It can be a frightening time in a parrot caregiver’s life when a bird falls ill or an accident occurs. Quick actions can mean the difference between life and death by saving precious minutes. Knowing which emergency situations are commonly seen by veterinarians, assembling a First Aid kit for your home, and having a back-up plan when your own vet is unavailable are just some of the ways to prepare yourself for emergencies.
Dr. Cook reviews the importance of being prepared before a crisis occurs, and to suggest prevention tactics for keeping companion parrots healthy and safe.
Supplementary handout: Parrot First Aid – Handling an Avian Emergency (PDF)
Date Recorded: January 2012
About the Presenter:
Ellen K. Cook, DVM
Dr. Ellen K. Cook was a practicing small animal medicine from 1975 through 2014. In 1998, she rescued Merlin, a six-year-old Moluccan cockatoo with many undesirable behaviours, and soon began focusing primarily on avian veterinary medicine and behavioural issues.
Dr. Cook was a member of the Association of Avian Veterinarians, the International Association of Trainers and Educators, the Animal Behaviour Management Alliance, and the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behaviourists. Sadly, Dr. Cook passed away on April 26, 2019 but her legacy lives on in the thousands of pet owners she helped in her lifetime.