Bird Emergencies and First Aid
Why does your bird hide illness?
Birds are very good at hiding illness and injury as a natural adaptation to survive in the wild. Any signs of weakness could be preyed upon by predators, so it is advantageous for wild birds to mask in order to survive. In our pet populations, however, masking signs of illness or injury makes it even more difficult to get them the timely help they might need. Therefore, observation and detection of anything out of the norm is vital. Get to know your bird and check in with them often to make sure they are fit and all is well. If you do notice something is awry, stay calm and act accordingly.
What signs of illness should you look for?
- Active bleeding
- Difficulty breathing
- Difficulty moving around
- Fluffed-up appearance
- Sitting at the bottom of the cage
- Lethargy
- Refusing food, especially treats
- Changes in behaviour
Emergencies
In the case of emergencies, it is best to stay calm and be prepared. Having a first-aid kit and basic knowledge of how to stabilise your bird prior to seeking medical help from a veterinary professional can be the difference in achieving the best outcome of returning your pet to full health.
PREPARE: What should be in your first-aid kit?
- Emergency phone number for your avian vet clinic
- A safe, secure carrier for transport
- A towel for safe restraint
- Heat pad
- Cotton balls/swabs
- Clotting agent (Styptic powder/potassium permanganate/ferric chloride/cornflour/plain flour/baking powder/talk powder)
- Disinfectant (Dilute chlorhexidine)
- Scissors
- Masking tape
- Tweezers
What should you do?
STAY CALM! Stabilise, then treat. Birds are incredibly sensitive to acute stress such as injuries and sudden onset critical illnesses so it is important to get the early stages of stabilisation correct first before jumping into treatment or they may not make it to that stage!
- Observe – Watch them closely for signs of problems, is there active bleeding? Are they moving around OK? Are they having problems breathing?
- Isolate – Once a problem has been identified, carefully move your bird into a quiet area on their own for assessment, stabilisation, and treatment.
- Restrain – Using a towel for safety, restrain your bird for proper examination.
- Stem any bleeding – Apply pressure for 1-2 minutes before utilising any clotting agents you have in your first-aid kit (see above).
- Immobilise – Consider taping the shoulders and tips of the wings with masking tape, or using a padded box, to prevent further injury by immobilising the area of injury.
- Warm – Shock is a big concern for our bird friends, so active warming is an important part of stabilisation. Either using a towel draped over the cage or an under-cage heat mat, actively warm your bird to between 29-32 ̊C.
- Seek veterinary attention – Once you have stabilised your bird, it’s time to call your vet for advice and potentially schedule an emergency appointment. In the case of broken nails/claws etc, once the bleeding has been stemmed, it may be your vet can offer advice over the phone without the need to be seen. Any uncontrolled bleeding, wounds, or respiratory difficulties will need to be seen urgently.
Common emergencies
Broken beak/nail
These can happen due to traumatic injury or when owners attempt to trim them at home. Accidents happen, so be prepared to act to control any bleeding. Once bleeding is controlled, monitor closely, and keep your bird quiet and in a dark room so they can recover and heal, preventing further injury.
Broken blood feather
This can happen due to injury. Using some tweezers, grasp the broken feather at the base, pulling down sharply whilst twisting. This causes the blood vessels to recoil back and seal, stopping bleeding and allowing a new feather to grow through in a month or so. Apply pressure to the empty feather follicle for 1-2minutes. Monitor closely for further bleeding. Keep your bird quiet and calm for 24 hours to allow proper healing.
Wounds/burns
Accidents happen, and injuries can result. Apply pressure to control any bleeding and follow the steps above for stabilisation before presenting your bird to the vet. Medicines such as pain relief and antibiotics will be needed to control infection and help healing.
Respiratory distress
This is an emergency situation that requires quick action. There are lots of reasons why your bird can experience respiratory distress, from poisonings, allergic reactions, blockages, parasites, and infections to heart disease and cancers. Swift action from you and treatment from your vet is important.
Preparation is key to ensuring the successful return to health of your pet bird in cases of serious illness and emergencies. Have your vet's emergency number on hand, stabilise your bird where appropriate, and then seek immediate treatment from a veterinary professional.
Why does your bird hide illness?
Birds are very good at hiding illness and injury as a natural adaptation to survive in the wild. Any signs of weakness could be preyed upon by predators, so it is advantageous for wild birds to mask in order to survive. In our pet populations, however, masking signs of illness or injury makes it even more difficult to get them the timely help they might need. Therefore, observation and detection of anything out of the norm is vital. Get to know your bird and check in with them often to make sure they are fit and all is well. If you do notice something is awry, stay calm and act accordingly.
What signs of illness should you look for?
- Active bleeding
- Difficulty breathing
- Difficulty moving around
- Fluffed-up appearance
- Sitting at the bottom of the cage
- Lethargy
- Refusing food, especially treats
- Changes in behaviour
Emergencies
In the case of emergencies, it is best to stay calm and be prepared. Having a first-aid kit and basic knowledge of how to stabilise your bird prior to seeking medical help from a veterinary professional can be the difference in achieving the best outcome of returning your pet to full health.
PREPARE: What should be in your first-aid kit?
- Emergency phone number for your avian vet clinic
- A safe, secure carrier for transport
- A towel for safe restraint
- Heat pad
- Cotton balls/swabs
- Clotting agent (Styptic powder/potassium permanganate/ferric chloride/cornflour/plain flour/baking powder/talk powder)
- Disinfectant (Dilute chlorhexidine)
- Scissors
- Masking tape
- Tweezers
What should you do?
STAY CALM! Stabilise, then treat. Birds are incredibly sensitive to acute stress such as injuries and sudden onset critical illnesses so it is important to get the early stages of stabilisation correct first before jumping into treatment or they may not make it to that stage!
- Observe – Watch them closely for signs of problems, is there active bleeding? Are they moving around OK? Are they having problems breathing?
- Isolate – Once a problem has been identified, carefully move your bird into a quiet area on their own for assessment, stabilisation, and treatment.
- Restrain – Using a towel for safety, restrain your bird for proper examination.
- Stem any bleeding – Apply pressure for 1-2 minutes before utilising any clotting agents you have in your first-aid kit (see above).
- Immobilise – Consider taping the shoulders and tips of the wings with masking tape, or using a padded box, to prevent further injury by immobilising the area of injury.
- Warm – Shock is a big concern for our bird friends, so active warming is an important part of stabilisation. Either using a towel draped over the cage or an under-cage heat mat, actively warm your bird to between 29-32 ̊C.
- Seek veterinary attention – Once you have stabilised your bird, it’s time to call your vet for advice and potentially schedule an emergency appointment. In the case of broken nails/claws etc, once the bleeding has been stemmed, it may be your vet can offer advice over the phone without the need to be seen. Any uncontrolled bleeding, wounds, or respiratory difficulties will need to be seen urgently.
Common emergencies
Broken beak/nail
These can happen due to traumatic injury or when owners attempt to trim them at home. Accidents happen, so be prepared to act to control any bleeding. Once bleeding is controlled, monitor closely, and keep your bird quiet and in a dark room so they can recover and heal, preventing further injury.
Broken blood feather
This can happen due to injury. Using some tweezers, grasp the broken feather at the base, pulling down sharply whilst twisting. This causes the blood vessels to recoil back and seal, stopping bleeding and allowing a new feather to grow through in a month or so. Apply pressure to the empty feather follicle for 1-2minutes. Monitor closely for further bleeding. Keep your bird quiet and calm for 24 hours to allow proper healing.
Wounds/burns
Accidents happen, and injuries can result. Apply pressure to control any bleeding and follow the steps above for stabilisation before presenting your bird to the vet. Medicines such as pain relief and antibiotics will be needed to control infection and help healing.
Respiratory distress
This is an emergency situation that requires quick action. There are lots of reasons why your bird can experience respiratory distress, from poisonings, allergic reactions, blockages, parasites, and infections to heart disease and cancers. Swift action from you and treatment from your vet is important.
Preparation is key to ensuring the successful return to health of your pet bird in cases of serious illness and emergencies. Have your vet's emergency number on hand, stabilise your bird where appropriate, and then seek immediate treatment from a veterinary professional.
Why does your bird hide illness?
Birds are very good at hiding illness and injury as a natural adaptation to survive in the wild. Any signs of weakness could be preyed upon by predators, so it is advantageous for wild birds to mask in order to survive. In our pet populations, however, masking signs of illness or injury makes it even more difficult to get them the timely help they might need. Therefore, observation and detection of anything out of the norm is vital. Get to know your bird and check in with them often to make sure they are fit and all is well. If you do notice something is awry, stay calm and act accordingly.
What signs of illness should you look for?
- Active bleeding
- Difficulty breathing
- Difficulty moving around
- Fluffed-up appearance
- Sitting at the bottom of the cage
- Lethargy
- Refusing food, especially treats
- Changes in behaviour
Emergencies
In the case of emergencies, it is best to stay calm and be prepared. Having a first-aid kit and basic knowledge of how to stabilise your bird prior to seeking medical help from a veterinary professional can be the difference in achieving the best outcome of returning your pet to full health.
PREPARE: What should be in your first-aid kit?
- Emergency phone number for your avian vet clinic
- A safe, secure carrier for transport
- A towel for safe restraint
- Heat pad
- Cotton balls/swabs
- Clotting agent (Styptic powder/potassium permanganate/ferric chloride/cornflour/plain flour/baking powder/talk powder)
- Disinfectant (Dilute chlorhexidine)
- Scissors
- Masking tape
- Tweezers
What should you do?
STAY CALM! Stabilise, then treat. Birds are incredibly sensitive to acute stress such as injuries and sudden onset critical illnesses so it is important to get the early stages of stabilisation correct first before jumping into treatment or they may not make it to that stage!
- Observe – Watch them closely for signs of problems, is there active bleeding? Are they moving around OK? Are they having problems breathing?
- Isolate – Once a problem has been identified, carefully move your bird into a quiet area on their own for assessment, stabilisation, and treatment.
- Restrain – Using a towel for safety, restrain your bird for proper examination.
- Stem any bleeding – Apply pressure for 1-2 minutes before utilising any clotting agents you have in your first-aid kit (see above).
- Immobilise – Consider taping the shoulders and tips of the wings with masking tape, or using a padded box, to prevent further injury by immobilising the area of injury.
- Warm – Shock is a big concern for our bird friends, so active warming is an important part of stabilisation. Either using a towel draped over the cage or an under-cage heat mat, actively warm your bird to between 29-32 ̊C.
- Seek veterinary attention – Once you have stabilised your bird, it’s time to call your vet for advice and potentially schedule an emergency appointment. In the case of broken nails/claws etc, once the bleeding has been stemmed, it may be your vet can offer advice over the phone without the need to be seen. Any uncontrolled bleeding, wounds, or respiratory difficulties will need to be seen urgently.
Common emergencies
Broken beak/nail
These can happen due to traumatic injury or when owners attempt to trim them at home. Accidents happen, so be prepared to act to control any bleeding. Once bleeding is controlled, monitor closely, and keep your bird quiet and in a dark room so they can recover and heal, preventing further injury.
Broken blood feather
This can happen due to injury. Using some tweezers, grasp the broken feather at the base, pulling down sharply whilst twisting. This causes the blood vessels to recoil back and seal, stopping bleeding and allowing a new feather to grow through in a month or so. Apply pressure to the empty feather follicle for 1-2minutes. Monitor closely for further bleeding. Keep your bird quiet and calm for 24 hours to allow proper healing.
Wounds/burns
Accidents happen, and injuries can result. Apply pressure to control any bleeding and follow the steps above for stabilisation before presenting your bird to the vet. Medicines such as pain relief and antibiotics will be needed to control infection and help healing.
Respiratory distress
This is an emergency situation that requires quick action. There are lots of reasons why your bird can experience respiratory distress, from poisonings, allergic reactions, blockages, parasites, and infections to heart disease and cancers. Swift action from you and treatment from your vet is important.
Preparation is key to ensuring the successful return to health of your pet bird in cases of serious illness and emergencies. Have your vet's emergency number on hand, stabilise your bird where appropriate, and then seek immediate treatment from a veterinary professional.