Do you take your birds to a Avian Vet

[Charis]

Originally Posted by TheSnipes

Yeah I would be able to say, "there's something in there" That is the problem, learning to recognize what is what. I have LOTS to learn

So then...it's naive for us to think we can go out and buy a microscope and be in business to diagnose pigeon fecals...right? I'm disappointed that those little squiggles don't carry microscopic signs identifying them minute selves.

[TheSnipes]

Originally Posted by Charis

So then...it's naive for us to think we can go out and buy a microscope and be in business to diagnose pigeon fecals...right? I'm disappointed that those little squiggles don't carry microscopic signs identifying them minute selves.

yes they should! They should wear little team colors, or something. I think it is very wise to acquire your own tools and given enough practice and consultation with someone more experienced become confident at it. Like anything else of course! But some things have a steeper learning curve.

[Maggie-NC]

Would I trade my "regular" vet for an avian vet? Absolutely not. She has been our vet for about 14 years and has never turned away any bird. I'm like Terry in that I think I have helped her by taking sooooo many to her which adds to her experience but her basic knowledge and love of birds makes her exceptional. A number of members of the group I belong to also take their birds and mammals to her. I am also fortunate that she usually charges me zero for their care. About the only time we pay is for surgery and some meds but even then we are given a discount. Even though she does most of our work gratis, my average time with her is at least 45 minutes...often longer. I never feel rushed or unwelcome. She makes me feel good when she praises me or talks about me with other doctors or clients.

When I go to her practice, they don't just take the bird away and leave me in the waiting room. I go with the bird and she shows me what she is doing and explains diseases and procedures in a way I can understand. I go in the lab area and look at the microscope slides and she explains what I'm seeing. I am able to go into the areas most clients can't. She has helped me so much with medicine dosages. She writes out the formula in a way I can understand because I do have trouble understanding some of the formulas. She also will not hesitate to confer with other vets, even in other states, about a problem.

We also are fortunate that we have access to two other knowledgeable vets with their own practices plus an after hours clinic with great vets. When we have an emergency after the vet practices close our birds go to the after hours clinic. All the vets there know my vet and will call her at home if it is a particularly bad problem with a specific bird.

NC State University has a wonderful vet school and until about 4 years ago our vet referred us to them for unusual problems. Sadly, they have eliminated their avian program.

While I believe we should read and learn all we can, I will continue to recommend that a member take their bird to a vet especially when the symptoms are vague or when there are injuries. While some members have the ability and equipment to do fecal studies, I doubt any one of us can do blood analysis or complicated surgery which can be crucial in saving a bird's life. Sometimes, specimens have to be sent to special labs in other states for analysis and diagnosis. Only a vet can do that. I also don't want a bird to suffer needlessly and if, in their best judgment the bird needs to be euthanized, they do it in a humane manner. Our vet works so hard to save any bird we take in and in all the years we have gone to her I doubt there are more than 10 she has recommended they be euthanized. I trust her judgment. Several times, with other vets, I have argued their recommendation to euthanize simply because, yes, I felt like I had more experience with pigeons. Most of them know us and will accede to our wishes because they know how much we care and take care of birds.

Well, I didn't mean to get on a soap box but veterinary care is something I feel strongly about. I try, every time I take a bird in, particularly if it is something out of the ordinary, or something new I have learned, to share that visit with members. I feel it helps us all to be better caretakers, whether we're rehabbing or simply keep birds for racing or showing.

[Pigeonpal2002]

Originally Posted by Margarret

As Terry pointed out, the word Avian in front of Vet increases the price into the ozone layer. And to boot many of them don't know much about pigeons. They are hookbill specialists. That is where the money is and it's all they know. Now and again you will find a pigeon knowledgeable regular vet.

I definitely concur with you and this is exactly the truth. Nearly all avian vets are parrot specialists. These are the birds they likely studied the most and learned about in vet school. It's also a reason and probably a personal interest many avian vets got into the practice... psittacines.

The very first vet I went to was a parrot specialist and she touted that as soon as I stepped into her office. She even admitted that she didn't know a whole lot about pigeons. She asked me how much I paid for my bird at the time...I told her $40, and she basically smirked and said that the tests I wanted were probably not worth it. However, if I was willing to pay and the bird was important to me, that was up to me.

My current vet was recommended to me by another member of this forum. This vet works at a clinic right next door to a zoo and I was also told she had experience with pigeons; that she'd treated some fanciers pigeons as well as pigeons at the zoo on occasion. I lost my faith in her the day she left a message on my cell phone saying that paratyphoid and paramixo virus were the same thing. She's not bad otherwise, but she is the one who couldn't find the problem with my Henny. After all the tests, the extremely expensive anti-fungal medication and numerous fecal tests, Henny died while having blood drawn. She wouldn't offer an "opinion", speculate about anything. I blame her for killing my pigeon. I know I shouldn't, but I do. Henny had pneumonia that slowly weakened her over a period of nearly 3 months. (Sigh)

Anyway, I would try to learn to do fecal floats and microscopies myself, but those tests don't really cost very much to run. And if these people who are trained to look for organisms in feces can't always make an accurate diagnosis (whether it's a parrot or a pigeon), then I probably couldn't do it accurately myself.