Protozoal Infection

..hard to spot and hard to kill

by Myra

Articles and Information - Lady Gouldian Finch

If your finch looks depressed, has odd colored diarrhea (yellow or bright green), and is losing weight or feathers, it just may have a protozoal infection. If untreated the finch could die. The color of the droppings and feather loss is probably the best indication of a protozoal infection. The only way to determine exact which protozoa are infecting your finch is to have a vet run a few cultures.

Protozoa can be passed from finch to finch fairly easily. Beak contact, contact with an infected birds droppings, or the feeding of chicks are all very common methods for the protozoa to travel to other finches in your flock. Once an infected individual is discovered you should separate it from the others as soon as possible. However because symptoms rarely show themselves until the finch has a rather severe infection it's very likely the other finches have also been exposed. It may be in your best interest to treat the entire flock at once.

The treatment I recommend for protozoa is Ronivet 12% or Ronidazole 20%.  Ronidazole/Ronivet is effective against motile protozoa such as Trichomonas, Hexamita, Giardia, and Cochlosoma in birds (budgies, pigeons, and canaries) suffering from canker (trichomoniasis) or other protozoal diseases eg. Cochlosoma in finches.

Ronivet 12% is a water soluble, water stable chemical that has extremely high safety margins. It can be used at any stage of the birds breeding cycle to combat protozoal infection. There is also a 6% version for larger birds Ronivet S 6%.

Ronidazole 20% also has a 10% generic version for larger birds Ronidazole 10%

Canker is the most commonly encountered protozoal disease in aviculture. It can devastate pigeon and budgie breeding flocks and is a significant disease in exhibition canaries. The classic "cankers " ( large yellowish masses in the throats and crops of birds ) are the "tip of the iceberg " when it comes to the disease. Many other effects are seen from Trichomonads.

Because protozoa are persistent organisms, treatments need to be part of an aviary/loft management plan. Preventative treatments are recommended to control the disease. New introductions and birds in quarantine should be routinely treated at recommended rates.

Resistance to antiprotozoal drugs is common. Never use more then double the recommended amount so up to 24%.  It would be better to try a different medicine, like metronidazole if having resistance issues.

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Terri's Glamorous Gouldians is not licensed to provide veterinary services. Nothing contained in the site is intended to replace the services of a licensed, trained physician or health professional or to be a substitute for medical advice of a veterinarian or trained veterinary professional. © lady gouldian finch.com 2017