Archive article, written 2009–2016. Not yet reviewed by a veterinarian. About our articles
| Common bird injuries |
| Every bird owner
should keep a first aid kit handy. You never know when that mischievous
parrot or any bird pet will play just a bit too rambunctiously and get
hurt. Birds have injured themselves seriously enough on toys to cause
bleeding. Sometimes panicked birds will thrash around in their cages and
break a blood feather. And there is always a chance of an accident when
you are clipping your bird's wings or trimming its toenails. If bleeding
occurs for whatever reason, you don't want to waste precious seconds.
Make up an avian first aid kit and keep it in the bird room. You'll need
some soft, absorbent cloths (clean, old towels are excellent), styptic
powder or a styptic pencil, or a supply of cautery sticks. It's a good
idea to keep the phone number of your favorite veterinarian taped to the
first aid kit or entered on the speed dial of your telephone. If your
bird is bleeding, you don't want to waste time digging around trying to
find the number. Birds can bleed to death in a short time, and there's
not a second to waste in an emergency. Styptic powder and pencils can
usually be found in drug stores-look where the shaving supplies are
sold, or ask the druggest to help you. These items work by drying up the
blood and helping it clot. Cautery sticks can be gotten from the
veterinarian's office for less than half a dollar each. These contain
the chemical ‘silver nitrate' and work by cauterizing, or burning, the
injured area closed. Using cautery sticks can be painful for the bird
but are a very effective way to stop the bleeding. If you don't have
styptic powder or cautery sticks, you can use flour or cornstarch
instead. You may want to keep a small plastic bowl full of either of
these items in your first aid kit. When the injury is a bleeding toenail, you will need to pack it with either the styptic powder or flour and apply pressure. It's helpful to gently restrain the bird in a towel or blanket to prevent it from thrashing around and losing more blood. Hold the bird's foot securely and gently press your towel or cloth to the bleeding nail. Don't release pressure for at least five minutes. If the bleeding has stopped, you can let the bird out of the restraints. But if it is still bleeding, maintain the pressure until the blood clots. If you prefer, touch a cautery stick to the bleeding nail. Be prepared for the bird to struggle. |
| If your bird has
broken a blood feather and has been thrashing around in its cage, there
may be what looks like a lot of blood splashed around. This can be
frightening for both you and the bird. Try to stay calm-it will help the
bird calm down. You will need to catch the bird in a towel or blanket
and check carefully to see what is going on. If the feather shaft is
broken, you may have to remove it with a pair of pliers. Have your
veterinarian show you how this is done before your bird has any blood
feather emergencies. Once the broken shaft is removed, pack the injury
with flour or styptic powder and apply gentle pressure, being careful
not to squeeze the bird too tightly. It's a good idea to have a helper standing by, especially if the injured bird is a large parrot. That way there will be one person to restrain and comfort the bird while the other person takes care of the injury. You will also want to be careful about how you restrain the bird--don't put a lot of pressure on its chest or you will cause it to suffer breathing problems. And you'll want to make sure your fingers aren't too close to the beak or you'll get bitten! Then you'll have to control your own bleeding. With a little advance planning and a well stocked first aid kit, you will be able to take care of most simple emergencies. If your parrot is injured seriously don't waste time--rush it to the nearest veterinarian's office. Companion birds are wonderful additions to our lives. Let's be prepared for anything! |