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Avian Vet Visits: What are the risks?

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Prince Toasty Buns

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The question is: Especially regarding contagious and deadly bird diseases like Beak & Feather etc. : Should birdkeepers worry or be concerned, when they take in their pet bird, about it catching a disease from airborne dander/feather dust or etc. while their bird is in the office, waiting room, exam room, or elsewhere??

For those members who may say, yes there is a risk but minimal or probably minimal, I ask you: Would you as a human go yourself or take a family member into a doctor's office if you knew that a person with a contagious disease was just in there? We know airplanes are one of the worst places to catch a sickness or serious disease yet people still fly, sometimes without even thinking about this at all or giving it much regard.

Just curious as to what you all think about this subject, I don't intend to upset anyone. Maybe members here, who will be going in to see an avian vet soon (or whenever), will ask this question and post their vet's response here. I know I am curiuous what all the responses will be, is anyone else.

I guess the only alternative, when one actually needs the services of an avian vet, is to call up and ask what the charge is for coming to one's home to do an exam or take blood/fecal samples etc.?

I think it is a good idea for everyone to learn how to clip wings (if they must), how to clip toe-nails and how to administer IM shots and Sub-Q injections and all the other minor procedures that some people take their birds to the vet for. Why risk your bird catching something in a vet's office if you really don't have to? Food for thought.
 

Billie Faye

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Personally, I don't worry about it...my CAV even came down with Aspergillosis and with precaution, kept practicing and was able to "teach" the rest of us about it...had not heard about it until then...
I see them take precaution between clients....and most people, when sitting in the waiting room, keep their birds in the containers and don't let people touch them..
MA/CT/RI has a traveling CAV http://www.northeastbirdclinic.com/ Dr. Ann Bourke
.:hug8:
 
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Karen

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The question is: Especially regarding contagious and deadly bird diseases like Beak & Feather etc. : Should birdkeepers worry or be concerned, when they take in their pet bird, about it catching a disease from airborne dander/feather dust or etc. while their bird is in the office, waiting room, exam room, or elsewhere??
From experience my answer would be a resounding NO. I have spent more than my fair share of time in a vets office. Every month for months on end. I have pushed the odds much further than the average bird keeper. The only things I've brought home are medications.....and a lighter wallet.
 

Artagiel

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I would trust the Vet to take proper precautions as I do my doctor with cleaning equipment and safeguarding me and my pet.

As for minor procedures, unless completely 100% comfortable with it I would still take my bird to a vet, the amount of blood a bird can lose and be put into shock is so small for some of the littler fids, I wouldn't want to risk having a small mistake and then worrying about an emergency trip and it being too late.

Besides, I would rather have Noodle hate the vet than me any day.
 

waterfaller1

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Honestly, you cannot live in fear of every move you make. I think we are overly fearful of things such as this, going to bird shows, the bird store,bringing in new birds, etc...
I have had birds all of my life, never had one die, nor sick. I am over halfway to the end of my life. Why start worrying about it now? If you live in a bubble, the moment you step out of that bubble something might jump you. It's like being afraid of germs, and obsessing about it. You can make yourself sick that way, just from not building your immune system up.
 

waterfaller1

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For those members who may say, yes there is a risk but minimal or probably minimal, I ask you: Would you as a human go yourself or take a family member into a doctor's office if you knew that a person with a contagious disease was just in there? .
I've been to and stayed at the hospital, in the ER, never got sick there either. And what about the dr's and nurses themselves? If they were afraid to go to work we would be in a world of trouble.
 

Birdiemarie

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Perhaps asking your vet to explain his precaution procedures would help how you feel.
 

jamie

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I don't think I've ever read anything anywhere about a bird catching a disease at a veterinarian's office. I've read about birds being injured, but nothing else credible. Of course, it's possible and also, who's to say that the vet won't bring something into your home if you are able to get an in-house visit?

The vet who sees my birds is a board-certified avian veterinarian. The examination rooms are always spotless when I've been in them. Of course, you can not see viruses or bacteria lying around :D but I do not think there is a big risk with taking my bird in for a vet visit.

I also trust my vet's knowledge about disease transmission. If he did have a bird (or any other animal) come into the office with a highly contagious disease, I trust him in his ability to take proper precautions against infecting other animals (or people) who will be coming into the office.
 

Nikki

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For those members who may say, yes there is a risk but minimal or probably minimal, I ask you: Would you as a human go yourself or take a family member into a doctor's office if you knew that a person with a contagious disease was just in there?

Every time you walk into a Dr. Office or Hospital you're taking a risk of catching something. Does it stop me when we need to see a doctor? No.
 

Stevo

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The Vets I know sterilise their consultation rooms as best they can between consults - better than any GP would - so I have no concern of taking my bird to them.

I do agree that bird owners should be able to do all of the minor things like nail trims, wing clips and syringe dosing. Beak trims should be avoided wherever possible and behaviours taught (chewing) to reduce the need for.

Annual check ups are very important in diagnosing potential problems with your birds, IMO the value far outweighs any risk.

Aside from those above situations, if you bird needs to see a Vet then it NEEDS to see a Vet...

Belinda (birdybea) is a Vet Nurse in a clinic that looks after a lot of birds, her input would be fantastic. :)
 
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Beatriz Cazeneuve

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Well, I am at my vet's office about twice a month and none of my animals have ever caught anything there. Also, as far as I know, there is no parrot disease that is actually of a confirmed airborne contagion and most diseases need direct contact or actual ingestion of infected feces to spread. I have heard of birds getting sick at the vet but they had boarded there, not gone for a visit (I also heard of birds getting sick while been boarded at pet stores and even in private homes).

But, to tell you the truth, even if there were airborne contagious diseases, I would still take them to the vet because, in reality, there is no other choice. You can medicate a bird in your house, you can weight it, you can hydrate it and you can draw blood but you can't set bones, do X-Rays, ultrasounds, MIRs, surgery or give them oxygen.
 

jamie

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For those members who may say, yes there is a risk but minimal or probably minimal, I ask you: Would you as a human go yourself or take a family member into a doctor's office if you knew that a person with a contagious disease was just in there?

Every time you walk into a Dr. Office or Hospital you're taking a risk of catching something. Does it stop me when we need to see a doctor? No.
If someone walked into a doctor's office with a truly dangerous, highly contagious disease, the staff would take appropriate precautions- up to and (probably) including closing/quarantining the office and the people inside until they had mitigated the risk.
 

Stevo

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Well, I am at my vet's office about twice a month and none of my animals have ever caught anything there. Also, as far as I know, there is no parrot disease that is actually of a confirmed airborne contagion and most diseases need direct contact or actual ingestion of infected feces to spread. I have heard of birds getting sick at the vet but they had boarded there, not gone for a visit (I also heard of birds getting sick while been boarded at pet stores and even in private homes).

But, to tell you the truth, even if there were airborne contagious diseases, I would still take them to the vet because, in reality, there is no other choice. You can medicate a bird in your house, you can weight it, you can hydrate it and you can draw blood but you can't set bones, do X-Rays, ultrasounds, MIRs, surgery or give them oxygen.

PBFD is confirmed as a dander contagion, which is effectively an airborne contagion. Still, the risk is probably no worse than taking your bird outside..
 

atvchick95

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I don't know how vets do it but I know at 90% of doctors if not more all they do to "clean" a room before the next patient (and most don't do it until the next one is in there) is pull down that roll of paper you sit on on the "bed" tear it off throw it away.. that roll is out in the open not covered so really what's the point in changing it at all? lol

but I have gotten common colds from sitting in a doctors office full of sick people

and I wasn't there because I was sick I was there for a Check up on my thyroid!

but you can't stay away from a doctors office. or a hospital they have sick people and you have to be seen if something is wrong with you

The reason I don't know how vets do their cleaning is because the birds that had to go to a vet, my b/f took and I wasn't able to go. So I have no clue how it's done in a bird vet office. Never been in one.
 

TwilightsImprint

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I agree. I take my birds to the vet and I dont think anything about it. Vets generally have some pretty good ventilation systems so that the air doesn't wreak of bird, dog, cat, or what ever other animal has been in the office. The air filters are changed regularly (at least where I go) and the waiting rooms are mopped and the holding tanks disinfected constantly.
 
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Beatriz Cazeneuve

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PBFD is confirmed as a dander contagion, which is effectively an airborne contagion. Still, the risk is probably no worse than taking your bird outside..
Yes, some sources do list feather dust as a form of contagion and I am sure that the virus is shed on it but adult birds exposed to the virus do not develop the fatal form of the disease, they just produce antibodies for it. Most infected birds got it from their parents or at the breeding facility. It's very rare that a bird catches it any other way (at least, among pet birds in America). Besides, what are the chances of your bird ingesting or breathing in dander from an infected bird in an examination room?
 

TwilightsImprint

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Also I'd like to point out that how disease is spread for many forms of illness is still unclear. There has been very little research done on how disease is spread, whether it be dust and dander or regurgiation or feces, much of it is speculative. Also many tests are rather unaccurate and rather inconclusive. Wasting disease for instance can be recognized by symptoms but so far there is no conclusive test for it before symptoms arise.
 

Stevo

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Young birds go to the vets too..

I'm not disagreeing with you (check my earlier post) - I'm just adding to the information for all to ensure they have the opportunity to make informed decisions :)

I happily take my bird out, to the vets, to petshops, in fact everywhere, and accept the minimal risk involved.
 

saroj12

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LOL I sometimes have vet techs come to my house to play with the birds.....I make them wash up before they come into the bird room, and also try to get them on days when they are off at the clinic.

BUT I take my birds to the vet without reservations when I need to.....

My vet though has foridden me any playdates with other people's birds...

And am also the paranoid type who decontaminates after going to a pet store....

But then one has to think....what about buying products from online aviaries and small businesses who own pet birds......? Germs transference even if indirect contact....
 

Stevo

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Here is an interesting article written by one of Aus best avian vets. There is also reference in there to the studies of Dr Ross Perry - I have an email somewhere from him where we discussed the risk of exposure in pet shops but I cant find it at the moment :(
 

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