Nursing Birds Flashcards
What are the basics of parrot husbandry?
Suitable perches of varying diameters Regular bathing/misting 12hr day/night cycle UVB light Enrichment and foraging
Why are seed-based diets inappropriate for birds?
High in fat and calories
Deficient in vitamins, minerals, essential amino acids
Have poor calcium : phosphorous ratio
Poor quality/stored incorrectly = contaminated with fungal spores e.g. Aspergillus sp.
Can be contaminated with aflatoxins - liver failure
Encourages selective feeding, cannot supplement as seeds dehusked before consumption
What can calcium/vitamin D deficiency cause?
Nutritional secondary hyperparathyroidism (metabolic bone disease)
Hypocalcaemia - seizures in African greys
Thin-shelled eggs, dystocia (egg binding)
How can we diagnose calcium/vitamin D deficiency?
Radiography - pathological fractures, long bone deformity
Serum ionised calcium
How can we treat calcium/vitamin D deficiency?
Calcium/vitamin D supplementation e.g. calcium borogluconate
Correct diet
UVB lighting
Describe obesity in pet birds.
Common especially in amazons/budgies/cockatiels
Hepatic lipidosis - respiratory compromise, diarrhoea
Atherosclerosis - lipid/cholesterol deposits and mineralisation of arterial walls (can cause aortic rupture and sudden death)
Lipomas - common in budgies
Describe hypovitaminosis A.
Leads to squamous metaplasia of epithelial surfaces - respiratory/urogenital/GI tract/skin
Secondary bacterial/fungal respiratory infections - sinusitis, rhinitis
Rhinoliths, blunted choanal papillae, salivary gland abscesses
Poor feather/skin quality, diarrhoea
What environmental improvements can we try to discourage feather-damaging behaviour?
Diet change to pellets
Increase humidity - spray daily, encourage to bathe, humidifier
Allow max. 12hrs light daily - cover cage at night
UVB provision - outdoor aviary, UV lamp
Improve ventilation, no smoking
Decrease stress - cage in secure location
Enrichment and foraging
What considerations should we have when admitting a bird patient?
Very good at hiding illness (masking phenomenon) - need to be seen immediately, often in critical condition
Need to know species, age, diet, history
Ideally bring in cage/pics of cage
Questionnaires can be completed before consult
What are some non-specific signs of illness in birds?
Fluffed, up, depressed, sleepy
Anorexia/polyphagia, vomiting/regurgitation
Change in behaviour/activity
Change of perching height e.g. sitting on floor
Tail bobbing, open-mouthed breathing
Sneezing, voice change, periocular swelling
Discharge - eyes/ears/nares/oral cavity/cloaca/uropygial gland
Wings hanging down, abnormal stance (e.g. wide-legged)
Straining, coelomic swelling
Change in droppings - quantity, colour, consistency
How do we handle birds during consults?
Make sure windows and doors closed and extractor fans off
Support body and keep wings under control
Do not restrict sternal movement - no diaphragm and could suffocate
Use separate towel/cloth for each bird and gloves for raptors
How do we carry out a clinical exam on a bird?
Systematic approach!
May need to be stabilised before thorough exam, e.g. oxygen for dyspnoeic birds
Consider exam under GA e.g. if wild/stressed/very ill
Diagnostics important
Get everything ready before bird is handled
Always get a weight
Assess body condition - palpate pectoral muscle mass, subcutaneous fat deposits?
What hospitalisation considerations should we have for birds?
Quiet and away from predators
More secure if high up - appropriate perches/substrate
Food/water dish easily accessed
Baths for waterfowl
Tail guards for raptors
Hygiene and biosecurity - infectious birds treated last
Zoonosis e.g. Chlamydia psittaci
Do not keep sick birds in same air space as other birds/wild birds with pet birds
How should we care for hospitalised birds?
Keep warm ~30 degrees C - radiant heat better than heat pads etc.
Offer normal/familiar diet
Will not eat in the dark
High metabolic rate - quickly use up energy reserves
Weigh daily (same time each day)
Record-keeping
What considerations should we have when treating birds?
Birds have high metabolic rates so require increased doses and frequency compared to mammals
Putting treatments in water not reliable and may stop bird drinking
May not voluntarily take meds in food - crop tubing/direct administration
What routes of admin do we have for meds?
Oral - crop tubing
Topical (avoid ointments on skin/feathers)
Flushing sinuses/nares useful for upper resp. tract infections
Nebulisation (very useful in resp. disease)
Injection
Describe crop tubing of birds.
Use largest diameter tube - metal in parrots
Extend neck and pass tube into left side of mouth, over tongue and into oesophagus
Palpate right side of base of neck to confirm tube in crop (feel separate trachea)
Frequency - every 2-8hrs depending on species
Food at 38-40 degrees C
Hand-rearing formula
What injection sites can we use on birds?
SC - inguinal fold / interscapular region
IM - distal third pectoral muscles
IV - jugular veins / basilic veins / metatarsal veins
IO - ulna or tibiotarsus
Describe fluid therapy for birds.
Maintenance = 50-100ml/kg/24hrs (higher for smaller e.g. passerines)
Lactated Ringer’s solution
Assume all sick birds 5-10% dehydrated
Give maintenance + 0.5 deficit on day 1, and maintenance plus rest of deficit over days 2-3
How can we admin fluid therapy to birds?
Oral fluids 10ml/kg
SC 20ml/kg inguinal fold
IV 10-20ml/kg bolus or 10ml/kg/hr infusion
IO - distal ulna/proximal tibia
What diagnostic procedures can we perform on birds?
Radiography Biochemistry, haematology PCR, serology Culture Cytology e.g. crop wash/aspirates, faecal Faecal parasitology Endoscopy, biopsy
How do we carry out radiography on birds?
Standard views = right lateral, ventrodorsal
Good positioning important - use GA
Take two views at 90 degrees
Radiograph normal side for comparison e.g. joints
Barium contrast radiographs useful for GI tract and investigation of coelomic masses (15-20ml/kg)
How can we collect a blood sample from a bird?
May be easier and safer under GA in small/wild/very sick birds
Right jugular vein (larger than left)
Basilic vein (medial elbow) - prone to bleeding/haematoma
Median metatarsal vein - larger birds
Can safely collect 1% bodyweight in healthy birds (less if sick)
What considerations should we have for haematology in birds?
Heparin or EDTA suitable in most species (but blood of penguins/hornbills/flamingos/crows/some cranes will lyse EDTA)
Avian erythrocytes nucleated - automated counts unreliable, manual method needed to determine white blood cell count and differential
Good quality blood smears very important
