacosis (Chlamydia)
4. Bacterial infections (gram-pos., gram-neg., spirochetes)
5. Yeast infections (Candida)
6. Dietary deficiencies (vitamin A, calcium, high fat diets)
7. Intestinal worm infections (ascarids)
8. Diabetes mellitus (egg yolk peritonitis with secondary pancreatitis)
9. Egg binding and egg yolk peritonitis
10. Lead poisoning
11. Crop impaction (foreign body ingestion)
12. Seed aspiration
13. Traumatic injuries (free-flight)
14. Lutino cockatiel syndrome (genetics)
15. Night thrashing (behavior, genetics, stress)
16. "Yolk stroke" (egg yolk emboli from egg yolk peritonitis)
17. Eosinophilia (inflammation)
18. Tail base lacerations (trauma)
19. Wing tumors (xanthoma, rhabdomyoma, rhabdomyosarcoma)
20. Acute liver failure (cirrhosis, fatty liver, liver cancer)

Cockatoos

1. Psittacine beak and feather disease (circovirus)
2. Mate aggression (behavior, hormones)
3. Behavior abnormalities
4. Tapeworm infestation
5. Blood parasites (microfilaria)
6. Bacterial infections (gram-negatives, E. coli)
7. Localized herpesvirus infection in feet
8. Trematode infestation (liver flukes)
9. Juvenile regression when ill
10. Vaccine reactions
11. Lipomas of rose-breasted cockatoos (genetics, diet)
12. Cloacal prolapse (papillomas, virus?)
13. Constricted toe syndrome (genetics, environment)
14. Feather picking (behavior, infection, allergies, parasites)
15. Screaming (behavior)

Conures

1. Pacheco's disease carriers (herpesvirus)
2. Polyomavirus
3. Bleeding syndrome (erythremic myelosis, hypocalcemia)
4. Screaming (behavior)
5. Feather picking (behavior, infection, allergies, parasites)
6. Bacterial infections
7. Psittacosis (Chlamydia)
8. Papillomatosis (papillomavirus)
9. Proventricular dilatation syndrome (virus?)

Eclectus Parrots

1. Lead poisoning biliverdinuria
2. Female aggressiveness (behavior, hormones, genetics)
3. Psittacosis (Chlamydia)
4. Bacterial infections
5. Constricted toe syndrome (genetics, environment)
6. Male docility (behavior, hormones, genetics)
7. Feather picking (behavior, infection, allergies, parasites)
8. Psittacine beak and feather disease (circovirus)

Finches

1. Air sac mites in Lady Gouldians
2. Tapeworm infestation
3. Trichomoniasis (protozoan)
4. Bacterial infections (gram-negative, gram-positive, E. coli)
5. Avian tuberculosis (Mycobacteria avium)
6. Egg binding
7. Lymphocytosis (stress)
8. Foreign body toe or foot necrosis (nesting material)
9. Dry gangrene of the extremities (fungus?)

Grey Cheek Parakeets and other Brotogeris Sp.

1. Sarcoptiform mange (Myialges nudus mites)
2. Avian tuberculosis (Mycobacteria avium)
3. Psittacosis (Chlamydia)
4. Chronic sexual feather picking (hormones, behavior)
5. Traumatic injuries
6. Screaming (behavior)

Lorikeets

1. Dietary problems
2. Yeast infections (Candida)
3. Psittacine beak and feather disease (circovirus)
4. Coccidiosis (protozoan)
5. Intestinal worm infestations (ascarids)
6. Psittacosis (Chlamydia)
7. Necrotic enteritis (Clostridium)
8. Traumatic injuries

Lovebirds

1. Psittacosis (Chlamydia)
2. Yeast infections (Candida)
3. Fighting (behavior)
4. Cannibalism (behavior)
5. Bacterial infections
6. Heat stress
7. Lovebird pox (poxvirus)
8. Feather loss problems (Aeromonas, Pseudomonas, herpesvirus)
9. Psittacine beak and feather disease (circovirus)
10. Epilepsy (adenovirus?)
11. Viral infections
12. Egg binding and egg yolk peritonitis
13. Giardiasis (protozoan)

Macaws

1. Proventricular dilatation syndrome (virus?)
2. Psittacosis (Chlamydia)
3. Antibiotic sensitivity (doxycycline, Bactrim, Baytril, etc.)
4. Behavioral abnormalities
5. Gastrointestinal nematodiasis (ascarids, Capillaria)
6. Anesthetic difficulties
7. Bacterial infections
8. Feather cysts of Blue and Golds (genetics, trauma)
9. Oral and cloacal papillomatosis (papillomavirus)
10. Mutilation syndrome in small macaws (herpesvirus?)
11. Herpesvirus lesions of feet
12. Sunken eye syndrome (E. coli, Klebsiella, Pseudomonas)
13. Constricted toe syndrome (genetics, environment)
14. Allergic respiratory disease
15. Chronic active pancreatitis
16. Macaw acne (ingrown feathers)
17. Stress bars on feathers (stress)
18. Polycythemia in Blue and Golds
19. Gout in Blue and Golds (kidney disease)
20. Egg yolk peritonitis in Scarlet macaws
21. Feather picking (behavior, infection, allergies, parasites)
22. Juvenile regression (behavior)

Mynah Birds

1. Iron storage disease (diet?)
2. Cirrhosis (liver infections, toxins, iron storage disease)
3. Hepatic neoplasia (adenocarcinomas of the liver)
4. Heart disease
5. Bacterial infections (Klebsiella)
6. "Mynah eye" disease (corneal scratches, keratitis, keratoconjunctivitis, poxvirus)
7. Fungal infections (Aspergillus)
8. Epilepsy (?)

Pionus Parrots

1. Poxvirus infections
2. Bacterial infections
3. Psittacosis (Chlamydia)
4. Snuffling (behavior)

Toucans

1. Bacterial infections
2. Giardiasis (protozoan)
3. Coccidiosis (protozoan)
4. Beak injuries (trauma)
5. Diabetes mellitus (iron storage disease in pancreas?)
6. Iron storage disease (diet?)