1. Have a complete work up performed on
your bird every year. This annual exam should
include a physical exam, complete blood
count (CBC), microbiological culture or
gram stain of the cloaca, and vaccinations.
2. Some species of birds need additional
testing: a. All cockatoos and lovebirds
should be tested once for Psittacine Beak
and Feather Disease (PBFD); all birds thought
to have been exposed to PBFD should also
be tested. b. All amazons, budgies, rose-breasted
cockatoos, and macaws need to have cholesterol
levels checked annually. Cholesterol should
be monitored in all birds on a high fat
diet (like seeds). c. All South American
species need to have an examination performed
every six months to look for signs of papillomatosis.
d. All birds should have a full chemistry
panel and survey radiographs on file before
the age of 5 years. Having normal values
on file will allow for easier health monitoring
as your bird ages and early detection of
disease and other problems.
3. All birds, whether individual pet or
breeder, need to be vaccinated annually
against Avian Polyomavirus.
4. Learn to recognize a sick bird. Birds
are very adept at hiding their signs of
illness. Most commonly the first signs go
unnoticed. Usually the first signs include
changes in behavior, e.g. decreased activity
level or decreased vocalization. If you
recognize that your bird is sick, it is
an emergency situation. Immediately put
a heating pad on your bird's cage and call
your avian veterinarian. Other signs of
illness include: a. Decreased appetite -
Remember that birds will pretend that they
are eating, so don't be fooled. b. Diarrhea
or persistent abnormal droppings c. Too
much fluid in the droppings (polyuria) d.
Fluffed e. Sitting on the cage bottom f.
Coughing, sneezing, abnormal breathing sounds
g. Tail bobbing h. Weight loss i. Regurgitating,
vomiting j. Change in water intake k. Weakness,
Ataxia l. Abnormal behaviors or vocalizations
5. Do not use Over-the-Counter (OTC) medications
in your bird's water as treatment for illness.
These medications are ineffective against
avian pathogens and will only mask disease
symptoms. Birds can become worse with OTC
medications and veterinarians have a more
difficult time diagnosing the disease properly.
