Polyoma Virus: The Real Story
(excerpts by Dr. Gregory Rich, DVM)
West Esplanade Veterinary Clinic and Bird HospitalDr. Gregory Rich, DVM
3640 West Esplanade
Metairie, LA 70002
(504)-455-6386 Why We Should Vaccinate? - Political Posturing
With all the misinformation and political positioning about Polyoma Virus and the Polyoma Virus vaccine program, the time is now, more than ever, for everyone to hear the "Real Story". For the last 5-6 years, I have seen and heard it all. As a private practitioner I have no ties to any University, manufacturer or political organizations. My allegiance lies with my clients and the avicultural community.
Polyoma Virus is a threat to the entire bird community, from breeders to pet owners and pet shops to avian veterinarians. It will not wipe out every last baby bird in your town, but it will have a devastating effect on those breeders and pet owners whose households have suffered deaths due to polyoma virus. I have personally witnessed 7 Aviary outbreaks (one having over 42 deaths) in the last 4 years. I have also witnessed adult birds die of Polyoma Virus (this virus and it's effects reeks havoc on the bird(s) effected causing a painful and horrible death). Further information may be obtained by calling me, I will supply the owners name and the pathologist that can verify these devastating effects and their results. It Can Happen, AND it does!
As reported at The Association of Avian Veterinarians Annual Conference in September 1997 by Dr. Robert Schmidt of The Zoo/Exotic Pathology Service in California, the most common cause of death for avian submissions was Polyoma Virus. The tool and the knowledge to change this fact is available from your avian veterinarian and has been in use for 2 years.
Polyoma Virus is spread by bird dander, fecal material, aerosolized urates and respiratory secretions. The virus lives outside the bird's body for extended periods of time and has been found to be resistant to a variety of disinfectants. Direct contact is not required to infect your bird(s). Exposure to bird dander or feces from a carrier bird shedding the virus can happen by purchasing seed at your local pet shop, feed store or bird fair and tracking the dander in on your shoes. Why do you think some of the top breeders in the country don't let visitors in to their aviary and never go to fairs? They're not snobs! They are just simply protecting their birds from unwanted diseases.
I have heard how we can control this disease through management... by selling only weaned stock and by not mixing species together. WRONG! Just look in the "Bird Talk Magazine" and see the number of bird fairs and bird shows each month that people can bring their birds to. The sale of unweaned stock is growing each year by leaps and bounds. People are lined up at doors to go into a show hall displaying over 1,000 birds from Cockatiels to Cockatoos and Hyacinth Macaws to Hawkhead Parrots. Since a carrier bird looks, acts and appears no different than a non-carrier, how can we protect vendors at these shows or even better, the first time buyer that has saved for months to buy his/her first sweet, lovable, hand fed Blue and Gold Macaw or Umbrella Cockatoo? The answer is simple...VACCINATE NOW!
There is no good reason NOT to vaccinate all of your birds, and most definitely your babies. Here are some facts to dispel the rumors:
1) The vaccine is a killed vaccine and like the killed Rabies vaccine your dog and cat receives, it cannot and will not give your precious bird the Polyoma Virus.
2) The vaccine has documented efficiency studies of 90-95%, meaning it will protect your bird(s) 90-95% of the time, better than some reported dog and cat studies on the rabies vaccines.
3) Has it been tested on every species? No, but neither was the highly utilized Feline Leukemia vaccine.
4) Would anyone buying a new puppy dare not give it it's puppy Parvo virus and Distemper virus vaccinations? Would anyone not vaccinate their children for the Polio, Measles or Chicken Pox virus before sending them to Kindergarten? No! Most smart parents and pet owners choose to vaccinate against disease.
5) It's like life insurance. If you wait until you have a problem, it's going to cost more and there will be greater losses.
Consider the following outbreak real life. A breeder with 150 pairs of large psittacines and an avian pediatric unit with 92 unweaned babies had an outbreak in August of 1995. By October, 39 of 92 babies died (42%). On the wholesale market, this was a $9,000.- net loss. The whole flock and pediatric unit was vaccinated in November 1995 at a cost of $9,300. Since December 1995, over 386 babies have been born and not a single death due to Polyoma Virus (0%). I know of several Avian Veterinarians that are telling people not to vaccinate. Have they used the vaccine themselves? NO! Have they been to bird fairs and seen all the unweaned babies for sale? NO! Do they recommend that all puppies and kittens get vaccinated? I would bet YES!
Recommending vaccination against Polyoma Virus is a "No Brainer." It causes no harm (except a possible skin blemish), it is cheap insurance (the loss of one African Grey baby of $800 would have vaccinated 20 birds, including booster) and the public is more willing to buy a bird that won't die a horrible death.
The real story is - VACCINATION WORKS! Waiting to see if not vaccinating will prevent disease or death - DOESN'T !
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