baseline health checkup

[aasiaafzal]

hey guys,
u might already know i lost my african grey 3 weeks ago, due to some undiagnosed illness...he survived only a month, since i had purchased him...
Now im finally thinking of getting a grey again....not yet prepared, but im doing some research these days...we have only 1 animal market here...n it sells all kinds of pets in that one place...probably the market is the best breeding place for all kind of viruses n bacteria....i tried my best to personally contact different breeders, trying to get a grey directly from them or something, rather than that market..but didnt work out..i know i cant survive another of my parrot dying..it was too much of a heart ache..

what do u guys suggest?? should i simply abandon the idea? or should i take my chances?? get the bird, n get some common diseases tested?? i cant possibly get him tested for each n every possible bird disease..
Avian medicine is also not that advanced here..All the lab works have to be sent to UK, n it costs a lot...i visited a vet today to ask his advice regarding the baseline health checkup n which lab works are recommended, i strongly felt he knew nothing about birds..or even medicine for that matter...

they routinely do only physical examination of a bird, n the best he thought he could do was fecal sample for salmonella... he said he can give some prophylactic broad spectrum antibiotic shots for bacterial infections, n for viral diseases i wud have to take my chances..i dont like the idea of these prophylactic shots personally but given the circumstances, could be my best option..

Also do u think a little older bird wud be more resistant to these infections, n i should go for a little older bird or not? 'jazz' was roughly 8 months old when he died..

anyhow just to summarize what should be the baseline testing i MUST get done if i contemplate buying another grey?

[marie83]

Why can't you go direct to a breeder? I'm not the biggest fan of breeders tbh unless they are doing it for conservation but steer clear of the markets for definite, the less people that support those the better. Are there any rescues in your country? actually can you remind me of what country you are in and ill see if I can find anything out for you regarding vets/breeders/rescues etc.
Another possibility is if you can find a vet who is willing to take advice from a more experienced vet, some vets are willing to collaborate with others in order to help the animals they treat better and learn more.

It may well be that you would be better off contacting someone from various labs in different countries (avian biotech is a fairly well known one) and sending off feacel samples yourself, yes it will cost but imo its better than doing nothing. They can test for various viruses, bacteria, parasites etc that way although by all means it wont give a complete guarentee you have a healthy bird it may help reassure you, particuarly if you dont know the birds background.

[Eric&Rebecca]

+1 with Marie stay clear of markets.

A good breeder should provide you with paperwork to prove that your bird has been checked for PBFD and giardia and routine labs and fecal samples. Also with our birds we have a signed receipt from the breeder/rescue centre/bird centre that they have inspected the bird physically.

If your vet knows nothing about birds I would research another vet with bird interest at the very least, this vet could harm your bird rather than help it. Avian vets don't exist everywhere but it's always good to give them a 30 days check up too. Alternatively you can do as Marie suggested and find someone like avian biotech where you can send samples. Luckily we have a vet who does this in house.

Alternatively, have you thought about getting a bird that would perhaps give you a bit more of a gentle introduction into the parrot world. No bird is easy and I hate the phrase starter bird but perhaps start smaller. A cockatiel would be an excellent choice as they are quite hardy as birds go. You would still need all of the above and would still have to be just as vigilent but it might help.

When our Percy died I just knew I couldn't own another red rump but its different for everyone. We are now getting another cockatiel.

[aasiaafzal]

Another possibility is if you can find a vet who is willing to take advice from a more experienced vet, some vets are willing to collaborate with others in order to help the animals they treat better and learn more.

hey vet at the moment is not an issue...as i went to this not so expensive vet because all i wanted was just some advice...he is not the same vet who treated jazz... the previous vet was very good, but they were really expensive,..so once i get a bird, ill obviously go to some good place....!! even all these expensive high tech vet hospitals are also not doing lab works on their own...they just collect the samples n send them to UK or some other place...

Why can't you go direct to a breeder? I'm not the biggest fan of breeders tbh unless they are doing it for conservation but steer clear of the markets for definite, the less people that support those the better. Are there any rescues in your country? actually can you remind me of what country you are in and ill see if I can find anything out for you regarding vets/breeders/rescues etc.

ok i get ur point when u say steer away from markets, because after the last experience i had, i also do not wanna go there...but im left with no option i think...i have contacted certain breeders,, but they r not located in qatar (the place where i am) some of them are in nearby countries, n they talk of all glamorous things, of providing me with health certificates, examination cards, vaccination certificates, dna sexed birds blah blah...but then they ask me to pay for some expensive courier service to get them delivered...i wud even do that, but i dont wanna get a bird without seeing it myself closely..these cross country transactions really scare me..i know i cannot do that..

@ eric n rebecca

Alternatively, have you thought about getting a bird that would perhaps give you a bit more of a gentle introduction into the parrot world. No bird is easy and I hate the phrase starter bird but perhaps start smaller. A cockatiel would be an excellent choice as they are quite hardy as birds go.

i have thought of that, but the idea doesn't appeal much to me...have been reading a lot about african greys,, n i really love them...i think i cannot go for any other bird at the moment... i know might just be trying to get my jazz back..but... whateve... n dont worry, i wont get any bird, unless i know i can take care of him..,n until i find some good vet facilities.

[Andromeda]

I agree with the others that you should steer clear of the markets but I understand that you have very limited options regarding breeders.

I'll give you a list of the tests that my avian vet performs on a new bird. I understand that you may not be able to get some of these done since you can't find an avian vet but knowing what tests an avian vet performs might be useful.

- PBFD (Psittacine Beak and Feather Disease)

- Chlamydophila spp. (Psittacosis)

- Avian Chemistry Panel (AST, Ca, Glu, TP, Uric Acid, CPK)

- Avian CBC (complete blood count) and Plasma Protien (evaluation of red blood cells, white blood cell count, evaluation of thrombocytes, examination of plasma for color, protein, and the presence of parasites)

- Intestinal Parasite Exam

Everything but the intestinal parasite exam is done on blood samples. The parasite exam is done on droppings.

Regarding the white blood cell count, my vet says it's important to have a sample as a "baseline" because even within a species individual birds have a very wide variation in the number of white blood cells and unless you have a sample to know what is normal for that specific bird you don't necessarily know if their count is elevated.

It can also be useful to have a bird DNA sexed as sometimes there are certain health issues seen in males vs. females.

[aasiaafzal]

Thanx a lot guys for all the useful replies...!! were really helpful

@ andromeda... agree with ur list of lab works...this is the least that should be done..ill contact my vet, n have him send the samples to avian biotech or any other decent lab..(if i eventually get myself a bird)

will stay in touch:)