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Poultry:  Most frequent diseases.   Vet Dr.Tiger gives information and advice.

Whilst dogs and cats are often brought to the vet's office for       consultation, a hen or a duck in a basket is rarely seen in a       vet's waiting room.       The cause for that may lie in the fact that poultry has       predominantly the character of live-stock and is anyway       slaughtered within a very short time, as it is the case with       table poultry and laying hens.       In case somebody keeps poultry as a hobby, a visit to the vet's       office would possibly become necessary in case of the most       frequently arising diseases as listed hereafter.

Disease	Causes	Symptoms	Visit veterinarian?
Intestinal parasites	Different causative agents	Emaciation, pallor, watery to bloody diarrhoea	Dehelminthization, feacal examination, clean and dry litter, poultry houses must be cleaned thoroughly at least once a year
Skin parasites, fleas, transmissible also to human beings	Acariasis, biting louses, fleas	Irritation of the animals, itching, reduced egg yield, weakness, death caused by blood-sucking parasites (biting louses, fleas)	Disinfection of the poultry house, good hygiene
Avitaminosis	Above all vitamins A , D, E and B factors	Depending on avitaminosis weakness, reduced egg yield, poor plumage, nasal and ocular discharge, osteomalacia, growth retardation	Vitamin supply
Bumble foot	Squared perches, fresh gravel, rough floors	Cutaneous lesions with ensuing infection between the toes	Lancing of the abscess
Egg bound	Abnormal eggs, infections	Increased straining	Consult a vet
Poisoning	Different causes, moulded food, carbolineum	Weakness, reduced egg yield, paralysis, acute death	Consult a vet
Impacted crop	Inflammation, paralysis of the crop	Appetite disorder, animals try to vomit, clear enlargement	Consult a vet

Self-Medication

In case of epidemic diseases (certain epidemics must be notified to the authorities), the vet must at all events be consulted. If, however, it is just a matter of control of parasites, the animal can be treated at home. As a rule, the disinfection and the dressing of sores can also be done by the pet owner.

Emergency situations

Emergency cases may result from heavy contamination of the water in the duck pond, for instance by oil. Or poisoning by taking up unsuitable feed. It could also be a broken wing of an older Toulouse goose or a group of flying off patridges had an accident in the traffic. It is recommendable to stay calm when emergency cases arise, to act in a considered way and to go to see the vet at once.