2. Anatomy
• Feathers
– Contour (body & flight feathers)
– Plume (down)
• Moulting
– Process of shedding and regrowing feathers
• Delicate skin
• No diaphragm
• Usually only left side of female repro tract functional
• Modified skeleton (pneumatic bones)
3. Anatomy
• 4 chambered heart
• Lungs
– Unidirectional flow, fixed (do not expand)
• Air sacs (nine)
– Communicate with pneumatic bones, connect to lung
directly via primary or secondary bronchus
– Act as a bellows system, using the sternum, to push air
through the lungs
• Nucleated red blood cells
• Heterophils (like neutrophils in mammals)
4. Anatomy
• Short digestive transit time (3-12h)
• High metabolism
• Choana
– Located on the roof of the mouth. It is a slit that
connects through some passages to the nostrils.
• Beak
• Crop – out pouching of esophagus
• Glandular stomach (proventriculus)
• Muscular gizzard (ventriculus)
• Cloaca
– Coprodeum (digestive), urodeum (urinary), proctodeum
5. Anatomy
• Renal portal system
• No urinary bladder
• Heart rate varies from 150 to 1400 bpm
• Body temperature averages 105 F
• Poorly developed sense of taste & smell
• Acute vision – eyeballs fixed but head can
rotate, voluntary control of iris muscles
• Hearing range similar to humans
6. Gender Terms
• Males
– >12m - rooster, cock
– <12m – cockerel
– Castrated – capon
• Females
– <12m - pullet
– >12m – hen
• Young
– chick
• Chicken raised/used for meat – broiler
• Chicken raised/used for egg production - layer
9. Birds are popular pets
Number of U.S. Total number of
households pets owned
Animal
that own a pet in the U.S.
(millions) (millions)
Dog 45.6 77.5
Cat 38.2 93.6
Freshwater fish 13.3 171.7
Bird 6.0 15.0
^ "Industry Statistics & Trends". American Pet Products Manufacturers
Association, Inc. Retrieved 2009-12-14.
29. Polish (bantam)
• Dolly Parton – white
• Ella Fitzgerald – black
• Etta James – white crested
black
30. Galliformes
• Do not mix different
ages, species.
• Protect from
predators.
– Dogs, coyotes, wolves
– Cats, larger birds…
31. Traveling with Birds
• Bird should always travel in its cage
• All grit should be removed from cage
• Evaluation of bird’s environment is helpful
information
• Large birds may travel in a pet carrier
31
32. Office Visits
• Bring in primary cage if possible
• Do not clean cage first
• Remove food & water, but not bowls
• Bring in sample of food, vitamins, etc.
33. Components of a Clinical History
• Chief complaint • Feces
• Species, gender, and • Cage mates
age • Molting cycle
• Origin • Behavior
• Environment • Previous medical
• Diet history
• Appetite
33
35. Bird Restraint
• Your hands & body
• Bird board
• Towel restraint
• Continually watch for signs of stress
• End with positive reinforcement
35
36. Restraint Techniques
• Avoid constricting chest – they need to breathe!
• Watch for signs of hyperthermia
• WEAPONS: Beak, feet/claws/talons, wings –
Raptors: danger from talons
37. Some handling tips
• Warn client in advance of handling that bird may
object
• Small birds: dim lights, remove toys/perches
• Conures, Macaws: Use wash cloth or towel to grasp,
cover head
• Some birds like to cuddle (umbrella cockatoos),
some like to step up (Amazon)
• Listen to owner re: particular bird preferences
http://www.vet.ohio-
state.edu/assets/courses/vcs727/avianident/index.html
38.
39.
40.
41.
42.
43. Trimming of Nails
• Common procedure done by technicians
• Tools
– Dremel Motor Tool
– Human nail clippers
– Electrocautery unit
– Chemical cautery
43
45. Clipping of Wings
• Common procedure done by technicians
• Indicated to reduce flight capacity
– Not a flight prevention method
• Both wings clipped for symmetry
45
48. Administration of Medication
• Oral administration
– Food
– Water
• Injection
– Pectoral muscle mass
– Caudal half of body
• Liquid suspensions into crop
48
50. Venipuncture Sites in Avian
Species
• Basilic vein
– Hard to immobilize and secure
• Right jugular vein
– Recommended site for most species
– Use restraint board for larger patients
• Medial metatarsal vein
– Not satisfactory for collecting large volumes
50
52. Treatment Techniques
• IM injections: Pectoral or legs
– draw back before injecting
• SQ injections: under wing or on back
• IV ulnar (wing), medial metatarsal (leg)
• Blood collection: right jugular, leg or toe nail
• Choanal swab for respiratory problems
• Cloacal swab for fecal check
53.
54. Oral Examination
• Avian beak speculum used to open beak
• Proper and stress-free restraint important
• Examination of oral cavity for issues
54
57. Choanal Culture
• Culture should be taken
when birds are exhibiting
upper respiratory signs
• Culturette placed in
rostral area to prevent
cross-contamination with
flora in oral cavity
57
58.
59. Crop Wash
• Tube inserted into crop
• Simple flush performed
• Testing methods:
– Wet mount microscopic examination
– Stained cytology examination
– Culture and sensitivity
• Important technique to learn
59
60. Bird Feces
• Consistency of normal feces
– Dark, solid feces
– White solid urates (uric acid)
– Liquid urine
• Evaluation of stool important
first step in diagnosis
60
61. Cloacal Swab
• Cytologic evaluation
• Done on psittacine species
• Determinations:
– Bacterial flora of lower GI tract
– Inflammatory cells
– Culture and sensitivity tests
– Viral isolation
61
62. Radiography
• Important diagnostic tool
• Can be stressful
• Best performed when sedated or
anesthetized
• Views:
– Lateral
– Ventrodorsal
– Selected extremities
62
66. A Sick Bird is an Emergency
• Birds mask illness
• Clients may not recognize early signs of
illness
• Avian telephone inquiries should be
considered emergencies
• Sudden deaths often occur
66
67. Signs of Illness
• Limited early clinical signs
Weakness Falling from perch
Trauma Bleeding
Anorexia Cage bottom
68. Signs of Illness
• Posture:
slumped exaggerated
wings held out tail bobbing
• Physical signs:
Nasal discharge Respiratory noises
Swelling around eyes Ruffled feathers
Change in droppings Prominent keel
69. Medical Problems
• Toxins
• Fumes from household products
• Paints, pesticides
• Plants
• Lead poisoning
• Predators!
71. Chlamydophila psittaci
• Commonly diagnosed in bird species
• Highly contagious to humans—zoonoses
– Respiratory transmission
• Precautions
– Isolate bird from other birds and people
– Gloves and masks used by personnel
– Careful disposal of feces, cage items, and
cleaning products by bagging
71
72. Psittacosis (Chlamydiosis)
• Signs: green diarrhea, pneumonia, nasal and
ocular discharge, splenomegaly, hepatomegaly,
pericarditis, airsaculitis
• Treatment: Antibiotics (typically tetracyclines);
supportive care
• Zoonotic!
74. Bird Hospitalization Needs
• Isolation
– Minimizes stress
– Prevents contamination of potentially
pathogenic bacteria
– Special area for contagious birds
• Visual barrier (cage cover)
• Disposable perches
• Temperature control: 80 -90 F best
• Observation for signs of heat stress or
shivering 74
75. Nutritional Care During
Hospitalization
• Start with small amounts of food, frequently
• Increase volumes slowly
• Monitor crop for prompt emptying
• Examine stools for consistency
• Weigh bird 2-3 times daily
75
78. Feeding Pet Birds
• Common nutritional problems
– Inadequate diets
– Poor feeding practices
• Patients may need nutritional
support, different from normal diet
78
79. Dietary-Induced Diseases
• Each species of bird has differences in
nutritional demands
• Diseases occur frequently in psittacine and
passerine bird species, due to diverse
nutrimental requirements
• Feeding and nutritional disorders can result
from all-seed diets and diets supplemented
with fruits, vegetables, and other human
foods 79
80. Small Birds
• High metabolic rates
• High-energy requirements
• Need continuous supply of food
• Natural diet of insects, fruits, seeds
• Primary natural diet is not seeds
– Seeds deficient in nutrients
80
81. Primary Seed Diets
• Composed primarily of sunflower seeds
– High in fat
– Low in calcium
– Low in vitamin A
– Perpetuates obesity and/or nutritional
deficiencies
81
82. Fruits and Vegetables
• They are eaten preferentially because of
high water content
• They dilute key nutrients present in
nutritionally balanced commercial foods
82
83. Common Avian Nutritional
Requirements
• All birds have similar nutritional
requirements
– Water, proteins, amino
acids, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, inorganic
elements, minerals
• Different species require different amounts
• Calcium required in largest quantity
– Hypocalcemia can be alleviated
83
84. Proteins
• Approximately 20 amino acids required by
companion birds
• 10 of the 20 are essential amino acids
• Infant birds need glycine and proline
• Increased proteins may be needed during
reproductive cycle
• Insects may supply increased protein needs
84
85. Commercial Avian Foods
• Benefits
– Nutritionally balanced
– Convenient
• Disadvantages
– No testing for nutritional adequacy
85
86. Seed Diets
• Seeds are not best or most natural food
• Seeds in most commercial mixes are not
native to areas where most pet bird species
originate
86
88. Homemade Mixed-Food Diets
• An alternative if bird will not accept
commercially prepared foods or seed
mixtures
• Can result in excellent feathering and
appropriate body mass
• Will not cause nutritional deficiencies, if
prepared carefully from scientifically
developed recipes
• Ensure owner compliance! 88
89. Mineral Grit
• Dietary supplement
• Insoluble grit remains in gizzard
– Quartz or silica
• Soluble grit is completely digested
– Oyster shells or cuttlefish
• Over-supplementing can be harmful
89
90. Water
• Single most important dietary component
• Makes up >50% of a bird's body weight
• Intake is important for thermoregulation
• Breeding females require increased amounts
of water
90
91. Water Requirements
• Birds should not go more than a few hours
without access to fresh, clean water
• Some foods require free water for efficient
digestion and absorption
• Provide water in easily accessible container
• Avoid large water bowls to discourage
bathing
91
Editor's Notes
Masked lovebird
Pink cockatoo
Male cockatiel (http://animalscience.ucdavis.edu/research/parrot/exoticbirdreport.html)
