Contributor: Brian Speer, DVM, DABVP (Avian Practice), DECZM

Article  Video  Webinar 

The Use of GnRH Agonists in Avian Practice

Avian veterinarian Brian Speer presented this live webinar, RACE-approved for 1.5 credit hours. Reproductive activities, particularly those that are recurrent, pose a significant threat to the health and behavioral well-being of many pet birds. This presentation began by reviewing the basics of female reproductive anatomy and endocrinology before discussing the role of environmental and behavioral stimuli on reproductive endocrinology. Dr. Speer then presented an ethical scale for selecting and prioritizing recommendations for intervention, before discussing medical therapy as well as the environmental and behavioral interventions that can be employed. Dr. Speer concluded with a discussion of behavioral science and its applications to the management of hormonal problems.

Brian Speer, DVM, DABVP (Avian Practice), DECZM (Avian)

Brian Speer is owner and director of The Medical Center for Birds in Oakley, California. Dr. Speer is Past President of the Association of Avian Veterinarians (AAV), and a consultant for the Veterinary Information Network. He is certified in avian practice through the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners and through the European College of Zoological Medicine in the avian specialty. Dr. Speer is the 2003 recipient of the T.J. Lafeber Avian Practitioner of the Year Award and the AAV President’s Award (2008). He was also named the Speaker of the Year for the North American Veterinary Conference (2006) and Educator of the Year for the Western Veterinary Conference (2015)…

Article 

Psittacine Behavior, Handling, and Restraint

Behavior is the most direct tool a wild bird has to respond to its environment, and it ultimately determines whether it survives and breeds in its natural environment. There are two functional categories of avian behaviors: self-maintenance behaviors and social behaviors.