bird dander

[Shelly Yokum]

A friend as sent me this, just in case some of you would want to know.

 

Providing a good environment as well as a good diet is essential in keeping your bird healthy. In addition to proper temperature, good ventilation is essential.

Although good ventilation is necessary for any type of bird, it is especially critical for macaws. Blue and Gold macaws, as well as several other species of macaws, seem especially sensitive to airborne irritants. They may develop a progressive respiratory disease known as "pulmonary hypersensitivity syndrome" if housed in a poorly ventilated room, especially if kept with birds that produce a great deal of powder - cockatoos, cockatiels and African grey parrots.

 

This powder is produced by specialized "powder down feathers" and is a white waxy substance composed of keratin. Powder down forms a water proof barrier for contour feathers. It is spread through the feathers when the bird grooms. The down is composed of very fine particulate matter which becomes airborne very easily and spreads via air currents and air ducts throughout the area.

 

The powder down can also cause irritation to people with respiratory problems and allergies. (People with allergies may be able to tolerate these birds, but they should be aware of this before acquiring one of them).

 

In the early stages of pulmonary hypersensitivity syndrome, the macaw may appear normal, but wheeze with excitement. As the condition progresses, dyspnea (difficulty in breathing), a cough and a bluish tinge to the facial skin (cyanosis) develop. Hypoxia or under oxygenation of tissues occurs, which often leads to an increase in the number of circulating red blodd cells (rbc). Polycythemia (increased rbc numbers) will increase the viscosity of the blood so that it does not flow normally. Clinical symptoms and xrays may support the diagnosis, but a lung biopsy is necessary for confirmation.

 

In order to prevent this, macaws should be housed in well ventilated rooms - without cockatoos, cockatiels or African greys. An air cleaner with a hepa filter is recommended.

 

Unfortunately, this pulmonary disease is often advanced when owners first notice a problem.

 

Affected birds should be moved to an environment with adequate ventilation. Certain drugs may provide temporary relief, but there is no cure for "pulmonary hypersensitiviy syndrome".

 

Winged Wisdom Note: Dr. Linda Pesek graduated from the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine and is a Diplomate of the ABVP in Avian Practice (a Board Certified Avian Veterinarian). She has a small animal and avian practice in New York. Linda also writes columns for The Long Island Parrot Society and The Big Apple Bird Club and is a frequent lecturer at their meetings. She is the owner of an extensive collection of exotic birds.

 

 

 

And the other one is this one:

 

Birds Need Clean Air, Too

Some birds are sensitive to dust and dander from other birds

By Rebecca Sweat

 

 

 

Some bird species are more sensitive to the dust and danger from other birds. Courtesy Michelle Testa, Georgia

 

Not only can bird dust cause respiratory problems in people, it can also have a similar effect on other birds in the household. Birds with the avian version of allergic alveolitis are not having a reaction to their own powder, but to the proteins in the feather dust from another bird in the house. Any bird can develop this disease, but New World species, particularly macaws, seem to be the most sensitive, especially if they are sharing airspace with cockatiels, cockatoos or African greys.

 

No one knows for certain why New World species are more susceptible to this condition, but Larry Nemetz, DVM, a birds-only veterinarian in Southern California, theorizes that the Old World species like cockatiels, cockatoos and African greys have proteins that New World species are not used to. Furthermore, macaws in particular may be more sensitive due to their large nostrils. “Being that they have big nostrils, they inhale more powder and get more allergen exposure,” he asserted.

 

Just as with people, birds with allergic alveolitis may start out wheezing and coughing. If the condition is diagnosed and addressed early on, the bird’s breathing will probably return to normal, but even then, it may very well need to be moved to a new home — free of other birds, said Washington state avian veterinarian Cathy Johnson-Delaney, DVM.

 

If the problem is allowed to go on, the bird’s entire respiratory tract can shut down, and the bird can die. There are also cardiac problems associated with this in some cases. “As the bird loses his ability to exchange air, his blood pressure goes up and he goes into secondary heart failure because of the increased pressure he’s experiencing from trying to breathe,” Johnson-Delaney explained. The condition is so serious that she advises against macaws living in the same airspace with cockatoos, cockatiels and African greys