Trichomonosis

I think by the time you spot a smaller bird like a Greenfinch, Chaffinch, etc,  that is sick, it is often too late for them and I believe medicines are too strong for smaller birds but medication prescribed by a vet may be suitable for larger birds like raptors.     It is not the parasite that kills them but the fact the parasite blocks their gullet thus sadly, the bird starves to death as it can't swallow food.  

 A few years ago I had a greenfinch and another time a chaffinch which I ended up taking to rspca/ and local vet to euthanise.      In reality, all drinking sources should be removed the moment you see signs of trichomonosis as water dishes pose a great threat and other birds can pick up the parasite that is coughed up by sick birds.    All feeders/water should be removed for around three weeks.     

I don't think it would be at all sensible to give human medications to animals of any sort. Firstly, how would you control the dosage? What side effects could there be....

(copy pasted from drugs.com)

Metronidazole may cause serious side effects including:

• Nervous system problems, including brain disorder (encephalopathy), inflammation of the brain and spinal cord membranes (aseptic meningitis), numbness or tingling in the hands or feet (peripheral neuropathy), and seizures (convulsions). Tell your healthcare provider right away if you have any nervous system problems while taking metronidazole
• Worsening yeast infection (candidiasis) symptoms in people with a known yeast infection or a yeast infection they were not aware of
• Low white blood cell count (leukopenia) in people with a history of blood problems. This can affect how well the body fights infection.

The most common side effects of metronidazole include

• Diarrhea
• Nausea
• Headache
• Pain in the upper abdomen and abdominal cramping
• Vomiting
• Weight loss
• Constipation.

As you rightly said, cleanliness is the best way to prevent spread.

Copy pasted from BTO

What you can do

Follow sensible hygiene precautions as a routine measure when feeding garden birds and handling bird feeders and tables. Empty and air dry any bird baths on a daily basis. Clean and disinfect feeders and feeding sites regularly. Suitable disinfectants that can be used include a weak solution of domestic bleach or other specially-designed commercial products. Carefully rinse all surfaces with clean water and air dry before using. Clean your feeders outside and maintain careful personal hygiene, including wearing gloves and making sure that brushes and buckets are not used for other purposes, as some diseases can affect human and domestic animal health.

Rotate positions of feeders in the garden to prevent the build up of contamination in any one area of ground below the feeders. If you see birds of any species that you suspect may be affected by disease in your garden, particularly if you see multiple sick or dead birds, we recommend that you stop feeding for at least two weeks in order to encourage birds to disperse, thereby reducing the chance of birds infecting each other at your feeding stations. Only reintroduce feeding as long as you are no longer seeing birds with signs of disease, and closely watch for any further signs. If you see further signs of disease, once again stop feeding. We also recommend leaving bird baths empty until no further sick or dead birds are seen.

Thanks Hazel.

Unfortunately, as you quite rightly say, the bird dies of starvation. I happened upon a wood pigeon last year that was infected. The yellow deposits were clearly visible around its beak and the smell was noticeable and very unpleasant. At that stage there’s really nothing that can be done. Nevertheless, I took it to our local wildlife rescue centre, where they isolated the bird and made it comfortable. She said they can be treated but the problem is getting food into its crop while the treatment is given time to have an effect. Sadly, the bird died overnight.

I was under the impression that keeping a clean environment was the only thing you could do to prevent the transmission but it got me thinking when I saw the YouTube comment. However, from the comments I’ve received, it does sound reckless.

Thanks,

Mitch

Thanks PimperneBloke.

I did have my reservations, particularly when all of the credible sources I enquired of made no mention of a treatment other than the preventative measures you have kindly provided. In addition, the search engines made no bird connection when I searched for the uses of metronidazole. Having said that, I  thought it would be worth mentioning on here. 

kind regards,

Mitch

It really is not be a good idea at all to be using any antibiotic in the wild - this particular one is used in veterinary medicine to treat captive birds like Parrots, and dogs for Giardia.  In humans it is a dental antibiotic but also used to treat T. vaginalis an STI.  If taking it as a human you need to avoid alcohol at all costs as it causes spectacular projectile vomiting