Therapeutic management of pigeon malaria with chloroquine: A case report

Abstract

An 8 month old Modena breed of pigeon presented to teaching veterinary clinicalcomplex Mannuthy (TVCC) with the history of torticollis, anorexia, depression, inability to fly and two birds in the same flock were died due to same symptoms. On clinical examination bird appeared dull, depressed and circling of head showed. No visible ectoparasites could be detected on the detailed physical examination. Routine blood smear examination was done by taking blood from the peripheral wing vein and prepared thin blood smear. On blood smear examination characteristic halter shaped gametocytes were seen encircling the nucleus of erythrocytes. Faecal sample examination revealed the absence of intestinal parasites. Treatment was done with chloroquine @15mg per kg bodyweight in drinking water for two days along with the multivitamin supplementation. The whole flock in the house hold were treated with 2% permethrin spray by external application to control or eliminate the fly vector. After one week of the treatment reviewed the clinical condition of the bird. All signs suggesting of pigeon malaria were completely resolved, blood smear examination revealed no haemoparasites and the bird had an uneventful recovery. Pigeon malaria is considered as a fatal disease when there is a huge mortality occurred in a flock and hence the disease is getting less attention. Failure in the preventive measures to control the vector population or lack of better management practice in house keeped pigeons leads to unnoticed cause of mortality due to pigeon malaria. Keywords: Pigeon malaria, Haemoproteus columbae, torticollis, chloroquine