Emergency Preparedness for Bird Owners

Emergencies come in many forms. There are medical emergencies, such as respiratory distress, trauma, and neurological symptoms; reproductive emergencies like prolapses; and environmental emergencies like hurricanes, fires, and floods.

To help you prepare, we will go over what constitutes a medical emergency for a bird, what you need on hand for avian first aid and supportive care, important information for after-hours emergencies, and how to prepare if you and your birds need to evacuate.

What is a medical emergency for a bird?

The following require immediate medical attention. This is not a complete list, but these are clear examples of an emergency:

• Bleeding that does not stop
• Difficulty breathing and tail bobbing
• Trauma such as burns, cuts, or puncture wounds
• Contact with a predator, including cats and dogs — tiny scratches and cuts may not be immediately visible but are life-threatening
• Ingestion of toxins like avocado, metals, or chocolate
• Inability to pass droppings or an egg
• Visible prolapse
• Vomiting
• Blood in droppings or in regurgitated fluids

Call the same day if you notice

Since birds are prey species, they are conditioned to hide illness. A bird showing visible signs of illness is often very sick and needs prompt medical attention. Please contact your bird's veterinarian the same day if you notice:

• Loss of appetite
• Eye injuries or irritation
• Ingesting a foreign object
• Fluffed appearance
• Lethargy
• Sitting on the cage bottom
• Drooping wings
• Inability to perch or walk
• Swelling anywhere on the body
• Excessive thirst and/or urination
• Diarrhea
• Self-mutilation

Know what is normal for your bird

Knowing what is normal for your bird is the best way to notice concerning behavior. Things you need to know include your bird's weight, the appearance and number of droppings in a day, how much your bird eats and drinks, and your bird's typical behavior — vocalizations, activity level, and napping.

It is also a good idea to keep your bird's updated medical records saved in your email or in physical form, along with emergency contact information for your bird's veterinarian.

Who to contact for emergencies

Avian first aid

Keep on hand

• A carrier
• A smaller cage or crate
• Food and water dishes for the cage or crate
• Towels
• A gram scale
• A heating pad
• A thermometer
• A first aid kit

Inside the first aid kit

• Vet wrap
• Styptic powder or cornstarch
• Tweezers / hemostats
• Scissors
• Betadine (it will need to be diluted)
• Rubbing alcohol
• Hydrogen peroxide
• Cotton balls
• Cotton-tipped applicators
• A metal nail file
• A heating pad
• A battery-powered light

If you see blood

The most important thing is to identify the source of the bleeding. Try to determine whether it is coming from a feather, a skin wound, the beak, a nail, or the vent. If you cannot tell by looking at your bird, you may need to restrain your bird in a towel.

A broken blood feather — a common cause of blood in the cage — can leave many blood splotches on the cage bottom. Once you figure out which feather is the culprit, you can often stop it with styptic powder and pressure. If it will not stop, the feather might need to be removed, and it is best to have your bird's veterinarian do the removal.

Observe your bird. If the blood is coming from the vent or is in the droppings, this is an emergency and your bird needs to go to the vet right away. A major wound, whether from an accident or self-mutilation, also needs immediate veterinary attention. Minor wounds that stop bleeding are best observed closely, but if the bleeding does not stop or recurs, or if your bird seems weak or lethargic, contact your bird's veterinarian right away. Make sure your bird is eating and drinking normally — a beak wound can cause pain that affects appetite and needs attention.

Animal attacks

An attack by a dog, cat, or wild predator such as a raccoon is an emergency requiring immediate veterinary attention, even if the bird appears normal after contact. Puncture wounds and scratches are easily overlooked, and bites can cause crushing and internal injury. Both dogs and cats carry bacteria in their mouths and on their claws that can cause fatal infections in birds. The sooner the bird is treated with antibiotics and evaluated by a veterinarian, the better its chance of survival.

An attack from another bird may also be an emergency, depending on the extent of the injuries. Sometimes injuries are minor; other times they are critical and, if left untreated, can cause severe pain, necrotic tissue, and life-threatening infection. Unless an injury is extremely minor, it is best to have it evaluated. We regularly see beak and toe injuries from bird-on-bird conflict that develop necrotic tissue and infection when left untreated.

Supportive care for birds

There are cases where you might want to observe your bird or provide supportive care. For instance, if your bird falls during the night but does not seem injured and is acting fairly normal, monitor your bird in a smaller cage with the perch placed low and the bottom padded with a towel, then covered with paper towels, so any fall is shorter and softer. Vet wrap on the perches makes them softer and easier to grip. Place food and water dishes close to your bird.

If a bird is not perching, place it in the smaller cage or crate without perches. Pad the bottom with towels, cover them with paper towels, and set your bird on the paper towels with small food and water dishes within easy reach. For a bird that is not perching, once your bird is set up and comfortable, call your bird's veterinarian right away.

Take the same measures, including the smaller cage setup, if your bird has head trauma from flying into a wall, window, or ceiling fan. Birds with this kind of trauma can seem fine at first but develop severe problems later, so it requires immediate attention. Once your bird is in the smaller padded cage, contact your bird's veterinarian right away.

If your bird is fluffed up or appears unwell, a heating pad can provide warmth, which helps when they are sick. Place a towel between the heating pad and the hospital cage, and make sure the electrical cord is not accessible to your bird.

Bird evacuation kit

In Florida we experience hurricanes, floods, and fires, and less frequently tornadoes. In other parts of the world there are earthquakes, tsunamis, and other unexpected environmental emergencies. Some natural disasters happen without warning; others give you more time to prepare.

What to pack

• A secure travel carrier for each bird
• Food and water dishes for each bird
• Two weeks of nonperishable food — pellets, seed, or a mix — in an airtight, waterproof container
• Newspaper or other cage liner
• Bottled water
• A spray bottle
• Towels
• Your bird's medical records
• A contact card with your information and your veterinarian's information
• Your avian first aid kit

Have a plan before you need one

Many shelters for people displaced by natural disasters will not accept birds or other exotic pets. Take the time now to find pet-friendly hotels or exotic pet boarding facilities, or reach out to friends in other areas who could shelter you and your birds. If you have too many pets to fit in one vehicle, designate ahead of time who will help you during an evacuation.

Before an emergency ever arrives, get your bird accustomed to going in and out of a carrier and riding in a vehicle, so that part of the process won't be as frightening.

Use the buddy system if you have a trusted neighbor or a nearby friend, in case an emergency arises while you are out of town. You can agree to check on one another's pets and authorize each other with your pets' veterinarians to approve necessary emergency treatment.

Before you leave home

A few quick preparations can make the trip safer and help the veterinary team care for your bird more efficiently.