Once the weight has been obtained, it is important to do a physical exam. During the physical exam, the veterinarian will look at the mouth, teeth or beak, and cere to assure that the tissue there is healthy. Plaques, discharges or the presence of accumulated food particles will be noted as indications of disease. Bite conformation in the case of small mammals is of importance to note on at the exam.  The eyes and ears are examined to assure that they appear healthy. The skin and/or feathers are examined and abnormalities will be noted on the record as well. Finally, the body is examined, the areas to the right and left of the keel bone are checked to see that the bird is at a good weight, the body conditioning score of small mammals is noted, the respiratory rate and heart rate.  is noted and the vent or perianal area is examined for indications of fur or feather matting or possible papilloma. A complete physical exam will take only a few minutes.

Urinalysis for Ferrets and Rabbits:

It is not required in adult ferrets and rabbits, but highly recommended that the owner considers adding a urinalysis to their wellness yearly.  In the case of geriatric ferrets it is part of the Antech test automatically, but in the case of rabbits, yearly urinalysis can prevent costly and devastating urinary calculi that require a difficult treatment or surgery, or can reveal diabetes, which is manageable when detected early.  To collect a urinalysis:   put the small mammal in a small cage with a wire floor and no litterbox, resting board, or hay. If possible, wrap the cage tray in a plastic bag before sliding it under the cage to ensure that the sample will remain as clean as possible. Leave the small mammal in the cage    until he or she urinates, then simply collect the urine with a clean dropper and place the sample (1/2 tsp) in a clean container, that can be sealed and transported for analysis.

*The next test that needs to be done is a CBC and blood chemistry profile. The blood chemistry profile will include a number of different tests. The exact tests run will be determined by the individual and species. These tests will often include a total protein, glucose, uric acid, AST (SGOT), and Calcium (especially for African Greys). Your veterinarian may recommend additional tests if any of these come back outside of normal levels. The total protein is a measure of the total amount of proteins in the serum. A decreased total protein can indicate a chronic disease state (especially kidney or liver disease), starvation, the presence of parasites and stress. An increased total protein level is often seen with dehydration, infection and shock.  The whole picture painted by this blood work can detect more definitive organ related disease. +The complete blood count (CBC) is a good, sensitive indicator of the bird's general health. A change in the hemogram can be noted when no other abnormalities are detected. It is the single most important test to perform. If all parameters are normal on the CBC, then this is a good indication that the bird is not currently fighting some type of generalized infection or inflammatory disease process. However, a normal CBC does not rule out the possibility that the bird is an asymptomatic carrier of psittacosis, a viral disease, a gram negative bacteria, or has a localized infection.

 *For complete articles visit www.wingedwisdom and www.parrottalk.com/cbc.html 



                  Avian Wellness Program & Pricing

A fecal exam is performed to check for intestinal parasites, microscopic protozoa, bacteria, and occult blood.  You can't see most of these problems without the aid of the microscope and though most exotic pets don't travel far from home, their owners often leave home daily, and early detection of parasitic or microbiological disease is key to preventing serious illness. Parasites effect your pet's health, and can put your family at risk in some cases!

Because our pets age so rapidly, many serious diseases do not manifest signs until the organs or systems involved are too far gone for veterinary science to do much good. The safest bet is to begin routine blood work by the time a the small mammal is a year old, or the pet bird is 12 years old. We recommend rechecking the small mammal every few years, and the exotic pet bird every 5 years.  When the small mammal is seven, we recommend a short chemistry and CBC every six months.  Panels of importance vary between Ferrets, Rabbits, and Rodents.  However, the liver and kidneys are screened, the calcium level in rabbits is highlighted, and in the case of geriatric ferrets, an add on to check for signs of insulinoma--a common disease in ferrets is recommended to keep your small mammal living in optimum health, and extend longevity.