How often do you take your bird into the vet ?

[IndySE]

Emergencies and such aside, how often do you guys take your pet in for a general check-up ?

I've always thought once a year would be good, yet I'm surprised to find the avian hospital I took Kermit to last time is sending me emails for a semi-annual check-up. Kermit is in good health, or at least as far as any owner could be sure -- no unusual behaviors, shiny plumage, steady weight, normal droppings, and her enclosure cleaned at minimum 3x a week.

I bring her to Muirland animal and avian hospital, in Mission Viejo CA if that would explain anything haha. I researched a LOT into clinics before I decided which one to go to.

Thanks for your testimonies !

 

[wrench13]

1X a year, unless there is a reason to go more often. But it is SO VERY important to take your parrot to a Avian vet, better is a certified Avian vet. A dog and cat place will not know enough if there is a complicated issue, and may miss signs or prescribe inefficient or even wrong medication.

 

[ParrotLover2001]

how often do I take my birds to a vet?
I'm afraid to answer that.
I did take Opal in for an overgrown beak but left before they did anything, the "Avian vet" said, and I quote, "What's a budgie?" Right after i told him what bird i had.
does that count as a vet visit?

 

[snowflake311]

Find a good avian vet and go at least once a year for a check up. I still need to take sprinkles back for his check up but the weather has been snowy and the vet is 1.5 hours away. It is worth it to drive an hour or 2 for a good bird vet.

You do not want to learn the hard way like I did. I blame myself for losing my senegal at the age of 16. She should have lived longer. If I had taken her to the vets every year they would have caught her illness before it became as advanced as it got.

 

[SailBoat]

We work with very special Amazons and depending on health and/or injury issues, we target every 3 rd quarter for a Parrot in stable health. A well Parrot could easily visit every 5 th quarter. The reasoning behind an odd number visit sequencing allows the visits to slowly work around the year calendar. This allows the CBC blood screen to be seen at different times of the year, which takes variation caused by different physical calendar events out of play.

With a new, Healthy Parrot, I would recommend every 3 rd quarter until you get four quarters (CBC's) on record and if everything is stable /healthy then switch to a 5 th quarter visitation schedule. Explain that to your CAV and enjoy the response.

I am all about getting a solid medical foundation in place with a solid document source at the CAV's clinic and with you! You're set is just as important as the one your Vet has!!! Consider the reality of traveling with your Parrot and you are far away from your CAV and a medical event has you into another CAV in a City far away from home. If you took the time to create the document set and are wise enough to carry it with you when traveling, your set!!!

At present, we are visiting our CAV every 60 days with our Amazon who is fighting a number of inter-related medical issues and we are on a every 2 nd quarter CBC with him.

I strongly recommend that you obtain a Avian Scale and learn how to use it properly. FYI: Avian Weight is based in Grams. Weight is take in the Morning after your Parrots first movement and before food or water is provided.

Enjoy!

 

[IndySE]

@ wrench13; To clarify any confusion, the clinic I take her to is an avian hospital as well as a dog/cat hospital I looked specifically for an avian clinic and read many reviews across multiple websites.... unless anyone has personal experience against this particular clinic, then I'd consider another.

@ParrotLover2001; Oh man D: How scary ! Budgie is such a common pet in the avian world... how o_______________o

@snowflake311 ; How sad, I'm sorry for your loss I lost my budgie a while back, and there's a lot I could have done to have prevented it... which is why I try to be so proactive with Kermit.

Sailboat; Interesting ! By a quarter, do you mean a roughly 10 week period ? I have not entered the business world so all I have to compare to is school x)

I have a spice-weight scale that I use a few times a week to monitor her weight. It was pretty cheap on amazon, but it does measure in grams to the tenth's place. I was not aware they made avian scales specifically.

 

[SailBoat]

@

Sailboat; Interesting ! By a quarter, do you mean a roughly 10 week period ? I have not entered the business world so all I have to compare to is school x)

I have a spice-weight scale that I use a few times a week to monitor her weight. It was pretty cheap on amazon, but it does measure in grams to the tenth's place. I was not aware they made avian scales specifically.

Business World is based on Month ends, Quarter ends, and Year ends. A Quarter is three Months, commonly January February March = First Quarter, April May June = Second Quarter, July August September = Third Quarter and October November December = Forth Quarter.

That scale is more than enough to be used as a Home Scale. The difference would be that an Avian Scale comes with a perch on it that allows the Parrot to set on it while you read the weight. Remember that you must take a weight first thing in the morning after your Parrot's first movement and before the first feeding /watering. If not, your numbers will mean nothing. Also, remember to write them down, date, time, weight.

Enjoy!

 

[SilverSage]

We go once a year but I also rush to the vet for even the tiniest scare and let me tell you I will NEVER change that policy; it has saved the lives of several of my birds. Better an extra visit than a dead bird.


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[SilverSage]

how often do I take my birds to a vet?
I'm afraid to answer that.
I did take Opal in for an overgrown beak but left before they did anything, the "Avian vet" said, and I quote, "What's a budgie?" Right after i told him what bird i had.
does that count as a vet visit?

That's when you run into a misunderstanding on the part of the staff between "avian vet" and "vet who sees birds sometimes" what a disaster. I've had similar experiences. None quite that bad, but similar. Time to find a new vet!


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[IndySE]

Thank you for all your insight ! I feel my question is answered but feel free to keep this discussion going because I think there's a lot of good stuff here

Business World is based on Month ends, Quarter ends, and Year ends. A Quarter is three Months, commonly January February March = First Quarter, April May June = Second Quarter, July August September = Third Quarter and October November December = Forth Quarter.

That scale is more than enough to be used as a Home Scale. The difference would be that an Avian Scale comes with a perch on it that allows the Parrot to set on it while you read the weight. Remember that you must take a weight first thing in the morning after your Parrot's first movement and before the first feeding /watering. If not, your numbers will mean nothing. Also, remember to write them down, date, time, weight.
Enjoy!

Ah thank you, that is very informative. So if I'm not mistaken, that means every 9 months for her first few visits then ? That seems a good number, and in which case Kermit should be due in about a month I may bring her in sooner since I want some insight on her flight feathers, which are growing in. I also double checked my scale, and it apparently only goes to the ones place, which gives me an error of, at minimum +/- 3 grams. I may have to upgrade at some point.

 

[SailBoat]

[/quote] Ah thank you, that is very informative. So if I'm not mistaken, that means every 9 months for her first few visits then ? That seems a good number, and in which case Kermit should be due in about a month I may bring her in sooner since I want some insight on her flight feathers, which are growing in. I also double checked my scale, and it apparently only goes to the ones place, which gives me an error of, at minimum +/- 3 grams. I may have to upgrade at some point.[/QUOTE]


You are correct regarding the time line. If you take you Parrot in early, just start your count from the new date. If you continue to go earlier, you will wrap around a year quicker. Remember that the goal is to get the CBC as close to the four corners of a calendar as reasonable as possible. Do not drive yourself nuts with this since it will work itself out in the long run.

The error that you could see with your scale would not be a major problem with the mid to larger Parrots, since that error rate would be inside their natural variation. With a smaller Parrot, that could be a nightmare. But remember that most scales will error in a specific direct, i.e. they tend to read with that variation from a know weight's value in a single direction. If the scale is truly +/- reading to reading it will quickly drive you nuts. For its short term use, have an object with a know weight value. Use it to pretest and post test your Parrot's weight. That will provide you some comfort and at least keep you from going nuts to quickly.

Assure that you get a document with the evaluation of your Parrots covering that day's visit. It should list any findings from normal, the defined results from any test(s) preformed and if at all possible a copy of the test. Also, recommendations for home care including medications provided and/or prescribed, and how to offer it. If you have not done some, have them show you with your Parrot. Schedule your next appointment that day!

Enjoy!

 

[AmyMyBlueFront]

I take my fids once a year for a wellness check..sometimes just for a birdicure also ( rather have the doc do that instead of some "kid" at a pet store,and then the doc gives 'em a once over anyway)

I have been going to the same AVIAN CERTIFIED vet for nearly 30 years now. I do get little "post cards" from them every 6 months for check ups.

Jim

 

[GaleriaGila]

After years of slacking... he was just so healthy, and I got lazy... I took him veery 5 years or so.
But I'm reformed now, with a great CAV, and the Rb goes in every six months due to his age. I weigh him Mondays and Fridays, using a good kitchen scale and a moveable perch my ol' man made for the purpose. On advice from folks here, I have also carted him in to two other vets who see birds, the better to have options for emergencies, even though the CAV has a 24-hour emergency room.

 

[Shoegoo]

I brought my GCC to the Avian Vet about 6 wks. ago. She said I was doing a great job. Trimmed her nails and wings. Said that I should bring her back in July for an Avian Polyoma booster. That will be her annual visit from now on unless otherwise necessary.

 

[Mariar]

I admit sissy hasn't seen a vet yet..it's always in the plan.but never happens. I feel like if I would have taken doolie ...he would have lived longer,so I suck. And I take care of gabby the b&g and he needs to get a check up.....,I suck double

 

[Skittys_Daddy]

Some 'non-bird' vets will do clippings, but other than that- for routine exams as well as emergencies- its absolutely essential to see an avian vet.

Seeing a 'non-avian' vet can actually do more harm than good. When I had Peaches, she had nighfrights often and one time she punctured her wing. I had to take her to the animal ER clinic to have her wound cleaned and the have the bleeding stopped. The vet there gave me an antibiotic to give her, but being the paranoid parront that I am, I waited til the following day to contact my avian vet for proper instructions. My avian vet contacted the ER clinic to get the information on the visit and its a good thing I waited. The ER vet completely mis-dosed the medication and it likely would have killed her had I given it to her in the dosage the ER vet told me too.

In my experience though, most 'non-bird' vets won't actually see your bird to begin with and if they do they make sure you know they are not a proper avian vet.

Anyways, I take Skittles to the vet annually, unless a situation warrants a sooner visit. It is ABSOLUTELY essential to have your bird examined at least annually. Prevention is so very important when it comes to parrots as most illnesses/health issues can be prevented if properly monitored.

I would take Skittles every 6mo if I had my own car, but I rely on paying for transportation to the avian vet (its an hour away) so I have to pay $75 each time just for the travel.

 

[BeatriceC]

My adult birds are all rescues. We do the basic grooming on some of the birds ourselves, but Charlotte and Oscar are special cases, so we take them to the vet's to have their beaks groomed and nails trimmed when necessary. That winds up being every three months or so. At that time, my vet, who's the world's most amazing avian vet (and I'm not biased at all...why do you ask?), gives them a once over and asks about the rest of the flock. We do full exams roughly annually.

 

[Skittys_Daddy]

My vet uses a special tool to trim the nails, it trims them and cauterizes them. I've never had an issue with the trims. Skittles used to get 'beak polishes' every year but hasn't had any for several years now since I got him that cement perch. He rubs his beak against it and polishes it himself.

 

[AmyMyBlueFront]

Some 'non-bird' vets will do clippings, but other than that- for routine exams as well as emergencies- its absolutely essential to see an avian vet.

Seeing a 'non-avian' vet can actually do more harm than good. When I had Peaches, she had nighfrights often and one time she punctured her wing. I had to take her to the animal ER clinic to have her wound cleaned and the have the bleeding stopped. The vet there gave me an antibiotic to give her, but being the paranoid parront that I am, I waited til the following day to contact my avian vet for proper instructions. My avian vet contacted the ER clinic to get the information on the visit and its a good thing I waited. The ER vet completely mis-dosed the medication and it likely would have killed her had I given it to her in the dosage the ER vet told me too.

In my experience though, most 'non-bird' vets won't actually see your bird to begin with and if they do they make sure you know they are not a proper avian vet.

Anyways, I take Skittles to the vet annually, unless a situation warrants a sooner visit. It is ABSOLUTELY essential to have your bird examined at least annually. Prevention is so very important when it comes to parrots as most illnesses/health issues can be prevented if properly monitored.

I would take Skittles every 6mo if I had my own car, but I rely on paying for transportation to the avian vet (its an hour away) so I have to pay $75 each time just for the travel.

When I first took Amy home,she went to the CAV vet for her very first wellness check..about 6 months later,I took her to a "regular" vet...just to get her arms trimmed and nails done...it was closer than the CAV.
The receptionist took her info and listed her in her computer as "A green parrot" THAT was the LAST TIME I took any of my fids anywhere but a CAV


Jim