Peregrine syndrome update

Dear all
We wanted to update you on the current state of play regarding ‘the peregrine syndrome’ that vets up and down the country (and indeed other parts of Europe) have been dealing with over the past 18 months.
Thankfully some of the best avian vets, pathologists and virologists in the world have donated their time and most up to date diagnostic technology to looking into this problem.
The facts as they currently stand are:
1. From our personal observations this syndrome seems only to affect peregrines or peregrine hybrids even within multi species collections.
2. Clinical signs include general poor condition, weight loss despite eating excessively, screaming, mucoid/slimy diarrhoea, pale feet and cere, vomiting and in many cases progressing to death despite culture based antibiotics.
3. Some birds with aggressive supportive therapy improve and may even breed, but recurrent relapses are typical.
4. Despite countless faecal samples and cultures no single bacteria, yeast or parasite has been consistently identified across the board suggesting that those pathogens found are secondary invaders to an already inflamed/damaged gut.
5. We have recently received results from the virologists on both tissue and faecal samples of affected birds. Viral chip technology that searches for any viral DNA present in the samples and compares it to a data base of nearly 2000 known viruses, has failed to identify a causal virus in any samples submitted over the past year.
6. A separate team at Bristol University which has been looking at tissue samples of both affected and ‘normal peregrines’ (wild casualties that have been euthanized on humane grounds) has demonstrated changes consistent with post infectious inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). This is a similar condition to ulcerative colitis in people where a historic intestinal insult be it viral, parasitic or toxic may result in an ‘autoimmune reaction’ where the bird develops antibodies to its own intestinal lining. This damages the gut allowing secondary infections to proliferate. It is thought this occurs because ‘antigens’ or protein markers on certain infectious agents (salmonella for example) may resemble similar structures found on intestinal cells. As such when antibodies are made in response to infection, they are then stored in the immune systems ‘memory’ as a permanent defence mechanism against future challenge. When under stress or hormonal influences (in a paper on ulcerative colitis in women, flare ups often occur after giving birth and rarely during pregnancy) the body can mistakenly identify intestinal cells as invading infectious agents and attack it accordingly. Also in mammals certain foods can trigger episodes. As such when a bird demonstrates clinical signs associated with certain food items it is assumed this must be carrying ‘the virus’. It is equally possible however that certain proteins cause flare ups and others don’t hence the possible response to exclusion diets (all rat for example).
Based on the above our current working hypothesis is that a historic gut insult be it a bacteria, virus, parasite or toxin results in post infectious IBD, which (as in humans) is then likely to be a lifelong problem, where flare ups are managed by identifying and removing apparent trigger factors (certain foods, parasites etc) in conjunction with supportive fluids, nutrition and medication.
The problem we are up against is by the time obvious clinical signs are apparent the inciting cause is likely long gone. We are currently working with falconers and breeders to try and identify cases at the very onset of the problem so we may have a better chance of picking up an agent.
As such if you have any concerns or queries regarding your falcon please contact your avian vet ASAP as the more information we can collect and pool together on this the better.

Best wishes

Richard Jones MRCVS and Neil Forbes FRCVS

BFC long wing meet 26th November 2011

An early phone call to assuage doubts about the strong wind and we met up for Hamner part 2!

The wind strength fluctuated throughout the early part of the day but calmed as the day went on, first up was Andy’s Hades who worked tight and well despite the strong wind blowing at that time, reaching a decent pitch we flushed a partridge which after a nice vertical stoop he was unlucky not to bring to bag

Next went a very smartly attired Shaun, with TJ over Tim’s dog jack on point, she powered off into the distance as was lost from sight with the view blocked by trees, he moved into the next field to get eyes on and jack broke the point, a swing of the lure and she appeared into view and was taken up

A long walk to another area saw lots of game moving about, TJ went up into a good wind and was nice and high but placed too far upwind for a decent chance she reined back in but failed to partake and had gone off the boil, having seen partridge moving in place Tim put Ozzy up and we advanced in line he worked hard in the wind and came nicely over Tim as a running covey of reds erupted a fine sharp stoop and it was in the bag.

We moved back into our original field and Steve’s bird was cast off, ,he ranged very wide and was lost from sight for a moment Steve called him in and we eventually got eyes on him as he returned Steve had edged towards some cover as his bird came over the lucky bugger bumped a few partridge under his nose! He put in a fine stoop and smacked it on the back end this had the undesired effect of sending the partridge streaking across the ground and beating the falcon to cover!

Andy finished a very enjoyable sojourn with a flight at a cock pheasant with his peregrine falcon

A cracking day out, good weather and company with plenty of game we retired to the Hamner Arms to discuss!

Thanks to Steve Barton for organising both visits to Hamner

Long wing meet 2

 

After blanking at the moor we were itching to see some game, we were not to be disappointed the keeper Richard guided us along to a likely spot. 

Steve’s dog went on point and Shaun cast off his Eyas female Gyr/Saker Tee Jay, who promptly flew straight to the tree overlooking the point! A small blip however as she took a quick look around and launched and began her typical climb, passing overhead at a hundred feet she suddenly stooped sharply down in the next field that had us running over to see she had captured the carcase of a previously shot goose! Damn couldn’t even put it on the list, after a quick exchange we moved to another likely location a few hundred meters away where pheasant had been calling, back up she went this time pumping in earnest to a decent pitch and running out wide, Shaun waved her over and she raked back over in good style as the dogs went in, Andy’s spaniel pushed out a cock pheasant and a huge holler went up, as she folded into a killer stoop, the gap rapidly closed as she came down in determined fashion there was a collective holding of breath as the pheasant flew under power lines TJ jinked to adjust and the chance was gone ,a quick recall and she was rewarded for her efforts and a good flight.

Andy’s 3 times intermixed male Gyr/Peregrine Hades, was up next having flown well the previous day there were high hopes he went up to a very acceptable pitch but was distracted by check in the distance and was brought back in, Glyn put his Peregrine/Prairie up and a grey flushed early before he’d gained any height but he made valiant efforts to get on terms and tail chased it to cover, Steve’s Fijian tiercel went up next going wide at a good height as Steve waved him over he made his way across as Steve called the flush and a covey got up, a wild tiercel came vertically out of nowhere and struck him a

glancing blow , the moment was lost as the wild tiercel flew around his manor! As frustrating as it was for Steve it was pleasant to see the flying abilities of the wild stock.

Ozzy, Tim’s tiercel went up next got into a good position and struck his partridge well but was hampered by a sheep fence as it made good its escape

Andy had a flight with his stunning male Gyr/peregrine, Memphis who worked well into position and was unlucky not to connect

After a suitable break for those with the wisdom (or wife) to bring sustenance, we pushed on through the day with several more opportunities to fly which we took but failed to put in the bag, we finished as the light faded a tired but very happy bunch having had some decent flights and seeing lots of game and learning the lie of the land which would bode well for our next visit

2011 Longwing meet 10/11/2011

 

BFC long wing meet 10^th November 2011

Attendees: Andy Robinson. Tim Williams, Steve Barton, Shaun Bannister Andy Povey, Trevor Roberts. 

A pleasant day beckoned as we made our way in convoy up the steep road and track to the moor, Andy had been to have a quick look at the place previously so it was a little bit random as to whether we could locate the holy grail of grouse but with potential for longer term aims we strode onto the area. 

Andy Povey kindly offered to work his dog (GSP) along with Steve’s,(GWP) Tim’s (Brittany) and Andy Robinson’s,(Springer) Trevor and our other female member Sarah took pics

The weather was favourable but blowing a strong wind, as we set off in line abreast. Tim on the left handside of the v shaped valley saw his dog freeze on a scent so he put his tiercel up, it was at this point we realised the impact of the wind coming over the brow as the bird struggled to get up over the downdraught and Tim brought him in. 

Steve on the opposite side put his tiercel up next over a possible point but having flown up to the ridge line he struggled to get up to a decent overhead position, Andy Povey’s dog took a strong point but the field was unsighted and the two grouse bumped straight off

Shaun put his Gyr./Saker up next who handled the wind surprisingly well but failed to reach any great height which given the gathering weather was a blessing in disguise ,disappointed we retired as the mist rolled in and called an end to proceedings we consoled ourselves with Andy’s fine sloe gin !

Many thanks to the helpers and Andy Robinson for organising, hopefully we’ll have better luck next time.

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