Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Feather loss and feather destructive behavior in pet birds.
- Journal:
- The veterinary clinics of North America. Exotic animal practice
- Year:
- 2014
- Authors:
- Rubinstein, Jonathan & Lightfoot, Teresa
- Affiliation:
- Florida Veterinary Specialists · United States
- Species:
- bird
Plain-English summary
Feather loss in pet birds, especially parrots, can be a common and frustrating issue for owners. There are many reasons why a bird might lose feathers, including health problems like infections or allergies, as well as environmental factors like poor living conditions. Before deciding that the feather loss is due to behavior, it's important for a veterinarian to rule out any medical issues through a thorough examination and tests. This article discusses the usual causes of feather loss and how to diagnose and treat these problems. Overall, addressing the underlying issues can help improve the situation for affected birds.
Abstract
Feather loss in psittacine birds is a common and frustrating clinical presentation. Causes include medical and nonmedical causes of feather loss with and without overt feather destructive behavior. Underlying causes include inappropriate husbandry and housing; parasitic, viral and bacterial infections; metabolic and allergic diseases; and behavioral disorders. Prior to a diagnosis of a behavioral disorder, medical causes of feather loss must be excluded through a complete medical work-up including history, physical examination, and diagnostic testing. This article focuses on common medical and nonmedical causes of feather loss and feather destructive behavior and approaches to diagnosis and treatment.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24274924/