Infections of Raptors, Pigeons
Cause: Herpesvirus - an incompletely-defined group of different viruses
Epidemiology: - Some of these viruses are viruses of prey species and may cause disease in both predator and prey or just in the predator: eg. one herpesvirus will cause disease in both pigeons and falcons. Not much is known about this group of viruses.
Diagnosis: Usually based on histopathology and electronmicroscopy.
Gross lesions: - Hepatic necrosis: acute, multifocal, severe - Splenic necrosis - also occurs, multifocal as in liver - Oral mucosal necrosis: acute to subacute, focal or multifocal, mild to severe
Xref: eskimo alt.sport.falconry:1924 Path:
I would not worry about frounce from my hawks eating pigeons. I would worry about avial hepatitis. I had a wonderful tiercel prairie ten years ago (he was my first large falcon). He was gentle, affectionate, and wonderful in the field. He loved to catch small birds and bring them to me. I fed him pigeons as well as a mixture of mice and cockrels. The next year, he was flying small birds, the next day, he would not even go up, I took him home, his mutes were a wierd dayglow green, he could not stand up, I kept him with me all day long in a clothes basket, he called (cried) to me all day long, that evening he died in a fit of violent thrashing. I had him posted, he had picked up avian hepatitis from pigeons. Pigeons are carriers, they do not show any signs of the disease. Dr Redig wrote an article in one of the Hawk Chalks on this terrible disease which affects the mammal eating falcons more so than the bird eating falcons. Pigeons are a two edged sword. They offer plenty of game opportunities, but carry this deadly disease. So, if you fly pigeons, or feed pigeons, be prepared for heartache. I still miss my tiercel after all of these years.
Avihepadnavirus (avian hepatitis B-type viruses)
Avian Pox
Cause: - A variety of avian pox viruses
Distribution: - Occurs in many, perhaps all bird species - wild turkeys, raptors, albatrosses, waterfowl, songbirds, etc.
Epidemiology: - Where studied, these viruses most often are transmitted passively by mosquitos.
Diagnosis: - Generally based on histopathology, sometimes also EM.
Gross lesions: - Hyperplasia and necrosis of epithelial surfaces: focal to multifocal or coalescing; usually in the oral cavity, skin of face, legs, skin elsewhere.