Horatio is going to an avian vet for the first time this week. He is not ill but we have meant to get him a check up for a long time (bad parronts we are it just kept slipping, and now he is 2 and a half years old and I finally phoned them and made the appointment )

What should I ask the vet about? Horatio is an active little guy and seems healthy, the only thing I wonder is if he is overweight (he loves his peas and corn ). I have a record of his weight since he was a baby and I will bring that along.

Are there any reasonable tests that should be done?(I don't care what sex he is so I won't bother with a DNA test)

All suggestions welcome.

this is actually a very good question

I usually take my birds to the vet every year and initially I always have them run alot of tests to verify their condition but since you have had your bird for two and a half years I would imagine alot of the things I worry about in introducing a new fid to my home would of reared up by now so I am trying to think what tests would be necessary and I am sure someone after I bump this up will answer that question for both of us.

I also write down all my questions and concerns before going to the vet so I dont forget anything I wanted to ask them.

I guess since you are concerned about his weight you should discuss diet and nutrition with the vet, ask him if there is a different emergency contact number incase of an emergency, if when he/she is out of town he has a sub on call...

Get blood tests for sure. If your vet doesn't suggest them, I suggest a different vet. Birds need blood tests as they hide symptoms really well. So, CBC and chem for sure, I would recommend chlamydia (psittacosis), giardia, PBFD, polyoma, and maybe a fecal and some other cultures, too (if it's not too much effort). Even though you've had him a while, it's good to know for sure that he's not carrying anything and/or just not symptomatic yet.

A good avian vet should be able to feel the keel of your birdie to see if he's too fat or too thin and they should do a range of motion type test on wings, feet, etc. And look in the mouth, check the eyes, nose, vent, etc. It's great you have the weight record- that will certainly help your vet. And ask about the PBFD vaccine that's coming out soon- I'm getting that ASAP! Hooray for one less thing to be worried about.

How much does your quaker weigh now? I think we could tell you if he is overweight or not. Gizmo is almost one and he has never been to the vet so i cant suggest anything. I think you should go once or twice every 2 years. I hear many birds can get sick from goung to the vet.

Can I ask a question? The vet we will be taking Quake to in October does some kind of gas thing that the groomer said relaxes the birds...anyone heard about this?...got an opinion? It will be our first time to visit the vet with him also...so I agree with a need for info about what we need to find out about health...Julie

To answer the question about weight, Horatio weighed 124 grams the last time he was weighed about 2 weeks ago. His maximum has been 126 grams but he has dropped back from that recently.

Actually, I disagree with us being able to tell you if he is overweight. Weight really depends on a birds bone structure. Some birds are fine at 124, others might be underweight and others might be overweight.

Quakers can range any where from 85 grams up (and over) 200 grams. It all depends on how they carry their weight

Getting baselines established is always a good way to start...And in order to do that The CBC is a good way...check for liver enzyme levels etc. Since Quakers are prone to Fatty liver disease. A fecal exam is also an important one as well. Ask him about all the other tests that Alsusdra mentioned. Make sure he listens to his heart and lungs and checks his nares and his eyes.

Depending on the stature of your bird 126 grms isn't too heavy however if your guy is a small statured bird and only the vet will be able to tell that, he may be over weight. If he's developing cleavage and it feels squishy on either side of the keel bone then chances are he's overweight.

Talk about this vets ideas of good nutrition how he/she feels about a pelleted diet vs seeds etc.

Then when you have run out of questions, ask him if there are any other questions that you should be asking.

The fact that you have been keeping record of his weight is a good thing. It shows that you are keeping track and would notice a sudden fluctuation in weight which could be a sign of trouble...That's showing the vet that you are on top of things.

As far as the sedative gas goes, one of our vets uses it routinely it just makes it easier and less stressful for everyone involved the bird isn't stressing out as much by having strangers handle it and the vet is more able to do a more thorough exam because he's not having to dodge biting beaks and flapping wings etc. They usually come out from under the effects in just a few minutes and are just fine. But you can ask questions about it before the exam is started if you are really concerned.

Good luck with your visit...let us know how it turns out.

Anesthesia can be very tricky on birds! My vet only did it on Sylvia for her first exam as I'd only had her for a few days and she was wild (and fully flighted). The last time I took her in, we didn't use sedation but rather just toweled her gently. I would be wary of a vet that uses any kind of gas as a matter of course and not on a case-by-case basis. My vet was freaking out the whole time Sylvia was under due to birdie respiratory systems being so delicate (granted, said vet is pretty high-strung, but regardless...) The gas is a good tool, but should be used with caution. There shouldn't be problems, but there might be, and it's more likely for a parrot than a dog/ cat etc.

I second that! (A bird can even be overweight and emaciated at the same time, though that is rare.) I think there is or has recently been too much emphasis on weight alone on the forum. I confess, I got a bit side-tracked by that too.

Having a weight record is great, though! Make sure you always note the time or weigh at about the same time; they lose a few grams overnight and gain a few during the day. If you weigh at certain points of the day for a while, you'll get a feel for that too.

Good luck at the vet's.

Ange

[quote name='Carrie~Anne' date='Jun 25 2007, 03:38 PM' post='307682']
Actually, I disagree with us being able to tell you if he is overweight. Weight really depends on a birds bone structure. Some birds are fine at 124, others might be underweight and others might be overweight.

Quakers can range any where from 85 grams up (and over) 200 grams. It all depends on how they carry their weight
[/quThat could be true but a 200 gram quaker? I don't think any quaker in the world is average weight at that.