Health Recordings from Previous Online Events
Missed an online event that was recorded? Or, perhaps you attended, but would like to watch it again! When recording is permissible by our speakers, we like to make them available to anyone interested.
Our monthly educational programs are free and open to anyone. If this information is worth $5, $10, $25 or more to you, please consider making a donation to help us continue providing online educational programming!
Our monthly educational programs are free and open to anyone. If this information is worth $5, $10, $25 or more to you, please consider making a donation to help us continue providing online educational programming!
March 15, 2025: "Avian Ganglioneuritis Made More Understandable" with Dr. Bob Dalhausen
PDD (proventicular dilitation disease) has a new and better descriptive name - Avian Ganglioneuritis (AGN). AGN is often correlated with avian bornavirus - but not always! These are two distinct conditions that should be addressed independently. Gangliosides are the little proteins throughout a bird’s nervous system. These proteins are hidden within a nerve’s myelin sheath – something akin to foam insulation. This is the immune system’s way of protecting itself. But if something disrupts the nerve’s gangliosides, they become exposed outside of their protective sheath and the immune system is compromised. That is when the immune system goes on the attack and activates the disease known as Avian Ganglioneuritis. For some species it can affect the proventriculus and the GI tract; for other species it might cause seizures or neurological imbalances. This is why the term PDD is out-of-date based on what we now know. Many birds are AGN positive but never show symptoms. Some are symptomatic but manage fine on medications. It’s not thought to be contagious, but we should all be more informed about the diagnostics and treatments. This is an important discussion with Bob Dahlhausen, DVM. Dr. Dahlhausen owns Veterinary Molecular Diagnostics (VMD), the only U.S. lab with a patent to test for AGN. This is a complicated disease. We must continue to learn more about how to diagnose and manage it. Dr. Dahlhausen remains on the cutting edge of this important research! (IAABC CEUs approved).
January 11, 2025: "How Internal Biology Becomes External Behavior" with Dr. Amy Zhao
In this talk, Dr. Zhao explores the inner biological workings of the parrot reproductive and hormonal systems and discusses what they are, how they work, and how they cause the outward behaviors we view in our parrots. She also covers how these biological pathways inform our choices in caring for our parrots and how we can use this knowledge to solve health, wellness, and behavior problems in captivity and a home setting. IAABC CEUs approved.
Dr. Zhao is an animal scientist living in Boston with her small flock of budgies and Gandalf the cockatiel. She earned her B.S. in Animal Science from Cornell University in May 2014 and continued to earn her PhD in Animal Science specializing in animal physiology and molecular and cell biology from Cornell University in July 2019. During her time at Cornell, she has worked with and taken classes in management and husbandry for many animal species including sheep, cattle, horses, birds of prey, and of course, parrots. She also spent 8 years as a teaching assistant for courses including Domestic Animal Biology, Animal Nutrition, Domestic Animal Behavior, and Comparative Animal Anatomy and Physiology. Dr. Amy Zhao also completed Dr. Susan Friedman’s Living and Learning with Animals course in 2022.
Dr. Zhao is an animal scientist living in Boston with her small flock of budgies and Gandalf the cockatiel. She earned her B.S. in Animal Science from Cornell University in May 2014 and continued to earn her PhD in Animal Science specializing in animal physiology and molecular and cell biology from Cornell University in July 2019. During her time at Cornell, she has worked with and taken classes in management and husbandry for many animal species including sheep, cattle, horses, birds of prey, and of course, parrots. She also spent 8 years as a teaching assistant for courses including Domestic Animal Biology, Animal Nutrition, Domestic Animal Behavior, and Comparative Animal Anatomy and Physiology. Dr. Amy Zhao also completed Dr. Susan Friedman’s Living and Learning with Animals course in 2022.
November 9, 2024: "Are Mushrooms Medicinal?" with Cyndi Brown, DVM
Mushrooms have been known for their health benefits for centuries, and their use in modern medicine has been resurging. There is a wide variety of species, each with their own purposes and uses. Although there may be skepticism about their true benefits, let’s explore if they might also be beneficial for use with our parrots. Dr. Brown will take us through a review of the scientific evidence which supports functional mushrooms. She will also discuss Eastern and Western uses as treatment for various medical conditions, and the possible application of these for our birds. In the first hour or so, she tells us what a mushroom is and its important components. Then in the 2nd part, she gives us some examples of how birds might benefit from various kinds. Dr. Brown has been a Senior Avian and Exotics Veterinarian at the Schwarzman Animal Medical Center in NYC for many years. She has also started an Avian and Exotics Department in Groton, CT. She has a special interest in complementary and alternative medicine!
October 19, 2024: "The Importance of Lab Work in Birds, What Does It All Mean?" with Brynn McCleery, DVM, ABVP (Avian)
Dr. McCleery heads the avian and exotics service at the Red Bank Veterinary Hospital in Red Bank, NJ. We all know that our birds deserve their own kind of doctor, a veterinarian that specializes in avian medicine. It’s so important that our birds see their doctor regularly, because as prey animals, they will not show us there is a problem until they are very ill or even terminal. And health is a major contributor to behavior - if we don't feel well, we don't act well. One tool that helps our avian veterinarians understand a bird’s state of health is lab work. These can test for some important things like kidney or liver disease, bacterial infections, yeast etc. Dr. McCleery previously served as an avian consultant to a diagnostic lab, so she is very familiar with the importance and interpretation of lab work! IAABC CEUs approved.
May 18, 2024: "BEAKS: The Good, Bad, and Ugly"
with Bianca Murphy, DVM, ABVP (Avian Practice)
We can learn many things from the health of our bird’s beaks, both inside and out. Problems can be the result of misalignment, malocclusions, genetic defects, or even indications of disease. Dr. Murphy discusses what constitutes a healthy beak, problems that may occur, and how to prevent or treat those. Dr. Bianca Murphy is a practicing ABVP diplomate in avian practice. She is skilled in both medical and surgical interventions for a wide variety of avian species. Within her specialty, she focuses on advanced imaging techniques and microsurgery. Dr. Murphy is passionate about education and holds positions as an ABVP Mentor, Curriculum Developer with the AAV, and volunteers at veterinary schools to improve avian education. IAABC CEUs approved.
February 24, 2024: "Things That Break" with Currie Carothers, DVM
Sometimes accidents happen. What do we do if our birds fall, fly into a window, get stuck in something dangerous like chain or fabric, or skirmish with another animal? Maybe a bone breaks, a beak is severely damaged, or a toe is maimed. Dr. Carothers talks with us through these kinds of circumstances and what can happen during a trauma. And most importantly, she talks about what we should do to assess and solve a potential break. Dr. Carothers is a Associate Veterinarian at Stahl Exotic Animal Veterinary Services in Fairfax, VA. Last year (2023)( she completed her two-year residency in avian practice through the ABVP. This event approved for IAABC CEUs.
July 29, 2023: "Understanding USDA Standards for Birds Under the Animal Welfare Act" with Anthony Pilny, DVM, ABVP (Avian)
Dr. Pilny is a staunch advocate for birds and their quality-of-life in captivity. He has long been devoted to parrot welfare and standards of care such as housing, nutrition, health, and behavior. There is a growing focus on welfare, and the recent inclusion of parrots under the Animal Welfare Act (at last!) has made this topic even more important and relevant. Welfare issues are complex with a wide variety of opinions amongst those who breed, sell, shelter, re-home, or simply live with parrots in their homes. Dr. Pilny is the Director of Education and Hospital Owner at the Arizona Exotic Animal Hospital. He is also co-chair of the Association of Avian Veterinarians Avian Welfare Committee. Approved for IAABC CEUs.
June 24, 2023: "Respiratory Diseases"
with Brynn McCleery DVM, Diplomate ABVP (Avian Practice)
Birds have very efficient respiratory systems so they are particularly vulnerable to some diseases such as aspergillosis, hypersensitivity pneumonitis (macaw asthma), psittacosis, rhinoliths, Newcastle disease, cancer, and even avian flu. Dr. McCleery from the Red Bank Veterinary Hospital in Tinton Falls, NJ talks about the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of various respiratory illnesses. Approved for IAABC CEUs.
April 22, 2023: Feather Destructive Behavior
with Richie Burdeaux, DVM, ABVP (Avian)
Many parrots in captivity exhibit feather destructive behavior, and it’s very frustrating for us because we don’t want to see them in pain or unhappy. Sometimes we can figure out the cause by providing better diets, more enrichment, addressing medical issues, or reducing unnecessary stress. Other times we are unable to diagnose the reasons and offer solutions, but we can still provide them with a healthy, enriched life and love them as they are. Dr. Burdeaux has a special interest in this topic, from minor destructive behavior to actual mutilation. He will walk us through some of the possible causes and solutions to this complex problem for so many birds. Approved for IAABC CEUs.
February 11, 2023: "Wounds, Ouch! What To Do When our Bird Is Hurt" with Tammy Parker, DVM
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When trauma occurs, sometimes a wound requires immediate care by a veterinary professional. Other lesions may be addressed safely with home care. We need to understand the difference not only to ensure our birds survive, but also to make sure a bird receives the correct and timely care it needs. Let’s talk with Dr. Parker from the Landrum Veterinary Hospital in SC about the variety of problems that can occur and how we should handle various situations safely.
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November 5, 2022: "Necropsy: Why This Diagnostic Tool is So Invaluable and What We Can Learn " with Jessica Magnotti, DVM
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Necropsy is a diagnostic exam that is performed on an animal after they have passed away. During a necropsy, the doctor can collect tissue samples and examine all of the organs to determine not only the cause of death, but what other underlying health issues may have been present. Birds notoriously hide illness and sometimes the only sign is sudden death. Although death is a difficult topic to think about, it is important to know what to do when your bird passes away.
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September 14, 2022: "Raging Hormones... Or Not?" with Frank Rutowski, DVM
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Of course birds have hormones. But do we do things to make those dysfunctional? Or do we use hormones as an excuse for behavior when our behavior actually caused the problem? Very often undesired behaviors in birds are attributed to hormones. However, many times these behaviors have nothing to do with hormonal activity at all. We will discuss the signs of hormonal behavior in parrots, other causes for these behaviors, triggers of the hormones, testing, and things that can be done to minimize true hormonal behaviors in our pet birds.
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May 14, 2022: "Progressive Parrot Keeping" with Pamela Clark, CPBC
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A look at social media will convince you that behavior problems in parrots are both inevitable and typical. If you’re not convinced by that, spend a day with me consulting with clients. Why in the world should this be true? Because the information upon which we are basing our caregiving practices is outdated. It’s a mishmash of information published 20 years ago, information dispensed through the advertising of products, Inaccurate behavior and care information from veterinarians, and the twist that social media has put on things over the years. To care for parrots in the most effective of ways, so that they have the very highest quality of life possible, we must accept the limiting factors that living with these creatures imposes. It is possible to create a life for parrots that prevents behavior problems from developing.
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December 5, 2021: "Bird Feet, The Forgotten Body Part" with Katherine Baine, DVM, DABVP
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Katherine Baine, DVM, DABVP (Avian), My Pet Wellness
Bird feet are the forgotten body part in terms of anatomy, function, diseases, and care. Feet are an easily overlooked part of wellness exams and daily care at home; however, they are essential for normal function and can provide a glimpse into the overall health of the body. This talk will highlight the pertinent anatomy and function of the feet, associated diseases, and care. Dr. Baine practices at My Pet Wellness in Knoxville, TN |
February 27, 2021: "Bird Poop - Getting Down and Dirty" with Beth Rhyne, DVM
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Beth Rhyne, DVM, Birdhouse Mobile Exotic Vet
What can bird droppings tell us about their health? What are our avian veterinarians looking for when they do gram stains? Dr. Rhyne of Birdhouse Mobile Exotic Vet covers all you may have ever wanted to know (and more) about bird droppings! As a bonus, she also shares information about safe and effective cleaners and disinfectants, and how and when to use each. She references this chart for the types of disinfectants that may be a useful resource for others as well: https://www.cfsph.iastate.edu/Disinfection/Assets/AntimicrobialSpectrumDisinfectants.pdf |
September 20, 2020: "Avian Emergencies: What to Do, When, and Why" with Currie Carothers, DVM
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Currie Carothers, DVM
Stahl Exotic Animal Veterinary Services What do PTFE fumes actually do to a bird? Why are cat bites so dangerous? What actually are blood feathers and why do they bleed? Dr. Carothers from Stahl Exotic Animal Veterinary Services discusses common household hazards, what is and isn’t an emergency, and why. She will also give us information on monitoring chronically ill birds, and assessing when they need to see a veterinarian immediately. Interested in setting up a first aid kit for your parrots? She’ll share tips for items to include in one as well. Dr. Carothers is a graduate of Louisiana State University's School of Veterinary Medicine. |
May 2, 2020: "Did You Know? A Gathering of Parrot Care Information"
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Ann Brooks, Phoenix Landing Foundation
During our numerous events and conversations over the years, many interesting parrot care topics and facts have come up. We've gathered these together into a class that also covers some of the primary areas of health, enrichment, intelligence, nutrition, housing and safety. Join us for a discussion about some of the more intriguing aspects of parrots, and how we can strive to make their lives longer, healthier and happier. |