Annual Check-Ups For Birds

Every year pet owners take their dogs and cats to the vet for a vaccination and check up, and regard this as a normal part of responsible pet ownership. Bird owners need to do the same. We often diagnose problems in birds that could have been prevented or treated earlier if only we had seen the bird for a regular check up.

Physical examination

During an annual check up, we will firstly give your bird a thorough physical examination. We look at the bird's plumage, its mouth, feet, wings, etc. and record its body weight. Many problems, such as tumours, nutritional deficiencies, weight loss or weight gain can be detected by this alone.

Lab tests

The next step is to do some lab tests. As a general recommendation, stains on the bird's droppings (to check for infection) and blood tests should be performed. These tests allow the detection of internal problems, such as liver disease, kidney disease, diabetes, and pancreatitis.

Once the results of the physical examination and lab tests have been recorded, they can be compared to expected results or, even better, results obtained from previous examinations. This gives us a baseline for your bird, and allows for even more sensitive detection of early problems.

Advice

At the same time, we can answer any of your questions regarding your bird's health, diet, caging or behaviour.

An annual check up is a co–operative effort between us and you, to ensure that your feathered companion is in the best of health, and stays that way.

- Last updated 16 November 2012