Dr.
David Marx, DVM,
is probably America's best know pigeon veterinarian.
An accomplished racing pigeon flyer, he was the
founding president and a two-term president of the
Association of Pigeon Veterinarian's.
In 1992 he began a monthly column in the Racing
Pigeon Digest on pigeon health matters and issues,
which are now edited and compiled in a handy reference
book.
Streptococci
can be isolated from pigeons and can be as benign
as many of the other common bacteria. It can also
cause a severe disease process in pigeons. The particular
streptococcus which is most often found in severe
disease is Streptococcus bovis.
This organism can cause an acute to hyper-acute syndrome
of disease resulting in a fast death. This bacteria
is capable of producing a septicemia, which is an
infection which involves the blood, and is dispersed
to all areas of the body.
Besides septicemia and the severe inflammation of
all the internal organs, it can infect the muscles
of a pigeon.
The bird may show some disuse or lameness of certain
muscles as the disease progresses. When the muscle
is involved like this it causes a rapid necrosis or
death of muscule areas where the bacteria localize.
On post mortem exam the involved muscle appears cooked.
The heart muscle and the membrane around the heart
are also frequently involved. Also a characteristic
foamy, slimy feces is seen frequently, as well as
swollen abdomen.
By far the most common symptom is just sudden death.
It is not a common disease but is not rare either.
It is easily diagnosed by culture or histopathology
(tissue studies). It usually responds well to amoxicillin
therapy if caught in the early stages.
