From the Editor's Desk

Abstract

Dear Reader:

If you are not a member of the A.F.A., please join. If you are a member, please support the organization every way you can. The A.F.A. is the only support group we aviculturists have to monitor the Laws that affect us and to provide research that makes our hobby more enjoyable.

If I ever doubted the strength and importance of this wonderful group, those doubts have vanished. I sincerely hope others don't have to go through what I'm going through now to realize the need for the A.F.A.

On May 12 I purchased an adorable blue front parrot from a reputable dealer who had bought it the week before from someone else.

About June l st I heard that the original owner of the blue front had his birds depopulated because ofV.V.N.D. I reported this to my vet who reported it to the proper authorities.

On June 2nd a U.S.D.A. veterinarian came to swab our small collection of about 150 finches plus three treasured pets - Taroo, a six year old male cockatiel, Kracker, a two year old Mexican red-headed parrot which I had

poon fed, and Andy, a baby Indian ringnecked parakeet I am presently hand feeding.

On June 12 I received a phone call from the U.S.D.A. saying the blue front parrot's test was positive for V.V.N.D. and they'd have to depopulate the next day.

I just fell apart emotionally and started calling A.FA. people. I had to have help to save my birds. The support I received was wonderful and I'll never forget it. (Thanks Lee, Gary, and George.)

These people called everyone they knew and pleaded for our three pets at least. We tried everything possible to save them but the U.S.D.A. said no.

On June 13 the U.S.D.A. called, and to my surprise, said the tests were not conclusive and my birds would not be depopulated that afternoon. He warned against getting my hopes up though since there was a 95 % chance that the final tests would be positive for V.V.N.D.

Right now, June 20, we still don't know what's going to happen to our sweet little feathered friends, but we do know that we've got the greatest organization in the world behind us.

Thanks for being there!

Sincerely,

Martha Coleman, Childersburg, Alabama

P.S.June21

Oh God, I can't believe what's happened. They've killed all of our precious birds, even Tatoo, Kracker, and Andy. They were so healthy.

We're very angry. The U.S.D.A. came into our home and dumped everything from two rooms into our back yard.

A murderer has more rights than we do. The A.F.A. is our only hope!

To Whom it May Concern,

I just wanted to write you a quick note with some conunents on my first issue of The Watchbird,June(1u1y 1984. I am a practicing veterinarian with an interest in avian medicine, and I found both the articles written "medically" and those from the nutrition/husbandry point of view to be quite helpful to me! I am especially hungry for practical information on breeding and raising our feathered friends, because I am more capable of handling the care of a sick

 

bird than 1 may be in raising birds in a productive aviary.

1 found it surprising that in Mr.

Black's article, '' Problems with Finches," he could express so many interesting ideas and theories of nutrition and reproduction and yet at times offer questionable advice on medical areas. Specifically, I am concerned with the "harmful bacteria" cause of the "going light" syndrome that he discusses. I agree that the "logical treatment" of this kind of enteritis would be to eliminate the offending bacteria, but 1 might add a few comments for all of us to consider concerning bacterial enteritis:

1. Preventative medicine is the ideal medicine: rid yourself of the problem before it becomes one. Since you have not done bacterial cultures or any other tests on the sick birds, are we sure that all are dying of the same cause, not to mention the same bacteria? Where do these harmful bacteria come from? Are there carrier birds that are not sick and yet can infect other birds? Can the food be the source of infection (insects, worms, etc.)? If a bad bacteria is present, is it necessarily the cause of the disease or does it see an open door in an already sick bird? (We call these bacteria "opportunists").

2. Whether you treat the above bird with a good, all-purpose antibiotic (we call these "broad spectrum") or with your chlorine bleach, remember that we will also be killing normal or beneficial bacteria. We hope to decrease the numbers of the "overgrowing" bacteria to a level where the normal body systems and bacteria can take over. Let us not sterilize the gastrointestinal tract of the bird like we sterilize drinking water that is unpure. There are newer antibiotics that are available (arnikacin, carbenicillin, cefotaxime, etc.) that may be more selective in killing off the bad (gram negative) bacteria.

To one and all, thank you once again for your work on this publication. I look forward to the next issue. Sincerely,

Gary J. Brake, D.V.M.

 

 

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