Avian Health Network Volume II Issue IX
..
In this issue:
--- Website Review of the Month
--- Just for Fun
--- Avian Health in the News
--- My Eclectus Featherpist
--- Ash's Favorite Bran Muffins
--- Ask the Expert
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Website Review of the Month
By Rossanna Waggle
..
June's website review spotlights The Parrot Pages - Avian Link Center,
with
the focus on Avian Diseases Articles.
http://www.parrotpages.com/links/aviandiseasearticles.shtml
<http://www.parrotpages.com/links/aviandiseasearticles.shtml>
..
Regardless whether you are a breeder, new parrot owner or have had
companion
parrots for many years the links have a wealth of information. Topics such
as PDD, Aspergillosis, the five most common aviary diseases and
Psittacosis
are covered in length. Also covered is a closer look at disinfectants,
feather picking, rescues, and testing for zinc in toys, play gyms and
cages.
The site provides the reader with hours of invaluable educational reading.
..
Educating ourselves about avian health and diseases before we have a
beloved
parrot become ill is vital to early detection. No one knows our parrots
like we do. Knowing what to look for (symptoms) could possibly mean the
difference in the outcome.
..
Until next month, scritches to all and happy reading!
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Just for Fun!
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Push the Play button on the little screen when you get to:
http://www.digitalpostproduction.com/2004/03_mar/news/enze98n3.htm
<http://www.digitalpostproduction.com/2004/03_mar/news/enze98n3.htm>
..
A Bird that Sews!
http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_942846.html?menu=news.quirkies.animaltales
<http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_942846.html?menu=news.quirkies.animalt
ales>
..
Avian Health in the News: Almond Alert!
By Elaine Hutchison
..
If you belong to any bird-affiliated Internet groups, you have probably
seen
posts during the last month regarding the recall of certain brands of raw
almonds. For those of us who buy raw almonds for our parrots, this could
be
a concern for our birds as well as our human families. Paramount Farms,
located in Lost Hills, CA, announced on May 18th they were voluntarily
recalling whole raw almonds because of possible links to several cases of
illnesses from Salmonella Enteritidis. This first recall announcement
specified three brands, stating only certain package sizes and certain
dates
of these brands were affected.
..
Paramount Farms expanded the recall list on May 22, including raw natural
diced almonds, extending the "best before" dates (the method of
identifying
which ****pments were suspect), and including all of its industrial
suppliers
and ultimate retailers. Consequently the number of retail brands being
recalled has grown dramatically over the past three weeks. To access a
complete list of all brands affected by the recall, visit the FDA website
at
http://www.fda.gov/oc/po/firmrecalls/almonds.html
<http://www.fda.gov/oc/po/firmrecalls/almonds.html>
.
..
Products for human consumption, ranging from chocolate cake to trail
mixes,
have been removed from grocery shelves because Paramount Farms raw almonds
were used as an ingredient. Although the recall of these products has
caused some alarm in the general population, it pales in comparison to the
buzz among the bird groups on the Internet. Group after group has listed
a
plethora of cross-postings, citing first one brand and then another as the
"ones" to be avoided. As parrot owners, we should congratulate ourselves
on
our concern over what we feed our little feathered darlings. We can avoid
the recalled brands by consulting the previously mentioned list on the FDA
site. However, we must also be careful not go off the deep end when
reacting to the threat of possible contamination of raw almonds in parrot
food mixes.
..
Consider the following facts when deciding whether or not to withdraw
these
mixes from your bird's diet:
..
1) The FDA investigation has not yet found any almonds in the U.S.
contaminated with Salmonella Enteritidis, including those produced by
Paramount Farms. Because raw almonds from this source were the one food
in
common eaten by several people suffering from Salmonella
Enteritidis-related
illnesses, Paramount Farms voluntarily recalled their product. The firm
has
"...taken this aggressive step out of an abundance of caution..." said
David
Szeflin, vice president, Operations. "We're working diligently with the
FDA
and state health officials to make sure that any product that has not yet
been consumed is returned."
.
2) The majority of almonds used in parrot food mixes are not of a
high
enough quality to be consumed by humans. Consequently, the suspected
almonds
from Paramount Farms would not have been likely to find their way into
commercially prepared mixes, as they traditionally use pet grade or feed
grade ingredients.
..
There are some high quality parrot mixes that do use human consumption
grade
ingredients, such as Dr. Harvey's Perfect Parrot Food
(http://www.drharveys.com
<http://www.drharveys.com>
). However, the
source
of the almonds in Dr. Harvey's food was not related to the recall.
..
No matter how remote the possibility of contamination of retail almonds,
many will remain wary of raw almonds for some time to come. Concerned
consumers who have questions about the recall can phone the Paramount
Farms
toll-free hotline at 800-496-5168.
..
My Eclectus "Featherpist"
By Jayne Meyers
..
For those of us who are fortunate to share our lives with parrots, dogs,
cats and a variety of other pets, the benefits are many. There's really
nothing to compare with the unconditional love and sup****t so freely given
by our feathered and furred family members. Imagine how great the loss
would be were our lives to suddenly change, leaving us in cir***stances
where we could no longer house or care for our pets. Animal assisted
therapy is a relatively new treatment modality that offers direct contact
with pets to residents of nursing homes, medical and psychiatric
hospitals,
assisted living facilities and schools.
..
I first became aware of animal assisted therapy ("AAT") in the early 1980s
when a cat club I belonged to launched a project to bring our cats into
nursing homes for short informational presentations and one-on-one visits
with the residents. It was a terrific experience and one I often wished
I'd
had the time to repeat. I finally got my chance.
..
San Francisco is fortunate to have an SPCA that offers a number of
community
outreach programs, AAT among them. About 18 months ago, I found myself
with
some extra time on my hands and decided to volunteer. When I first
approached the director of the AAT program about enlisting myself and Bink
E. Berde, my very friendly eight-year-old Solomon Island Eclectus, as a
volunteer team, he was a bit surprised. While the SF-SPCA had many dogs,
cats and even a bearded lizard in the program, no one had ever offered to
bring a parrot on these visits. The first hurdle was *****sing Bink E's
disposition. There were procedures in place to determine the
"unflappability" of the dog and cat volunteers, but these did not easily
translate into bird behavior. We decided to "wing it" and Bink E spent a
few hours at the SPCA facility, meeting many people, being passed from
hand-to-hand and even visiting a financial committee meeting. The
Binkster
charmed everyone and it was agreed that we would make a few visits each
month.
..
After a training session, we were on our own and have since visited a
number
of nursing homes, senior "day care" centers, psych facilities and
pediatric
wards. My original intention was to offer a short informational
presentation and then allow our audience to meet Bink E Berde and maybe
feed
him a pine nut or two. Not wanting to stress my beautiful bird, I had no
plans to allow him to go from person to person - Bink E had other ideas!
Much to my surprise and the delight of our captive audience, Bink E became
an instant acrobat, stretching as far as he could from my hand, flipping
himself over upside down and stretching again to find a direct route from
me
to the latest object of his affection. I am 100% convinced that Bink E
has
a finely honed sixth sense about which residents have a need for that
special one-on-one contact with him.
..
I've learned to arrive at our visits prepared for Bink E's antics. I
always
bring a small bottle of highly diluted hand disinfectant, a towel or two
to
drape over sensitive, elderly arms, a small baggie of treats and a short
rope perch, just in case. Over time, we've settled into a routine and now
have a group of facilities we regularly visit. The activities directors
we
work with are thrilled with the response their patients have to Bink E and
several have told me that the response to him is immediately stronger and
has more lasting benefits than they've experienced with dogs or cats.
From
talking to other volunteers, the personnel at the facilities we visit and
my
own experience, I know that animal assisted therapy is a beneficial and
enjoyable activity for those we visit. Yet when I see the light that
****nes
in the eyes of our new friends and listen to the happy "hellos" of my
incredible parrot, I know that Bink E Berde and I are receiving the
greatest
gift.
..
Ash's Favorite Bran Muffins
..
2 cups organic bran muffin mix
1 whole egg
1 Tbsp. Oil
1 cup juice of your choice (I use orange)
1 6 oz. jar of fruit mix baby food
½ cup pellet dust or ground pellets
..
You can also add handfuls or sprinkles of:
Quinoa, raisins, flax seed, ground Brazil nuts, cinnamon, cardamom,
ginger.
..
Bake at 350 degrees for 25 - 30 minutes. Check for doneness using a knife,
toothpick or wooden skewer. If it comes out clean, the muffins are done.
These muffins will turn out very thick.
..
This recipe was used with permission from Christa Kangas at Bother the
Birds! http://www.freewebs.com/botherthebirds/
<http://www.freewebs.com/botherthebirds/>
..
Ask the Expert - Cloacal Prolapse in Cockatoos
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Answer submitted by: Jeleen Briscoe, VMD, Resident, Special Species
University of Pennsylvania, School of Veterinary Medicine, Matthew J. Ryan
Veterinary Hospital
..
What are the common causes of cloacal prolapse in Cockatoos? Are there
are
any ways to prevent cloacal prolapse?
..
Dr. Jeleen Brisco discusses these two questions in the 'Ask the Expert'
article for this month. Here is a quote from her writing: "It does seem
to
occur in cockatoos which are closely bonded to their owners and have been
displaying ***ual behaviors such as soliciting their owners (or other
birds/animals/objects in the household) and masturbation."
..
If you would like to read the article in its entirety, it can be found at:
http://www.avianhealthnetwork.info/cloacal.htm
<http://www.avianhealthnetwork.info/cloacal.htm>
.
..
In Appreciation!
..
Celebrate Grey's in May was a big success and a big thank you goes out to
everyone who took part and to the Nature Chest Bird Shop
(http://www.naturechest.com/
<http://www.naturechest.com/>
) for making it
possible! Please help us Congratulate Sue Owens, the winner of the
African
Grey table!
..
If you are a vendor and would more information on how you can join the
fight
to StopPDD go to
http://www.stoppdd.org/downloads/brochures/04sponsor.doc.pdf
<http://www.stoppdd.org/downloads/brochures/04sponsor.doc.pdf>
or
contact
us at events@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
<mailto:events@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>
..
Rate the Avian Health Network Newsletter!
Go to http://www.avianhealthnetwork.info/newsletter.htm
<http://www.avianhealthnetwork.info/newsletter.htm>
and scroll down to
the
bottom of the page to take the quick survey.
..
Looking for a way to help? Volunteering just one or two hours a month to
help the StopPDD campaign can be very rewarding. We need people who can
help with website design, ideas for articles, help write the newsletter,
and/or help post the newsletter. All of this is done right from your
computer. If you are interested in volunteering a little time to help,
please contact newsletter@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> .
..
Get Newsletter Delivered to your inbox! Missing our Newsletters, Updates
and Events? Join StopPDD News today to make sure you are kept in the
loop!
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/stoppddnews/
<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/stoppddnews/>
..
"This newsletter is dedicated to Smoochy; lost to PDD in 2003. To read
her
story go here:
http://www.stoppdd.org/problem/pdd_quilt/quilt_pages/Smoochy.htm
<http://www.stoppdd.org/problem/pdd_quilt/quilt_pages/Smoochy.htm>
."
..
The Fine Print ~ The information contained herein is for educational
purposes only, and is not meant to substitute for quality avian veterinary
care. AHN cannot guarantee the accuracy or timeliness of the information
contained herein, nor the information distributed by other groups or
resources referenced in this do***ent. Those with a bird(s) exhibiting
any
symptom of illness should seek the advice of a qualified avian medical
professional immediately.
..
Newsletter articles may be reprinted on the WWW in their entirety,
including
title and byline, as long as a link to www.AvianHealthNetwork.info
<http://www.AvianHealthNetwork.info>
is provided with the statement:
"First
published in Avian Health Network, Inc., Newsletter Volume x Issue y."
=============================================
Hope is the thing with feathers --That perches in the soul --And sings the
tune without the words --And never stops at all ~ Emily Dickinson
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