Hospitalisation
The hospitalization requirements of birds are very different from dogs and cats. Therefore only specialized staff with high quality equipment can provide the necessary care for a sick bird.
In our hospital the birds are kept in a special “exotic ward” separate from the dog and cat wards. The temperature in this ward is always around 28 °C and the air is humid to provide the optimal environment for recovery.
Critically ill birds are kept in a special intensive care cage. These cages allow us to set up the temperature and the humidity more accurately; moreover, they can provide oxygen supplementation to the sick birds.
Our hospital can provide appropriate size cages to accommodate the smallest finch and the biggest macaw. The cages are disinfected daily and appropriate size perches, food and water bowls are used. If the bird needs additional warmth, a heat light can be directed into its cage.
While hospitalized every bird is thoroughly examined by a veterinarian each morning before its treatment and weighed using a fine gram scale. During the hospitalization the birds receive premium quality pellet based diet supplemented with fruits and vegetables. However, if the bird has not been converted to pellets yet, it is feed on its usual food, supplemented with the essential nutrients, vitamins and minerals.
If the bird doesn’t or can’t eat we will support feed it using crop tubes and liquid diet. Some birds are very shy so the front of their cage will be covered and a comfortable hiding box provided. Other birds, especially hand raised ones are very social and prefer human presence. Our nurses and assistants are happy to spend couple of hours daily with playing, hand feeding and socializing with these birds. We believe that a happy bird can recover much quicker.
Birds with infectious diseases are kept separately from the other recovering patients. These birds are kept in an isolation ward until they are no longer infectious. When these patients are no longer a disease threat to the other avian patients, they are transferred to the main exotic ward.