Veterinary Services

Salmonella Typhimurium DT 56 variant was recovered from two greenfinches (Carduelis chloris) from different sites, and S. Typhimurium DT40 was isolated from three chaffinches (Fringilla coelebs) and a greenfinch from two sites.

Reports were received of many deaths in woodpigeons (Columba palumbus) in the west of Scotland. One representative bird submitted had a large caseous mass incorporating the hard palate, tongue, and upper and lower oesophagus.

A presumptive diagnosis of trichomoniasis was made, but it was not possible to confirm the diagnosis because of the time interval between death of the bird and post mortem examination. Multiple deaths in feral pigeons (Columba livia) in north-east Scotland were also reported, and proliferative lesions similar to the woodpigeon, were found in the oropharynx of one bird submitted.

However unlike the woodpigeon, this bird also had proliferative lesions on the unfeathered areas of both lower legs, and electron microscopy of the oropharyngeal lesions demonstrated pox virus particles.