The California Veterinary Emergency Team (CVET) Shelter Entrance Avian Examination Form, shared by Dr. Michelle Hawkins, includes entrance exam considerations helpful in a triage situation. This form is divided into four sections: animal and owner information, physical findings, problem list/medication and plan, as well as notes.
A clinical trial was conducted with cockatiels to compare a whole-seed balanced diet (Nutri-Berries) with that of a pelleted diet. Blood values, body weight, and other parameters were measured to assess the alternative diet’s clinical effects on birds.
Michelle Hawkins is a Professor of Medicine and Epidemiology at the School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California (UC) Davis, and an Associate Director of the UC Davis One Health Institute Leadership Team, and the Director of the California Raptor Center. Dr. Hawkins is board certified in avian practice, and her research interests include anesthesia, analgesia, and critical patient care of all exotic animals. In 2023, Dr. Hawkins was named the T.J. Lafeber Avian Practitioner of the Year.
Pain assessment in birds is very complex because it requires consideration of differences in age, gender, species, individual behaviors and environmental factors. Birds may exhibit different behaviors or may hide painful behaviors when outside of their home cage. Predatory species may exhibit painful behaviors more readily than prey species. Many clinical signs may be associated with pain in birds including…
