The Avian Nurse

03/08/2023

It appears we aren't able to reply to our messages, so if the person who just messaged could give us a message on our avian Rescue Otago page I can help

05/05/2023

For this Vet Nurse Awareness Month (VNAM), IVC Evidensia have produced a video celebrating vet nurses and the varied roles that they take on during their car...

29/04/2023

A common problem we see is Budgies with respiratory and flight problems, some of these birds can have a audible squeak or whistle, this is usually caused by the increased size of the thyroid gland putting pressure on the trachea, sometimes there will be a lump either side of the neck, again caused by the increased thyroid size. Budgies seem to suffer with this issue more commonly than other birds. Other symptoms include vomiting, the thyroid can also place pressure on what's known as the thoracic inlet, partly occluding the birds jugular vein causing it to appear distended.

Other birds like canary and cockatiels can also suffer from the same issue, sometimes in severe cases, birds will require hospitalisation to recieve iodine supplementation. Mild cases will usually resolve with water based iodine supplements.

Luckily after supplementation of iodine, they tend to recover relatively quickly. Some birds can develop hypothyroidism and show symptoms like weight gain, fatty deposits and poor feathering, in these cases a seperate treatment plan needs to be devised.

Prevention is better than cure in these cases, so a varied diet of seed, fresh veg, fruit, pellets or crumbles and sprouted seeds to help keep iodine deficiency at bay. If you believe your budgie may be suffering from iodine deficiency seek advice from an experienced Avian vet, in the case you don't have access one, we work in with a number of amazing bird vets that can help so reach out!

24/03/2023

Just gauging intrest, wanaka and surrounds would you guys like us to pay a visit to check out your feathered friends - dates to be confirmed

22/03/2023

Avian Empire are investigating the five biggest myths, when it comes to worming your chickens. Get your f***l egg count done (New Zealand only)https://www.av...

20/03/2023

Queenstown Residents, we will be in Queenstown on the 24th, get in now and book your feathered friend in for a checkup

20/03/2023

Cromwell residents!
My next trip through to Cromwell is on the 30th of March, so if your chicken or parrot needs a general wellness check, a nail or beak trim or anything else, please feel free to send us a message on our page to discuss a suitable time or book via our page

17/03/2023

Salpingitis is a condition commonly seen in adult laying hens, it's usually characterized by inflammation of the oviduct, though commonly associated with bacterial infection it can result from respiratory or systemic infection, some of the pathogens responsible include mycoplasma, pasturella, E-coli, salmonella and Streptococcus.

What are the symptoms of Salpingitis?
Symptoms can be quite vague making it difficult to diagnose, but typically in the earlier stages hens will show mild depression, abnormally shaped eggs and decreased egg production, as the infection progresses it can lead to reduced appetite, lethargy, abdominal distension, difficulty walking and perching and adopting a penguin like stance. Advanced stages can include abdominal distension, oviduct impaction with potential for rupture, coelomitis and septacemia.

It's not uncommon for habitual soft shelled eggs to be layer or lash eggs to be produced , lash eggs are basically a egg shaped ball of hard caseous material containing rather nasty bacteria, so these should always be disposed of using gloves and washing hands well after.

Treatment:
In mild cases salpingitis can resolve with supportive care though often times by the time it's discovered, it's in the more advanced stages meaning that aggressive supportive care with IV fluids, Thermal and nutritional support, depending on the cause, antibiotics may be required. Sometimes a hormone injection or implant is placed aswell to give the reproductive tract time to rest and to prevent production of eggs for a while, in severe cases a salpingohysterctomy may be required which is basically a chicken spey.

If you notice that one of your chooks may be suffering from salpingitis it's important you seek Veterinary attention immediately. Often times this can be discovered on yearly health checks before it progresses to far!

As you can see, this little lady got help quickly and is doing well, enjoying her heated room with room service around the clock

14/03/2023

Eggbinding is a reproductive emergency, if in doubt always seek help! This great article written by a fellow bird loving vet contains great info

Egg binding is the condition where an egg gets stuck in the oviduct (normally the shelling gland) or the entrance to the cloaca.

13/03/2023

Why are general health checks so important to maintaining the health of your flock?

By getting your birds checked regularly, problems can be picked up easier, this means we can get ahead of the ball and get them seen to before they become to unwell. While they may look in tip top health, birds are great at hiding illness till they become severely unwell.
What can be picked up during general health checks?
-Nutritional deficits
- significant weightloss/obesity
- Respiratory issues
-Behavioural issues
- Abnormal tumors and growths like fatty deposits
-Parasites
- Beak and nail overgrowth
-Infections or disease processes
- Arthritis
-Reproductive problems

When a general health check is performed your chooks checked over from beak to toe. Prevention of illness is easier to deal with than a larger problem requiring significant medical intervention

To make sure your flocks in shape and healthy, give us a message and arrange an appointment today!

11/03/2023

Alot of people may not know who I am, I'm more commonly known by my role as the director and nurse of Avian Rescue Otago, to most I'm the bird man 😅

My name is Alan, I am a trained Avian Nurse and Veterinary Nurse. Prior to following my passion for birds, I was a GP vet nurse. We know how hard it can be finding someone who is capable of dealing with birds, in my time as a Avian nurse I've worked with a range of domestic and wild species, to me your birds aren't just birds, I treat them as my own, they all deserve the highest quality care as all our furry friends get, they're handled with respect, confidence, and most importantly a low stress manor

Prevention is always better than cure, so with the ownership of chickens and other birds on the rise I've once again decided to start offering basic services for our feathered friends in the Otago area, this includes routine health checks, worming, F***l Egg Count checks aswell as nail and beak trimming, nutritional, behavioural and hormonal behaviours consultation.
If you would like to have a chat regarding one of your feathered friends please feel free to reach out. If we can't help we have a range of amazing vets who can.
Basic health checks from $55
Beak and nail trims from $30
Behavioural/nutritional consult - Price on request
F***l Egg counts - Cost Available on request

Feel free to share with your fellow bird owners ❤️

T&C's - This is not a Veterinary service for emergencys, we are unable to prescribe medications or provide diagnosis, additional fees are associated where a patient needs referral to a Veterinarian, The Avian Nurse has no control over these associated costs as they're a seperate entity from The Avian Nurse. Where travel is required the associated fuel costs will be charged to the patient

27/10/2022

Did you know, you can DNA test most birds to determine their gender, this can come in especially handy if you are thinking of breeding. Contrary to popular belief, blood testing is not required, we use a company able to extract the DNA from a tail or wing feather, some larger species chest feathers can be utilised then the results are read and compared to the female and male of that specific species. We understand that not everyone's comfortable with the process, which is understandable, if you would still like to get one done then give us a call and we can discuss setting up a appointment to do the collection of the feathers, after 5 to 7 days we will email you back a DNA Certificate with the gender of your bird! Call us today to discuss!

26/10/2022

Did you know firewood piles are a favourite nesting spot for Little owls? As den nesters they see these sorts of locations as an ideal place to have their babies.
Problem is that at this time of year they are either sitting on eggs or have babies they are busy feeding while we are still burning through the wood on those colder days.
If you do happen across a nest it's worth trying to replace the wood best you can and recover the den. From hatch to fledge is only 30 days on average and a baby owls best chance of survival is with its parents so well worth giving them time and space to do their thing.

24/10/2022

Routine worming of your chickens is an important part of keeping not only your flock healthy but yourself aswell, chickens can be exposed to a range of internal parasites, whether via wild birds or exposure during foraging, it's important to develop a robust protocol for checking and controlling internal parasites and to ensure your current worming regimen is effective, this is usually by way of F***l Egg Count.

F***l Egg counts are a great tool to determine if your flock have a burden of internal parasites, this is usually done at a laboratory, then if the results indicate, worming can be done.

Internal parasites can cause reduction of Egg production, they can cause poor condition, poor weight gain, weightloss and in severe cases even obstruction of the Gastrointestinal tract! Certain parasites can also exist inside the eggs, which you then consume!

If you would like to discuss this more then don't hesitate to get in touch! We can also arrange testing if required

Avian Empire are investigating the five biggest myths, when it comes to worming your chickens. Get your f***l egg count done (New Zealand only)https://www.av...

21/10/2022

This guys still missing from Queenstown. Please help us get Oscar home to his humans

Lost parrot in Queenstown area, please call number on poster if sighted! His humans would love to have him back home

17/10/2022

Something we know is that our dogs and cats, even rabbits and guineapigs benefit from regular health checkups, did you know your birds no different!

Being a prey animal, birds hide illness extremely well, until they are no longer able to hide it, this makes it alot more difficult to pick up on subtle symptoms, meaning the disease process can be alot further advanced when it's found, by performing regular health checks, it helps detect any issues early on, and allows for prompt treatment increasing the likelihood of recovery.

Detecting disease and illness in birds is a art in itself, it takes practice, and eventually one does learn how to read them allowing issues to be detected easier. Where possible you should take your feathered friend to a vet that is experienced with birds, their unique physiology, behaviour, medication dosages and drug types, along with many of the basic procedures are very different to that of cats and dogs, so it can present a unique set of challenges in a GP setting.

If you would like to schedule a checkup for one of your feathered friends please don't hesitate to contact us.

We are dedicated to a high standard of care for our birds, reducing stress, improving wellbeing and health, creating a more pleasant and fulfilling environment for both owners and pets

13/10/2022

Bird Probiotic - 100g BIRD PROBIOTICS is a combination of water soluble, bird specific, probiotic strains. These help support your birds immune system, boost the balance of beneficial bacteria and promote healthy gut flora. An ideal everyday probiotic for the general health and well being of your fe...

10/10/2022

A great list for your feathered friends first aid kit put together by our friends at Avian Empire, get prepared now so you don't have to waste time trying to find products when you have a already injured bird

Owning chickens is full of surprises. It best to always be prepared for any situation you may find yourself in. Knowing yours and everyone else's luck, your chook will decide to pull a sickie at 8pm on a sunday night... Below is a list of items I think are important in the ol' chicken first aid tool...

09/10/2022

Now offering
- General Health Checks
-Nail clipping
-Beak trimming
-Behavioural consults
And Nursing Services.

I'm a Advance trained Avian Nurse, with experience in many area of flock health whether it be your chickens or even a cockatoo, we will see them all! Where further investigation in required we will refer you through to one of our amazing Avian vets.

What's the difference between a Advanced Avian Vet Nurse and a regular vet nurse you may ask?
To become a Advanced Avian Nurse I underwent additional training through the UK, we studied in depth anatomy, physiogy, nutrition, behaviour, enrichment right through to skills for working in a vet clinic such as anaesthesia, Intensive care nursing, nutrition and fluid support, blood work, x rays,emergency critical care and surgical nursing

Give us a message or call and let's see what we can help you with!

12/09/2022

15/03/2021

With winter time coming up it’s a great time to get a checkup for your feathered friends to make sure they’re in tip top condition for the cooler months! Give us a call and see how we can help

21/02/2021

The importance of quarantining new birds:
Many of us bring new birds into our existing flicks for many reasons, sometimes from pet shops, breeders, rescues or simply found. Ideally any new birds should be quarantined for a minimum of 30 days to ensure any potential illness or parasites they may have has time to be treated.

Many potential diseases can be bought in with a new bird, PBFD, Psitticosis, Cocci, internal parasites and many more so it’s important to ensure that this is not transmitted to the rest of your flock, also it’s recommended you have the bird given a thorough physical exam to pick up on potential illness. During this period the bird should have its own dedicated cage, bowls, toys etc to minimise the risk of spreading anything. They should ideally be kept in a seperate room and you wash your hands and change clothes after handling the new bird. Always take care of the current flock first then move on to the new ones so you don’t go brining any potential illness with you

During this stage it’s a good idea to worm them and should any parasites be present externally, treat them aswell!

If you would like to arrange a health check for a new flock member or talk more about this subject feel free to give us a call!

20/02/2021

Birds in captivity suffer from two major issues. First, they do not get to exercise or forage for food in any way similar to their wild counterparts. Secondly, we have provided a diet that is calorically dense and nutrient poor which does not meet the essential micronutrients. Making sure your bird....

20/02/2021

Chickens and Table Scraps:

It been a long term practice to feed our bak yard chooks our table scraps, but as our knowledge of their nutrition and long term health has increased, there has been a huge shift in the bird world and medical world to advocate for a better diet for them.
Let’s look at just a few of the long term health implications it can have on them:
1 - toxicosis - now often we don’t always know what’s in our packaged food, and believe it or not, chooks can’t eat everything (though they will try) often these poisonous foods are overlooked

2 - malnutrition - This can occur due to an imbalance in diet, with how much they lay, they’re at a huge risk of calcium depletion, sometimes even leading to the muscles breaking the legs due to forces they exert. Not only that but often table scraps are high in fat and often low in most of the important nutrients the birds require

3 - Fatty liver - This is caused due to an extremely high fat diet, causing the liver to become diseased, fat deposits to form, fatty growth to form and also the reduced ability of the liver to perform as it should, it’s a life shortening disease that decreases a birds quality of life immensely

Ideal your chooks should be fed a staple commercial diet, this will help provide all the nutrition they need, though the occasional treat is good!

20/02/2021

With the hot weather lately it’s extremely important to make sure we have fresh water supplied for all our birds, also hose down metal aviaries do decrease the temperature! Heat stress can be deadly in birds, they lack the ability to sweat or pant so they rely on us to keep them cool! Be sure your providing a nice shaded area for them aswell!

20/02/2021

19/02/2021

Need to give medication to your feathered friend? Unsure how to do it? The thought of doing it terrifies you?

That’s where we come in! Send us a message and we can arrange to do it for you!

19/02/2021

The importance of a balanced diet in captive birds:
A lot of the time I see a lot of birds suffering from malnutrition due to inadequate diet, this can manifest in symptoms such as obesity, hypocalcaemia, poor body condition, poor feather condition and many more signs! Not to mention the health implications later in life. One of the more common causes of these issues is a inadequate diet. Bird seeds are quite high in fats and rather low in nutritional value. It’s like candy. Although naturally birds will eat these seeds, in a indoor environment they fail to get the exercise they need to burn off these fats! So what’s the solution?

A balanced diet! Just like humans, birds are a lot more prone to disease when they aren’t on a good diet. Depending on the species of bird, they ideally need a high quality pellet diet with fresh fruit and veg. Now not all birds will immediately take to this new diet so it’s important to present these in different ways to find out which your bird prefers!

Prolonged poor diet can have an overall impact on how long your feathered friend will live!

If you would like to discuss your birds dietary needs, feel free to contact us today!

19/02/2021

Avian Nurse Central is a mobile veterinary nurse, we love birds and everything to do with birds! Located in Alexandra, We come to you so you don’t have to worry about stressing your feathered friend out. At Avian Nurse Central we offer the following services and more:
Wellness checks, Nutrition Consults, weight checks, nail clipping, Faecal egg counts, breeding programme health checks, Hand rearing of abandoned chicks (domestic only), behavioural consults and much more! Get in touch with us today and see what we can do to help!

Please note we do not take any wildlife, we can advise on care however

**** WE ARE NOT AN EMERGENCY VETERINARY SERVICE. In the even of an emergency please contact your local veterinarian