Avian Handling, Physical Exam, & Clinical Techniques Flashcards
What equipment can be used for avian handling?
- towel for restraint
- googles + hood
- bite gloves
- kickboard
beware of sharp beaks and talons and wings
What is proper restraint for avian patients? What sedation can be used for high-stress birds?
- safe to restrain around the neck due to cartilage rings around the trachea
- NEVER restrict movement of the keel
- tuck in wings and legs into normal position
- consider a dark room or eye covering to calm down
Midazolam or Butorphanol IN or IM
What should be avoided when handling psittacines? What should be done?
removing the bird from owner’s arm or shoulder
- approach calmly and keep towel out of site
- slowly introduce hand and encourage bird to step up
- bring bird towards chest
- drap towel over and restrain head, body, and wings —> rest palm on the birds back, encircle bird’s neck with thumb and forefinger
What special considerations can be taken for handling smaller, flighted birds?
- can use one hand to support their back in the palm, use thumb and last 2 digits to cradle wings, an restrain head with second and third digits
- remove items from the enclosure and gently but firmly use a towel to secure the bird in the corner of the cage
How should Galliformes and Anseriformes be handled?
chickens and ducks
- firm grip around wings and neck +/- towel
- cover eyes or darken the room to calm the bird
- CAREFUL - males have spurs
- can have short bursts of flight and defecate often
How are passerines/columbiformes restrained?
hold bird in non-dominant hand with their head between index and middle fingers and the body resting on the palm
What 6 things make up a detailed history for avian patients?
- enclosure type, size, and location
- enrichment/enclosure furnishing
- other birds/animals in the house
- cleaning schedule
- flight capabilities
- diet/supplements
How is hydration determined in birds? What is not commonly assessed on ocular exams?
skin tent of eyelid
PLR - birds can control pupil size themselves
How should the cere appear? What may cause color changes?
smooth, dry, unform in color
neoplasia, hormone changes
What is occurring in this beak?
malocclusion - scissor beak, commonly due to trauma
How is the beak in this avian patient?
overgrowth of rhinotheca - bird may need enrichment/toys to wear it down on its own
How can the oral cavity of psittacines be safely observed? How is it assessed?
speculum
examine mouth, tongue, oropharynx, mucous membranes, and choana for debris, d/c, growths, or plaques
What are choanal papilla?
borders of the choanal slit —> should be uniform, pointed, and facing caudally
How should the crop normally palpate? What does it given information about?
- smooth, relatively thin-walled
- free of lumps, swelling, impaction, FB, and infection (can transilluminate to get an idea of what’s inside)
assesses if bird is eating well
What is the normal integument of birds like? How can feather picking and loss be differentiated?
moist, beige/pale pink
feather picking is commonly caused by boredom or arthritic pain and broken feathers will likely be observed
Where are ectoparasites most commonly found on birds? What other aspects to the integumentary system should be observed on exam?
under wings, vent, and legs (common in chickens)
- uropygial gland - at the base of the tail, common spot for neoplasia, impaction, and abscesses
- plantar feet - pododermatitis
What is commonly auscultated in avian patients?
HEART - ventral/dorsal aspect, common to have a fast rate with a steady rhythm in-hospital
LUNGS/AIR SACS - ventral and dorsal cervical region/thorax/coelom, observe rate/effort, no obvious sounds should be heard
How is the musculoskeletal system assessed in birds?
- observe the bird while it is standing
- observe wing position at rest
- extend and flex wings to assess joints and propotagium
- extend and flex pelvic limbs to assess joints and perching reflex
How is BCS assessed in birds? What are the 5 stages?
keel and pectoral musculature (common spot for GnRH implants, IM injections, and microchips)
- EMACIATED - keel is almost muscleless
- THIN - keel bone very palpable
- NORMAL - keel bone tip is barely palpable and bird is well-muschles
- OVERWEIGHT - keel bone is not palpable within excess muscle and fat
- OBESE - cleavage palpable between excessive muscle and fat, but keel is not palpable
Where is the coelom palpated? What is assessed?
small space just below keel - shouldn’t feel much
masses or fluid
How is the cloaca examined?
- observe for symmetry, function, and hygiene
- every circumferentially to assess for wounds, swelling, and masses
What are 3 examples of sexual dimorphism is avian species? What is commonly necessary to differentiate sexes?
- ECLECTUS PARROT - males have green heads and females have red heads
- COCKATIEL - females are more black/grey bars on tailfeathers, males have rosier cheeks
- PARAKEET - males have blue ceres, females have brown ceres
DNA samples through a feather pluck (scopes are invasive!)
What feathers are trimmed on avian wings? How does it differ for a cosmetic trim? What should be avoided on trims?
primary remiges
only distal few (9, 10) are trimmed, so when the wings are tucked the feathers look intact —> smaller species may still be able to get lift!
blood feathers
What do avian RBCs look like?
elliptical, nucleated —> CBC must be done manually
Label the WBCs seen on this blood smear.
- BLACK = heterophil
- BLUE = monocyte
- GREEN = thrombocyte
- ORANGE = eosinophil
- RED = lymphocyte
What bones are most commonly used for IO catheter placement?
proximal tibiotarsus or distal ulna —> pneumatic bones vary by species!
What needs to be avoided when performing crop washes and gavaging?
glottis
- crop is to the right
- good for retrieving crop samples in cases of sour crop
What are the 3 most common bandages used for birds?
- figure 8 - immobilizes elbow distally
- modified figure 8 - involves shoulder and humerus to keep the entire wing immobile
- tape splint - good for tarsometatarsal fractures in small birds <100 g
What 3 landmarks are used for endoscopy and cannulation of caudal thoracic or abdominal air sacs? When is this most commonly performed?
- cranial muscles of the femur
- ventral to synsacrum
- caudal to the last rib
upper respiratory obstruction (commonly at the syrinx!)
