There is going to come a time when you will need to bring your parrot to the veterinarian. Whether it’s for a good check or if you clip their feathers or there’s something wrong with your parrot friend, you need to have a good veterinarian. But your regular veterinarian who specializes in more mainstream pets (dogs and cats) probably isn’t the best medical care you can provide for your parrot. You take your child to a doctor who specializes in pediatrics, right? When you have a problem with your heart you see a Cardiologist. Well, the same is true of your parrot. You will want to find him an avian veterinarian (a veterinarian who specializes in birds).
Avian veterinarians have spent extra time learning the unique needs of our feathered friends. And with 350 different species of parrots, you will definitely want a doctor who has spent extra time learning about the different quirks that can arise from all of these different species of parrot.
Finding a veterinarian with avian expertise might be hard. It’s not exactly a common training in veterinary school. Often times they don’t even get any hands-on experience of exotic birds during their time in veterinary school. An avian veterinarian will go out of his way to further educate himself in the unique makeup of exotic animals like parrots. These avian veterinarians are part of an association known as the Association of Avian Veterinarians (AAV). This is where they get their additional training and remain up to date on the latest and greatest information pertaining to all things birds.
How You Can Find An Avian Veterinarian
With the scarcity of a veterinarian who has the added training of birds you might be wondering how do I know for sure that my veterinarian has the training needed to make a proper diagnosis of my parrot? You will need to find a reputable source to recommend a good avian veterinarian. Unfortunately, this might not always be the breeder or pet store. You can start there, but do your homework. Your local domesticated pet veterinarian might be able to make an avian veterinarian recommendation, but when all else fails calling the national AAV would be a great way to find an accredited avian veterinarian.
Ask lots of questions of your veterinarian. How many birds does his practice see a year? What’s his training in avian medicine? When did he most recently take a class? Check out his practice. See how he acts with your parrot. If he’s hands-on as well as his staff then you probably have found yourself a competent avian veterinarian. If they don’t recommend yearly check-ups or refuse to see your parrot for a sick visit because it’s too cold for transporting your parrot, then it might not be a very knowledgeable avian veterinarian and you’ll probably want to seek out a new one.
You want the very best for your parrot to make sure he lives a long and happy life. This all starts with a doctor who understands and knows exactly what your parrot needs. So take care of your parrot and find him a qualified avian veterinarian.
