Annual blood work?

[FiatLux]

Hi all:
I have a soon to be two year old GCC. He had exams when I first brought him home as well as full blood work done. He had an annual last year. My question is how often should I get his blood work done? It’s $528 for the avian vet where I live (CA).
@Wardy @Mizzely
Thank you.

 

[Tyrion]

If you can afford it its best to get the blood work annually just to be safe and see if there are any changes

 

[Mizzely]

For a small, young bird, every 2-3 years is probably sufficient unless you have a specific concern. Some people will disagree with me but that's my comfort level and risk vs reward zone.

 

[Wardy]

Anually is best

 

[April]

I was a big believer in doing it every year. I got Zazu at 3 months old and had her bloodwork done 5 days later since she was from a petstore and I wanted to make sure she was healthy.
I did it every year with no problems but then when she was 3 years and 3 months even though it was a textbook perfect stick she ended up getting a hematoma and died less than an hour later in my hands at the vet.

I so wish that I had done things differently and because she was so young that I'd at least done it every other year and maybe she'd still be with me. Sadly I'll never know but my CAV and I agree now that unless there's a life or death issue that we won't take blood work on Bosco because he's even smaller than Zazu was.
I've heard it said that any species Green Cheek or smaller has a much higher likelihood of having issues from getting blood taken just because they are so dang tiny and have a very narrow margin of blood that can be taken. So it's just always something to keep in the back of your mind.
@webchirp 's vet is also not keen on taking blood from Greenies.

 

[FiatLux]

Thank you all for your insights. @April I’m really sorry for your loss of Zazu and I appreciate you taking the time to share this painful experience with me. I’ll schedule the annual and ask our avian vet for his pros and cons list on bloodwork.

 

[Wardy]

Anually is best

Sorry for rushed reply suddenly got busy in work
Whilst i said anually i wont be getting them done this year i will be avoiding the vets unless i have any concerns with either of the girls health, with AF i want to keep them as far away from other birds as possible ( or where they have been ) overly cautious or paranoia but thats what my thoughts are right now.

 

[Wardy]

I was a big believer in doing it every year. I got Zazu at 3 months old and had her bloodwork done 5 days later since she was from a petstore and I wanted to make sure she was healthy.
I did it every year with no problems but then when she was 3 years and 3 months even though it was a textbook perfect stick she ended up getting a hematoma and died less than an hour later in my hands at the vet.

I so wish that I had done things differently and because she was so young that I'd at least done it every other year and maybe she'd still be with me. Sadly I'll never know but my CAV and I agree now that unless there's a life or death issue that we won't take blood work on Bosco because he's even smaller than Zazu was.
I've heard it said that any species Green Cheek or smaller has a much higher likelihood of having issues from getting blood taken just because they are so dang tiny and have a very narrow margin of blood that can be taken. So it's just always something to keep in the back of your mind.
@webchirp 's vet is also not keen on taking blood from Greenies.

Thanks for sharing @April makes sense that i would much rather they never had to have bloods taken.

 

[April]

Thank you all for your insights. @April I’m really sorry for your loss of Zazu and I appreciate you taking the time to share this painful experience with me. I’ll schedule the annual and ask our avian vet for his pros and cons list on bloodwork.

You're very welcome. It's been over a year but it's so still very upsetting,I miss her terribly. It was just a terrible fluke and no one did anything wrong I was there for the entire thing. But it is a known risk especially on these smaller species. I know I wasn't wrong to do the bloodwork I was just being the best owner I could trying to make sure she was healthy and covering all the bases. But I still blame myself and always will.

 

[April]

Thanks for sharing @April makes sense that i would much rather they never had to have bloods taken.

It's definitely a trade off but when they are younger it's not as imperative to do it so frequently but I've always been extra and wanted everything possible done. In fact with Zazu even though she was only 3 months old and I'd gotten her 5 days before I legit wanted to do xrays and an ultrasound just to do everything humanly possible to ensure her health and my CAV had to talk me down since it wasn't necessary and I was admittedly going a touch overboard in my desire to check every possible aspect of her health.

 

[FiatLux]

It's definitely a trade off but when they are younger it's not as imperative to do it so frequently but I've always been extra and wanted everything possible done. In fact with Zazu even though she was only 3 months old and I'd gotten her 5 days before I legit wanted to do xrays and an ultrasound just to do everything humanly possible to ensure her health and my CAV had to talk me down since it wasn't necessary and I was admittedly going a touch overboard in my desire to check every possible aspect of her health.

I so relate to this!

 

[webchirp]

Conure bleeding syndrome is a very real issue. Dr. Orosz lost her little painted girl after drawing blood. We do bloodwork when she has concerns. We have done bloodwork in the past but will often gravitate to xrays and ultrasounds first. Dr. Orosz has so many years of reading gram stains that she can usually nail things down with just that.

 

[BluJay]

I found it hard to find an avian vet who would take blood from a gold cap conure. He weighs in @ 110grams. I ended up traveling because the one vet near me said 4 out of 5 times they couldn't get blood from a bird his size. I didn't want to risk trauma and not getting blood, so I took him to a vet 2 hours from here (who is highly regarded for working only with birds). He was able to get blood on the first attempt. I didnt realise that there was a conure bleeding issue. Can someone fill me in?

 

[BluJay]

You're very welcome. It's been over a year but it's so still very upsetting,I miss her terribly. It was just a terrible fluke and no one did anything wrong I was there for the entire thing. But it is a known risk especially on these smaller species. I know I wasn't wrong to do the bloodwork I was just being the best owner I could trying to make sure she was healthy and covering all the bases. But I still blame myself and always will.

@April Don't blame yourself. I understand your loss. My GCC died very suddely and I miss the little girl. She learned how to talk from Tikal. Tikal started getting sick way more often after his friend passed. Everytime I hear a beep noise I think of her. It's been about 2 years and it still hurts.

 

[April]

@April Don't blame yourself. I understand your loss. My GCC died very suddely and I miss the little girl. She learned how to talk from Tikal. Tikal started getting sick way more often after his friend passed. Everytime I hear a beep noise I think of her. It's been about 2 years and it still hurts.

Thank you I really appreciate that. I'm a little bit kinder to myself about it now that it's been a bit and time has healed me some but its always lurking there in the back of my mind.
I'm sorry to hear about your loss of your little Greenie girl. They are just so darn special. I still cry about Nala being gone especially from time to time because she was my heart bird and my feathered soul mate. She and Zazu never met but Zazu helped to heal my heart a few months after Nala died unexpectedly so it was extra hard to lose her in such a shocking way only 3 years later when she still had some much life left to live.

 

[BluJay]

Thank you I really appreciate that. I'm a little bit kinder to myself about it now that it's been a bit and time has healed me some but its always lurking there in the back of my mind.
I'm sorry to hear about your loss of your little Greenie girl. They are just so darn special. I still cry about Nala being gone especially from time to time because she was my heart bird and my feathered soul mate. She and Zazu never met but Zazu helped to heal my heart a few months after Nala died unexpectedly so it was extra hard to lose her in such a shocking way only 3 years later when she still had some much life left to live.

They are special. She would fly from her play stand and land right on my heart, and just snuggle. I feel guilty because she would nest in her cage and then announce she wanted 'birdies, yes...,please, kiss kiss, birdies'. She also had a few 'boyfriends' over the years that would visit her window perch every day during the spring and summer. A cardinal and a sparrow. She really wanted birdies, funny thing is I never taught her the word. I can't bring myself to looking at all the photos I have of her. She was fine one day, then super sick the next. No warnings. I can't image losing two fids in such a short time, especially when you bond so much with them. They put their heart into you as you do the same with them. Even though their lives were cut short, they are loved.

 

[April]

They are special. She would fly from her play stand and land right on my heart, and just snuggle. I feel guilty because she would nest in her cage and then announce she wanted 'birdies, yes...,please, kiss kiss, birdies'. She also had a few 'boyfriends' over the years that would visit her window perch every day during the spring and summer. A cardinal and a sparrow. She really wanted birdies, funny thing is I never taught her the word. I can't bring myself to looking at all the photos I have of her. She was fine one day, then super sick the next. No warnings. I can't image losing two fids in such a short time, especially when you bond so much with them. They put their heart into you as you do the same with them. Even though their lives were cut short, they are loved.

She sounds like such a special girlie. I'm so sorry that she got sick so fast. Nala had fatty liver disease so I knew she was on borrowed time but what got her in the end and so unexpectedly was her heart gave out. She had no history of heart disease she'd just gotten xrays within the year because of her liver and her heart looked fine. And in Zazu's case it was just a tragic fluke so it was unexpectedly in a completely different way.