Scaly Face in Budgerigars
Scaly face is a common
condition in birds caused by a mite called Knemidocoptes. This scaly face
condition is seen mostly in budgerigars and by knowing what symptoms to
look for you will be able to provide treatment to your bird as soon as
possible. If the mites are not identified early the damage could be
severe.
Knemidocoptes is a burrowing mite that can cause
disfiguring changes of the beak, legs and feet of birds. The mite has a
three-week life cycle and stays on the bird the whole time. The mites
burrow into the skin and feather follicles around the cere, feet, and
face, and feed on keratin. As the mites burrow they leave characteristic
honeycomb lesions. The mites are transmitted from bird to bird by close
contact.
Although this mite most commonly affects budgerigars,
many different species of birds are affected. This mite can affect all
chickens, turkeys, finches, canaries, parakeets, and parrots. Although the
clinical signs of this mite can vary between species of birds, the basic
lesions are the same.
Knemidocoptes occurs mostly in older or sick
animals that have a weaker immune system. Lesions to look for include
scaling, crusting, and grayish lesions on the skin around the beak, eyes,
legs, and feet. The mites burrow into the skin leaving large tunnels
resulting in the characteristic honeycomb lesion.
In severe cases
the beak will start to grow malformed and it might become hard for the
bird to breath. Also, the legs and feet will also become malformed and the
bird will become lame. Swollen nail beds and misshaped nails can also
occur.
Both male and female budgerigars may be affected, but the
disease is most commonly seen in fledglings and younger adults. The
lesions usually appear over the course of months and the progression of
the disease is slow.
Normally the first lesions to appear are at
the corners of the beak. In most cases the condition is confined to the
base and top of the beak. Normally the condition does not cause itching in
the birds. The fact that the condition does not cause itching is why the
honeycomb lesions, and the location of the lesions will help your
veterinarian determine that this condition is scaly face.
Your
veterinarian will usually do a skin scraping of your bird to help confirm
the diagnosis. Treatment usually consists of either one of two drugs,
Ivermectin or Moxidectin. Either of these drugs can be given to treat the
mites, these drugs can be given in varying forms and doses, so consult
your veterinarian before treatment.
By knowing what signs to look
for in your budgerigars, you'll be able to catch this condition in its
early stages to hopefully prevent further disease.
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