OWINGS MILLS ANIMAL & BIRD HOSPITAL

    9623A REISTERSTOWN ROAD

   OWINGS MILLS, MARYLAND 21117

    (410) 363-0393

      DR. ERNEST SLOVON

Complete Avian Health Checkup

     Having recently purchased a new bird, and/or this being your bird's first examination there is much I would like to tell you.  A complete physical exam will be conducted, however to insure your birds health status some laboratory tests need to be run.  Outlined below are these tests and the information gained from them which will help you better understand your bird's potential health problems. 

     First of all, birds unlike people, cannot tell you when they are sick.  To complicate matters, they have evolved to "hide" any illness to prevent being recognized by a predator as easy prey.  This "masking" of their signs of illness has lead to the misconception that birds get sick and die very quickly.  Many people will say, "He was fine yesterday--alert and eating--then we found him on the bottom of the cage, nearly dead, this morning."  In actuality, the bird was most likely ill for some time but was not demonstrating any signs of illness.  This is where a thorough physical examination and laboratory testing can identify problems before they become lethal.

     The following is a list of a complete avian medical examination, and a brief summary of the information that each test provides.  (Although no amount of testing can 100% guarantee a healthy bird, these tests can detect the most common diseases, giving you and your bird all the advantages that veterinary medicine has to offer.)

     Please feel free to discuss these tests with the technician or doctor. 

     Our practice has been designed to run almost all of these tests here at our in house laboratory.  This enables us to get results in a timely fashion which becomes most important when dealing with sick individuals where their condition can deteriorate rapidly.

PHYSICAL EXAMINATION

     A complete physical exam will detect many common problems and/or symptoms (ie. respiratory illness, malnutrition, vitamin A deficiency, bone or joint abnormalities, sinus or eye infections, mites, feather disorders, etc.).  The doctor or his assistant will have to restrain your pet to ensure an adequate exam.  This procedure is performed rapidly to minimize any stress associated with the exam.

COMPLETE BLOOD COUNT (CBC)

     This blood test is done here in our office lab by certified veterinary technicians.  It can detect the presence of anemia, infection , blood parasites, some cancerous conditions (leukemia), and provide evidence of intestinal parasitism.

CHEMISTRY PROFILE

     This blood test checks out the individual organ functions such as liver and kidney function.  Additionally, we can identify individuals with a calcium or protein deficiency (very common), diabetes, and bone or skin abnormalities. 

CULTURE & SENSITIVITY

     A routine culture of the intestinal tract flora is part of a diagnostic base to determine if any harmful bacteria, fungi, or yeast are present. Sensitivities are done to determine the appropriate therapy if needed.  Cultures can also be taken from the choanal area (throat) in respiratory or vomiting disorders, from wounds, feathers and the eyes as indicated.  It is very common to find bacterial & fungal imbalances in newly purchased birds which may require treatment.  Our cultures are done in our own laboratory allowing us to get results quickly which has proven invaluable when dealing with critical patients.

PSITTACOSIS TEST

     This disease is zoonotic (transmissible to humans), and often presents a public health risk.  It can cause birds mild to serious illness, or they can be asymptomatic and spread the causative organism to other birds and people.  The new test (DNA Probe) that we have available can detect the organism in blood or secretiomns and should be run on all new birds.

PSITTACINE BEAK AND FEATHER DISEASE (PBFD)

POLYOMAVIRUS

     Tests for these diseases have been developed and are finally  available.  PBFD is a disfiguring and fatal disease that originally was identified in cockatoos, but is now known to affect almost all psittacines.  It can affect the young and old with asymptomatic carriers being very common.  Besides being very contagious, it can be devastating in a collection of birds.  This is one of the most important tests to consider running, especially if you own a cockatoo.  A blood sample is required. 

     Polyomavirus affects mostly young birds and is extremely important in breeding operations.  A fecal or cloacal sample is required.

BLOOD SEXING

         Knowing the sex of your bird now may not seem important, however in the future we may be dealing with a problem related to the reproductive system.

FECAL FLOTATION/DIRECT SMEAR

     This test checks for the presence of intestinal parasites (worms), protozoans and giardia (a potential human pathogen).

RADIOLOGY (X-RAYS)

     The number of disease states that can be detected with x-rays are too numerous to completely list.  Pneumonia, air-sacculitis, abscesses, liver disease, fungal infections, old fractures, and bone and joint abnormalities are some of the most common.  Anesthesia is often required in larger birds to take radiographs safely and of good quality.  We use Isoflurane, the newest and safest anesthetic available for birds.

                    ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

     Enclosed are several pamphlets detailing basic care, nutrition, recognizing signs of illness, examinations, and psittacosis.  Please take the time to review this information.

     You will also find literature pertaining to vaccination of your bird against Pacheco's Disease.  We currently recommend this vaccine to all birds at risk.

     Your initial office visit is intended to make available to you any information you may need on nutrition, behavior, housing, training or breeding of your bird.  If you forget to ask a question don't hesitate to give us a call so we can help you have a long and enjoyable relationship with your pet.

                               ERNEST A. SLOVON, D.V.M. & STAFF