jossanne: Awww, Snowball is ADORABLE. I want to squish her headfloof.
iluvcks: I am so sorry.
It's so hard. There are some pets I've lost years ago and still cry every time I think of them. A decongestant can sometimes help with crying headaches.
spook: You are right! And it's something everyone who keeps birds -- any species, indoors AND out -- should know about!
It doesn't matter if you have your pet indoors or if you have a lot of chickens outdoors -- many chicken keepers who never have a chicken indoors have developed this disease.
It's actually not an allergy, though it's related. It's an autoimmune response that causes the body to attack itself when exposed to certain proteins found in bird dander. People may also get this reaction to mold ("sick house syndrome"), other animal dander, dairy products, grain, wood bark, water vaporizers such as air conditioning units and humidifiers, chemicals, and various other organic antigens. Basically it is caused by exposure to organics in dust. It is most commonly disease of farmers -- repeated exposure to dust while cleaning coop, working with hay (dust and mold) and so on. Even though they don't keep their birds inside. So it is something for all chicken keepers to be mindful of.
"Studies document 8-540 cases per 100,000 persons per year for farmers and 6,000-21,000 cases per 100,000 persons per year for pigeon breeders." Huge variances in rates according to different studies. "Prevalence varies by region, climate, and farming practices. Hypersensitivity pneumonitis affects 0.4-7% of the farming population. Reported prevalence among bird fanciers is estimated to be 20-20,000 cases per 100,000 persons at risk." (From
Medscape.)
Not everyone who is exposed to the antigens, even repeatedly over a lifetime, will get this disease. No one knows why some people do and some people don't, but it's expected to have a genetic component.
The proper name is "hypersensitivity pneumonitis". It is also called extrinsic allergic alveolitis, or chicken-keeper's lung, bird-keeper's lung, bird fancier's disease, or farmer's lung.
The most common antigens responsible are bird proteins and certain mold species.
The most important thing to do is limit your exposure to bird dust. Feathers break down into dust, dander, and poo particles when dry turn into dust. This means keeping coops very clean, and wearing a *properly rated* mask when cleaning them if you have a lot of birds (most of the ones you buy at the store are not adequate). It also means using damp clean methods -- don't sweep or "dust" in ways that release dust into the air, especially in your home. Use a damp rag to wipe things up.
Don't keep birds in your bedroom where you'll be sleeping with them every night. It is better to keep their nighttime roosts or cages in another room.
Finally, I recommend ANYONE who has a pet bird of any kind get HEPA filters. (Ionic filters DO NOT WORK. It must be HEPA.) These are air filters rated to catch allergens and antigens. I have one pet bird, but she's a particularly dusty species, an African grey. We have three HEPA filters -- one in the living room where she lives, one in the computer room where we spend a lot of time and also there are electronic equipment (don't do well with feathers and dust in them!) and one in the bedroom where we sleep. They're set on "auto" and every time she flaps her wings all three kick on to "maximum power".
Despite all the filters, there's still a thin layer of bird dust on things!
If you DO get hypersensitivity pneumonitis in reaction to birds, the ONLY thing you can do is completely limit all exposure to all birds. (Or all mold if you get it to mold, etc.) Even temporary exposure will cause lung damage. No matter how many air filters you run or how clean your bird is.
I know all this from experience. My mom had it. We raised doves at the time. I had to rehome all of them, and it's still crushing to me. I also had to rehome two budgies and a conure and two button quail. I couldn't part with my African grey... so I moved out. My parents had to tear up ALL the carpeting, sell all the fabric furniture, throw out all the curtains, and have the ducts and house professionally cleaned.
It is a very serious disease, and something to always keep in mind.
