Ask the Vet - New Pet Bird

I recently purchased a pet bird. How often should it be taken to my veterinarian?

Pet owners are accustomed to taking the family dog or cat to the veterinarian for an annual visit. It may be even more important for a pet bird to have regular examinations, because birds tend to have very subtle symptoms of disease.

In general, birds should have a physical exam, blood count, and stool evaluation every year. Of course, older birds or birds with problems should be seen more often. It may be recommended that a breeding bird or bird from a multiple bird household have other tests performed to make sure it is not carrying certain diseases that could harm other specimens or baby birds. Even if your new bird checks out normal, results of diagnostic tests in the initial patient record provide valuable references for subsequent examinations.