Visiting the Vet With Your Pet Bird
Why is it important to prepare for vet visits?
Birds are particularly susceptible to acute stress (as a result of short-term sudden changes in their environment). For this reason, it is important to prepare for any potential causes of acute stress, such as using a carrier, travelling in the car, being handled, and vet visits.
What equipment will you need for your vet visit?
- A safe, secure carrier that is an appropriate size for your bird
- A towel/blanket to cover the carrier
- Treats
- A sample of their normal formulated diet and details of any fresh foods fed daily
- A sample of used cage paper for faecal/urate examination
How can you best prepare for the vet visit?
Training your bird is an important part of building their relationship and bond with you and your family. It is also a great way to enrich their lives and reduce stress for novel situations such as vet visits. Some examples of different ways to work with your bird are:
1.Socialisation and handling training
Socialisation is critically important to the health and general well-being of your bird. Being comfortable with humans and being handled by humans is particularly useful for minimising the stress of being handled when they are unwell, such as during a clinical examination at a vet's office. Birds that aren't used to being interacted with directly will find handling when sick especially distressing.
Prepare in advance by making it part of your weekly routine. Helping your bird accept seeing and interacting with different people, as well as training your bird to be comfortable being wrapped in a towel on occasion, will greatly reduce the stress of visiting the vet. Towelling is a common low-stress handling technique used in vet clinics for physical examination, so practising at home can acclimate them to the sensation ahead of time.
2. Carrier training
Training your bird to be comfortable and familiar with a particular carrier is greatly advantageous. If your bird can arrive in the clinic minimally stressed, they are better equipped to deal with any stress that faces them when they arrive. Encourage your bird to explore the carrier often during training sessions and reward engagement with a treat to solidify a positive association.
3. Training to become familiar with travelling small distances
It is recommended to take your bird in its secure carrier on the occasional training trip to get them used to the car and travelling. If your bird is familiar with the feeling of travelling and being in the carrier, it can lay down some positive groundwork to reduce stress should the need to travel due to illness occur in the future.
You can also consider covering the carrier during travel to calm your bird and muffle the environmental lights and sounds of the car. If possible, playing some familiar music quietly can also help calm and reassure them during your trip. Keep training trips brief and ensure they end with a reward each time.
What happens at the clinic?
In the waiting room
- Aim to arrive shortly before your appointment time to minimise waiting in the waiting area where your bird could encounter predator species like cats and dogs.
- If you have to share a common waiting area, ensure your carrier is kept up high in the waiting room, away from predators and possible dangers. If the waiting room is particularly loud, ask if your bird could wait in the treatment room or perhaps stay out in the car until it is your appointment time.
- Keep the carrier covered.
In the Examination Room
- Uncover the carrier to allow your bird to acclimate to the room.
- Your vet will ask questions about the general health of your bird, their history (where they are from, any previous illnesses, and any health concerns you have about them).
- The vet will aim to minimise handling to reduce stress for your bird, usually using a towel to handle them safely. Your vet will carry out a physical exam, checking your bird from head to toe. They will weigh your bird and examine their faeces/urates in the carrier.
- Sometimes further tests such as blood samples, x-rays, or swabs may be recommended if indicated by the clinical exam. Your vet will discuss this with you prior, and potentially suggest a light sedation to aid them in ensuring these tests are completed with minimal stress to your bird.
Unfortunately, as birds are prey species, they often hide illness and so are very poorly by the time they reach a vet’s clinic. Any amount of stress on top of the stress their bodies are under due to illness, can have fatal consequences. This is why making efforts to prepare and minimise stress when attending the vet is ideal.
If you are worried about taking your bird to the vet, speak to your clinic who will be able to advise you.
Why is it important to prepare for vet visits?
Birds are particularly susceptible to acute stress (as a result of short-term sudden changes in their environment). For this reason, it is important to prepare for any potential causes of acute stress, such as using a carrier, travelling in the car, being handled, and vet visits.
What equipment will you need for your vet visit?
- A safe, secure carrier that is an appropriate size for your bird
- A towel/blanket to cover the carrier
- Treats
- A sample of their normal formulated diet and details of any fresh foods fed daily
- A sample of used cage paper for faecal/urate examination
How can you best prepare for the vet visit?
Training your bird is an important part of building their relationship and bond with you and your family. It is also a great way to enrich their lives and reduce stress for novel situations such as vet visits. Some examples of different ways to work with your bird are:
1.Socialisation and handling training
Socialisation is critically important to the health and general well-being of your bird. Being comfortable with humans and being handled by humans is particularly useful for minimising the stress of being handled when they are unwell, such as during a clinical examination at a vet's office. Birds that aren't used to being interacted with directly will find handling when sick especially distressing.
Prepare in advance by making it part of your weekly routine. Helping your bird accept seeing and interacting with different people, as well as training your bird to be comfortable being wrapped in a towel on occasion, will greatly reduce the stress of visiting the vet. Towelling is a common low-stress handling technique used in vet clinics for physical examination, so practising at home can acclimate them to the sensation ahead of time.
2. Carrier training
Training your bird to be comfortable and familiar with a particular carrier is greatly advantageous. If your bird can arrive in the clinic minimally stressed, they are better equipped to deal with any stress that faces them when they arrive. Encourage your bird to explore the carrier often during training sessions and reward engagement with a treat to solidify a positive association.
3. Training to become familiar with travelling small distances
It is recommended to take your bird in its secure carrier on the occasional training trip to get them used to the car and travelling. If your bird is familiar with the feeling of travelling and being in the carrier, it can lay down some positive groundwork to reduce stress should the need to travel due to illness occur in the future.
You can also consider covering the carrier during travel to calm your bird and muffle the environmental lights and sounds of the car. If possible, playing some familiar music quietly can also help calm and reassure them during your trip. Keep training trips brief and ensure they end with a reward each time.
What happens at the clinic?
In the waiting room
- Aim to arrive shortly before your appointment time to minimise waiting in the waiting area where your bird could encounter predator species like cats and dogs.
- If you have to share a common waiting area, ensure your carrier is kept up high in the waiting room, away from predators and possible dangers. If the waiting room is particularly loud, ask if your bird could wait in the treatment room or perhaps stay out in the car until it is your appointment time.
- Keep the carrier covered.
In the Examination Room
- Uncover the carrier to allow your bird to acclimate to the room.
- Your vet will ask questions about the general health of your bird, their history (where they are from, any previous illnesses, and any health concerns you have about them).
- The vet will aim to minimise handling to reduce stress for your bird, usually using a towel to handle them safely. Your vet will carry out a physical exam, checking your bird from head to toe. They will weigh your bird and examine their faeces/urates in the carrier.
- Sometimes further tests such as blood samples, x-rays, or swabs may be recommended if indicated by the clinical exam. Your vet will discuss this with you prior, and potentially suggest a light sedation to aid them in ensuring these tests are completed with minimal stress to your bird.
Unfortunately, as birds are prey species, they often hide illness and so are very poorly by the time they reach a vet’s clinic. Any amount of stress on top of the stress their bodies are under due to illness, can have fatal consequences. This is why making efforts to prepare and minimise stress when attending the vet is ideal.
If you are worried about taking your bird to the vet, speak to your clinic who will be able to advise you.
Why is it important to prepare for vet visits?
Birds are particularly susceptible to acute stress (as a result of short-term sudden changes in their environment). For this reason, it is important to prepare for any potential causes of acute stress, such as using a carrier, travelling in the car, being handled, and vet visits.
What equipment will you need for your vet visit?
- A safe, secure carrier that is an appropriate size for your bird
- A towel/blanket to cover the carrier
- Treats
- A sample of their normal formulated diet and details of any fresh foods fed daily
- A sample of used cage paper for faecal/urate examination
How can you best prepare for the vet visit?
Training your bird is an important part of building their relationship and bond with you and your family. It is also a great way to enrich their lives and reduce stress for novel situations such as vet visits. Some examples of different ways to work with your bird are:
1.Socialisation and handling training
Socialisation is critically important to the health and general well-being of your bird. Being comfortable with humans and being handled by humans is particularly useful for minimising the stress of being handled when they are unwell, such as during a clinical examination at a vet's office. Birds that aren't used to being interacted with directly will find handling when sick especially distressing.
Prepare in advance by making it part of your weekly routine. Helping your bird accept seeing and interacting with different people, as well as training your bird to be comfortable being wrapped in a towel on occasion, will greatly reduce the stress of visiting the vet. Towelling is a common low-stress handling technique used in vet clinics for physical examination, so practising at home can acclimate them to the sensation ahead of time.
2. Carrier training
Training your bird to be comfortable and familiar with a particular carrier is greatly advantageous. If your bird can arrive in the clinic minimally stressed, they are better equipped to deal with any stress that faces them when they arrive. Encourage your bird to explore the carrier often during training sessions and reward engagement with a treat to solidify a positive association.
3. Training to become familiar with travelling small distances
It is recommended to take your bird in its secure carrier on the occasional training trip to get them used to the car and travelling. If your bird is familiar with the feeling of travelling and being in the carrier, it can lay down some positive groundwork to reduce stress should the need to travel due to illness occur in the future.
You can also consider covering the carrier during travel to calm your bird and muffle the environmental lights and sounds of the car. If possible, playing some familiar music quietly can also help calm and reassure them during your trip. Keep training trips brief and ensure they end with a reward each time.
What happens at the clinic?
In the waiting room
- Aim to arrive shortly before your appointment time to minimise waiting in the waiting area where your bird could encounter predator species like cats and dogs.
- If you have to share a common waiting area, ensure your carrier is kept up high in the waiting room, away from predators and possible dangers. If the waiting room is particularly loud, ask if your bird could wait in the treatment room or perhaps stay out in the car until it is your appointment time.
- Keep the carrier covered.
In the Examination Room
- Uncover the carrier to allow your bird to acclimate to the room.
- Your vet will ask questions about the general health of your bird, their history (where they are from, any previous illnesses, and any health concerns you have about them).
- The vet will aim to minimise handling to reduce stress for your bird, usually using a towel to handle them safely. Your vet will carry out a physical exam, checking your bird from head to toe. They will weigh your bird and examine their faeces/urates in the carrier.
- Sometimes further tests such as blood samples, x-rays, or swabs may be recommended if indicated by the clinical exam. Your vet will discuss this with you prior, and potentially suggest a light sedation to aid them in ensuring these tests are completed with minimal stress to your bird.
Unfortunately, as birds are prey species, they often hide illness and so are very poorly by the time they reach a vet’s clinic. Any amount of stress on top of the stress their bodies are under due to illness, can have fatal consequences. This is why making efforts to prepare and minimise stress when attending the vet is ideal.
If you are worried about taking your bird to the vet, speak to your clinic who will be able to advise you.