VOMITING AND REGURGITATION IN BIRDS
Regurgitation is the forceful expulsion of the contents of the mouth, oesophagus or crop. The food does not look digested and this can be a normal behaviour in birds. Vomiting is the expulsion of the contents of the proventriculus, ventriculus or intestine and is a sign of illness. It is often difficult to distinguish between regurgitation and vomiting.
There are a large number of causes of vomiting and regurgitation:
infections - bacterial, viral, fungal, parasitic;
organ problems - liver, heart, kidneys, pancreas;
nutrition - high protein diet, hypovitaminosis A, high iron levels, food allergy, over-feeding, change in diet;
toxicities - zinc, lead, poisonous plants, pesticides/insecticides, household detergents, certain foods;
gastrointestinal disease or blockages - crop conditions, goitre, tumours, egg binding, foreign body;
behaviour - stress, motion sickness, courting behaviour.
Our vets will observe and then examine your bird. Try to bring your bird's cage along with you. Our vets may take some faeces and swabs for analysis.
Treatment involves medications to treat any infections, fluid therapy for dehydration, keeping environmental temperatures constant, changing the diet, removing any toxins from the environment and surgery to remove a foreign body or tumours.
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Regurgitation is the forceful expulsion of the contents of the mouth, oesophagus or crop. The food does not look digested and this can be a normal behaviour in birds. Vomiting is the expulsion of the contents of the proventriculus, ventriculus or intestine and is a sign of illness. It is often difficult to distinguish between regurgitation and vomiting.
There are a large number of causes of vomiting and regurgitation:
infections - bacterial, viral, fungal, parasitic;
organ problems - liver, heart, kidneys, pancreas;
nutrition - high protein diet, hypovitaminosis A, high iron levels, food allergy, over-feeding, change in diet;
toxicities - zinc, lead, poisonous plants, pesticides/insecticides, household detergents, certain foods;
gastrointestinal disease or blockages - crop conditions, goitre, tumours, egg binding, foreign body;
behaviour - stress, motion sickness, courting behaviour.
Our vets will observe and then examine your bird. Try to bring your bird's cage along with you. Our vets may take some faeces and swabs for analysis.
Treatment involves medications to treat any infections, fluid therapy for dehydration, keeping environmental temperatures constant, changing the diet, removing any toxins from the environment and surgery to remove a foreign body or tumours.
back to Pet Info
back to home
