Bird Medicine and Surgery

09/04/2024

Dr K and Dot attended the “Paw Pool Party” at Chesterfield tonight with Gracie and Libby💕 The weather was perfect! Gracie and Libby loved their playtime and especially the swimming!!! Afterwards, they enjoyed a shaved ice pup cup with chicken broth from Kiraboos!🐾
We wanted to give a shout out to “Healing Paws Therapy”and Librela treatments. Gracie has been struggling with degenerative joint disease and tendinitis and this has improved her strength, mobility and endurance to enjoy her day at the pool.💕🐾💕

08/29/2024

08/27/2024

We have a New product arriving next week for our chicken patients❣️ These new Booster Berries by Lafeber’s will be a great way to forage with your pet chickens. There are three choices available. One for feather condition, one for egg production and one for our seniors❤️ We are so excited to have a treat for all the wonderful chickens we see on a daily basis at our practice!


08/26/2024

Hello from New Orleans! I am attending the Association of Exotic Small Mammal Veterinary conference. For the next four days, I will be learning new information on medicine and surgery for rabbits, guinea pigs, chinchillas, ferrets and other small mammals. I look forward to bringing back the new knowledge to the practice to care for our patients. Dr. Kersting

08/10/2024

The past few weeks have been very busy, but with the two Dr’s that have joined our practice we are ready to help! We now have Dr’s on staff everyday Mon-Sat😊

Dr. Canada is excited to meet everyone!

08/05/2024

Welcoming New Patients! Just a typical FUN day at the clinic😊 Ask for Dr. Dittmer if you have a reptile that needs an annual exam or is not feeling well. She would love to meet you!

07/25/2024

07/17/2024

This is Lucy, one of our many adoptable birds who are positive for Avian Bornavirus (ABV). So...what does this mean?

ABV is a virus that primarily impacts a bird's neurological system, often causing a wide variety of symptoms that range from feather plucking to seizures (although each bird can be affected differently).

There is a lot of misinformation surrounding ABV and this can often be harmful to the adoption prospects of birds who are positive. While the exact method of transmission amongst birds is still being researched, recent studies have supported that the virus is not as contagious as it was first believed. Most specifically, the pathogen is not spread at a rapid-fire rate through personal flocks simply by close proximity.

In short, this virus, and subsequent transmission, can be very easily managed at home amongst existing flocks. With simple cleaning practices and an established relationship with an avian veterinarian, most birds with ABV live perfectly normal lives and some won't even show symptoms. It is believed that roughly 1 out of 3 parrots are positive for ABV, with some being happy and healthy.

We have lots of adopters and volunteers who own ABV+ birds and I'm sure they will attest to how fulfilling it is to welcome these birds into their home. We'd love to help spread education about what it means to own an ABV+ bird and answer any questions you may have about living with these amazing birds, if you are considering it.
www.staravian.org/adopt

07/04/2024

Dr. Mitchell E. Canada represented Bird Medicine and Surgery at this years International AAV conference for bird doctors. This was a four day conference which provided new educational updates for our bird patients. Dr. Canada said this experience was wonderful! He will be presenting some of the latest information at one of the Gateway Parrot Club
monthly meetings. We will keep you posted on the date.

07/04/2024

We will be closed today in honor of Independence Day. We hope you have a relaxing, fun-filled day!

06/21/2024

This past week, we celebrated Dot and Dr. K for their 40th wedding anniversary! We are so grateful to have this dynamic duo with us and keeping the clinic up and running, especially on our wildest days. Thank you for the love and care that you have provided for the staff, clients, and our animal patients. We wish you 40 more years of a loving each other and creating so many more beautiful memories together.

06/18/2024

06/05/2024

June 4th is “hug your cat” day! Give your kittens a big hug (but cat-permitting, we aren’t responsible for the injuries that you might get).

06/02/2024

Veterinarians, trainers, and pet behaviorists share tips on how to safely enjoy summer with your pet, including tips on pool safety, hydration, heat exhaustion, and more.

05/31/2024

“Frank” enjoys flirting with the ladies on his visit to the clinic! We all look forward to seeing him❤️

05/28/2024

“Jerry” the corn snake and “Freya” the ball python were perfect patients for Dr. Dittmer😊 Dr. Dittmer will be seeing patients full time starting Aug 1st!

05/27/2024

Just a quick heads up that the clinic will be closed tomorrow. We hope you are able to enjoy the nice weather. We will see you on Tuesday!

05/07/2024

One of our favorite boarders “Sugar” enjoying Flappy Hour while at Camp Kersting! We believe foraging is an important part of every birds day😀

05/05/2024

Welcome our new Clinic Mascot Birdly! He will be looking forward to greeting everyone at the front desk❤️

03/22/2024

The Gateway Parrot Club is going to be hosting Dr. K as he talks about a disease we see a lot, Avian Bornavirus. Check out their website for the meeting location if you would like to attend.

http://gatewayparrotclub.org/

03/19/2024

A medication that does one thing for people does not necessarily do the same for our pets. 🚫💊🐶🐱

During , discover common human medications that can be unsafe for your pet and how you can keep them safe by following these simple guidelines. If you suspect your pet has been poisoned, time is critical! Immediately call your veterinarian or a pet poison hotline. https://bit.ly/2Wfs1Zi

03/19/2024

Happy (or not so happy?) National Animal Poison Prevention Week! Had we known it was this week, we would've saved our previous post for yesterday... Anywho, again we are going to promote some of the information Pet Poison Helpline has on their website.

The 1st picture below is a general overview of the most common animal poisons seen in Missouri (mostly for small animals), the 2nd picture shows the common symptoms of poisoning seen with most intoxications for small animals, and the 3rd picture shows the common poisons in Missouri and the intoxication symptoms you will see with birds.

The main thing with intoxication symptoms is they are fairly non-specific and can look like indications of regular illness. The best indicator of intoxication is catching your pet in the act, which may be hard to do, but a good portion of animals will leave a "crime scene" showing what they got into. Even if you suspect your pet got into something, keep a close eye on them to see if symptoms set in a few hours to even a few days after the alleged incident depending on the poison.

Always feel free to give us a call, even if you aren't sure your pet got into something. We are always happy to help and give you guidance on next steps!

03/11/2024

Starting a series called "Things Katie Learned at Vet School That She Wants to Share With Everyone Else"!

In Toxicology, she recently learned of a website called Pet Poison Helpline, a company that you can call in an emergency (for an $85 fee) as well as look up toxins in their huge database. The website will tell you what the chemical is, how it works in the body, common signs of poisoning, antidote and treatment, and how much of a threat the chemical is (for most toxins). In addition to it being a database, there is also emergency instructions, a lot of really nice infographics, general information for owners, and even common toxins by state.

Below is the link to directly look up poisons (as well as their emergency number) that would be handy for dog and cat owners to bookmark on your phone or computer for quick access, especially owners with puppies and kittens going through their "chew on everything phase", pets that are particularly sneaky, or pets that will eat anything just because they can.

https://www.petpoisonhelpline.com/poisons/

We have also included one of their infographics about common pet poisons you likely have in your home. Make sure these products and plants are located in secure areas that your pets don't have access to!

03/05/2024

An Aviculture Favorite: The Rhode Island Red

The Rhode Island Red chicken is a favorite amongst backyard poultry owners. Known as a dual-purpose breed, Reds can produce high quality and quantity of both eggs and meat. They are known for their prolific egg laying; each hen can lay up to 200-300 medium to large, light brown eggs per year! Unlike many other breeds, Reds often will continue to lay even in times of stress or on substandard feed (although this is not recommended). The Rhode Island Red originated in – you guessed it – Rhode Island in the late 1800’s. Originally produced from the pairing of a Malay rooster with Brown Leghorn hens, this breed has exploded in popularity and is now seen all around the world. Hens are typically exuberant, curious, and friendly, while the roosters can be particularly aggressive. While they tend do well in confinement, these ladies love to forage for insects, seeds, and even small vertebrates. This hardy, adaptable breed is ideal for the small-flock aviculturist!

aav.org/blogpost/1787676/498315/An-Aviculture-Favorite-The-Rhode-Island-Red

03/04/2024

Dr. Kersting attended a two day osteoarthritis symposium at the Canine Rehabilitation Institute in Springfield on Friday and Saturday. The seminar presented all of the current treatment options for dogs and cats with osteoarthritis. One day focused on intra-articular joint injections were a variety of medication’s can be injected directly into the joint.

02/11/2024

This past week, we lost one of the best employees that Bird Medicine and Surgery has ever seen. We had to say goodbye to Marvin, our handsome lobby greeter. He was the most loving boy, never failing to say hi to clients and their pets, acting like a statue in his bed on the corner of the reception desk and startling new clients when he got up to ask (beg) for some butt scratches, and offer love to those clients who recently had to say goodbye to a member of their family.

Marvin was diagnosed last year with a liver tumor, and after being offered two options for treatment, symptom management or surgery, Dr. K and Dot decided because of his age, symptom management was the best option. However, you would have never guessed that old man Marvin was ever battling a tumor! You would be so mesmerized by his giant green eyes, calm personality, and insatiable desire for attention to ever think he was sick! Around the middle of fall, Marvin began to sport around a large fluid-filled stomach that required repeated abdominocentesis procedures to alleviate the pressure building up in his belly. Even though pokes and prods, Marvin was a trooper, and would strut around the clinic showing everyone his new slim body after each fluid draining. Unfortunately, he continued to decline in health in the past 3 months, so Dr. K and Dot brought Marvin home to hang out with their dogs Libby and Gracie, enjoy some cuddles on the couch, celebrate Christmas morning and New Year’s, and relax at home where he was more comfortable. However, after Marvin stopped eating and appetite stimulants weren't working any longer, Dr. K, Dot, and Katie decided that it would be best to say goodbye to Marvin. The procedure took place at home where he received plenty of hugs, teary kisses, and head scratches. He passed peacefully, surrounded by so much love and affection.

While this is difficult to type, Marvin will forever be in the hearts of the Kersting family, the employees, and the countless clients and patients Marvin said hello to. He was the best clinic mascot we have ever had, and we will miss him everyday. We take comfort in knowing that Marvin is now happy, pain-free, and looking down on us with Pie Pie.

We ask that if you have any pictures or fun memories of our handsome man, let us know! He certainly had the best personality and quite the sense of humor!

We will love you forever baby boy,

Dr. K, Dot, and Katie

02/06/2024

Chickens will really eat anything - and here's proof! Dr. K recently visited VSS to perform an endoscopy to retrieve a zinc-coated wing nut as well as 2 small screws from this patient's ventriculus or gizzard, the part of the digestive system that connects to the intestines. Although zinc is an essential nutrient for birds, we definitely recommend it doesn't come from household hardware!

If you own chickens, make sure to scout out the areas where they are allowed to forage to look out for loose odds and ends that could be harmful. Wing nuts and screws aren't tasty, but that won't stop a chicken from eating them!

01/13/2024

Leviath arrived for his appointment in the cutest Gingerbread house! His face is so adorable as he peeks out his window😍
Leviath was a good patient for the radiograph’s of his injured leg.
Dr. Kersting encourages rats as great family pet’s 🐀❤️