Health & Nutrition | Sanfranciscobirdhotel.com

Avian Health

The San Francisco Bird Hotel was established in 2006 and we are proud to report that we never experienced any case of contagious disease in the Hotel. It is our top priority to keep it that way. With the incredible growth in the past years, we implemented new company policies to address avian health concerns and to protect every guest we welcome. Health and Nutrition usually goes hand in hand. To learn more about our Menu click here "Nutrition"

This is what we do:

Preventive care and cleanliness is a very important factor in bird ownership and bird boarding.

Following is a list of what we do to keep our place clean:

We insist upon natural light and fresh air.
Our cages are cleaned with vinegar/water solution between guest(s) stay. Our cages are impeccable.
The distance between cages is kept at least 10 inches apart.
We do not stack any cages or share any cage dividing walls (to prevent toe biting and beak wrestling).
We have proper ventilation in every bird room.
We have room partitions for breed specific areas.
We clean our floors on a regular basis.
We change the cage liners every morning.
We remove the food bowls with fresh food by the afternoon.
We change the bird’s drinking water twice daily.
We frequently shower our guests to reduce dander and feather dust.

We are no vets,but do believe we should talk openly about potential health threats in birds so everybody understands the issues.We all know that birds and parrots are disease carriers regardless if a bird shows any symptoms or not. There is an endless flow of information available online, in books, and at our local vet clinics.

First and foremost, our responsibility and due diligence as the owner(s) of healthy and happy parrots is called: PREVENTIVE CARE!

We understand that it is important to take our pet parrots to their yearly vet check-up. We know our bird(s) environment, we understand their diets, habits, personalities and behaviors and so we are able to monitor our bird(s) health. A healthy environment reflects in a bird’s healthy immune system. No bird should ever have to experience any disease when living in a protected environment (i.e. a household) that provides proper care: regular vet check-ups, cage hygiene, clean water, and a balanced diet.

Understanding your bird and its environment and habits is one thing but understanding potential health threats in terms of contagious diseases is another. Yes, this topic is very technical but informative and important to know for every bird owner.

Here is a list of the most discussed viral infections in birds. Viral infections can be transmitted by inhalation of contaminated fecal or feather dust and are difficult to treat. Please feel free to download the pdf documents for your convenience.

Chlamydiosis – also known as Psittacosis (parrot fever) - download pdf (Psittacosis in birds)

Psittacine Beak and Feather Disease (PBFD) - download pdf (PBFD)

Pacheco’s disease (Parrot Herpesvirus) - download pdf (Pacheco's)

Avian Polyioma Virus - download pdf (Avian Polyioma)

Boarding Requirements

The only possibility to know if your bird is a virus carrier is with a blood test.

The avian CBC ( Complete Blood Count) is the most important component of a diagnostic panel and the best indicator of a bird’s general health. It is the microscopic examination and evaluation of red and white blood cells that make up the cellular component of blood, and the results are an indicator of immune system activity. It can tell if your bird is anemic,dehydrated,has parasites in blood stream, lead toxicosis, stress, types of cancer, bacterial or fungal infections, etc.

Important Note:

If you are new in the area, we can refer you to an avian veterinary clinic who offers the required services

The San Francisco Bird Hotel reserves the right to reject any bird(s) suspected to be seriously sick or living in an unacceptable environment. Fortunately, we have never met a bird that we had to reject because it was mistreated or neglected and we

hope it will never happen.

More useful information

- We want to protect the health of every bird guest and therefore require the following documented test results from a licensed vet before booking your bird:

- An avian CBC ( Complete Blood Count) also known as Basic blood panel will determine an underlying infection

- Gram Stain ( fecal test or beak swap) to detect any bacterial infections

These are the questions we are going to ask our customers:

Age of your bird(s) because young birds’ immune systems are not strong yet and therefore they are more susceptible to viral infections.

If bird(s) have been boarded in questionable areas within the last 6 months. ( filthy places, little cage hygiene, other species present like pigeons, chickens or apparent sick birds)

The information listed below includes basic information and is not intended as a diagnosis. As always, if you have any questions or suspect your bird may not be 100% healthy, visit your vet as soon as possible. Being flock creatures, birds will hide their illnesses until they can’t anymore which means by the time you notice something is wrong, your bird has been sick for some time. Seek professional help immediately.

Bacterial infection:

Psittacosis (Chlamydiosis) Bacteria is a good thing and a bad thing. Once the bad bacteria take over, a bird can get sick. Transmission of the disease is primarily through inhalation of contaminated dust from droppings or feathers. This disease is more common in stressed birds (shipping, overcrowding and malnutrition) since these kinds of birds tend to shed the organism.

Pet birds can be stressed in ways we, as humans, cannot relate to; therefore, it is important to know your bird and monitor all factors influencing their well being. The clinical signs of Chlamydiosis are typically respiratory or gastrointestinal in nature, and can manifest itself in lack of appetite, weight loss, diarrhea and discharge from the eyes or nares. Some birds may not show any signs of illness when infected. If detected early on, the disease is treatable with antibiotics under the professional care of a vet.

Viral infection:

Viral infections can be avoided with diligent preventive care. When a bird eats and drinks properly, and is active and alert, a virus should never have the chance to attack an organism. A virus only has a chance to enter into organisms with an immune systems that is already compromised.

1. Newcastle Disease Virus (NDV) is more common with fowl. It is also being screened with quarantined measurements when importing/exporting pet birds. We as pet bird owners should know about this disease, but the chances of dealing with NDV are very rare.

2. Psittacine Beak and Feather Disease (PBFD) shows abnormalities in the feathers or beak. Antibiotics have no effect on viruses, but there are other possible treatments. PBFD can be treated and cured if detected in time.

Fungal infections:

Aspergillus or Candidiasisis a fungal/yeast disease that may cause skin irritation. Fungal diseases cannot be transmitted from one bird to another. They are the result of poor hygiene and overall weak/poor health. Fungal diseases come in many forms affecting the nose, lungs or air sacs. Remember: good hygiene, a clean cage and preventive care is a step in the right direction.