POPULAR RESOURCE
When Is It an Emergency?
A Quick Guide to Recognizing a Bird Emergency
💡 QUICK ANSWER
Birds are very good at hiding illness, so when they begin showing obvious symptoms, they may already be seriously sick. Sudden changes in breathing, balance, behavior, appetite, droppings, or ability to perch should always be taken seriously.
Seek Emergency Veterinary Care If Your Bird:
- Is struggling to breathe, open-mouth breathing, or has significant tail bobbing
- Is collapsed, extremely weak, unresponsive, or unable to perch
- Has uncontrolled or significant bleeding
- Is having a seizure
- Suddenly loses balance, develops a severe head tilt, or cannot stand
- May have been exposed to Teflon/PTFE fumes, smoke, toxic chemicals, or another poison
- Was attacked or bitten by a cat, dog, or other animal
- Has suffered significant trauma, such as being stepped on, crushed, or hit by something
- Is repeatedly straining or you suspect egg binding
- Has a prolapse or tissue coming from the vent
- Is repeatedly vomiting and appears ill
- Has gone a concerning amount of time without eating or drinking, especially with other symptoms
- Shows a sudden, significant change from their normal behavior
🚨 When in doubt, call your avian veterinarian. A phone call is always better than waiting on a true emergency. 🚨
When Should I Be Concerned?
A single unusual dropping isn’t always cause for alarm, especially after a change in food. Repeated or persistent changes are more important to pay attention to.
Contact an avian veterinarian if you notice ongoing diarrhea or unusually watery droppings, blood or black/tarry stool, significant changes in the color of the urates, consistently undigested food, straining to pass droppings, or a noticeable decrease in the number of droppings.
Changes in droppings are especially concerning when they’re accompanied by other signs of illness, such as lethargy, sitting fluffed up, loss of appetite, vomiting, weakness, weight loss, or changes in breathing.