The topics for this Article:
Annual Avian Exams & Tests

OTHER IMPORTANT TESTS:

AVIAN POLYOMAVIRUS:
A viral infection which may cause clinical signs ranging from a mild, short-lived illness to acute death from hemorrhage. A blood sample is sent to a lab for analysis. This test is recommended for all birds that have not been previously test or for any bird showing signs of this disease.

PSITTACINE BEAK & FEATHER DISEASE:
A viral infection that may cause severe beak and feather abnormalities, as well as a generalized, incurable illness. A blood sample is sent to a lab. This test is recommended for all birds that have not been previously tested or for any bird showing signs of this disease.

AVIAN CHLAMYDIOSIS (PSITTACOSIS):
This bacterial infection may present as a severe respiratory and gastrointestinal illness or no signs at all. Chlamydia may also be transmitted from birds to humans, therefore, your bird should be tested not only to prevent disease it itself and other birds, but also to prevent illness in humans. A blood sample is sent to a lab. This test is recommended for all birds that have not been previously tested or for any bird showing signs of this disease.

DNA SEX DETERMINATION: Yes! actually important!
It is difficult to determine the sex of many avian species, especially parrots. Knowing the sex of your bird may not only be important for breeding purposes but also to identify any possible reproductive or behavior problems. One method to sex birds is to make a slit in the abdomen and examine the reproductive organs with an endoscope.(Not my preferred method!!) A much simpler procedure is to examine the DNA found in their blood. A blood sample is sent to a lab.

Of course there are more tests that may be run if a problem is determined. I personally suggest to ahve all the tests run during the First Well Baby Visit. All the blood tests are typically done with the very same blood sample.

ANNUAL EXAMS & TESTS:

PHYSICAL EXAM:
Looking for obvious signs of illness, to assess your bird's health, listening to its heart and chest, examining the ears, eyes, skin, and feathers.

FECAL GRAM STAIN:
Will obtain a fresh stool sample from your bird and stain it. This allows the vet to look at it under a microscope to identify any infection in the gastrointestinal tract to determine if the immune system is functioning properly. Inappropriate types of bacteria or fungi may interfere with the ability of your bird to digest and absorb its food, causing regurgitation and diarrhea. Note: there is good bacteria and bad bacteria. There exists good bacteria in your birds system. It is when the bad bacteria enters the system (one source comes from a humans mouth)that your bird develops a problem.

COMPLETE BLOOD COUNT:
Will obtain a small blood sample from your bird to determine if there is an infection or inflammatory process occurring, as well as check for anemia and dehydration.

SERUM CHEMISTRIES:
The same blood sample is used to determine how your bird's major organ systems are functioning. Early detection of diseases of the liver, kidneys, pancreas, etc. may be curable or manageable. These results also provide a 'normal' baseline with which to compare future changes in your bird's health so that problems may be identified more quickly. These tests are recommended for all birds FOUR MONTHS OF AGE OR OLDER and annually thereafter.

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