Emergencies are inevitable. Pet stores are usually the first place a distraught bird owner calls. Having the right answer can make us a hero and create a customer for life.
While bird experts stress that there is no substitute for taking an ailing bird to an avian veterinarian, bird owners can take steps to help protect-possibly even save-their pets' lives until they can deliver them into a doctor's hands. To do this, bird owners must be armed with the right information and equipment. We begin with encouraging them to keep bird first-aid products on hand.
Antiseptics and Bandages
Hydrogen peroxide ranked high on most of our respondents' lists. This antiseptic is essential for bird owners who also have cats. Cat saliva on an open bite, cut or scratch is very toxic. Such wounds should be treated immediately with hydrogen peroxide. Cuts or scratches not caused by a cat should be treated similarly.
Hydrogen peroxide also is good for use on bleeding wounds because it helps bird owners see the size and extent of their pet's injury.
Other products recommended for cleansing a wound are iodine, betadyne and antiseptic wash or pads.
Dr. Louise Bauck of the Hagen Avicultural Research Institute (Montreal) advised against using antiseptic creams because these products mat down birds' feathers, causing them to lose heat quickly. In addition, birds try to remove the cream from their feathers, ingesting some of it in the process, which could prove harmful or possibly even fatal.
If customers insist on using antiseptic creams, use only the smallest amount possible and to apply it directly on the wound.
Also essential for first-aid kits are cotton swabs, cotton balls, gauze pads or a combination of these products. These items are useful for applying antiseptics.
Styptic powders and silver nitrate sticks are recommended for stopping the flow of blood from toenails accidentally clipped to the quick. These products usually are not effective for bleeding pinfeathers because the feather sheath is too large and hard to allow fast clotting. The damaged pinfeather should be pulled out, allowing the skin to close. The skin can be cleansed with an antiseptic. WE advise customers to call their avian vet if the bleeding does not stop quickly.
Also many styptic products sting when applied to wounds. Therefore, its recommends to use household cornstarch to stop the flow of blood. Customers may appreciate information about an inexpensive remedy that can be easily obtained at supermarkets.
Bandage material is, of course, a necessity. The type and size depends on the preference of the customer, as well as on the size of the bird. Recommendations include varying sizes of cotton roll, gauze, vet wrap and bandage tape.
Handy Tools
Bird owners should keep a pair of scissors in their bird first-aid kits to cut the tape or bandage and to trim feathers and toenails. Some bird experts recommend blunt-tipped scissors; others suggest keeping a pair of sharp-tipped scissors on hand.
A pair of forceps, tweezers or small pliers are better than fingers for removing broken blood feathers or imbedded objects. Bauck recommended needlenose pliers for pulling the blood feathers of large birds, such as macaws and cockatoos. Tweezers, she said, tend to shred, rather than grip, feathers effectively.
Bird owners may want to keep a pair of gloves or a clean towel or cloth in their first-aid kits to protect the bird from human germs during handling, as well as protect themselves from possible bites. Even loving birds sometimes become aggressive when injured.
A penlight is helpful when looking into a bird's mouth.
Syringes without needles are ideal for hand feeding powdered feeding formulas to sick birds. If customers are not familiar with hand-feeding birds, don't advise them to purchase syringes.
Because sick or injured birds must be kept warm, customers should include a heating pad in their bird first-aid kits. The pad should have "low" and medium" temperature settings. Bird owners should never use the "hot" setting on a heating pad.
To quickly heat part of a cage, bird owners can use a clamp lamp with an infrared fitting and a low-watt infrared light. However, the bird must have some opportunity to move away from the heat, so direct the lamp at only one side of the cage. Metal cutters for cutting wire cages or leg bands are another good addition to bird first-aid kits.
Bird owners also should keep a note pad and pen or pencil in their first-aid kits to write down pertinent information in the event of an emergency. Such information includes the bird's identity, all symptoms, any treatment, and the name and telephone number of the vet who saw the bird previously.
Bird owners should keep their avian vet's business card or phone number in a convenient place, along with the names and numbers of two or three alternates.
One thing not recommended for bird first-aid kits is an antibiotic. Antibiotics should not be given unless a veterinarian has prescribed them, following the birds' examination.
The Best Medicine
Persuading customers to invest in a bird first-aid kit is not always easy. Unlike many other pet products, antibiotics, bandages and scissors usually don't come in attractive packaging and don't lend themselves to eye-catching displays. In addition, many bird owners simply don't realize that they may need a first aid kit someday.
Consumers will walk right past a display in which they have no immediate interest. They may be attracted to a cute toy, but not a first-aid kit.
This is where our informed staff comes in handy. Our employees educate bird customers about the value of keeping first-aid items on hand. Bird owners must know that, when their bird begins to bleed, they must take immediate action. "There isn't much blood in that little body," stressed Kurta.
Still prevention is the best medicine. After all, you don't wait until you cut your finger to buy a [bandage].
Reprinted by Pretty Birds from Pet Business Magazine
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