Birdie Day

This afternoon I saw three different parrots. The first one was a green-cheeked conure for a behavioral consultation. Then I saw a Congo African Grey parrot and a black lory for wellness exams. I have been working hard this past year to build up the bird side of my practice and I am finally beginning to see some results.



I enjoy working with these little "aliens" so much. The principles of medicine are the same for avian and mammalian patients, but those species differences sometimes throw me for a loop. The anatomy and physiology necessary for flight make for some amazing challenges. I don't know if it is the thrill of learning something new or the wonder of handling something as wild and free as a bird. I absolutely love to learn-the more I learn the more I find I don't know! And parrots have been only one generation in captivity; dogs and cats have been domesticated for centuries. I am learning more patience and calm to handle these "flighty" creatures ;>)



The attraction of flight and the freedom it signifies is something that attracts many of us to birds. The beautiful coloration and intelligence of parrots make them particularly intriguing companions. I love to work with birds and watch their interaction with me and with their people and I enjoy teaching my clients how to better care for their birds.



I associate birds with the spiritual. The only animal representation we have for God is that of the white dove as a symbol of the Holy Spirit. Jesus sent His Spirit to strengthen and uplift us during our time on earth. As I get older, I find I pray and rely upon the Holy Spirit to help me keep the faith and to grow in my love for God. Maybe the Spirit gave me this love for birds so that I will always have a visual confirmation of His everlasting Presence within me...

Another Crazy Day

Wow, this was a whirlwind day! Starting off with an appointment this morning down in Indy with a surgeon. After an hour's drive (one-way) and a twenty-minute wait, the nurse informs me that the doctor is still in emergency surgery and is not sure when he will be finished. Well, I know what that means, so when she asked me if I wanted to wait or come back, I immediately told her I'd come back. I wasn't thrilled at all with the wasted time, but these things happen. When I go back Monday at 8:00 a.m., I will be prepared ;>)

So I get to the clinic a little after noon and it is already hopping. We started right in with an involved tooth extraction on a geriatric diabetic cat, seeing appointments, making phone calls, lab results to be reviewed, etc. etc. I had all four of my staff members here to help, plus my technician brought three of her children with her since they were off school. It was definitely a bit chaotic at times!

I also had two parrots with feather destructive behavior (FDB). I love working with these birds and their owners, but it is very intense and exhausting. I spend an average of an hour and a half with these guys, reviewing history, examining, performing laboratory tests, educating and counseling owners. This is a very frustrating and sad problem in our companion parrots today. I am an adherent of the theory that pulling chicks from their parents at a very young age has caused a lot of mental and psychological instability in these birds. That does not make FDB any easier to understand or treat. We learn so much about avian medicine each year that I keep studying and going to continuing education meetings. Maybe soon there will be something else we can do to help these guys!