Pigeons and Your Pets
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Pigeons are frustrating enough on their own, without considering the health impacts they can have on your pets. Although many diseases carried by birds are species-specific, others are not. Birds like pigeons can harbor dangerous fungi and bacteria that put your pets—especially your dog—at serious risk. The chance of passing a disease along to your pet is one more reason you should get aggressive about pigeon control whenever these pests invade your property. Here is a look at some of the diseases that pigeons can bring to your pets.
Chlamydiosis
This bacterial infection is the result of breathing dust that is generated from bird droppings that contain the bacteria. If your dog breathes it in, he or she can develop an infection in the lungs and experience vomiting, shortness of breath, diarrhea, and a persistent dry cough. If the infection becomes severe, then your dog could develop pneumonia. Usually, this disease is treated by a round of antibiotics, but if your dog gets pneumonia, he or she may also need to be on oxygen and fluids for a few days.
Histoplasmosis
This is another infection that is transmitted via the dust from bird droppings. This one is a fungal infection that also impacts the lungs and can cause labored breathing, coughing, and pneumonia. In some cases, the infection spreads from the lungs and into other organs in the body. When this happens, dogs may need many months of oral antifungal medications to fully get rid of the infection.
Salmonella
Dogs have a bad habit of eating anything that they find, which can include pigeon droppings that contain salmonella. Much like when people eat something that contains salmonella, dogs can experience severe gastrointestinal distress, which can include diarrhea and vomiting that leads to dehydration, as well as fever and lethargy. After being infected, dogs may need antibiotic medications and intravenous fluids.
Don’t let pigeons put your pet’s health at risk. Premier Pigeon Control can remove pigeons from your property and help you keep them away for good. Schedule a free consultation with our pigeon removal company in Phoenix by calling (480) 437-4093 or in Tucson by calling (520) 882-0078.