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Things
to Look for in a Sick Bird:
Birds
in the wild must hide any signs of illness,
as any weakness will make them easy targets
for predators. As a result it is normal for
birds to hide any illness until they are so
ill they can no longer do so. Any sign that
a bird does not feel well should be a warning
that the bird needs to be seen by a vet. DuPont
Teflon® and other non-stick products can
kill birds if overheated. Please click on this
link to read about the dangers: Non-Stick
products
It
is important to be very observant and watch
for minor changes in behavior. Small things
such as any swelling of the toes, feet or legs,
not playing, not talking as much, not taking
normal baths, keeping the feathers rumpled or
fluffed instead of sleek and smooth, a bird
that looks sleepy, runny nose, shivering, glassy,
red, or watery eyes, sneezing, coughing, mucus
in nose, rapid breathing, vomiting, hiding the
head in the plumage, loose stool (this could
be caused by a change in diet) If the bird is
lethargic, lame, twitching. staggering, or twisting
the head, are all reasons to contact a vet right
away.
Any bird that has been in a cats mouth needs
to go on antibiotics right away, even if you
don't see anything wrong with it. Learn as much
as possible about your bird, such as the normal
weight and diet, as most vets have little experience
with starlings and may not know that they eat
mainly insects, or their normal weight. It is
always a good idea to find a vet before you
really need one. A well bird check-up will give you some basic information that will came in handy if he becomes ill later.
If
You Need a Veterinarian, Some Things You Should
Know:
Avian
medicine is very new, and contrary to what most
people think, most veterinarians are not trained
in treating exotic animals. At the Va. Tech
Vet School you can graduate with a DVM without
a single course specifically on birds (except
poultry), I think this is true at most vet schools
in this country.
Veterinarians
who specialize in birds have generally sought their own additional training
in the field of avian medicine. They are members of the AAV (Association
of Avian Vets) so they are receiving the latest information on bird
care. This is so important, as new information is being
discovered all the time. Just in the last ten years the knowledge in
avian medicine has almost doubled. You can call the AAV and ask for
the names of members in your area. Their phone number is (407) 393-8910.
You may also search for an AAV Veterinarian in your area by clicking
on the following link title: AAV
- Find your local avian veterinarian
If you
have a pet bird club in your area, check with
the members about who they use and recommend.
My own preference is to try to find a vet who
has worked with a wildlife center, as starlings
are very different from the parrots that most
avian vets see. However, a veterinarian with
some bird experience is generally better than
one with none. If you have a vet for your pet
dogs or cats ask him/her for a recommendation.
When
you call for an appointment it is perfectly
okay to ask what percentage of the vet's practice
is made up of birds. It is also important, if
you have a European Starling, to say that you
are making the appointment for a pet bird. Keep
stressing "pet bird" because it is
very important that they know this is your pet
and not a wild bird, as most vets do not treat
wild birds. It is also a good idea to download
your states wildlife laws, as they pertain to
starlings, and take it with you for many vets
believe that they are a protected species, and
refuse to treat them. In some areas it will
be hard to find an avian vet, and in this case
what you will want to look for is someone who
admits that he or she does not know much about
birds but who has an interest in them. Vets
who say they "don't know something but
will try to find out" get high marks in
my book. The vets who will not admit that they
don't know much about birds yet work on them
with confidence anyway are the ones who really
scare me. A vet who tries to bluff his way will
not treat my birds, and I hope not yours either.
Once
you are at the vet's office one thing to look
for would be bird literature in the waiting
room, a gram scale so the vet can get the birds
weight, (an accurate weight is important in
order to figure the correct medicine dose).
Other important things to look for include the
vet doing a physical exam, (after observing
the bird in his cage), handling the bird gently,
checking the eyes, inside the mouth, the ears,
and listening to breath sounds. If the vet does
not pick the bird up to do an exam, take your
bird and run. In some cases of extremely ill
birds, however, handling will be kept at a minimum
and the examination will be very brief, or not
at all, and will only be done after oxygen supplementation
or other emergency care. If your bird is sick,
the vet will need to be able to do some basic
testing if the patient is stable enough. Gram
stains, bacterial cultures, fecals and a complete
blood count are tests that are needed in most
cases. There are other tests that your vet may
feel is necessary as well, but expect some testing
to be done. No one can treat a sick bird fully
and properly without doing some basic tests.
Some
of the antibiotics that an avian vet commonly
prescribes are Trimethoprim and Sulfamethoxazole,
Bactrim, Cipro or Baytril. It would be very
unusual for a bird to need something such as
Amoxicillin, and this would only be used for
very specific circumstances such as for a bird
that has been attacked by a cat. Vets inexperienced
with birds consider Amoxicillin a broad spectrum
product for dogs and cats, and do not realize
that it is not a good choice for birds. Sometimes
an antifungal such as Nystatin will be prescribed
along with antibiotics.
The
last item is perhaps one of the most important.
You should feel comfortable with the vet of
your choice! He/she should answer your questions
fully and should have scheduled enough time
to do a good job of checking your bird. Be sure
to write down any questions you have before
going to her/his office.
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