Diabetes mellitus is uncommon and can be challenging to diagnose. It does occur in pet birds and causes signs similar to those seen in people with diabetes, including passing a large volume of urine, excessive thirst, and high sugar (glucose) levels in the blood and urine. Diabetes is often seen in birds that are overweight or that have pancreatic or reproductive problems. A veterinarian can diagnose diabetes by laboratory blood testing. Depending on the speci
Birds have various digestive disorders, including infections and parasites, that can cause problems. The next section discusses some of the more commonly seen disorders in detail.
Avian Gastric Yeast (Macrorhabdosis)
Avian gastric yeast (Macrorhabdus ornithogaster) often colonizes the digestive tract of birds. It i
Some older birds develop signs of chronic heart disease, such as an inability to move or fly without discomfort and shortness of breath or other breathing difficulties. As birds live longer and diagnostic techniques improve, cardiac disease is being diagnosed more often. The ability to diagnose some forms of avian heart disease, using the same techniques (x-rays, CT scans, electrocardiograms, and echocardiograms) as in people, has progressed rapidly over the past dec
Many of the most common causes of illness or death in birds are due to poor husbandry practices that result in nutritional deficiencies, trauma or poisoning due to household hazards, and unsanitary housing conditions. All of these can be prevented or minimized by providing proper care. Other causes of illness include parasites and bacterial, viral, or fungal infections that can be spread by exposure to sick birds or lack of good sanitation.
It is important to
January 31, 2025
Emergency