  
Dr. Lafeber, several years ago said "that over 60% of new bird owners
will get rid of their bird in three to four years." The reason
usually given was that the bird didn't meet their expectations. Many of
these birds had behaviors that were unexpected and unacceptable. The
question might be asked, how could so many people become deluded? The
answer is very complex. We would need to know the motivation of each
person. Was the purchase an impulse? Were the breeder/pet shop super sales
persons? Maybe the bird was beautiful to behold; but, in the end the bird
is unwanted.
What
events transpired between the acquisition of the bird and its disposal.
The focus of this article is knowing your bird.
When a
new client comes to the clinic we make every effort to bond them to the
bird. We spend time discussing the traits and qualities of the bird that
they purchased. We try to explain the normal maturing behavior, including
sexuality, vocalizing, talking, breeding, territoriality, eating,
dominance, security and survival. By doing this we hope that the owner
realizes that this bird's behavior will change with age. We want the
people to know that birds experience a yearly rhythm. A bird that suddenly
becomes aggressive in the spring is normal.
When
it comes to bird ownership, an informed person makes informed decisions.
It's important to know that a large psittacine may live over fifty years.
It's important to know that the bird will primarily bond with one
individual and tolerate others. When we drive an automobile we must know
the rules of the road to avoid chaos, injury or death. It makes sense to
be informed.
How
does one get to know their bird? We can read about their natural
habitats in the country of origin and most species have been described in
books and magazines. Personal communication with breeders is valuable.
Bird clubs were born in an attempt to provide information, guidance and
assistance in procuring knowledge of specific species.
Knowledge
is acquired through education by the breeder/seller or by personal effort.
My experience has proven that neither of these sources is well cultivated.
Most pet bird owners have very little information or understanding of what
their new bird entails. Good business practice would suggest that a seller
would inform their customer, as much as possible, about the nature of their
product (bird). A successful business person would strive to please a
client to encourage repeat sales and referrals. The goal then is to know
the product (bird).
There
are two facets to knowing your bird. The first facet is the bird itself.
The bird is an amazon, a parakeet, a cockatoo, a lory or some other type
of bird. This means that the bird has certain nutritional requirements of
housing needs. The bird may be a good talker, singer or whistler. Knowing
the birds normal habits will serve as a tool to determine if its behavior
is normal. The initial attraction is similar to human behavior. We are
attracted to a bird by its color(s), abilities, physical appearance or
personal experience. This level of bird ownership is based on emotions.
Reality, however, will soon rear its head. If not trained properly the
bird may become a biter, screamer, feather picker or be impossible to
touch because we don't understand the bird's behavior.
The
second facet to knowing your bird involves its physiology. This area of
knowledge is often the difference between life and death. We emphasize to
pet owners that birds specialize in sub-clinical disease, this means that
birds in the wild will not appear ill for the sole purpose of survival.
Predators are adept at identifying weak prey. Most birds that are
obviously ill are beyond medical help. This is why we recommend minimally
a yearly physical and laboratory evaluation. Flock studies have shown that
2-10% of the birds in an aviary are ill.
Symptoms
of illness will initially be very obscure. To identify any changes, it is
valuable to "know your bird." A good appetite is usually never
indicative of health. Most birds will eat voraciously to the day they die.
When the history includes anorexia the prognosis is poor. My impression is
that most people consider appetite the primary indicator of health.
What
does it mean to "know your bird?" Because behavioral changes are
subtle it will take astute observation and good records to raise the
index of suspicion that your bird might be unhealthy. A good record
can include weight taking, hours spent asleep/awake, play/rest intervals,
talking, vocalizing, eating habits, breeding history, dropping changes,
water intake and general attitude.
A good
example of "knowing your bird" is the male canary.
When he molts he will stop singing for one to several months. If this
continued six months I'd be concerned. Initially his behavior is normal,
but it could eventually become the only symptom of an ongoing health
problem. If a client reports that the pet is now taking a nap at 2
o'clock, which is now a new behavior, I consider that a symptom possibly
of disease. These are the signs we are looking for. The bird has changed
his routine but acts totally normal.
A
major sign of compromised health is the appearance of the droppings. There
are three elements in the normal dropping. The urine or water, the creamy
fraction or urates and the feces. The type of diet fed influences markedly
its character. Questions to be answered concerning the droppings might
include. Has the size of the water stain increased? Has the color of the
urates changed from creamy to a shade of yellow, orange, green or red? Has
the color, shape or odor of the feces changed?
Some
causes of change in the size of the urine stain includes diet, diabetes,
liver or kidney disease, endocrine problems, egg-laying and nervousness.
The
urates are the end product of protein metabolism. If they are not the
normal creamy color then a health problem must be suspected. Foods or
diets that are heavily pigmented will cause a normal food color to appear
in the urates. The most common cause of urate color is a compound called
biliverdin. It is a waste product of hemoglobin catabolism. Biliverdin
is normally excreted by the liver into the bile and eliminated in the
stool. When the liver fails to excrete it adequately, it then is passed
into the urine and becomes readily visible by the green-colored stain of
the urates. All birds will occasionally pass a dropping stained green. If
several droppings daily are stained green then this bird is sick.
Points
to consider regarding the feces include diarrhea, color, odor, volume and
shape. The greatest confusion occurs when watery droppings are thought to
be diarrhea instead of urinating. Diarrhea means there is no shape to the
feces. The shape can be influenced by diet. Birds fed a pelleted diet will
produce a soft, semi-formed normal watery dropping. Females preparing to
or laying eggs have large, sometimes odorous stools. If a bird is passing
an odorous stool this usually implies that a gas-forming bacteria is
present.
Another
symptom of compromised health is tail-bobbing during rest or after brief
exercising. If the bird is unable to obtain an adequate supply of oxygen
during its respiratory cycle it will bob its tail up and down in a
rhythmic manner. Although the symptom is respiratory the cause is usually
due to liver enlargement or some other impingement upon the air sacs.
Many
times a pet bird will be presented with a large mass. Because of size and
location it often becomes impossible to remove them. The solution to this
problem is to touch and examine the entire bird frequently, preferably
weekly to locate any growth when it is small enough to remove.
Periodic
dated photographs taken at regular intervals may reveal gradual feather
changes that you wouldn't notice otherwise. Many birds have lesions on the
bottom of their feet. Pick the bird up and look at the foot pads. Look at
the bird face-on and notice if the head is symmetrical. Early
identification of skull problems is paramount to success. Look at other
birds of the same species, you may not realize that your bird is abnormal.
It is vital that you "know your bird" for its
sake.
The subject of this article will discuss how light affects the yearly
sexual cycle of the bird. Considering the subject from a practical point
of view we must remember that pet and breeder birds are being kept in an
artificial environment. This abnormal condition immediately raises
questions. How much light does a bird need? What types of light should be
used? Are grow lights of any specific benefit?
Most of the birds kept in captivity in this
vicinity are of tropical origin, therefore, these birds would
normally experience diurnal (day) and nocturnal (night) gradients equally.
What does this mean and how are we going to apply correct lighting in
captivity?
A brief discussion of the effect light cycles
have may help clarify the issue. Increased length of day light hours
causes the gonads of both sexes to grow and mature at the time the eggs
should be laid. The sexual cycle is affected by bad weather, low
temperatures or lack of food but day length is the primary factor that
stimulates hormonal production.
Basically, light passes directly through the
skull and penetrates into photo receptors located in the hypothalmus .
These cells then synthesize (produce) and release a hormone called
gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH). GnRH production begins in the
autumn. It is at this time that sexual behavior may be evident. Examples
of increased sexual behavior may include singing or color changes of the
beak in some birds. The GnRH production continues to escalate until
approximately the summer solstice or June 21. The GnRH production then
ceases until the start of the next reproduction season in the fall.
Although the rate of GnRH production increases
with increasing day length, the exact pace of GnRH production is evolved
for each species. By this I mean most birds have timed their hormonal
cycle with food availability. Ideally each species of bird wants to have
the maximum food supply available to feed and raise its young. That is why
birds may skip a breeding season if food supplies are inadequate.
Because GnRH is the product of increased day
length and causes gonadal maturity that doesn't mean that a successful
breeding cycle will occur. GnRH production is totally independent of
environmental conditions. The breeding pair will have taken a territory,
built a nest, copulated, laid eggs and incubated them in the hopes of
raising offspring. It is essential that the birds have predicted
correctly that all environmental conditions coincide with the GnRH levels.
Obviously the conditions of the captive
environment don't compare to the natural state. The aviculturist will have
determined the territory, nest, food supply, possibly the mate and yes the
length of the day light cycle. If we've educated ourselves concerning the
requirements of the species kept we will enjoy successful reproduction.
Because most captive birds come from the tropics
we could practice utilizing the natural schedule of 12 hours of day light
and 12 hours of night. Most people would find that schedule to be very
restrictive due to work constraints and the desire for personal
interaction with our pets. Studies have shown that tropical birds will
have normal GnRH production when housed under temperate zone day length
conditions. This means that ideally the bird(s) should be kept under
conditions that mimics the day length out of doors. If this plan would be
implemented then the breeding season of tropical birds living in a
temperate zone would be more clearly defined.
To help explain why this would happen we can
examine the gonads of tropical birds. In tropical birds the gonadal cycle
of growth and regression is less notable then in temperate clime birds. It
could be said that their sexual cycle is less dramatic then in temperate
birds. In tropical species the breeding may be synchronous (together) or
asynchronous (variable). Birds displaying synchronous habits will all
breed and produce offspring simultaneously. Species with asynchronous
behavior will have eggs, chicks, fledglings and juveniles in the colony at
any one time of the year.
To summarize the previous discussion it is clear
that light determines the breeding condition of avian gonads. All normal
adult birds achieve sexual readiness sometime during spring and early
summer. However, environmental conditions will determine whether the birds
will actually attempt to raise a clutch of babies.
How might we correlate this information with the
captive state? There are two ideal lighting patterns. The first method
would be to maintain breeding birds on a 12 hour daylight and 12 hour
night time schedule. The second method would be to constantly adjust and
approximate the day length of our temperate environment. Both systems
would work. This also means that the lights should not be turned on once
they are turned off for the night because the bird interprets the lights
are turned on as part of the day length. In other words, don't turn the
lights on again until morning. What we attempt to do is to avoid day
length confusion.
In reality, probably few if any aviculturists are
concerned with lighting schedules. One of the problems of maintaining
animals in unnatural places (eg. tropical vs. temperate climates) is that
we must make every effort to duplicate the preferred optimal comfort zones
that exist in the countries of origin. Most birds, especially pet birds,
are usually under a very erratic pattern of day length. This could, at a
minimum, create a variable effect in the production of GnRH.
It could be speculated that some of the breeding
problems experienced in aviaries is the result of abnormal day lengths.
Vices may be the result of confusion due to hormonal surges that cannot be
satisfied. Feather picking may be related to improper lighting. I think
more attention to day lengths would prove fruitful. Studies have shown
that the type of lighting used is not significant in stimulating gonadal
growth. The subject of lighting is very complex but if we utilize lighting
schedules comparable to nature our pet birds should benefit greatly.
Introduction
In veterinary medicine, clinicians often rely on
the visual examination and history to make treatment decisions. Avian
patients, however, often do not demonstrate overt clinical signs until
their health is greatly compromised. It is because of this phenomenon that
pursuing diagnostic evaluations is necessary. The purpose then of testing is to
identify those pets that are not clinically ill, but need medical care.
All normal birds have an immune system, that is
constantly being challenged by viruses, bacteria, fungi, parasites and
toxins. Their state of health is also influenced by deficiencies and
excesses in the diet. It is during that period of time in which a bird
appears normal, but will eventually become clinically sick that is defined
as sub-clinical illness. Birds are genetically programmed to hide their
health problems to avoid being preyed upon.
What are some of the causes that may result in
sub-clinical illness? The number one priority of each bird is
self-preservation. This process begins the day the bird is weaned (it is
no longer fed and protected by its parents). The first obstacle
encountered is the flock pecking order. The pyramid of power in the flock
is dictated by age, size, sex, experience, environmental conditions,
predation, nutrition, diseases, genetics and population density. The
higher one's position in the flock the greater the survivability and the
chance for reproduction. This is the well-known concept of survival of the
fittest.
The second reason for sub-clinical illness is
flock social competition. Birds genetically realize that individual
survivability is dependent upon flock vitality. The flock serves as a
support group for training, food procurement, genetic diversity,
protection and survival.
Diagnostic
Laboratories
Avian veterinarians must rely heavily on
diagnostic laboratories who provide tests that can aid in the diagnosis
and treatment of disease and metabolic conditions. Tests are often
repeated to monitor the progress of the patient during and after the
prescribed therapy.
Many tests can be conducted in the clinic.
Clinics are variously equipped and can do a lot of diagnostics in-house
(dependent upon staff training), while others may use outside laboratories
exclusively. Whenever in-house tests can be accomplished the waiting
period for results is greatly reduced. Because new information is
constantly being discovered, diagnostic capability will increase. What we
can only talk about today may be diagnosable in the future.
Patient
Restraint
The main concern of the avian patient is self-preservation. When a bird is
restrained it is concerned for its life. Hand-raised birds are more
trusting and may not seem so stressed when handled. When diagnostic
procedures are performed, the bird is often held or confined in an
abnormal position. These positions are not inherently painful but birds
view them as unpleasant. Stress studies have shown that most patient fear
is alleviated by using sedation. The sedation used is administered via a
face mask. Then anesthetic mixed with oxygen quickly (usually 15-45
seconds) renders the bird unconscious.
The supplies and materials needed to do the
diagnostic sampling will have been prepared prior to anesthesia. It will
be discussed with the client what are all the anticipated procedures to be
done. When the bird is anesthetized every test will be done as quickly and
efficiently as possible. The time lapsed between anesthesia, sample and
recovery is usually less than five minutes.
Some birds, especially macaws, may regurgitate
after being anesthetized. This is not harmful to the bird. Clients have
not reported any ill effects at home following sedation. Our goal is to
treat the patient as calmly and gently as possible and yet do a service
that has interpretable value.
Blood
Collection
Everyone has had the experience of giving blood for health exams. In human
medicine large volumes of blood are taken, often as much as 30 cc's.
This amount is equivalent to the total weight of many parakeets. It is
sometimes frightening to the owner when blood sampling is suggested. Today
most laboratory techniques need only micro samples to get diagnostic
results. Almost all the testing that is done can be accomplished with 1 cc
of blood or less.
Approximately 10% of the birds body weight is
blood. We can then safely take 10% of the total blood volume. This amounts
to 1% of the body weight. If a bird weighs 100 grams, our blood sample
would be 1 gram which equals 1 cc. A healthy bird is capable of replacing
any lost blood in three days. In small birds we will sometimes have the
bird back for sampling after several days to accomplish all the testing
desired.
Blood is usually collected from one of four
different sites. From the most common site to the least we'll use the
jugular, wing, leg, veins or a clipped toe nail.
Blood
Analysis
We
recommend a minimum of a yearly blood analysis. Clients often comment that
their pet bird looks and acts normal. They feel that blood evaluations are
unnecessary. The proverb that says, "if you don't look for any thing
you won't find anything" is true. The death rate in birds with
clinical signs of illness is very high. We prefer to identify problems as
early as possible when the outcome might be reversible. No one, including avian
veterinarians are capable of diagnosing most health problems during a
physical and visual examination. The unfortunate misconception that exists
is that a diagnosis equates to a successful treatment. This is often not
the case. The most common problem usually uncovered involves the liver.
The diagnosis may be liver failure in an apparently healthy bird. This means that this bird will shortly develop clinical signs. Sometimes
certain dietary changes and other supportive supplements may enhance and
prolong the quality of life. When a client presents a new bird for
examination our main goal is to provide knowledge and information that may
prevent premature and untimely deaths. We believe the foundation for
health includes yearly monitoring through blood analysis.
Complete
Blood Count
The complete blood count (CBC) includes the packed cell volume (PCV), the
white blood count (WBC), the differential (the percentage of the five
different white blood cells), the platelets or thrombocytes, the total
blood proteins, blood parasite identification if present, and cell
morphology (cell shape). Other CBC determinations that may be helpful
includes hemoglobin levels and the erythrocytic indices which are used to
differentiate types of anemia's.
The most common alterations noted in CBC's
involve the PCV, WBC, proteins, cell morphology and differential WBC. The
PCV is most useful in identifying dehydration and anemia. The WBC identifies
increases and decreases of those cells that are actively responding to
bodily invasions of virus', bacteria, parasites and any potentially
life-threatening situation. The blood protein can indicate dehydration,
liver vitality, immune responses, egg-laying, dietary disturbances and the state
of body fluids and electrolyte balance. Cell morphology or the shape
of WBC's and RBC's can be used to identify parasites, lead poisoning,
anemias, cellular response to infections and often is valuable for prognosis
(outcome of the condition). The differential WBC yields the percentage of
the five types of WBC's. The percentage of response of each cell can tell
us if the
condition is acute (recent) or chronic (long-standing). We may also
diagnose WBC's that are cancerous.
Blood
Chemistry Evaluation
The fluid portion of blood contains numerous enzymes, electrolytes,
hormones, proteins, minerals, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins and waste
products. Each of these substances are present at a level that will allow
the bodily functions in an optimum state. Deficiencies or excesses will
have a negative effect on the well-being or survival of the bird. Serial
testing is often indicated to monitor the effectiveness of therapy or
patient progress. The value of yearly testing would be the identification
of an escalating pattern in a specific test. For example, we may see a
slow increase in uric acid levels. This would tell us that the kidneys are
not effectively clearing this waste product. We may be able to stop this
trend with dietary decreases in protein.
The
Gram Stain
There are two basic classes of bacteria. This is based upon what color
they retain when stained with Gram stain. If the organisms are blue under
the microscope they are called Gram positive: if red they are called Gram
negative. Since psittacine birds rarely have Gram negative bacteria, the
Gram stain tells us that these organisms may be causing the health problem
that is present. Up to 10% Gram negative bacteria are tolerable. Gram
positive bacteria are however often incriminated in skin and foot
infections. The Gram stain also serves another valuable purpose. If we
gram stain the oral cavity or cloaca we should expect approximately 150
gram positive organisms per 100 times magnification. The health of the
bird is probably threatened when the normal flora number is increased or
decreased. Ultimately the gram stain may be used in making the decision to
do a culture and microbial sensitivity.
Bacterial
Culture and Antimicrobial Testing
A
sterile swab can be touched to any body surface or discharge and then
placed in a medium that enhances bacterial growth. This will enable the
avian veterinarian to determine the specific bacteria involved in the
disease-producing state. Fungi can also be identified with this technique.
After the bacteria have been isolated, the next
step is to conduct antimicrobial sensitivity. This means that
drug-impregnated discs are placed in contact with the bacteria. If the
antibiotic is effective against the bacteria isolated there will be a zone
of no growth surrounding the disc. The width of the zone varies with each
antibiotic but generally the wider the zone the more effective will be the
therapy. This type of anti-bacterial testing is not used with fungal
isolates.
Radiology
Radiographs or x-rays are a valuable diagnostic tool in avian medicine. Because
birds have air sacs many anatomical features are visualized. Often
a pathological state can be identified only by using radiographs. Foreign
bodies, eggs, fractures, organ size or displacement and bone density
can also be recognized with x-rays. It is considered by some avian veterinarians
to be the most usable method for appreciating overall patient
health. To take x-rays with interpretive value sedation is recommended as
the bird must be placed on its back and side.
Biopsy
Quite often we can only arrive at a diagnosis or the state of health of a
tissue or organ through histology (study of cells). We may also identify
viruses, bacteria, fungi, cancerous cells, parasites, hypersensitivity,
edema, or other clues to a possible diagnosis through microscopic study.
Biopsies can also help as to predict (prognose) the outcome of the case at
hand. A biopsy is the collection of a small sample of tissue. It is placed
in a preservative and sent to a pathologist qualified to make the best
deductions as to the diagnosis. Biopsies may be taken from most organs of
the body with minimal discomfort to the pet.
Parasites
There are three groups of parasites in birds. Ectoparasites are associated
with feathers, skin, legs and beak. Endoparasites are found inside the
body especially the intestinal tract. Blood parasites are also seen by
examining blood smears under the microscope. The most common external
parasite is the scaly-face mite of the parakeet. Feather lice are
sometimes seen in cockatiels and are very common in wild birds especially
raptors and barnyard fowl.
Since most pet birds are now domestically raised
intestinal parasites are uncommon unless they are kept in outdoor
aviaries. Fecal flotation's are used to detect parasite eggs. On rare
occasions a worm may be seen in the stool or protruding from the bird's
vent.
Certain parasites are best diagnosed using what
is called a wet mount. A cotton swab soaked with saline is used to swab
the mouth or the cloaca to find organisms that may rupture if collected by
any other method.
At time parasites may only be found during
pathological studies by the pathologist. This would be a rare incident
unless the bird is wild caught or has exposure to wild animals.
Chlamydiosis
Chlamydia is a genus of bacteria comprising three species. In birds we are
concerned with the organism chlamydia psittaci. The organism functions
much like a virus. It is an obliate intracellular parasite which means
that outside of the host cell it is inactive. It is a very common problem
in places where large numbers of birds exist. People who are associated
with or in close proximity to infected birds may contract the disease. The
most common avenue of infection for humans is the inhalation of bird feces
that have dehydrated and become part of the environmental dust. Inhalation
of contaminated air may lead to disease. Effective daily sanitation of the
aviary will do much to prevent exposure to and contracting the disease.
Any person with persistent respiratory symptoms should consider possibly
being infected.
There are several methods used to diagnose
chlamydia psittaci. Any organ or body discharge can be evaluated for
infection, however the most common source of the disease is bird feces.
The ideal method of diagnosis is culturing the bacterium. This, however,
can take weeks. In many cases there isn't the luxury of time to wait for
the diagnosis. On the clinical level the most time efficient test used is
called the ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay). This test measures
the presence of the organism in the sample tested. Blood samples can also
be submitted to laboratories to detect antibodies. There are a number of
variations of these tests to attempt to diagnose the problem. Other then
the culture all tests known at this time can yield false negatives. The
chlamydia organism is often shed intermittently in the stool, making fecal
sampling a guess at best. Not all birds will mount a strong antibody titer
therefore blood sampling may be too early or too late. Most cases of
psittacosis are diagnosed by history and other supporting tests that imply
the presence of infection. Birds can be infected repeatedly.
Virus
Identification
Diagnosing viruses ante mortem (live animal) is very difficult. The
pathologist is usually the person who identifies virus diseases.
Clinicians may surmise their presence but have a difficult time providing
it. Recently two test have become available to diagnose psittacine beak
and feather disease (PBFD) and polyomavirus. Both diseases occur mainly in
birds from fifteen days to one year of age, but they may occur at any age.
Since these tests depend upon the presence of the virus, it is possible to
get false negative results. These tests have enabled us to identify birds
who are latent carries but clinically normal. Studies have shown that
every facility having large numbers of birds especially budgerigars will
have carriers of polyomavirus. Probably most or all birds have been
exposed to the plyomavirus. Other viruses such as Pacheco's disease, proventricular
dilatation syndrome (PDS), reoviruses and pox viruses have been
identified. Methods to diagnose these viruses in live birds are being
identified. Methods to diagnose these viruses in live birds are being
studied, but unfortunately most are confirmed on post-mortems.
Miscellaneous
Tests
Other test that have been used sporadically include acid fast straining
for tuberculosis, lead, zinc and iron toxicosis, urinalysis, thyroid and
other hormone assays, cytology (cellular evaluation), fungal titers,
tracheal and air sac lavages, skin scrapings, crop washing, barium x-rays,
electrocardiogram (EKG), ultrasound, blood sexing and endoscopy.
Necropsy
Ideally, every avian veterinarian would want to be instrumental in saving
every patient presented. Despite our best efforts and the cycle of life
some patients will die. The necropsy is the final opportunity to diagnose
a problem. Unfortunately not all necropsies will reveal the answers
sought. In those cases of sudden death the concern for the welfare of
surviving birds is the basis for necropsy. It has been said that
identifying a problem is half of the solution.
To gain the most benefit from necropsy the
following guide lines are recommended. Due to autolysis (tissue
disintegration) the body must be cooled as rapidly as possible. This can
be done by soaking the body in icy water for thirty minutes or rubbing
with alcohol. Place it in a plastic bag and refrigerate. Take it to the
avian veterinarian as quickly as possible. Do not freeze the bird before
having a necropsy performed.
The body cavity is opened to visualize the gross
anatomy. Small samples of the various organs are placed in a preservative
for pathological evaluation. Other samples may be taken for bacterial and
viral isolation. Many, many tests can be conducted to arrive at the cause
of death. Each necropsy performed will enhance our education and knowledge
of avian medicine, because we will gain insight in the processes of
health. Remember, necropsies do not always provide conclusive results.
Suggested
Yearly Evaluation
We
are all aware of the human medical recommendations for semiannual or
annual health exams. The purpose for these visits again is to prevent
catastrophes or expensive reconstructive procedures. The benefit and
reality of these visits is only too apparent in birds. Because avian
medicine is evolving so rapidly there usually is much new information from
year to year. The yearly visit is also used as a time to share medical
updates, techniques and answer questions.
As was described in the previous information many
tests can be conducted. Experience has shown that a screening group of
tests are adequate for most situations. Depending upon the species of bird
and the history, other tests will be suggested. In the introduction we
discussed sub-clinical illness and the importance of identifying birds
harboring problems.
It is recommended that a yearly exam be done
consisting of the following tests. A CBC (complete blood count) will
reveal anemia's, infections and protein levels. Biochemistries are used to
evaluate enzymes, levels of waste product in the blood, electrolytes and
some minerals. X-rays enable the avian veterinarian to make judgments of
bone density and organ relationships. Because birds fly, all body organs
are firmly affixed in the body to prevent damage when landing. If an organ
is enlarged or displaced a clinical decision can be made. As was
mentioned, many other tests may be done as the situation dictates. Since
the above procedures require restraint, anesthesia is recommended to
alleviate stress.
Avian medicine is constantly changing. New tests
are being developed to enhance our diagnostic ability.
Contact webmaster: Desktop Resource Services
|
Powered by InfoView |
