Thomas N. Tully, Jr., DVM, MS, DABVP (Avian), DECZM (Avian)

For a veterinary technician overseeing an avian or exotic animal patient, diagnostic testing is an essential tool in formulating a definitive diagnosis, prognosis and treatment plan. Diagnostic testing is simply not a luxury for veterinary teaching hospitals, but a necessity for every clinical practice that sees these patients.

One of the most common avian presentations at our veterinary hospital is the predator attack. These cases often present with severe lacerations, limb amputations and crushing injuries.

When developing a fluid therapy protocol it is incumbent upon the veterinarian to understand what the best products to use are and why in order to achieve the best physiologic response. Unfortunately, there is a paucity of scientifically based information regarding the underlying assessment parameters for fluid therapy protocol in individual avian species.

The first condition a veterinarian must consider when a case presents for abnormal feather loss is whether the feather loss is normal.

Treating dermal injuries, fracture stabilization, stabilization of fracture sites after internal orthopedic repair, joint injuries and prevention of self trauma are common reasons bandages are used on avian patients.

It is a clinical challenge when veterinarians have to administer therapeutic procedures to pet avian patients. The thoughtful use of therapeutic procedures on a debilitated patient is often correlated to the success or failure of treating a patient.