TAKING A BIRD TO THE VET

Advise clients over the phone that:

• Birds hide the signs of disease as a natural reflex.

• Therefore any signs of illness or abnormal behaviour (eg voice change, unusual droppings, irritability) need immediate attention.

• Any bird displaying obvious signs of disease (eg fluffed up, not eating, vomiting) is often suffering from a life threatening condition.

• Some birds continue to eat right up to the point of death. Eating does not necessarily mean the bird is healthy.

• Most conditions cannot be diagnosed over the phone. As birds hide the signs of disease, further diagnostic tests may be needed at the time of consultation to establish a diagnosis.

Advise clients coming to the vet to bring:

• The bird in its cage with a layer of white paper on the cage floor and then cover this with plastic.

• The bird in a box if a suitable travel cage is not available. Place paper on the bottom of the box and bring a picture of the aviary or cage.

• All medications and supplements.

• All the bird’s toys.

• Samples of all the bird’s food.

• All feeding and watering utensils.

• Some fresh droppings from the client’s other birds.

Do not clean the cage prior to placing the white paper on the floor.

Empty the water from the water bowl prior to travelling to the veterinarian.