Amazon DYH, first vet visit (well), anything to be aware of?

[Linwood]

Bought a DYH that is 2.5 years old and appears healthy, but for various reasons going to a vet for a real checkup.

The vet comes well recommended, real avian vet (in fact it's an avian practice) but while I recall caring for parrots from 30 years ago when we had two, I don't actually recall taking them to the vet.

Reading here and elsewhere I see some hints of decisions I may need to make, so looking to prepare in advance....

- Is there a real point to having the bird sex'd? I do not plan to bread him (her).

- I'm going to take a fresh fecal sample; anything else preparation wise to do (I assume they would have told me).

- I assume they will take blood pro-actively. Any reason I should be reluctant to do so (i.e. bird trauma from the experience vs what I may learn in a healthy visit at 2.5 years)?

- Anything I should specifically request that they might not suggest?

- Anything they are likely to push on me (those up-sell things all businesses seem to do now) that I should resist? (I saw someone was pushed to get an x-ray at a healthy checkup).

 

[Clueless]

The reason I had my birds sexed at the initial visit was for FUTURE medical issues.

I was told that if I took the bird in for illness that it would speed up care for future illness issues. Example, if the bird is a male...... no need to look for egg binding.

It usually takes a while to determine sex. If you do it now, you won't stress.

If you have to do it when they're ill, you'll be stressed out and possibly cost more dollars to speed up results.

 

[Shezbug]

Knowing your birds sex can be important as you can quickly rule in or out egg binding issues for a start in the event of illness.

Most vet visits I’ve been to with birds they grab the freshest sample they can which is often dropped right in front of them or lifted from the carrier the bird is taken there in.

Not all vets (including avian vets in my experience) are keen to take bloods just for routine checks without illness being present or without a particular serious ailment being monitored as blood draws do come with some risk for birds in particular.

I would specifically request your birds feathers are left as they should be- seems too many working with/on birds are way too keen to hack off bits of wings for the convenience of owners who are possibly better suited to a mammal.

 

[Linwood]

Thank you, @Shezbug and @Clueless ; helpful.

I would specifically request your birds feathers are left as they should be- seems too many working with/on birds are way too keen to hack off bits of wings for the convenience of owners who are possibly better suited to a mammal.

They are clipped now, but my intent is to leave them unclipped. It's going to depend on how well I can manage where he decides to fly, the house is not exactly parrot-safe (either safe for, or from).

 

[rocky'smom]

My own advice is this: if they are taking the bird (your precious baby) out the room you in, ask politely why you can’t be present for whatever they are doing? Your bird sees you as companion and it’s friend. It maybe scary situation and you can be a comfort for your best bud

 

[Linwood]

As a followup: The vet is Avian and Exotic in Raleigh, NC. It's a large practice with many vets and most of what I saw there were birds of all sorts (though they do others).

The visit was reasonably quick, a tech took details and weight, the vet did a physical exam. They recommended blood work as part of a health evaluation, and that was the only traumatic part though not too bad (him trying to get the bandage off was actually more drama than the blood draw - he did not like being bandaged). The vet did the nails and gave me a good look at the right clipped length (they were quite a bit too long, she said).

I opted for sexing since they already drew blood.

Clean bill of health (pending blood work). The word "chunky" was used though, so he must have eating habits similar to mine.

Vet took a lot of time to talk to me about the cage, environment, food (they have a great handout for that). No sense of rushing off to the next patient.

Not cheap, but about as efficient and painless as it could be given the blood draw. I would definitely recommend them.

 

[Clueless]

Glad it's over and ready to start the plans for the distribution of "it's a boy" (or girl) cigars?

 

[Linwood]

So slightly interesting results.

Blood test came back mostly OK, but some distortion in the blood cells indicative of inflammation or toxicity. Was told "if she is otherwise looking healthy it's probably from stress and don't worry". So I guess OK.

And she is a girl (according to DNA), so both the pet store's name (Stewie) and mine (Pesto) are wrong gender, but I may just ignore that.

I also just assumed the blood test would include psittacosis. It didn't. I'm not sure it's worth going back, though I am a little disappointed given it was in a pet store for two years and I'm old. The vet's recommendation was not to worry unless I get flu like symptoms not explained by the flu (or let's see - RSV, Covid or all the other things going around).

Is that common, not to test for psittacosis for a "new bird from pet store is it healthy" vet visit?

 

[Clueless]

Read up on egg binding.....