Beak and Feather Disease! HELP! Need Info!!

[CandyCat21]

Hello All,

I am in need of information about Beak and Feather Disease or if anyone has had to deal with it first hand.
I've tried doing internet searches, but I can't seem to find too much about it. I work for a pet store and well we seem to be having problems with the birds we're getting from our supplier...unfortunately, my "bosses" think they know better and won't change breeders...we've already stopped buying larger birds from them because of a large PDD outbreak...almost all the larger birds we got from them have had PDD and had to be euthanized or died in our arms! So sad and I am NOT proud of it to say that I work for these people...wish there was more I could do though
Anyway, recently one of our lovebirds seemed be having extreme feather loss and wasn't eating too well. At first we thought she was molting or being picked on by the other birds. We isolated her for a few days, but didn't see any type of change.
I took her to our AV and she was tested for everything. The tests for Beak/Feather came back positive and the poor little bird also had some sort of infection in her mouth, which made it all swollen and hard for her to eat.
She was placed on baytril, amoxicilin, idraconazol and metronidazol...I hope I spelled those all right! The fungal treatment seems to be helping for her mouth as she's eating a lot more. Her feather condition seems to be getting a little better and she was even playing with her toys a little this morning.
Our corporate vet wants us to isolate her for 60 more days and then retest...I guess if she tests positive again, then they'll want us to euthanize her, but would this be right if she shows no signs of the disease? Could she just be a carrier of it and build up an immunity to it and be healthy otherwise? Would she be able to spread it to other birds?
I guess my questions are:
What birds are susceptable to this disease?
How is it transmitted? I am led to belive it is airborne...via dust/dander etc?
How can you kill it? As far as the aviary being contaminated etc?
What's the best treatment or is there even one?
Are all birds exposed to it at one time or another?
How did it come about?

Wow, I just have so many questions about this! Anything more you guys may think of that I would need to know, please tell me! I want to gather up as much information about this as possible as I know this vet way up on the corporate ladder knows almost jack squat about birds and I would like to present him with some CORRECT info.
Please any and all help/links you may provide is GREATLY APPRECIATED!!
Thank you
Regards
Candice

PS: Our finches and parakeets seem to be dieing for no reason at all. Just yesterday I had a parakeet die in my hands from what looked like seizures and convulsions, but not even an hour before I was in the habitat handfeeding and checked on everyone and they were all fine!! Then today another parakeet was found dead on the cage bottom. The same thing has been happening with the finches!!
This is why I suggested to my bosses that we change bird breeders, but they almost ripped me a new one, not to mention told me to mind my own business!!! So I'm on their "**** list" so to speak..But I refuse to back down...even if it means going to organizations etc. I'm just so tired of seeing birds die in my care and I take the best care of them!! This is obviously a problem stemming down to the breeders...I wish I knew the conditions they kept their birds in etc etc!

[birdsnthings]

http://numbat.murdoch.edu.au/caf/pbfd.htm
Start looking here for info.
Alice

[birdsnthings]

Another:
http://www.avianbiotech.com/Diseases/PBFD.htm
Alice

[The Outlaw]

Every single bird in this store is at high risk for PBFD. In fact, they should be shut down. All of the birds will likely succumb to the disease. And, if you have had PDD, then there is NOTHING in your store you should even have near any healthy bird.

These are probably the two worst possible diseases that parrot owners fear. I am so sorry for the birds within these walls. Someone needs to contact the authorities and close their doors. Its like innoculating everyone's birds to GET the disease. Lovebirds are often carriers of PBFD. It is ravishing the wild population of native australian birds.

[Lori L]

It is unbelievable that your bosses are just getting more and more birds and they are dying like flies and then they won't do anything about it. Very frustrating to hear, I can't imagine what you are going through being involved in it

[homebird]

I think you should call the authorities [police & humane society] & maybe the newspaper. Oh ... & get another job, no matter how difficult it is to get one.
Working like that is terrible & if you have birds or know someone with birds you could be infecting them - from your clothes, hair & body. Reread the articles until you educate yourself & really understand what's happening.

Uncaring bosses are like an abusive partner – please leave. it will crush your spirit. Think positive & you'll find something better.

You just did a really positive thing here ... keep going, & all the best to you.

[The Outlaw]

Here's the problem: the entire store is contaminated. It may take years to get it sanitized. The dust and dander go everywhere and that's the likely mode of transmission. If you have pet birds at home, they are at HIGH risk for infection. I doubt that you have changed shoes and clothing before entering your home. You are now the conveyance for the diseases you mentioned. Frankly, any bird lover entering your doors is putting their pet birds in jeopardy. Is this a chain store? Please contact me privately. I'll send corporate a letter. This is absolutely horrible. Can you name the store and its location? I surely don't want folks here purchasing anything from them.

[Lori L]

Sorry I just noticed that this was in the Ask the Experts section and I commented. Please remove my post if necessary