The Goal: Quality Avian Medicine

Standards of care in avian medicine are a source of discussion and review any time 2 or more veterinarians who treat birds congregate. In selecting the topics that veterinarians need to know regarding avian medicine, it was important to cover those issues that some veterinarians may perform on a daily basis and to include others that may seem less common but still represent critical information. Avian patients may enter the hospital for routine care and evaluation, for evaluation of disease and follow-up care, or for emergency care. Birds from each group listed above undergo certain evaluations, diagnostic testing, and treatment. This article discusses procedures and treatments associated with avian veterinary medical care along with a review of some commonly diagnosed disease processes, toxicoses, and fracture stabilization techniques.