(PASSERINES, PSITTACINES, RAPTORS AND WATERBIRDS).

_Elands is taking a leading role in exotic pet medicine and we now offer the same highquality care for your feathered birds as you have come to expect for your domestic pets. We will be happy to advise on the choice of pet bird, housing, diet and feeding.

ROUTINE HEALTH EXAM

Your parrot or raptor will undoubtedly benefit from a yearly health check-up during which your bird's history, physical condition and weight will be evaluated. The check-up also provides an opportunity to discuss aspects of aviculture such as the captive environment, diet and nutritional supplements, sexing, psittacosis, breeding and record keeping, as well as an opportunity to arrange routine blood testing, faecal analysis, and radiography. We recommend that a routine blood sample and faecal analysis forms part of your bird's health programme as both a screen for psittacosis and early disease detection. If you have a large aviary we would be happy to visit and assess your birds as a flock by taking representative faecal samples and blood samples from a small number of individuals. Vetark avian health products are available over the counter.

BLOOD TESTING

Diagnosing disease can be especially difficult as most birds mask their symptoms until almost terminal. We therefore recommend blood tests which can reveal otherwise unsuspected conditions, - especially important before surgery. Blood chemistries help us to evaluate your bird's major organs and are of great value in diagnosing kidney disease, liver disease, metabolic bone disease and gout. Haematology tests provide an inside look at the blood itself and enable us to evaluate the red blood cells which are responsible for carrying oxygen and the white blood cells which are responsible for fighting infection. Unfortunately there is relatively little information on the normal blood values for most avian species. Therefore we recommend a routine blood test when your bird is healthy so that during times of illness a second blood test can be used to identify any discrepancies. Routine blood tests help to identify problems at an early stage.

FAECAL ANALYSIS

Birds can harbour an assortment of parasites which may cause regurgitation, diarrhoea, poor growth, breeding failure, respiratory disease and even death. Microscopic examination of faeces and appropriate worming has real health benefits for captive birds. Faecal analysis can also identify birds that are shedding Chlamydia psittaci, the cause of fatal avian and human psittacosis.

MICROBIOLOGY

Swabs from faeces, the cloaca, the choana (throat) and oesophagus (crop) can be invaluable in determining the abnormal growth of bacteria and yeasts

VIRUS SCREENING

There are now screening tests available for avian polyomavirus and psittacine beak and feather disease. These viruses can cause chronic disease and death and as there is no treatment we strongly recommend that colonies, breeding birds and new additions to a collection are tested.

SEXING

Until recently the only method available for sexing monomorphic birds was to subject them to the risks of general anaesthesia and surgery. However, due to recent advances and the development of safer techniques we can now offer DNA-sexing on a wide range of species by taking just a drop of blood.

RADIOGRAPHY

Radiography is extremely useful in avian medicine and surgery and is often employed to diagnose egg-binding, bone fractures, liver disease, renal disease, air sac and lung disease, and gut impactions.

FURTHER INVESTIGATIONS, ANAESTHESIA AND SURGERY

If it is necessary to admit your bird for further tests or surgery you can rest assured that they will be comfortably housed in one of our temperature-controlled cages and cared for by our trained staff. Elands has also introduced the safest general anaesthetic agent for all birds (isoflurane) which enables us to perform a wide range of surgical procedures in our well equipped sterile theatre.

Station Road, Dunton Green, Sevenoaks, Kent. TN13 2XA (01732) 452333