- Poopology 101
- Urates
- Urine
- Feces
Droppings are very dark small and black sign that your bird is not eating enough.
Polyuria – excess urine
Diaryrrea –
Signs of Illness
Change in Appetite - increase or decrease
Change in Vocalization
(not talking as much as they used to, are they screaming more than they used to)
Weight Loss or Weight Gain
Lameness (uric acid in joints)
Fluffed / Sleeping More
Sneezing
Breathing Difficulties
- Tail Bobbing
- Open Mouthed Breathing
- Respiratory Squeaks
DO NOT STRESS THE BIRD!!!
Feather Changes / Picking
- Medical / Psychological
- Medical / Infections, Parasites, Pain, Nutritional Deficiencies, Hormonal,
Improper Trims
Psychological – Boredom, Anxiety, Attention-Seeking, Stress
Seek Help Early!
Change in Color or Condition of feathers
Feather Picking
Not Preening
Material on Head/Face Feathers
Know what is normal for your bird.
Any deviation from that could be illness.
Supportive Care
Keep bird in a quiet, warm environment
Hospital Cage, Empty Aquarium, Storage Container
Environmental Temp of 80-85 Degrees
If in a cage cover cage with towels and blankets
Provide Favorite Foods
Ensure access to food and water (on bottom of cage)
Remove Grit
OTC Antibiotics – NO NO NO!!!
YOUR BIRD SHOULD HAVE IT’S OWN FIRST AID KIT
Have it ready to go when an emergencTIEy arrives
First Aid Kit
Towel
Gauze / Cotton Balls / Q Tips / Tape
Syptic Powder / Cornstarch
Tweezers / Needle Nosed Pliers
Antibacterial Cleeanser e.g. Betadine
Eye Droppers / Syringes
Pedialyte / Electrolyte Powder
Scissors / Nail Trimmers
Heating Pad
Penlight
Sterile Saline
Reading Glasses
Make it in a Critter Carrier
Soother Plus (Avian X)
Gloves
Head Lamp Light
Common Avian Emergencies
Broken Blood Feather
- Stop the Bleeding / Pressure – Gauze / Flower or Cornstarch or Syptic put on
edge of the feather – does it need be pulled or don’t pull?
- ‘
How to pull out the blood feather – “hemostat” grab the feather where the shaft is
coming out of the skin hold with your thumb and pull straight out ..
Cat bite or scratch – Clean the wounds
One tiny puncture would on your bird from a cat can be fatal. Bacteria on their
claws and on their mouth ….
Clean the wound
Put Soother Plus on it
Egg Binding – Swollen Vent Area / Straining to Pass egg, fluffed, at bottom of cage –
if you see this there are 3 things you have to do:
HEAT
HUMIDITY
LUBRICATION
Vet accomplishes by moist paper towel in bottom of tank
Put lid on and cover lid almost completely with a towel
Heat it and warm humid environment
Mineral oil, corn, vegetable oil put inside the birds vent
Seek Veterinary Care asap
Trauma
Broken Bones
Most Common is the tibia (leg) bone
Confine bird to a small box to minimize further damage
Seek veterinary care
Head Trauma
Minimize Stress
Quiet Dark Place
Monitor Condition closely
Pupil size (pupils might be an uneven size)
Monitor Condition Closely
Seek Veterinary Care
TRAUMA
Cracked Beak
Attempt to Stop Bleeding
Vet Care to repair Cracks, Cauterize
May need pain medication
TOE TRAUMA
Generally result of birds walking on others cages
Generally heal well but need medical Care
May require surgery
Arrange Cages to Prevent Problem
Cayenne Pepper helps to relieve pain and reduce inflammation
BLEEDING
Must stop any active Bleeding
Syptic okay on beak nails feathers
DO NOT USE ON SKIN!!
Use Flour instead
BAND PROBLEMS
(remind Rhoda to put the chip back in Sophie)
Toy entanglement
Don’t try to free the bird from the toy while still in the cage – slow and easy to keep
bird from thrashing in the cage
Wrap bird in towel and remove toy and bird from cage.
RETSTRICTION OF BLOOD FLOW
Sliding up Leg
Secondary to leg swelling.
Lubricating and and leg may help
Have leg band removed if too large.
TOXINS
Topical Expoaure
e.g. Oil
Oil Spills
Birds covered with oil
Dawn Original Soap
If stable bathe to remove oils and toxins
Keep bird warm
Feathers are responsible for holding heat in – if oil is on the bird no way can the bird
stay warm.
Ocular Exposure
- Rinse eyes with Saline
Oral Exposure
Plants
Tobacco
Alcohol
Lead/Zinc/Copper
If corrosive, give milk. IF not, water may help.
Seek veterinary help asap, bring sample of toxin.
Thermal Burns
- Immediately cool the skin
- -- Cold water rinse
- -- cold compresses
- Flush with Betadine or Nolvasan
- Seek Veterinary Care
- If minor apply soother plus.
Seizures
Keep yourself and bird from harm
Remove perches or move to hospital cage
Aquarium or container ideal
Search for potential toxins
Stained glass is very bad
Seek veterinary care asap
Respiratory Distress
Teflon / Fumes
Remove bird from the environment
Oxygen if available
Towel Restraint
Dropping Evaluation
Administering Medicine
Injection or Oral
Evalute Body Mass
Dealing with Blood Feathers
Stop the Bleeding
Remove feather or bring to vet
Fast before blood work - ????