What birds are affected most by Pulmonary Hypersensitivity Disease?

[Kiwi's Dad]

I was looking at the stickie for Pulmonary Hypersensitivity Disease - Macaws and Conures and I need to know what birds are most susceptible to it. Are Golden conures very susceptible to it? Is there a list of sensitive birds, if so can you give me a link? Thanks

 

[Icey]

@Hankmacaw , I believe may know.

 

[Hankmacaw]

Macaws (specifically) B&Gs are most sensitive to PHS. conures are listed as the second most sensitive bird (all conures). In a broad general stroke, most South American and a few African birds are sensitive to PHS. But macaws are at the greatest for the disease.

I currently have a 36 yo Greenwing macaw who has the disease.

 

[Mizzely]

Macaws are the ones to be actually known, blue and golds especially.

Conures are closely related to macaws, enough to hybrid breed with them, so could also be potentially affected.

I personally will never house a powder down bird with any South American species, but especially macaws, conures, and Pionus. I also won't mix them with Poicephalus, as they seem to have more sensitive respiratory tracts.

Just not worth the risks.

 

[Kiwi's Dad]

@Hankmacaw I’ve heard there’s no cure so what happens after a bird has it?

 

[Kiwi's Dad]

Would a canary winged parakeet or caique be able to live with a cockatiel?

 

[Mizzely]

Would a canary winged parakeet or caique be able to live with a cockatiel?

I don't know if anyone can give you a for sure answer because we simply don't know. Bird Fancier's Lung is a form of PHS and we didn't really know about it until 1965. And that's humans. For parrots we know far less.

 

[Kiwi's Dad]

Thank you for the replies! Definitely helped

 

[Hankmacaw]

What happens when your bird gets PHS - depends on the severity of the disease. My girl has moderate PHS and has had three or four difficult sessions with it in the over a year ad 1/2 that I have had her. When she has breathing problems I put her in the nebulizer for treatment, Dr. Driggers galve me a medication for the PHS that she is nebuized with. Usually she needs to be nebulized for three or four days up to a week. One session that she had was serious enough that she had to have oxygen treatments as well.

There is no cure for it and a bird that has a severe case will die sooner than later. There are medications and treatments that help the symptoms