Synopses & Reviews
Dramatic advances have developed in avian medicine and are changing how we care for exotic birds, particularly the parrot species. Veterinarians are now better able to care for our birds because they have access to technologies that were unheard of until recently. Modern avian veterinarians have a formidable array of diagnostic tools and therapeutic techniques at their command. Advances in antibiotics, radiology, and microsurgery are three of the weapons they can use to improve the health of all captive birds. As natural habitats shrink, the endangered-species list grows. We may see a time when so much of the natural world is obliterated that captive stocks may be our only link to living natural history. As it becomes more essential to care for the birds we have and to encourage captive breeding, we can be happy that interest in avian medicine is growing and that today's parrots are now better looked after than were their counterparts in years past. But all the advances in avian medicine mean nothing if owners of pet birds neither recognize the signs of illness nor seek out a veterinarian when needed. The Parrot in Health and Illness helps owners to recognize the nature of a bird's illnesses and learn how they affect the bird's ability to function and what can be done to bring the bird back to good health. The Parrot in Health and Illness is not intended to replace the veterinarian; it is, however, a valuable reference that belongs in the library of everyone who owns a parrot.
Synopsis
The newest information on avian medicine is put into the hands of parrot owners in a usable, understandable form. The book features eight chapters on every important health care topic -- from choosing an avian veterinarian to dealing with the death of a bird.
Synopsis
A routine surgical procedure performed by avian veterinarians is laparoscopy in order to determine the sex of an individual bird. Here, the veterinarian is inserting the laparoscope trocar into a Blue-fronted Amazon. —M. Vogel
Description
Includes bibliographical references (p. 323-333) and index.
About the Author
Bonnie Munro Doane, a veteran aviculturist, has had extensive experience in working with the parrot species and with a wide variety of people and organizations, including avian veterinarians. She is, as a result, familiar with the particular health needs of the parrot species. The measure of Doane's profile in avicultural circles is her having gained approval from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to breed Vinaceous and Cuban Amazons and Queen of Bavaria Conuresall endangered species.
Table of Contents
Foreword (Peter Sakas, D.V.M.).
Preface.
1. Selecting an Avian Veterinarian.
2. The Well Bird.
3. The Sick Bird.
4. Emergency First Aid.
5. Disease Problems.
6. Avian Surgery.
7. Necropsy.
8. When a Bird Dies.
Appendix I: Medications.
Appendix II: Disinfectants.
Glossary.
Bibliography.
Acknowledgments.
Index.