ABNORMAL DROPPINGS
General information
A change in the appearance of droppings is often a sign of illness in a pet
bird. While not usually specific for any one particular disease, a change in
the color, frequency, volume, or character of droppings indicates a problem
that requires immediate veterinary attention.
What are the components of a normal dropping?
There are 3 components to the droppings. The first is the fecal component.
For most pet birds, this is a green to dark green solid part of the droppings.
The second component is the urates, or the solid urine component. Unlike most
animals, birds, in their attempt to conserve water, produce a solid urine dropping.
The urates are usually white in color The third component which is not often
recognized by owners is a clear liquid urine. It is important for owners to
become familiar with their bird's normal droppings as evaluation of the droppings
is an important clue to illness in pet birds.
What is an abnormal dropping?
Simply put, once you get used to your bird's droppings, any deviation from
what the normal droppings look like are abnormal for your bird and should prompt
a veterinary visit. Typical abnormal droppings can include any of the following:
- Fewer than normal amount of droppings
- Increase in the number of droppings
- Change in color or texture of either the fecal component or the urate component
"bubbly" looking droppings
- Increase in the wet or liquid component
What causes abnormal droppings?
Many diseases can cause a change in the droppings. Diet also influences the
droppings. If for example, you've decided to give your bird a few blueberries,
its droppings will probably be blue or purple for a short period of time. Assuming
that the diet has remained constant, common causes of abnormal droppings includes
intestinal diseases, kidney disease, liver diseases, bacterial or viral infections,
and parasite infections. Psittacosis, a common cause of liver disease, may produce
lime green droppings in some birds. Some birds with heavy metal poisoning produce
red droppings.
How will the veterinarian know what caused the abnormal droppings?
Your veterinary surgeon can run a variety of tests, including blood tests and
radiographs (X-rays) to try to determine if any internal diseases have caused
the abnormal droppings. Most importantly, he/she can evaluate the droppings
for parasites, yeast and bacteria by performing a special kind of stain called
a gram stain on the droppings. He/she may also need to run a microscopic examination
of the feces to check for parasites, or may need to culture the droppings if
he suspects a bacterial or yeast infection.
Can my bird be treated?
Most birds with abnormal droppings are successfully treated once the cause
of the abnormal droppings is detected. As an owner, your cooperation in agreeing
to the recommended tests is critical in allowing your veterinarian to correctly
diagnose and treat your bird.
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