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Poultry: Botulism
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Botulism, also known as limber-neck, is a food poisoning caused by the ingestion of a preformed toxin. This poison is produced by Clostridium botulinum which is a bacterium living on decaying animal and vegetable matter. Its spores can remain dormant in contaminated soil for years, and germinate into toxin - producing bacteria when a suitable nutrient source and an anaerobic environment are available. The disease is characterised by paralysis of the neck and limbs. Usually a number of birds are affected and they succumb quickly.
TAG : Poultry, Botulism, Limber_neck, Poisoning, Intoxication, Clostridium, Bird, Chicken, Turkey, Fowl, Pheasant
Scientific name
Clostridium botulinum
Cause
Botulism is caused by ingestion of the toxin from Clostridium botulinum which grows in:
- Decaying carcasses
- Decaying plant and animal matter
- Stagnant pools contaminated by rotting material
- Maggots and litter beetles
- Warmer months
When material containing the toxin is eaten by birds the characteristic symptoms of intoxication known as botulism will occur if the dose of toxin is high enough.
Species susceptible
All domestic poultry and most wild birds especially:
- Fowls
- Turkeys
- Water fowl
- Pheasants
Carrion-eating birds can withstand large doses of the toxin without showing any symptoms.
Symptoms
First signs are seen 12 to 48 hours after toxin ingestion which triggers a flaccid (relaxed) paralysis of:
- Neck
- Wings
- Legs
- Eyelids
- Feather follicles
The result is:
- Drooping heads (later may rest on the ground)
- Drooping wings
- Closed eyelids
- Drowsiness
- Reluctance to move
- Loss of appetite
- Greenish diarrhoea
- Mucoid saliva from the beak
- Easily plucked feathers
The bird may lapse into a coma then die.
Diagnosis
1. Characteristic features of the disease
2. Absence of lesion at post mortem examination
3. Demonstration of toxin (lab):
- in the gut contents/blood
- in suspected toxin sources (carrion/feed)
Similar diseases
- Fowl Tick Fever - Spirochaetosis
- Marek's Disease
- Fowl Cholera and other septicaemias
Control
- Remove the source of the toxin
- Keep birds away from suspect sources
- Remove dead birds
- Supply clean feed and water
- Clean up around stagnant pools
- Ensure that all feed is fed in containers and not on the ground
- Control maggots and litter beetles
Treatment
1. Due to the acute action of the botulinum toxin, treatment is usually not attempted.2. Sick birds should be isolated and provided with food and water. Supportive therapy with antibiotics and vitamins has been helpful in some cases.
3. Birds which live through 48 hours of illness usually recover.
TAG : Poultry, Botulism, Limber_neck, Poisoning, Intoxication, Clostridium, Bird, Chicken, Turkey, Fowl, Pheasant
I’m so glad and thankful, that someone took the time and effort to write these very helpful articles. We are not always able to run to the Vet with every sick animal, especially when you have more then few different kind. It is different, when somebody has one “baby” dog or cat. They can pamper them with weekly visits to the Vet. When you have several chickens, ducks, turkeys, geese, dogs, cats….it’s becoming not affordable to treat every one by visiting a Vet. Don’t get me wrong, I love Vets, and I would love to get all of my animals to them, but nowadays they are as expensive as Human hospitals. So, once again I THANK to the people who are writing this helpful articles. Many times by researching internet I successfully treated many of my pets. Today, I’m hoping that my turkey will overcome his sickness. He/or she lived through more then 48 hrs. I think it is like 4 days already. The symptoms are just like in this article. TI found rotten baby duck in broken egg, in the place where this turkey was sleeping. They might pick on it and get these toxins. I took them away from this place. The sick turkey doesn’t want to drink or eat on his own. I’m sort of forcing his head into the cup with water. He is my baby. I had two of them. I had to raise them in my bed, because they were crying in a cage,,,,LOL It would be very hard on me to part with him (or her) He/She is drinking a bit. I just hope and pray….