{"id":8741,"date":"2018-05-04T14:47:16","date_gmt":"2018-05-04T19:47:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/windycityparrot.com\/blog\/?p=8741"},"modified":"2018-05-04T14:47:16","modified_gmt":"2018-05-04T19:47:16","slug":"what-challenges-does-your-bird-face-this-spring-and-summer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dev.windycityparrot.com\/?p=8741","title":{"rendered":"What Challenges Does Your Bird Face This Spring And Summer?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Linda F asks,<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Hi, As spring approaches we look to protect furry as well as feathered friends.\u00a0<\/span> Any suggestions on Frontline and heart guard type products that are safe around parrots and toos (Cockatoos) when used on three little dogs?<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Are the two above mentioned harmful when used on a dog that lives in the same house as a bird?<\/span><\/p>\n

Thank you for all help I have received as my CAG (Congo African Grey, goffie (Goffin Cockatoo) learn to share our life together.<\/span><\/p>\n

Would not have made it as smoothly this far without your good advice and Birdy Brunch. Thank you again. Linda,<\/span><\/p>\n

Micha and Stewie<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Hi Linda <\/span><\/p>\n

Thank you for the kind words<\/span><\/p>\n

In that dogs (mammals) and birds (Aves) have different integumentary systems (fins, fur, feathers, scales) treatments should not cross over.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Everyone likes to think of themselves as being prepared for disaster<\/a><\/span> and certainly life\u2019s cuts and scrapes. <\/span><\/p>\n

I\u2019ve personally sutured a dog in a garage (after 5 minutes of training by my vet \ud83d\ude42<\/span><\/p>\n

I\u2019ve yanked shards of glass out of more than one dogs paw and got them bandaged over the years. <\/span><\/p>\n

Sutures are easy to come by if your vet is a fellow musher but for the most part many dogs, and I presume cat medical emergencies, can be treated with a <\/span>human first aid kit<\/span><\/i>. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Removing a little fur on a dog while rapidly getting a wound bandaged, is something a dog will get over pretty quickly.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Mammals are very different than birds.<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Unless your birds are exposed to mosquito bites which is unlikely because they are indoors, the chance of incurring heartworm disease is slim to none.<\/span><\/p>\n

Parasitic roundworms named <\/span>Dirofilaria immitis<\/span><\/i> affect mostly dogs but may manifest themselves in ferrets, cats and<\/span> other prey animals.<\/span><\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

Once the roundworms mature they can be found in the heart, ergo the name <\/span>heartworm <\/span><\/i>but they can also be found in the lungs and blood vessels between the lungs in the heart.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

It can take up to six months for the actual parasite to develop in a dog’s heart.<\/span><\/p>\n

Thus heart guard is certainly not a necessary prophylactic treatment for birds.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

There is a topical flea treatment you can get from the vet.<\/span><\/p>\n

SevenDust sprinkled on the ground helps kill the fleas in the sand. <\/span><\/p>\n

I’ve used Adams flea and tick spray with success directly on birds who have fleas, but make sure to avoid their eyes and mouth. <\/span><\/p>\n

Aams will work for feather mites and lice as well.<\/span><\/p>\n

Best<\/span><\/p>\n

MitchR<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Migrating from spring to summer<\/span><\/p>\n

We talk about parrots being equatorial animals and how life in North America, for example, screws up their instinctual expectations<\/em> for things like light cycles and temperature. <\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

So you would think with summer here all those problems would go away. <\/span><\/p>\n

Some do, but now we face new challenges. <\/span><\/p>\n

Escape routes<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

Summer is the time of open doors and windows<\/a><\/span>, screens instead of glass and much more in and out traffic typically. <\/span><\/p>\n

Flighted birds pose the risk of escape by flight, and summer increases that risk no doubt. <\/span><\/p>\n

But when your wing clipped 240g feather ball chews through the screen where you left the window open in the guest room on the second floor, your wing clipped bird could easily ride the warm summer thermals (those air things that keep un-motorized gliders afloat) and end up in the next state before you knew she was gone. <\/span><\/p>\n

If you open doors and windows, it\u2019s best to keep your bird in a cage, flighted or not.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ceiling<\/span><\/span>\u00a0fans<\/span><\/p>\n

A fan can be a human\u2019s best friend.\u00a0<\/span>I\u2019ve seen videos of birds who like to play in the airflow.\u00a0<\/span>That said, I\u2019ve also seen birds who were placed under or in front of a fan with every good intention by its keeper. <\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

While keeping the air around the bird cool the bird’s feathers were always getting lifted. <\/span><\/p>\n

A \u201cruffled\u201d feather needs to be put back in its place, and this is done by preening.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n