Avian Medicine

Birds can make amazing companions, but just like their furry and four-legged counterparts, they need regular vet care to help them live longer, healthier lives. At Mountain Aire Veterinary Hospital, we offer avian medicine as part of our comprehensive companion animal healthcare services. 

Wellness and Preventative Care

As with all of the species we treat, we recommend bringing your bird in for a checkup at least once a year. This will give us the opportunity to establish a baseline of wellness so we can identify any changes as they occur. Regular exams allow us to keep your bird a step ahead of illness and treat any ailments in a timelier and more effective manner.

At these routine visits, we can also discuss important topics like diet, habitat, disease prevention, safety, enrichment, and more. 

Sick Visits

While our goal is to prevent illness from occurring in the first place, we understand that sometimes, despite our best efforts, this simply isn’t always possible. We strongly encourage you to learn to recognize signs of a potential health issue, which may include:

• Loss of appetite
• Changes in sleep habits
• Difficult breathing
• Excessive shedding or grooming
• Abnormal droppings

Keep in mind that birds are often very good at hiding the signs of illness, so if you notice anything even slightly out of the ordinary, it’s best to err on the side of caution and schedule an exam. We’ll get to the bottom of the problem and treat it as quickly and effectively as possible. 

Beak Trims

Beak trimming is an essential component of proper avian wellness care. A bird’s beak grows continuously throughout his or her lifetime, and while normal eating and chewing will generate natural wear, it’s not uncommon for the beak to end up misshapen or overgrown. This can interfere with your bird’s ability to eat, groom, and play comfortably. 

Professional trimming helps to restore proper shape and keep your bird’s beak at a healthy length. 

Nail Trims

Just as with their beaks, captive birds need their nails trimmed regularly. Without this intervention, overgrown nails can become caught on toys, clothing, or even parts of your bird’s cage. In this situation, the nail could become detached, resulting in unnecessary pain and other potential medical issues.

To prevent this, we recommend bringing your bird in for regular nail trims. We strongly advise against handling this task at home. Otherwise, you risk nicking a blood vessel. Let our experienced team take care of this for you while keeping your bird safe and comfortable!

Wing Clipping

In the wild, birds need fully functional wings to survive and thrive. In captivity, the opposite is true. Wings that are clipped by a skilled professional can limit your bird’s ability to fly while indoors, which can reduce the risk of danger or injury from things like ceiling fans, hot stovetops, mirrors, and open doors or windows.

When handled by an experienced avian healthcare professional, wing clipping is a safe and painless procedure. We never recommend clipping your pet’s wings at home, as doing so can result in painful and possibly even life-threatening consequences.

Contact Mountain Aire Veterinary Hospital today to schedule any of these services and let’s work together to help your feathered friend live a long, happy, and healthy life!