I know, it is awful thing to think of anything happening to your little feathered friend but, you have to think of it this way: prevention of serious injuries and preparation is worth everything when it comes to the health of your parrot. If you can save your bird's life by knowing what to do, how to assess potential illness ans injuries and know when to call the vet, you may do just that. Timing, knowledge and skills combined can be the keys to life or death in some situations.
One should always be prepared. I learned that long before the Boy Scouts, but be that as it may, the philosophy rings true. First aid is not a new concept for most of us, not that we think of it in terms of our birds. We need to remember that first aid is whatever treatment is required and ranges from simply giving comfort to administering more serious therapy or medication. Whatever first aid is needed depends entirely on the bird owner's knowledge, skills, confidence and initiative in response to the parrot's injuy or illness. There are several steps to take to insure proper first aid.
First of all, ASSESS!!!! This is crucial. Your judgement and confidence in handling your bird are all important here. Be careful and work calmly. Depending upon the situation, this may be done easily or it could be difficult. I know it is never eay to see a beloved pet in distress. Just remember that birds are very sensitive to our moods and if you panic, so will your little friend. Keep calm, work methodically and evaluate the situation to determine whether or not it is an immediate, or life threatening situation.
Any life threatening illness or injury obviously must be addressed first. Administer first aid and transport your bird to the vet as soon as possible. Life threatening situations include: collapse and severe bleeding (blood flowing freely from one or more wounds). I know this is pretty much common sense, but you would be surprised how fast common sense abandons us when faced with adversity.
And one other thing: always keep your veterinarian's phone number handy. Getting your parrot to the vet immediately is your first concern and you don't want to be fumbling around looking for phone numbers.
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