Be informed and talk with your vet.

[ShreddedOakAviary]

Due to the extensive size of my animal family, I have 4 vets. Our Avian vet is very highly regarded by the bird owners here. However, I have some advice for people when it comes to taking your bird to a vet.... first, know your basic meds... Baytril, Ciproflaxin, Amoxocillin, Diflucan (fluconazole), pipercillin, etc.... Second, If you your vet EVER prescribes you an oral antibiotic, inist that he gives you an oral antifungal.... otherwise your the antibiotic kills the natural gut flora and they get canidae and you wind up with a bird with crop stasis and the situation just goes down hill from there since the antibiotic isn't getting into the birds system. Always ask questions.... I took an umbrella that got dumped at my house and we got her healthy.... then I took her back in to have a minor lasor surgery to open her right nare (which was closed from scar tissue from being attacked (according to the previous owner) by her mate. The vet decided to flush her sinuses while she was out for surgery... when she came to she kept coughing up fluid. I asked the vet what he had done.... he had botched the flushing and forced fluid into her lungs.... the remaining fluid caused pneumonia. I called Scott Macdonald for advice, I called my horse vet to set up an oxygen tank with brooder to help keep her from dying. It was a miserable and terifying 30 hours of fighting for her life. When I called the avian vet he was at a loss... I told him I was gonna give her oral ciproflaxin since giving her a shot stressed her until she could barely breathe. He just agreed and acted helpless.... The point is, when you go to a regular doctor you ask questions and argue if you don't agree with the procedure or diagnosis, be sure to ask the same questions of your vet. You would not believe how many birds we get dumped here on deaths door after their owners have taken them to several vets. With avian patients it's important to remember you don't have a lot of time.... take them in right way... and get to know your vet and ask questions so you understand what is being done. Always be proactive in your birds health and remember your vet doesn't know your bird peronally and no two parrots will act the same. The vet needs you to be informative as well.

I'm not an expert in avian medicine, but I am an expert on knowing my birds personally Just sharing my experiences....

 

[ShreddedOakAviary]

That little umbrella is now a fully feathered, sane, happy, friendly, above all healthy bird.... my little Sarah

 

[merlinsmom13]

I agree, the best relationship w/your vet is an informed one. Sometimes we offer a little info that helps the vet make a good decision. They are only human. I also follow "gut" feelings, sometimes we know what to do, w/o knowing why we know.

 

[Spiritbird]

Thank you so much for this important input to our forum members. I know there are people out there that never take their bird to an avain vet due to the expense. "Oh the bird looks healthy". It is so scary to see a seriously ill companion bird. There are so many things that can make them ill in our enviornment. That is why I go organic as much as I can.