Vet Check - Well-Bird Check Up

Home
>
Pet
>
Vet Check - Well-Bird Check Up

Vet Check - Well-Bird Check Up

I know there are differing opinions on the subject of well-bird check ups. Some people believe in having your apparently healthy parrot checked out once a year by a qualified avian vet, while others claim that taking a health bird into a vet office exposes them to "germies" they might not otherwise be exposed to. I am not going to lecture you on either. That is your choice. I am lucky enough to have a mobile avian vet that visits my house and I do have my parrots checked out once a year. But, you do what you think is right.

If you do take your bird in for a well bird check-up, here are some things that should be included:

Visual check: Looking at the ears, eyes, nose, mouth, etc. and making sure things appear as they should.

The touchy feely test: Feeling the bird to see if there are any lumps or other abnormalities the vet can feel.

Weight: Weight should be taken, in grams, every time.

Grooming: Wing and Nail trims, if needed.

Gram stain: The poop test ? to make sure there are no bad things in the poopie.

Blood Work: Maybe. Possibly a chlamydia blood test and a complete blood panel. You don't have to have these done every time. Ask your vet their opinion. Sometimes the vet may recommend more specific tests. And, just for the record, the bird does not have to be given anesthesia or "put under" to take a simple blood sample.

Ask Questions: Be sure to discuss any changes in behavior, health or diet related issues.

If your bird is not acting right, is tired a lot, lethargic, isn't eating like normal, has a nasal or eye discharge, or just sits there all "poofed" out, you need to get to an avian vet as fast as you can. I mean today ? not tomorrow. Better to be safe than sorry. So, repeat after me, "If my bird looks or acts sick, I will RUN not walk to my avian veterinarian." Birds generally do not look or act sick until they are REALLY sick. They can take a turn for the worst very quickly.

Finding a vet
If you do not already have an avian vet, look in your local phone directory. Give them a call and see how many birds they treat. I know of several that advertise that they treat birds but only see a few per year.

You can also use these site to find an avian vet in your area.

The Association of Avian Veterinarians - Searchable http://www.aav.org/vet-lookup/

The Association of Avian Veterinarians ? more complete listing http://www.aav.org/activemembers.html

The directory at Birds n Ways American Board of Veterinary Practitioners, Certified in Avian Practice: http://www.birdsnways.com/articles/abvpvets.htm

Your Parrot Place
Taylor Knight is President of Your Parrot Place, providers of the highest quality parrot food, toys, cages and supplies available. YourParrotPlace.com - Only the Best for Your Parrot!

Free Parrot eBook
140 pages of parrot tips, information, nutrition advice, safety and more! http://www.yourparrotplace.co m/ebooks/ypp2004ebook.htm

In The News:

New Zealand Herald
Pet sitting gets boost from the web
Fall River Herald News
Instead of putting pets in kennels, Dog Vacay brings together dog lovers with casual and professional dog sitters to provide an affordable experience for pets. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes) By Sue Manning The Associated Press When you travel and have to ...
Doggy couch surfing? Website has lodging for dogsKVAL
Website has lodging for dogsWorcester Telegram

all 38 news articles »

Neato XV-21 Pet & Allergy Automatic Vacuum Cleaner
PC Magazine
Picks up an astonishing amount of dust and pet hair. Simple to use. Easy to clean. Programmable. Doesn't work well on tight corners. Very loud. Dated design. The Neato XV-21 does an excellent job of picking up pet hair—but it's no replacement for a ...

PetProductNews.com
How to provide for pets in case of owner's death or an emergency
Fort Worth Star Telegram
And for many local pet owners, that can mean leaving their furry loved ones behind as they head out of town for a week or maybe even a month. Try as pet owners might to plan accordingly for impending time away from their pets, they might not always ...
Pet Expo Efforts Raise $12000 for Pet Care TrustPetProductNews.com

all 2 news articles »

New York Times (blog)
Thinking of Feeding Your Pet a Homemade or Raw Diet?
Patch.com
Pet food recalls can spur people to make pets' meals themselves, but doing it right is important. By Kim Campbell Thornton Henry is one of many pets available for adoption at Orange County Animal Care. Orange County Animal Care With all the recent ...
Raw Pet Food DebateAll Pet News (blog)
The Raw Food Diet for PetsNew York Times (blog)

all 3 news articles »

Five Pet Place Unveils Luxury Brand; Extensive Collection of Designer Products
Albany Times Union
Five Pet Place, a company specializing in producing attractive and functional products for cats, today revealed its extensive collection of Pet Accessories for the Home™ at fivepetplace.com -- an advanced e-commerce website where consumers can build ...

and more »

KDRV
Marlins Pitcher Mark Buehrle and Wife Jamie to Kick Off Dual Pet-Adoption ...
Sacramento Bee
By Adopt-a-Pet.com MIAMI, May 25, 2012 -- /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Miami Marlins pitcher Mark Buehrle and his wife, the noted companion-animal activist Jamie Buehrle, will launch two initiatives to help homeless pets--one local, one national--at ...
Pet of the Week: HoneyKDRV
Shelter Renovations Cause Shortage of Space for PetsBeach Bulletin
Domino and Snow Bird Need New HomesPatch.com
Aiken Standard
all 20 news articles »

Don't forget about your pets
Houma Courier
By Thad Angelloz What happens when a hurricane evacuation is ordered and you have pets? With many residents counting their pets as integral members of their family, officials say they should also be just as important in overall hurricane planning as ...
Be prepared: 10 ways to help you survive the next hurricaneDaily Comet

all 10 news articles »

Newmarket ZBA grants variance for pet crematory
Seacoastonline.com
By Melanie Gray NEWMARKET — For many, the death of a pet is like the loss of a family member. "It's emotionally hard for all people," said William Morgan, owner of Angel View Pet Cemetery and Crematory in Middleboro, Mass. "Sometimes it just pulls ...

and more »

OregonLive.com
Happening this weekend: Pet-related events you can attend
OregonLive.com
Pets Uncorked: Visit participating Oregon wineries and contribute to a new animal shelter in Newberg. At Duck Pond Cellars, Terra Vina Tasting Room, Terra Vina Willsonville Vineyard and other participating vineyards, 10 percent of the tasting fee will ...

OregonLive.com
When it comes to courage and spirit, tripod pets have a leg up
OregonLive.com
A generation ago, three-legged pets might not have, er, stood a chance in the veterinarian's office. An animal that was hit by a car, born with a birth defect or suffered from cancer might have been more likely to receive a humane euthanasia rather ...

Google News