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Top Ten Health and Care Issues in Pet Birds

Without proper care and attention, birds can suffer from number of incurable diseases, which may results in their death.

Bright eyes, clean shiny feathers, good appetite and lot of energy, are signs for a healthy bird... A sick bird shows the sign of being fluffed up. It is lethargic qnd prefers excessive sleep. Some other symptoms are as follows:

Drowsiness or bad breath.
Failure to replace old feathers.
Sneezing and coughing with difficulty in breathing and discharge from nostrils.
Discharge from eyes.
Ccrusty or swollen eyelids, which may appear cloudy or bulge.
Change in character and color of droppings.
Seizures, circling or paralysis.
Growth or tracks or white crust around beak.
Swollen joints, deformities of wings, toes and legs.
More or less consumption of food and or water.
Sudden change in attitude and behavior.
Sudden difference in appearance or posture.
Problem in respiration
Change in weight.
Swelling in many parts of the body.
Sign of bleeding or injury.
Vomiting or regurgitation

Common Bird Diseases

Some of the pet bird diseases are

Sub Clinical Bacterial Infection:

This is one of the top five domestic bird diseases, which can result in tumor growth in vitro.

Egg Binding, Or The Obstruction Of The Uterus Or Oviduct By An Egg:

It is a common problem seen in female birds like finches, budgies, lovebirds and cockatiels. A seed diet low in calcium as well as essential vitamins and minerals can cause this disease. Obesity, lack of exercise, oversized or mal-formed eggs, excessive egg laying, oviduct infection or damage, heredity and senility are the symptoms.. This disease can be threatening.

House Finch Disease

This is also called mycoplasmal conjunctivitis. In this disease, birds eyes become red, swollen, runny, or crusty, and can even become blind. An infected bird will sit quietly, or will scratch eye against its foot or a tree. In extreme cases they may even die from starvation, exposure, or predation.

Salmonellosis:

Infected birds from this disease will become very thin, fluffed up, and depressed and may get pasted vents and swollen eyelids, which can affect other birds.. This disease is transmitted by contamination of food water and birds.

Aspergillosis:

It is a fungal disease that affects respiratory system. The bird can have difficulty in breathing. It may experience increase in thirst walking and can have white opacity in one or both eyes.

Avian cancer:

If you somehow saw a lump in the wings of the bird, then you must not delay taking it to the avian veterinarian, because it may be suffering from avian cancer. The bird can get different types of tumors.

West nile Virus:

It is a dreaded disease, which can spread to other birds and even to humans. Crow and jay are more susceptible to this virus.

Diabetes Mellitus:

This disease can cause diabetes to the birds. Diabetes mellitus is caused when pancreas does not produce enough insulin.

Polyomavirus:

Polymavirus disease is a dreaded disease for birds.affected birds are sure to die. It affects birds like macaws, amazons, conures and white billed caciques. In this disease, body is unable to process food, crop stasis occurs and the bird dies from dehydration.

To diagnose this disease polyomavirus testing is done whereby analysis of the blood is done. If an adult bird shows positive signs, then the bird is re-tested after 4 to 6 weeks and in case of Juvenile re-testing is done after 12 to 16 weeks.

Avian Influenza

Viruses circulate among birds worldwide. Certain birds, particularly water birds, act as hosts for influenza viruses by carrying the virus in their intestines and shedding it. Infected birds shed virus in saliva, nasal secretions, and feaces. Susceptible birds can become infected with avian influenza virus when they contact with contaminated nasal, respiratory, or fecal material from infected birds. Fecal-to-oral transmission is the most common mode of spread between birds.

Monitoring Birds Health

Droppings should be monitored to observe the bird's health. Paper towels, newspaper or other smooth surfaces should be placed at the bottom of the cage so that the number, volume, color and consistence of the droppings can be noted daily.

There are three parts of normal bird droppings

Faeces:

These are food waste material from the digestive tract. Normal faeces can vary in color and consistency, depending on the diet. Diets that involves high seeds produces black or dark green faeces. Birds, which are on formulated diets (pellets) gets brownish faeces.

Urine

It is generally clear. Diet which includes vegetable and fruit matter may increase the urine component.

Urates

It is a creamy white waste discharge from the kidney

First Aid

In case of emergency, immediate first Aid of and diet should be given.

Heat

Sick birds should be kept at a temperature of 30 - 32oC. A temporary incubator can be made by placing a heating pad along the side or floor of the cage. Drape the whole cage with plastic wrap, or a blanket or with an infra-red or 100 watt light. If bird starts breathing rapidly and holds its wings away from its body, this means temperature is too hot. Flame heaters producing carbon monoxide must be avoided.

Food

A bird will die if it stops eating food. So necessary steps are taken to ensure that the bird eats food. Food should be placed near the bird, or can be scattered on the bottom of the cage. Poly Aid can be given to cure weak birds until they can be carried to a veterinary clinic.An electrolyte ie spark can also be supplied in the drinking water, while it is in the hospital cage. Smaller the bird, greater is the need for quick attention.Antibiotics, "miracle cures", alcohol or oil should not be given at all.

Continue to : Causes of Diseases

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