Wellness Visits Vital to Your Bird's Health

All birds should see an avian veterinarian within 72 hours of arriving at their new home. The procedures your veterinarian will elect to do depends on circumstances but in most cases, at least the first three items listed below will be suggested. All birds should also have a yearly wellness exam to help ensure a long, healthy life. Chances are your vet will help you identify health problems you weren’t even aware existed! Birds are expert at hiding illness, so preventative care is the key to good health.
Some tools to check your bird’s health:

• Comprehensive physical examination, including feathers, skin, eyes, nares, beak, oral cavity, ears, limbs, bones, feet and droppings for any signs of abnormalities. At this time, your veterinarian will weigh your bird and discuss with you its medical history (including possible exposure to toxins), health care, nutrition, husbandry, behavior, preventative medicine and how to enjoy your pet bird.
• Fecal examination: Gram's stain cytology, flotation and direct smear of the droppings are done to determine the relative health of the gastrointestinal system, to check for the presence of parasites, and to look for "good" and "bad" bacteria.
• Chlamydia (psittacosis) test- a disease people can also get.
• Psittacine Beak and Feather Disease Test
• Vaccination for Polyomavirus- an often fatal disease that can now be prevented. Two injections are given two weeks apart to all species except budgerigars. An annual booster vaccination is recommended.
• Baseline Normal Values should be established at the time of the first visit as a basis for comparison if your bird becomes ill. Making these comparisons helps to identify organ dysfunction as well as to monitor recovery following treatment. The baseline tests may include:
• Complete blood count (CBC)
• Blood chemistry profile to assess internal organ health
• Radiographs to evaluate the musculoskeletal system and internal organs, and to search for signs of pathology including the presence of fractures, masses or foreign bodies.
• Culture and sensitivity - Cloacal (fecal) and Choanal (throat) to look for abnormal bacteria or fungi.

Other procedures that can be done include determining the sex of your bird by blood test, and endoscopy for a clear magnified view of your bird's internal organs without a major surgical procedure. A biopsy may be indicated in the case of illness.

Annual Rechecks continue the health care program and may help small problems from becoming big ones.