SH> BH> I no longer handraise LB's due to the polyoma scare as I do raise
SH> BH> Macaws and other larger valuable birds. Not all lovebirds have or 
arr
SH> BH> polyoma or PBFD but statistically a large number do. I do not want to
SH> BH> take chances with my big babies so I no longer hand raise them. They
SH> BH> are parent raised and brokered out. I do miss them, however. My last
SH> BH> pet LB died this year and I miss her.
SH>           Do any other species carry this too? How would you know
Yes they do.
Only by testing. However the test in my opinion is not entirely
trustworthy as the bird must be stressed enough to shed to show up on
the test.
SH>       before buying one? I'd like to get another birdie (small one
You can try the test. But really, unless you are going to raise this
bird from a baby, handfeed, it will not affect your birds as much as you
might think. Polyoma is a disease of neonatal birds and kills birds with
compromised immune systems such as severely ill birds and babies whose
immune systems have not fully developed yet.
SH>       like cockatiel or lory) someday, but sure don't want to expose
SH>       my Grey to anything... Is it something you can have checked
Again, it is a disease of neonates. A bird with a developed immune
system is NOT, repeat NOT going to catch it. Basically an adult bird
that is healthy would have to have a debilitating disease such as beak
and feather that crashes the immune system first before it would fall
prey to polyoma as an adult. With a grey, basically I would say that
once it is approximately 16 wks old it's immune system is "set".
Research shows about 2-3 w/o on small things like lovebirds and budgies,
6-8w/o on conures, 16 w/o plus for large birds like macaws and so on.
The larger the bird the longer it takes.
An adult bird can be exposed t  polyoma virus and develop the antibody
to it, much in the same way we may have been exposed to measles as
children or have been innoculated for the antibody. The bird show a
positive antibody test but has not developed the disease nor is shedding
the disease. This is not a problem. Think about it. It has been done in
humans for a long time.
Sorry to go on, but this polyoma vaccine thing is starting to get out of
hand. It is an important advancement in avian science but we also have
to remember that docs are not gods (I am a nurse and it was drilled into
our heads that they were...) and that money can be a very persuasive
thing. And we have to remember that money IS made off each and every
sale of tests and vaccines. They aren't doing this for free. All the way
down the line from research institution (remember grants pay someones
bills) all the way down to your local veterinarian. If my bills
depended on the sales of Biomune vaccine I'd probably be peddling it
too.
As is, my living comes from the sales of healthy birds and honest
relationships with my customers. Therefore I peddle my babies and pass
out current info to the best of my ability. Much of my info comes from
the University of Florida Veterinary college and is pretty current.
SH>       out by a vet before bringing it home? What are the symptoms?
SH>           Sue
A baby that actually has current and active polyoma virus will usually
die within -7 days of exposure. They become listless and refuse to eat
and when they do they probably will throw up. Their body temp feels
cooler, as ost likely they are "bleeding out" internally, as polyoma
virus affects the lining of the blood vessle walls.  They may also
hemorrhage through pores or through quills. I have seen this happen.It
is not a pretty sight.
A baby can also "seroconvert" in which it becomes a carrier. This baby
will probably not be at all ill but could shed the virus to other baby
birds. Even if shed, it would only expose other adults to the antibody
but would not make them sick. Again, only babies or severely compromised
birds.
A bird that is shedding is not going to act ill. A baby that has been
exposed prior to it's immune system being "set" and then comes to live
with you should show symptoms within 5-7 days of exposure if it's going
to.
Hope some of this helps!
Write again if you need to!
Barbara
 * SLMR 2.1a * We're Masonic Santeria Druids-we cement chickens to trees
--- GEcho 1.00
---------------