Veterinary Hospital Kohima
Duck virus enteritis is an acute infection disease of duck characterized by vascular damage with tissue haemorrhages and bleeding from all body cavities. It is also known as Duck plague. All age group of duck are susceptible. The disease lead to significant economic losses as there is high mortality and loss of egg production. The disease may spread by direct contact from infected duck to another healthy duck or by contaminated food and water transmitted by blood suckling arthropods.
Signs and Symptoms of Duck Virus Enteritis-
- Sudden high and persistent flock mortality is often the first reported case.
- Mature ducks die in good flesh.
- Fear of water associated with half closed pasted eyelids.
- Inappetance.
- Extreme thirst.
- Watery diarrhoea.
- Unable to stand.
- Posture show drooping outstretched wings and head down, weakness, ruffled feathers nasal discharge and depression.
- Young duckling shown dehydration, loss of body weight, blue beaks and blood stained vent.
Some Step to Prevent and Control Duck Virus Enteritis-
- The duck shed must be always be kept clean, dry and airy.
- The feeder and water trough should be cleaned daily.
- Avoid overcrowding of duck in one shed.
- Avoid intermix of different age group of duck in one shed.
- Keep the ducks away from dirty water bodies.
- Disinfection of the duck shed once a month with disinfected solution.
- Duck should be vaccinated with Duck Virus Enteritis Vaccine yearly and deworming the duck at regular intervals.