Health guide
Salmonellosis/paratyphoid infections
Salmonella infection may stay in the intestine or spread to joints, organs and the nervous system. Some recovered pigeons remain intermittent carriers.
How to recognise it
- Persistent green diarrhoea, poor condition, weight loss and reduced appetite.
- Swollen joints, lameness or a dropped wing when infection reaches a joint. This is the most telling symptom that differentiates it from other digestive bacterial infections.
- Occasionally poor coordination, head tilt, reproductive failure or sudden severe illness.
Usual treatment approach
- Culture and antimicrobial-sensitivity testing are important because signs overlap with other diseases and resistance is common.
- Systemic disease usually needs veterinary-selected antibiotics and supportive care; You're looking at at least 1 month of treatment in most cases. Casual short courses can prolong shedding and cause antibiotic resistance.
- Strict hygiene, isolation and follow-up testing help prevent reinfection and detect carriers.
Sources and further reading