Cause:
Muscle & Wing disease is a bacterial disease cause by Streptococcus Bovis. The causative bacterium is always present in small numbers in all pigeons’ intestine. Under certain specific conditions it starts overgrowing and causes a production of a specific toxin that initially only causes inflammation in the breast muscles.
Symptoms:
Initial symptoms of Muscle & Wing fatigue are blue discolouration and swelling of the breast muscles. The muscles become hardened and feel like an overblown balloon losing their elasticity. The breastbone may become red and look inflamed. Pigeons become unwilling to train and “hang on the wing” as result of inflammation of the breathing muscles. The pigeons often sit with their beaks hanging open causing fanciers to confuse it with respiratory disease. After a period, if left untreated, pigeons develop abscesses and death of deep breast muscle fibres. The wings start to hang and are spread out aimlessly and pigeons cannot even fly to the perch. Finally, pigeons loose all ability to fly and may become emaciated and even die.
Treatment:
High dose treatment with Amoxycillin Trihydrate is the treatment of choice. Treatment has to be extended for at least seven days and combining the treatment with pigeon specific intestinal immune stimulants, pre- and pro- biotics is beneficial. A broad spectrum compounded antibiotic combination that combines natural immune stimulants with high doses Amoxycillin and Neomycin Sulphate has been shown to be the most effective in treating Muscle & Wing Disease.
Use over feed as per directions. This 200g container is enough to treat 120 pigeons for 7 days.