ABSTRACT: Parrots require some consideration when treated within the veterinary practice and are somewhat different from our commonly seen cats and dogs. These species are highly intelligent, require mental stimulation and correct husbandry and diet to maintain good physical and emotional health; being a prey species, they are also very good at hiding illness. Many parrots are presented for traumatic or self-mutilated wounds, the latter of which is sadly only seen in captive psittacine species. This article will cover the basics of how to confidently nurse these patients, from initial assessment, in patient care and wound management.

Psittacine species are commonly kept by the pet owning population and can be very endearing and entertaining animals to own. However, when presented in practice these species can be challenging and sometimes difficult to manage. Hospitalisation in a foreign environment, handling and separation from an owner they are often very bonded to can cause stress to these animals.

Author

Abigail Edis RVN FdSc certVNES

Abi qualified as a nurse in 2010, gaining a foundation degree from the Royal Veterinary College. Since then she has worked in the London area and began working at the RVC’s Beaumont Sainsbury Animal Hospital Exotic referral service in 2013. She nurses a wide variety of species from small mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish and invertebrates.

Email: aedis@rvc.ac.uk

Keywords: Clinical, Veterinary practice

To cite this article: Veterinary Nursing Journal • VOL 32 (10) • October 2017 pp193-197

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