Shiloh
Editor, Senior Moderator
Source: http://www.namibian.com.na/2008/May/national/087787792.html
Wednesday, May 28, 2008 - Web posted at 9:31:31 GMT
Virus, not poison, killed City birds
ABSALOM SHIGWEDHA
MORE than a hundred pet pigeons died recently in the Windhoek area of a virus called Avian Paramyxo Virus (PMV), an animal health consultant with Agra said yesterday.
Dr Rainer Hassel told The Namibian that the virus caused symptoms including neck twisting, circling, loss of balance and paralysis of the wings and legs.
"They started getting sick and dying about two months ago," Dr Hassel said.
He said between 120 and 130 birds from five different breeders died in the Windhoek area.
He said the virus affected the brain and the respiratory and digestive systems of especially young birds and was related to Newcastle disease among poultry.
Hassel sent some of the organs of a wild dove and a number of pet pigeons to a South African laboratory and the tests showed that a virus had killed them.
The results were received back on May 6 and Hassel said he notified the Central Veterinary Laboratory of the findings.
He said many bird owners have started vaccinating their birds against the virus.
Hassel also sent crop and stomach contents to the lab to be tested for poisoning but the result was negative.
When the bird deaths were first reported, contaminated birdseed was suspected.
The Ministry of Agriculture instructed Namibia's major birdseed supplier, A&R Pet Supply, not to sell their remaining stock pending tests.
According to State Veterinarian Dr Anna Marais, organophosphates - a type of pesticide - were found in some birdseed samples.
This was vehemently denied by A&R Pet Supply, which said it had sent its own samples to South Africa for testing and no poison was found.
Wednesday, May 28, 2008 - Web posted at 9:31:31 GMT
Virus, not poison, killed City birds
ABSALOM SHIGWEDHA
MORE than a hundred pet pigeons died recently in the Windhoek area of a virus called Avian Paramyxo Virus (PMV), an animal health consultant with Agra said yesterday.
Dr Rainer Hassel told The Namibian that the virus caused symptoms including neck twisting, circling, loss of balance and paralysis of the wings and legs.
"They started getting sick and dying about two months ago," Dr Hassel said.
He said between 120 and 130 birds from five different breeders died in the Windhoek area.
He said the virus affected the brain and the respiratory and digestive systems of especially young birds and was related to Newcastle disease among poultry.
Hassel sent some of the organs of a wild dove and a number of pet pigeons to a South African laboratory and the tests showed that a virus had killed them.
The results were received back on May 6 and Hassel said he notified the Central Veterinary Laboratory of the findings.
He said many bird owners have started vaccinating their birds against the virus.
Hassel also sent crop and stomach contents to the lab to be tested for poisoning but the result was negative.
When the bird deaths were first reported, contaminated birdseed was suspected.
The Ministry of Agriculture instructed Namibia's major birdseed supplier, A&R Pet Supply, not to sell their remaining stock pending tests.
According to State Veterinarian Dr Anna Marais, organophosphates - a type of pesticide - were found in some birdseed samples.
This was vehemently denied by A&R Pet Supply, which said it had sent its own samples to South Africa for testing and no poison was found.