So even before we begin to work through the possible causes of the original problem, there is something that needs to be done very quickly if these birds that are physically showing signs of illness are to be saved.

Administering First Aid – All sick birds will be dehydrated and lacking in energy, particularly if they have progressed to a point that they have ceased eating or drinking. Supplying fluids and energy to sick birds is absolutely critical. Without the fluid and energy needed to fight back against illness, any kind of treatment for the initial disease is useless. Being confident with a crop needle is an incredibly valuable skill to have in these situations. A bit of quick thinking and the direct administration of some POLY-AID PLUS for carbs and SPARK LIQUID CONCENTRATE to rehydrate has saved the lives of hundreds, possibly thousands of sick birds over the years. Be sure to have at least a few first aid essentials in the cupboard, in times of crisis they are priceless.

The Hospital Box –The hospital box is an absolute necessity for any serious bird keeper. The box needs some form of heating and a way to measure temperature, too hot and your bird will stress and dehydrate. A temperature between 25-27 degrees is about right for most species. It also needs to be in a quite, low stress environment with soft, dim light during the day and just a small amount of light at night. Many sick birds will take the opportunity to eat a small amount during the night, if it is pitch black eating becomes difficult. Try not to handle the bird too frequently or disturb unnecessarily.

Recovery – Once we have administered first aid and put the bird into a hospital box, the next step is to identify the cause of illness and begin treatment, you may need to contact your veterinarian for identification and treatment of certain diseases.

However, the bird’s recovery back to full health will most likely fall to you. For birds that are eating and drinking voluntarily, a high-energy food is best - plain canary seed is a good choice for a recovery diet. For birds that are only eating small amounts or not eating at all, a critical care food will need to be force fed to ensure ongoing energy, fat; protein and fluids are available. CRITTACARE AVIAN is a good way to accomplish this with good amounts of the above nutrients in a cooked and easily digested formula. Crittacare Avian is also fortified with PROBOTIC and Pre-digestives to assist the digestive system in the break down of food and the re-establishment of healthy gut flora after stress and antibiotics. Additional doses of pure Probotic can also be beneficial after antibiotic treatment

Not all birds that are discovered as being ill successfully recover, there is always going to be the odd bird that we can’t save no matter what we do. However, having a good knowledge of the steps to take in an emergency, the right tools at hand will make a huge difference to the number of birds that you will get strong recoveries from.

If you are interested in anything mentioned in this article or would like more information of on first aid in birds, please don’t hesitate to contact Vetafarm.

featured in Talking Birds April 2011