Friends Of Feathers Bird Rescue And Sanctuary | Bird Rescue , Sanctuary, Vancouver Island BC Canada

Signs Your Bird Is Sick:

We ''highly'' recommend Dr Lawrie for all avian Vet care

Dr Ian Lawrie

1800 Bowen Road
Nanaimo, BC V9S 5W4
(250) 753-1288

Also please visit http://www.harrisonsbirdfoods.com/learningcenter/index.html

Signs that Your Bird Needs Medical Attention

Is your bird feeling a bit "under the weather?" Would you really even know if he was? As bird owners, we bear the responsibility of making sure our pets stay healthy. In order to fulfill this obligation, we must learn to identify common signs and symptoms of illness. Protect your bird by learning to recognize when it's time to go to the vet.

What to Look For

When a bird gets sick, it is often very serious. Although birds can be very effective at hiding signs of illness from their owners, there are a few tell-tale symptoms that owners should be on the lookout for in order to have the best chance of saving their pet. If your bird exhibits any of these symptoms, he needs to be transported to a vet immediately.

Unusual Droppings: The color of your bird's droppings will vary slightly depending on what you feed him.

Nonetheless, you should watch out for droppings that are yellow, rusty brown, or tarry black. These can be indicators of internal bleeding, amongst other serious problems. You should also notice if there is a major change in the consistency of your bird's droppings. If they are too runny or too firm, it can cause complications for your pet.
Ruffled Feathers: Birds that sit with their feathers fluffed out for prolonged periods of time are often affected by respiratory problems or other disorders. Ruffled feathers are also good at concealing weight loss, which can be life threatening for a bird. If you observe this behavior in your pet for more than a day or so, you should contact your vet as soon as possible.
Red, Inflamed, or Runny Cere: Your bird's cere is what we perceive as his nose -- the little patch above his beak that holds his nostrils. Pay close attention to your bird's cere. If you observe any redness, inflammation, or discharge, there is a very good chance that you pet could be seriously ill. Make sure to keep your bird wrapped up and warm on the way to the vet.
Cloudy Eyes: If your bird's eyes look cloudy or have a discharge coming from them, he may be affected by a respiratory, nervous, or muscular disorder. You should rush to the vet as soon as possible as your bird needs immediate treatment.
Reduced Appetite: Birds have extremely high metabolisms, so it is vital that they receive adequate nutrition every day. If your bird stops eating and begins to lose weight, it may be a sign of an intestinal blockage or impaction, in which case he could die very quickly without medical attention. Make sure to clean out the bottom of your bird's cage every day before you feed him. This provides an easy way to monitor food consumption, not to mention changes in droppings.
Please visit our Veterinarian Information page for 24 hour vet service http://friendsoffeathersrescue.webs.com/veterinarianinformation.htm

To ensure that a bird stays healthy, feed it a proper diet. A balanced diet contains ingredients from all the major food groups. Adjust quantities of different foods so that your bird samples everything and doesn't fill up on just one preferred food. A seed-only diet is deficient in many nutrients and leads to malnutrition, poor feathers, increased susceptibility to illness, and a shortened life. Processed pellet foods, fruits, vegetables, cereals, breads, and proteins like beans, eggs, or meats should be offered to provide a well-balanced diet. Birds are one type of pet where we encourage the feeding of people food.
Clean, fresh water always must be available. Nutritional and vitamin supplements can be used under the guidance of your veterinarian. Birds, like people, frequently have strong preferences for certain foods. Even if they are stubborn, we should not give up on getting them to eat what is best for them. If you notice a sudden decrease in appetite, contact your veterinarian— it could signal an illness requiring medical care.

E:mail: friendsoffeatherrescue@shaw.ca