Enrich Your Bird’s World
Many bird species kept as pets, particularly parrots, are highly
intelligent and very sensitive to their environment. Being a bright spark
is all well and good when you can explore the wide world, but can become a
problem when you are confined to a cage or aviary. Caging a bird
inherently places it in an abnormal world, away from a flock and all the
social interaction that entails. Food is provided on tap, caging or
trimming of wings often prevents flight, and natural behaviours are
altered.
Birds become bored easily and can also develop unnaturally close bonds
with owners, to the point where they consider them a mate. This creates
stress when the owner is away for long periods. Stress and boredom
potentiate many medical and behavioural problems. One of the most commonly
seen behaviours in stressed birds is feather picking - where the bird tugs
out feathers, usually from over the breast, leg and wing tips. Habits
such as feather picking are difficult to break and, left unchecked, can
result in an alarmingly naked bird. Much can be done to improve a bird’s
mental health and reduce stress and boredom.
1. Appropriate Caging: Many birdcages are inappropriate and a direct
cause of stress. Tall cylindrical cages may look pretty but, as birds are
not helicopters, they do not allow space for flight. Cages can be placed
in a window or near a busy thoroughfare so that the bird has plenty to
see. Cages should also have a less exposed area that will allow the bird
to hide from its environment if it should feel intimidated.
As an example, a canary kept in an office had a morbid fear of the fax
machine and started pulling all the feathers from his wing tips. Pushing
the cage against the wall and providing a small compartment to hide
behind, so the bird did not feel completely exposed, solved the
problem.
Radios and television can also be used to provide background noise when
you are not at home. Perches should be of different diameters and
preferably of natural wood with lots of bark to be shredded off. The cage
layout should be changed regularly.
2. Encourage Foraging Behaviour: Encouraging foraging behaviour helps
prevent obesity and boredom. In the wild, birds must constantly forage for
food. This natural behaviour provides a varied diet and exercise. In
captivity, a food bowl is provided – reaching the food bowl is hardly a
workout and the bird can quickly gorge until full and then has nothing to
do to fill his day.
Provide a stimulating and varied diet with lots of fresh vegetables,
some fruit and a complete pelleted ration. Try things such as corncobs,
capsicum strips, carrot tops and wheat grass that can be hidden inside
things or strung on a leather strip. Place a vase in or next to the cage
and fill it with small branches and natural vegetation.
3. Exercise and training: Parrots can quickly learn to ‘step up’ onto
your finger and ‘step down’ back to a perch on command. This home
step-aerobics helps reinforce the owner as boss whilst simultaneously
stimulating some mental gymnastics.
4. Toys. Provide a variety of toys and rotate them. Include
‘destructible’ toys, such as wooden clothes pegs and leather strips that
can be chewed. Hide food inside toys to encourage play.
5. Daily Misting: Lightly spraying the feathers with a fine mist of
water encourages natural grooming behaviour and can help direct a bird’s
attention away from damaged areas.
Any bird that is feather picking should always be checked by your
veterinarian as there are many conditions besides behavioural problems
which can result in feather loss.
Symptoms of disease
Spider bite
Spider bite may be an over-diagnosed condition in Australia, largely
because it is very difficult to disprove. In many cases we are forced to
guess whether a spider might be implicated. If only our patients could
speak to us we might get a much better picture of how many pets are bitten
and how many actually have problems resulting from the bite.
‘Necrotic arachnidism’ is the name of the condition that occurs when
spider venom causes local tissue death. A commonly involved spider in
Australia is the white-tailed spider. Most of these bites are small, go
unnoticed and resolve without treatment. In severe cases however,
extensive tissue death can occur, leading to large ulcers. There is no
specific therapy for these and treatment is supportive.
The spider that most Australians worry about is the redback spider (from
the species Lactrodectus, which includes the American black widow spider).
The female redback is a nasty little creature if you are a small insect, a
lizard or even an amorous male redback. She is also more likely than the
male to inflict a clinically significant bite, with her longer fangs and
‘badder’ attitude! Generally redbacks are reclusive and pets will usually
be bitten when sticking their noses where they shouldn’t.
The venom of the Lactrodectus species contains neurotoxins (nerve
poisons) that cause depletion of the chemicals that relay nerve signals
between nerve endings. While we cannot ask a cat or dog what the bite
feels like, humans have a miserable time when they are bitten. While many
redback or widow bites actually cause no signs at all, symptoms in humans
can include severe local pain and sweating (though not always
immediately). This can develop to include abdominal pain, muscle cramps,
muscle spasms, weakness, and nausea. It is known that horses, guinea pigs
and cats are more sensitive to the American Black Widow bite than are
dogs. In cats, clinical signs may include vocalisation, increased
salivation, restlessness, vomiting and diarrhoea. If severe enough,
paralysis can occur, with death following 3-5 days after the bite.
While redback antivenom is commercially available, there is no specific
test for ‘lactrodectism’ (envenomation by a Lactrodectus species). Our
diagnosis must be made on clinical signs alone, as our pets cannot tell us
what has happened. Pain is a dominant feature, particularly abdominal pain.
An otherwise healthy animal presenting with acute abdominal pain is
potentially a lactrodectism victim! However, there are many other more
common causes of acute abdominal pain. Few veterinary clinics keep red
back antivenom in stock. Without a reliable diagnostic test, envenomation
by a redback will remain a very challenging thing to prove!
Treat my pet!
New vaccination guidelines
Change is afoot in veterinary practice worldwide. New international
guidelines now suggest that core vaccines may only be needed every three
years after the initial puppy/kitten series and first annual booster are
given. In dogs, the core diseases are parvovirus, distemper virus and
infectious hepatitis. In cats, they are feline enteritis and feline flu.
The new guidelines have arisen from a better understanding of the
‘duration of immunity’ provided by current vaccinations, and from concerns
about the possible (though unlikely) negative consequences of vaccine
reactions.
Perhaps the time has come for vaccination protocols tailored to
individual animals rather than generic recommendations. So what is the
best way to work with your vet to design a protocol for your pet? First,
discuss the old versus new schedule with your vet. Ask if they think a
triennial schedule is appropriate for your pet. Some vaccines will still
need to be given annually, for example Canine Cough in dogs or Feline
Leukaemia in cats. If your vet agrees that triennial vaccination might
suit your pet, you may discuss products and costs. Some products that
guarantee ‘core’ protection for at least three years may cost more than
other vaccines. Traditional vaccines may be just as long lasting and
effective for your pet.
For pet owners there is both good and bad news. The good news is cost
saving. Without annual vaccinations, a few dollars every year can be
saved. This is good! However, many owners rely on the vaccination reminder
to prompt an annual pet examination. It is at this examination that many
problems can be discovered and treated early. Your vet may offer a
computerised ‘prompt’ for your record and send a reminder for an annual
wellness examination. Such an examination might include a simple but
thorough physical examination with blood tests, urine checks etc. for an
older pet. If their system will not enable this, set your own computer
instead to remind you every twelve months!
Some vets like to offer a ‘vaccination titre’ blood test at the time of
the check up. This can be a useful way to assess your pet’s antibody
levels to specific diseases. If antibodies are present, your pet has
protection and does not need a vaccination. If there are no measurable
antibodies, there may still be limited protection but it is safer to
revaccinate. These tests are expensive and will end up costing more than
the previous annual vaccination. However, they allow you to protect your
pet precisely as needed, decreasing the risk of rare but potentially
complicated vaccination reactions.
High Pressured Felines
Just like us, our feline friends can suffer from high blood pressure.
This is usually a condition of older cats and can occur on its own or
secondary to other elderly cat diseases such as kidney failure and
hyperthyroidism (an over active thyroid gland). Whatever the cause, the
end result is a consistently high blood pressure or hypertension.
Prolonged elevation of blood pressure can cause sudden blindness, bleeding
into the eyeball, dilated pupils, kidney damage, nosebleeds and
fitting.
Whilst high blood pressure can be measured using specialised machines,
interpreting the results can sometimes be difficult. A syndrome known as
“white coat hypertension” readily occurs in cats. The stress of cat
carriers, car rides to the vet and being attached to a monitor and asked
to stay still can raise a cat’s blood pressure to falsely high levels.
Several readings are taken to ensure the most accurate result.
Treatment of hypertension involves treating any underlying disease and
using drugs to help dilate the blood vessels. If your cat is placed on
blood pressure medication by your vet, make sure you keep up with follow
up checks, as the dose of medication often requires adjustment.
Is your Pet Fat?
Many owners find it difficult to assess whether their pet’s weight is
within healthy limits. There are charts available for pedigree dogs that
recommend weight ranges for bitches and dogs of that specific breed.
These must only be used as a guide as there is always significant
individual variation. Regular weighing of the pet can also help determine
whether there is a gradual trend towards obesity.
Another excellent method of assessing an animal is the condition score.
This involves running your hands over the animal’s ribs and hip bones. The
bones should be easy to feel but not visibly stand out. The pet should
also nip in at the waist and abdomen. An animal in perfect condition is
scored a 3 out of 5. A skeletal, emaciated animal is a 1; while an obese,
coffee table of an animal is deemed a 5. Ask your vet to help you assess
your pet!
Emergency!
Terrible Toxins in Foods
Danger lurks where we least expect it, and for our domestic pets that
can mean the kitchen! Food or food products are one of the most common
causes of poisoning in dogs and some cats. Some toxins (poisons) are
potentially fatal, while others lead only to discomfort and inconvenience.
So which foods pose peril for our pets?
Grapes, raisins and sultanas can all cause acute kidney failure. The
culprits can be red, green, seeded or seedless, even grape crushings. The
actual toxin has not yet been identified. Toxicity can occur in pets that
have previously eaten grapes with no ill effects. Initial signs of
poisoning include vomiting, loss of appetite, lethargy and abdominal pain.
Blood tests may show signs of kidney failure. For many patients diagnosed
with kidney failure, the prognosis for survival is poor.
Chocolate is a well-known toxin in dogs, with peak numbers of cases seen
around Christmas and Easter time. Chocolate contains caffeine and
theobromine. These cause nervous system depression and heart stimulation.
Symptoms include excitability, vomiting, abdominal pain, increased thirst,
unsteady gait, heart rate abnormalities and occasionally seizures.
Unsweetened baking chocolate has a much higher concentration of toxins
than milk chocolate. White chocolate has the least of all.
Many people are unaware of the threat that mouldy food can pose to pets.
Often a dog will eat furry old bread without side effects. However, with
the wrong mould the effects can be very unpleasant. Certain ‘mycotoxins’
(poisons from moulds) will cause vomiting within a few hours, sometimes
progressing to tremors and seizures. This can be fatal and requires
emergency care. Moulds from garden composts can cause similar
problems.
Macadamia nuts are often mildly toxic to dogs. Many dogs will recover
within 48 hours without treatment, but some will need IV fluids and
symptomatic support to make them feel more comfortable. As few as five
kernels can cause clinical signs in a 20kg dog.
When dogs ingest rising bread dough they can experience toxicity because
the yeast turns carbohydrates into alcohol as part of the fermentation
process - they get drunk! Additionally, the dough can expand in the
stomach and cause obstruction. In severe cases the stomach may twist, with
potentially fatal consequences.
Children’s play dough can cause problems for an entirely different
reason. High salt levels in the dough can cause vomiting, hyperthermia,
seizures and death (if untreated) in dogs that eat it.
Most people now know that onions, in fact all members of the Allium
species, are dangerous for dogs and cats. The toxin involved causes
destruction of red cell membranes causing anaemia, which can be life
threatening. Cats are more sensitive to the toxin although dogs are more
commonly treated for the condition, as they are more likely to ingest the
amount needed to cause a problem.
Xylitol is a sugar-substitute often used in ‘low sugar’ baked goods and
found in diet-lollies, diet-gums and some toothpastes. It takes very
little xylitol to cause an acute drop in blood sugar that can be fatal.
Some pets will go on to develop severe liver problems. There is no safe
amount of xylitol for your pet to consume. It is often not listed
separately on products but just labelled as a sugar. To be safe, avoid
giving your pet purchased baked goods and certainly hide the chewing
gum!
If your pet has consumed any unknown substance, IMMEDIATE assessment and
treatment is needed. Don’t wait until your pet gets sick or it may be too
late.
