! | Symptoms/Conditions | Possible Causes | First Aid Recommendations |
A | Rectal Prolapse | Egg Binding; malnutrition; excessive sexual stimulation; mass in cloaca |
Call your Veterinarian |
A | Lying on cage floor | Trauma to head; ingestion of a toxin; overheating; possible infection; |
Keep bird at an ambient temperture of 85°-90° |
metabolic disorder or disease. | until you can reach your veterinarian | ||
A | Loss of Limb Use/Paralysis | Leg: fracture; soft tissue trauma; egg binding; gout; metal toxicity |
Remove perches; provide a warm quiet environment with the temperature of 85°-90° |
Wing: trauma to bone; soft tissue trauma; heavy metal toxicity |
For a broken wing or trauma to wing, you can slip a snug not tight stocking over the body with toe cut out for birds head this will |
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immobilize the wing until you can seek help from your veterinarian. |
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A | Poisoning | Ingested: foil; pesticides; some houseplants; cigarettes; curtain weights; |
Ingested: Provide a warm enviornment 85°-90° Pica is the term associated with the chewing or gnawing on inappropriate |
disinfectants; heavy metals; some foods like chocolate; alcohol; avocado; |
items which can lead to malnutrition. | ||
salt. | |||
Inhaled: Cigarette smoke; barbecue smoke; paint fumes; hair spray fumes; |
Inhaled: Provide fresh air and adequate ventilation |
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overheated non-stick coatings on pots and pans | **Note** The overheating of an empty teflon pan is deadly to pet birds it can kill your pet bird within minutes. |
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B | Burns | Heat: Contact with hot water; hot cooking oil; hot surface; or baby formula too hot |
Heat: Place bird in a quiet environment and immediately apply a cold compress |
Electrical: Biting or chewing of electrical cords |
Chemical: Immediately flush your birds mouth with large amount of cool water |
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Chemical: Ingesting a caustic chemical |
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B | Diarrhea/Loose Wet Stools | Unformed wet feces can indicate a pathologic disorder such as a virus; bacteria |
Pathologic: Provide a warm environment of 85°-90° place wax paper at the bottom of your birds cage to collect fresh feces |
Excessive urination | infection; parasites; poisons; foreign body;malnutrition. | for your veterinarian to evaluate. | |
Polyuria is an increase in fluid (urination) this can be due to stress; excitement |
Polyuria: Start your pet bird on baby cereal mixed with 1 teaspoon psyllium and 2 cups Gatorade®. Administer Pepto Bismol® |
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over consumption of watery foods; or kidney disease | 1 drop for a cockatiel size bird. | ||
B | Egg Binding | General malnutrition especially protein and Vitamin A, D3 or Calcium; |
Provide a warm enviornment of 85°-90° DO NOT GIVE OIL ORALLY OR VIA VENT |
females; lethargy; straining; | First, soft shelled or hybrid egg; overproduction; hereditary factors; cold |
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abdominal enlargement | environments; lack of exercise | ||
B | Abnomalities with eyes or | Injury; infection via virus such as chlamydiosis, mycoplasma; coliforms; |
Apply natural or hypo-tears to affected eye. DO NOT USE VISINE ®MURINE® OR ANTIBIOTIC OINTMENTS |
Discharge from eyes | eyelid abnormalities; malnutrition; sinusitis | ||
B | Cuts and Lacerations | Injury; fighting; flying into windows; fans; ceilings; bite wounds from other animals |
Apply pressure bandage to control bleeding and contact your veterinarian immediately. |
B | Overheating; Panting | No shade or retreat away from sun; left in hot car; improper supplementation heat; |
Place your birds feet and legs into cool water, mist feathers down to the skin with tepid or mild warm water. |
obesity | |||
B | Passing Whole Seeds | Gastrointestinal irritation or disturbance; grit obstruction; viral diseases; parasites; |
Provide a warm environment of 85°-90° and offer soft food |
malnutrtion. | |||
B | Respiratory Symptoms | Air sac or other respiratory infections from viruses; bacteria; fungi; parasites; |
Provide a warm environment of 85°-90° and offer fresh air |
Sneezing; wheezing; runny nose | malnutrition; Iodine deficiency; tumors; obesity; foreign body in nares or trachea; |
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clicking sounds; change in voice; | egg binding; irritation from cigarette smoke; cleaners; plastic |
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breathing difficulties | |||
B | Vomiting or Regurgitation | Normal regurgitation to mate; other regurgitation or vomiting is associated with |
Provide a warm environment of 85°-90° Remove food and water and consult your veterinarian |
gastrointestinal irritation; poisoning by pesticides or heavy metals; or foreign bodies |
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C | Bleeding from Feather(s) | Trauma; injury to pin feathers; malnutrition | Prevent flapping. Clean affected feather(s) with hydrogen peroxide or water. Pat a small amount of white flour onto the |
area to absorb the blood and create a “dough ball”. If bleeding continues apply a drop of Super Glue® directly to the dried |
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affected area of the feather(s). If bleeding persists contact your veterinarian. |
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C | Bleeding from Nail(s) | Nail(s) cut too short; caught, bite, unsafe toys, nail(s) too long, improper diet |
Minor bleeding stops with the application of flour, cornstarch or bar soap. If fleshy quick is exposed cut back flush with |
liver problems | nail bed. Grind in Monsel ®solution, stypic pencil or Quick Stop.® |
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C | Oil Contamination | Contact with household oil; application of greasy, over the counter ointments or other medication; contact with oily substances. |
Provide a warm environment of 85°-90°. Remove oil immediately. If heavy oil remove with Dawn® dishwashing liquid, rinse |
dry immediately (blot with towel and blow dry) Wrap bird in towel or small blanket. |
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** | Conditions requiring Veterinary | Unusual appearance or behavior, including loss of appetite; weight loss; |
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Attention | depression; weakness; unusual feces/droppings; abdominal swelling; signs of trauma; loss of balance or favoring one leg or wing. |
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Contact a Veterinarian Immediately! Use first aid only until bird can be seen |
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Conditions may briefly respond to first aid, but contact your Veterinarian immediately |
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Try these first aid suggestions. If results are not immediately seen contact your Veterinarian |
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Conditions require Veterinary Attention |