Newcastle Disease Alert - Surrey

[Debbie]

This message was posted on another group I am on so thought I better post it here.

Debbie


Ladies and gents

It is reported that a case of Newcastle disease has been found in a batch of pheasant poults in a release pen in Surrey. At this moment in time this is all the information i have. The radio program "Farming Today" made the announcement. Neil Forbes has communicated with a cotswold group member that any raptor/parrot keeper within 50 miles of surrey should get their birds vaccinated as a matter of urgency.
The worrying factor has got to be where else poults from the same supplier have been sent.
Please pass this information on to other falconers, especially if they are close to the affected area.
If Neil Forbes would like to pass any other information to me, i will circulate it to as many people as i can.

Graham Irving
BFC membership secretary

[Ben C]

***** thats serious, not flu is it?

[Debbie]

***** thats serious, not flu is it?

What are you like :o

I very much doubt the top Avian specialist in the country(Neil Forbes) if not further afield could mis diagnose this one plus Graham Irving is to do with the BFC so I doubt he would put his name to this statement.

Although I pray that people can get their birds vacinated as soon as poss.

I phoned my two friends who live in Guildford and Epsom and both are taking all their birds to their vet probably as we speak. You just can't take the risk that your birds will be okay not for the sake of a few quid or even a few hundred quid in one of their cases she has over 30 birds.

Thank heavens for phone trees or else some would maybe not find out.

Birdworld is in the vicinity I relaly hope this is a small outbreak.

Debbie

[Shaun Byrne]

This is the official word from DEFRA.

http://www.defra.gov.uk/news/latest/2005/animal-0715.htm

[Debbie]

Thank you H4wka :D

Just heard from my friend all her birds have been vacinated her bank account is hurting but atleast her heart won't be.

Debbie

[Ben C]

Newcastle disease..............................I thought............I have no idea what I thought...............I was scanning it! I thought it was a disease from newcastle (I know I know). :)

[Tr1gger]

Newcastle disease..............................I thought............I have no idea what I thought...............I was scanning it! I thought it was a disease from newcastle (I know I know). :)

No comment! :lol:

[Coedhirion]

i thought it was found in poultry and pigeons. There are about 3 types or so, people can get symptoms too. Looked in the news, but it dosn't say which strain. As it is in pheasants, I spose it must be the worst one which kills about 90% of poultry. Pigeon racers vaccinate I think.
Where is our on line vet??
Any suggestions please

[Jiff]

when i flew pigeons we used to vaccinate against paramixo virus as matter of course, it never crossed my mind since i took to falconry, i've seen the devistating affect mixy can have, i'm going to have sky vaccinated regardless, i would advise others to do the same given the nature of our sport/art.

[Sprout]

If you're within the 50mile zone get vaccinated. If not, definitely think about getting your birds vaccinated.

[Falcon]

MOVED TO RIGHT AREA

[RabbitHawker]

Contact your vet and get the birds vaccinated, especially if you go to shows, ar help out on your local shoot.

[Lanner_Man]

so does this affect raptors then? or is it just pigeons and poultry?

[Falconry Equipment International]

Luke to my limited knowledge it can affect ALL birds

[Lanner_Man]

oh,
are there any obvious signs of it?

[Saker-Clive]

O spoke to our vet today and I'm more confused than ever now!!!
Basically he said that in 30 years, he's never seen it in any raptors, (we've had several outbreaks over the last 5 years). he also said that the innoculations 'give' the bird a mild dose of the disease, so the imune system can build up the anti bodies. I was asked, did I want to chance my healthy birds being given the disease hoping they will build up a resistance or take a chance that the shot might go the other way and possibly kill them!!!!
He thinks it is all good and well for Nick Fox to recommend everyone having the jabs but is it really worth it? DEFRA are on the case, they will know what birds started the outbreak and where the poults would have been distributed; all the infected birds will be destroyed.

Don't shout me down, this is just what I've been told.

[Coedhirion]

Think it was Neil Forbs not Nick Fox..SS but that was what I was thinkin. i know humans can get mild symptoms of worst strain, but I shall wait and see, but i am lucky an miles away !!

[Debbie]

Hello Everyone,

Neil Forbes has given his permission to circulate the below information from his web site.

Debbs


18 July 2005 - Newcastle Disease Outbreak

In light of the recently reported outbreak of Newcastle Disease in Surrey, the Avian and Exotic Department at Great Western Referrals has produced some information below about the disease and the risks present to your own birds.
Newcastle disease is caused by a virus belonging to the paramyxovirus family. Birds potentially affected by this disease include pet poultry (chickens, pheasants, guinea fowl etc), pigeons, birds of prey and parrots or other birds housed outside in aviaries. Wild birds are also susceptible and may transmit infection to your pet birds.

Clinical signs of Newcastle disease can include depression, lack of appetite, respiratory distress with beak gaping, coughing, sneezing, snicking, gurgling and rattling, yellowish green diarrhoea and nervous signs such as seizures, twisted necks or poor balance. Younger birds are most susceptible but unvaccinated birds of any age can catch the virus.

The risk to humans is minimal. A short-lived, conjunctivitis can occur in humans, but this has only been seen in workers exposed to large quantities of the virus.

Newcastle disease is highly infectious. It can be airborne and is spread by inhalation of the virus and direct contact with secretions from the respiratory tract and faeces. The virus is stable in the environment and may also be transmitted via contaminated feed, water, implements, premises and human clothing.

Once infected, there is no specific treatment. Supportive therapy at a specialist avian practice is recommended, but the response is variable. There is currently a vaccine available for use in pigeons, which would be possible to use in pet birds at risk of catching the virus.

Our current recommendation is to vaccinate any at risk birds within a 50 mile radius of the initial outbreak, since the virus is so highly transmissible. Birds of prey and parrots at risk include any that are housed outside and/or come into contact with wild birds. If you are interested in us vaccinating your bird(s), please do not hesitate to contact the surgery on 01793 603800 and make an appointment with on of our avian vets, or alternatively contact your local vet.

[Debbie]

Moved to Correct Section

[Debbie]

According to DEFRA they are still trying to trace all of the originally effected poults as no update has been posted on the site as yet.

So we need to be very careful as infection could surface anywhere in the UK.

If all the poults have been tracked down then great but DEFRA would of updated the site to that info as they are usually very quick with their updates.

Debbie

[RabbitHawker]

I'd get your birds done, the last outbreak spread fast, by the time you find symptoms it's too late, and you could lose all your birds! Anybody not getting their birds done in the area is an idiot as far as I'm concerned, it's a cheap vaccine if a few birds are done together.
Chris

[RabbitHawker]

I've been surprised by the lukewarm uptake from falconers around me, I've done a dozen or so birds, and am only charging £8 per bird, so it can't be a cost issue, I just can't believe more people aren't getting their birds covered. I'm doing it cheap to encourage people, but short of doing free visits what more can you do???
Chris

[Miguel Gomez]

Probably because most birds are moulting and as wild as sin - you would a queue if this happened mid-season

[Mr_Colin]

Hey RabbitHawker are you a vet mate and where are you. I am down in Cornwall, any advise on wether I should get Willow done just in case or leave it for now?

[RabbitHawker]

I am a vet, but if you can get a load of your friends together at one time you should find your local vet can order the vaccine in and get it done at a reasonable price.
I know many birds are in moult, but I'd prefer to risk a broken feather than a dead bird if I was in the area.
Whilst in the moult many birds are in mesh topped aviaries where they are liable to contamination from wild bird faeces, so at risk.
I'd rather people got it done rather than saying afterwards if only I'd done that!!!

[Saker-Clive]

This is the latest from DEFRA.................

http://www.defra.gov.uk/news/latest/2005/animal-0719.htm

[Tree Sitter]

I've been surprised by the lukewarm uptake from falconers around me, I've done a dozen or so birds, and am only charging £8 per bird, so it can't be a cost issue, I just can't believe more people aren't getting their birds covered. I'm doing it cheap to encourage people, but short of doing free visits what more can you do???
Chris

RH, £8 mate thats well cheap 8) I just paid £13 but who cares if it was £50 I would've paid it. Don't go getting ideas there though mate :wink:

Had my birds done this morning I am miles from the outbreak but hey as you say mate not worth taking the risk if it breaks we are in one almighty mess!

My vet said uptake quiet as well, he reckons that Falconers are mainly clueless about the disease and I reckon he could be right, a guy I sometimes go flying with did not even know what it was or that there was a current outbreak, could not believe it :shock: Told him to get his bird done he said the risk was low and the risk of breaking his birds new feathers was much higher. Reckon I won't be flying with that asshole anymore :wink:

Max

[Afshimo]

Is it just Raptors that have to be infected? or can parrots get a strain of the virus? Its my mum being paranoid bout her little birds, just put her mind at rest.

Thx!

[RabbitHawker]

Parrots susceptible as well, but does depend on species as to risk.

[Sprout]

I haven't had a single person even asking about the outbreak!!

[Mr_Colin]

I think I might Phone my Vet to see what he thinks, but thanks for advise

[RabbitHawker]

I've just been out to vaccinate 110 parrots and 8 peacocks, at least some people are taking this seriously.

[Mary Quite Contrary]

I've just been out to vaccinate 110 parrots and 8 peacocks, at least some people are taking this seriously.


What is the name of the injection.

[Talib]

Rabbithawker wrote:
I've just been out to vaccinate 110 parrots and 8 peacocks, at least some people are taking this seriously.

Newcastle disease is a notifiable disease... all incidents have to be reported to DEFRA Divisional Veterinary Managers. I contacted the nearest DVM and asked him whether he had ever had an incidence of Newcastle disease in a UK raptor reported to him, ever... he said he had not. I also asked him whether he knew of any other DVM's who had had cases of Newcastle disease in raptors reported to them... again, he did not. He also accessed the main DEFRA database for notifiable diseases for the whole of the UK and could find no reported instance of Newcastle disease in a raptor in the past eight years (database coverage period).

Is it reasonable to presume therefore, that a UK raptor suffering from Newcastle disease is as likely to happen as its owner stepping in a pile of rocking horse do-da?

Talib

[RabbitHawker]

The vaccine is Colombovac made by Fort Dodge, and is what Niel Forbes has used in the past.
The statistical chance of infection of BOP or parrot is obviously lower than pheasants etc., there is a wide variation in susceptibility depending on species depending on the strain. However for example if my client today contracted NDV in his parrots he would stand to lose £3,000,000 of birds, so would you risk it.
I certainly value my birds beyond their monetary value.
I still advise vaccinating dogs against distemper, although it is not common in the area, because it is invariably fatal.
In the last outbreak the birds at the National Bird of Prey Centre were vaccinated, then there was an outbreak 800 meters away, I would say that justifies it personally.
Chris

[Debbie]

Update

DEFRA has confirmed that a 6 mile exclusion zone has been set up around Woking, surrey. No birds are allowed in or out of the zone and restrictions are in place on birds being transported through the zone.
The affected poults were part of a consignment from France. To date 9000 have been culled.

[Sprout]

Probably thought they were getting them cheap??!

[Saker-Clive]

What about F10sc disinfectant; this advertises it kills the virus.........

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=90871&item=7170844 183&rd=1

I don't mean instead of innoculation but in the general day to day maintenance husbandry. It must help in the long run. :!:

[RabbitHawker]

It is probably fine as part of biosecurity, kill time does vary with the virus, so would neeed to check. Luckily there are no new cases reported so far, so keeping our fingers crossed, better than '97 where 650,000 poultry slaughtered.

[Jiff]

don't rely on any dissinfectants, as the virus is primerily airbourne it is inhaled by the bird,(infections which have para' preceding are generaly airbourne) this makes them difficult to protect against without innoculating, the symptoms described i would say are only visible to the trained eye except for the f**K it's too late symptom which is the kneck twisting and loss of ballance as the nervous system breaks down, i have never known a bird recover from this stage of the desies, get you're birds jabed people, as for the comment about the possible death of you're bird as a side affect, i'm no proffesional but i've had and assisted in thousands of pigeons being jabbed i've never seen one fatality and or ill health, they do go a bit misserable but wouldnt you after a jab,

[RabbitHawker]

I've just heard an unconfirmed report that there has been another outbreak of Newcastles disease near Reading. It will probably take a day or so for confirmation from DEFRA, but be aware it may be spreading.
The last outbreak in '97 around 650,000 poultry had to be slaughtered.
Chris

[Mary Quite Contrary]

[quote="RabbitHawker"]The vaccine is Colombovac made by Fort Dodge, and is what Niel Forbes has used in the past.
The statistical chance of infection of BOP or parrot is obviously lower than pheasants etc., there is a wide variation in susceptibility depending on species depending on the strain. However for example if my client today contracted NDV in his parrots he would stand to lose £3,000,000 of birds, so would you risk it.
I certainly value my birds beyond their monetary value.
I still advise vaccinating dogs against distemper, although it is not common in the area, because it is invariably fatal.
In the last outbreak the birds at the National Bird of Prey Centre were vaccinated, then there was an outbreak 800 meters away, I would say that justifies it personally.




RH would you tell why you recommend Colombovac for the inoculation.
The research i have done says this is for paramixo and not for the Newcastle's. The jab for new castles is "newvac" and another three different ones, but not colombovac.

What are your reasons for using Colombovac for this.

These are all sincere questions.

[Wightwings]

:?

[Sprout]

Newcastles disease is caused by a paromyxovirus (serotype 1)

[Sprout]

There are at least 3 recommended vaccines - Colombovac, Harkavac and Nobivac paramyxo. Annual re-vaccination is required

[HighFlyer]

New to this forum so thanks for the advice. Sounds logical that immunisation might pose a risk to the bird ..so will have to balance the likelihood of a BOP getting the disease against the risk of the stress and the foreign substance given at the vets at this time of year. Does anyone know how successful the jab is, and how often it has to be repeated? Is it worth waiting until nearer the hunting season for the odd(?!!) bird?

[Mary Quite Contrary]

There are at least 3 recommended vaccines - Colombovac, Harkavac and Nobivac paramyxo. Annual re-vaccination is required

cheers brussell