ABC Animal Hospital
123 Main Street
Anytown, Anyplace, AnyCountry
Zip/Postal Code
Phone: (999) 123-4567 Fax: (999) 234-5678
info@abcanimalhospital.com
CANDIDA INFECTIONS
What is Candida?
Candida albicans is a common opportunistic environmental fungus affecting the
digestive tracts of birds. It is a common cause of “sour crop” or a crop infection
(ingluvitis), especially in young birds. It may be spread by an adult bird, water, in the
environment and in hand-feeding formulas. Some people may have experienced
Candida themselves. It is also known as yeast or thrush. Candida can be a primary or
secondary cause of crop infections. Candida, in small numbers, is usually considered a
normal resident of a bird’s digestive tract.
The disruption or imbalance of other
normal bacterial populations in the
digestive tract may lead to an overgrowth
of Candida.
Excessive sugars or
carbohydrates may contribute to Candida
overgrowth. Often, other diseases that
have compromised the bird’s immune
system can predispose a bird to
secondary Candida infection. Steroid use,
long term antibiotic use, too much stress,
poor husbandry or hygiene, viral
infections and chronic infections can all
cause immune suppression.
In its advanced stages, Candida can affect a bird systemically as it invades the body, but
this is rare. It can be found in the blood, certain body organs and bone marrow.
How do I know if my bird has Candida?
Common clinical signs include depression, fluffed feathers, anorexia, vomiting or
regurgitation, delayed crop emptying, often a distended crop full of mucus and
occasionally an impacted crop. A veterinarian familiar with birds will start with a complete
history, a body weight and a physical examination. Since many of the clinical signs are
descriptive of a lot of different diseases and not specific to Candida infections, your
veterinarian will likely advise a series of diagnostic tests.
What tests can be done?
Candida is diagnosed by fungal culture and/or by cytology on a specially stained
sample from the either the crop or feces. Since Brewer’s yeast is now being added to
hand feeding formulations, specific fungal culturing is recommended for differentiation,
as Brewer’s yeast and Candida can look similar with cytology stains. The quality of the
sample is very important. If a sample is negative, it may be that deeper samples or
tissue scrapings are needed.
It is common for Candida to show up secondary to another disease process, therefore
other tests should be done to determine other predisposing problems affecting the bird.
Early diagnosis leads to faster resolution of the underlying problem.
Can my bird be treated?
Yes, once diagnosed, Candida is treated with antifungal medications. There are a
number of different medications available. In addition to treating the Candida, it is critical
to resolve all predisposing factors or diseases. Good hygiene, a clean environment and
fresh, clean food items will help manage this problem and maintain your bird’s health.
It is important to closely follow the recommendations of your veterinarian.
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 This client information sheet is based on material written by Rick Axelson, DVM & Shawn Messonier, DVM
© Copyright 2005 Lifelearn Inc. Used with permission under license. February 12, 2016
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