The Online Conference is just a couple of weeks away and ticket sales are coming to a close on November 12th! Get your tickets now at www.StopPDD.org. Some of the papers that will be presented are:
- "Starting a New Business" (Bob First, CPA);
- "Cage Safety" (Joe Arbogast);
- "Perspectives on PDD" (Carolyn Swicegood);
- 2 case studies by Dr. Greg Burkett;
- "Emergency First Aid Treatment for Birds" (Gloria Scholbe);
- "Emergency Preparedness Planning for Birds" (Garry Wallen);
- "Lessons From Little Birds With Big Eyes" (Janice Shade);
- "Bonding: Different Bonds For Different Life Stages" (Liz Wilson);
- "The Name Game" (Joannie Doss).
There is more also from authors such as Jean Pattison, "The African Queen", Mike Burton, and Dr. Harvey. Branson W. Ritchie, DVM, PhD, of Companion Animal Emerging Disease Group, Psittacine Disease Research, University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine, is adding an update to the information he presented last year on the Cockatiels at our First Online Conference!
Pamela Clark will be writing "The Feather Magnified". This article explores the very essence of the relationship to our companion parrots and the fact that unrecognized differences in these relationships often lead to misinterpretations of behavior, misunderstandings about what parrots really need to be happy and healthy, as well as the development of behavior problems. Ms. Clark gives us some practical suggestions for better understanding our parrots, placing ourselves in correct relationship to them, and providing for them with superior environmental enrichment.
Unique to the Online Conference this year is the Mini Drawing! We have some great prizes such as the Perma-Playring that Len at C & L Aviaries has donated, the newest book from Joannie Doss "Can You Speak Parrot" and "Teach Your Parrot" trick training video's by Tani Robars. And there is still more, like the consultation with Pamela Clark, toys provided by 8 Beaks and Jolly Feathers, Organic Bird Food from Your Lucky Parrot Place, Mikes Mana Mash, Baby Feathers Avian Aloe, and note cards from Rhiannon's Roost Creations! Wouldn't you or your birds really enjoy these? Please come and join us, and learn some great information!
- Steffanie Budnick
First Aid for Feathered Friends
Many things are toxic or dangerous for our feathered friends, which is why every bird owner should have an avian first aid kit on hand. This kit can be easily made with things either found around the house or purchased at your local pet shop or pharmacy. A first aid kit is crucial because it allows you to have together and on-hand what you may need in an emergency, which will save precious time when you need it - sometimes a few minutes can makes the difference between life and death. For an injured pet, the first aid kit is the critical link between the injury and lifesaving medical care. Just follow these easy steps:
- 1.. Pick a box. Any type of container will due, like a tackle box, lunch box or even a plastic bag - the key is that everything be kept together. The only constraint is that the container needs to be large enough to hold all of the items for the kit.
- 2.. Pick a location. You must keep the kit where it is very easy to access, like in a kitchen cabinet, under the bathroom sink or in a coat closet. You want to be able to get to the kit quickly in an emergency, so you don't want to put it in the attic, the basement, or shoved in the back of a frequently-used closet where it will not be easily accessible when you are in a panic.
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3.. Assemble the necessary items:
a.. Scissors
b.. Sterile gauze or other bandage material
c.. Tweezers
d.. Needle-nose pliers
e.. Nail Clippers
f.. Q-tips
g.. Towels
h.. Plastic medicine dropper or small syringe
i.. Qwik-Stop, or other type of coagulant (flour or cornstarch)
j.. Triple antibiotic ointment
k.. Heat source such as small lamp or heating pad
l.. Masking tape
m.. Hot water bottle
n.. Adhesive tape
o.. Eye irrigating solution
p.. Environmental thermometer
q.. Small aquarium or container
r.. Telephone number of veterinarian
s.. List of poisonous or toxic plants
t.. Animal Poison Hotline Number 888-232-8870
u.. Hydrogen peroxide
v.. Pedialyte or Gatorade
You also need a list of plants/woods that are toxic for birds as well as a basic working knowledge of first aid for your pet. Simple things like knowing how to treat broken blood feathers, how to stop bleeding or how to dress a wound so you can transport to your feathered friend to the vet are all important - and might even save your bird's life. Don't know which plants are poisonous or how to stop a bleeding nail? Never fear - AHN is here! Just go to www.avianhealthnetwork.info/saftey.htm to get started. There you will find a list of poisonous plants and directions for some simple first aid techniques, as well as the list above.
-Lou Ann Beard
Avian Web Watch - www.geocities.com/calliefeather/pbfd.html
From time to time we will be highlighting health-related avian websites we feel may be useful for our readers. This month, we'd like to start with the PBFD Information Site. While not a fancy site with all the hi-tech bells and whistles, it is a straight forward, informative site about the disease called Psittacine Beak and Feather Disease, or more commonly known as PBFD.
According to their mission statement, "the purpose of this site is to educate pet bird owners about PBFD, and the potential consequences that PBFD can inflict on all psittacine species worldwide". If you're not familiar with this horrible disease, the first two pictures you see when you log on the site will give you a good idea of some of its effects. More detailed information can be found in the in the first section of articles, which include "What is PBFD?", "PBFD - A Few Myths and Facts" and "How to Test Your Birds for PBFD".
The site also has a listing of helpful PBFD links, but by far the most compelling part of this site are the stories included in the "A Few Personal Experiences" section. Be sure to check these out (but have a tissue ready), and don't miss the story about SweetPea - a rare miracle who survived this horrible disease.
The owner of this site is L.L Wagner-Chambers (Laura), who talks about why she started this site under the 'Personal Stories' section. When attempting to give a beloved Lorie a replacement for his lost mate, Laura ran into her 1st case of PBFD. Unfortunately, the avian vet Laura took her sick Lorie to, told her "PBFD is not a problem in the U.S. PBFD was eradicated during an isolated incident, during the 1970's, in which a few infected cockatoos were euthanized. But it's ok. It's not a problem anymore and besides, it's species-specific. Amazons and Lories don't really get it." It was at this point that Laura saw a great need for a site about PBFD. Several changes are planned for the site in the future, so check back often.
-Debra Standiford
Avian Experts On-Call
Dear Expert,
My name is Kathleen B. and I am the proud friend of a sun conure named Chico. Several years ago he became deathly ill and almost died. The vet who cared for him was wonderful and found a virus by putting his stool under a microscope. She told me that I was the reason Chico had contacted the virus because I let him take food out of my mouth, and she said that human salvia can be deadly to birds because we harbor germs they cannot tolerate.
I read through e-mails from owners of birds and also see pictures of bird owners who let their pet birds take food or articles out of their own mouths. Is there anyway you could make a statement about this? I think bird owners should be cautioned against this and your alert would be more useful than mine.
Kathleen B.
Dear Kathleen,
I'm glad that Chico is doing well now. I do agree with your veterinarian that owners should avoid letting their birds eat food that has been in their mouths. I'm not certain about what viruses, if any, have been proven to spread from humans to birds, but there are definitely numerous different bacteria in a human's mouth which may be harmful to parrots if they are immune-compromised.
That said, it is possible for a bird to spread several diseases to a human (e.g. Salmonella and Chalmydophila Psittaci - which causes ornithosis in humans), and this perhaps is a better reason not to share food with a parrot by mouth. As always, be careful what you feed birds-high fatty or salty human food, avocado, and chocolate are not recommended for pet parrots and should be avoided no matter how you try to offer them.
Dr. Jeleen Briscoe
Resident, Special Species
Matthew J. Ryan Veterinary Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania
In Appreciation
Avian Health Network, Inc. #54-2068091 is a 501(C) (3) Tax Exempt Non-Profit, headquartered and incorporated in the state of Virginia. We are an organization of volunteers with no paid personnel. We are committed to raising public awareness and funds for avian diseases such as PDD. Financial Statement is available upon written request from the State Office of Consumer Affairs, Commonwealth of Virginia, P.O. Box 1163, Richmond Va. 23218.
www.AvianHealthNetwork.info or www.StopPDD.org Avian Health Network, Inc. T #54-2068091 is a 501(C)(3), headquartered and incorporated in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Financial Statement is available upon written request from the State Office of Consumer Affairs, Commonwealth of Virginia.
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