Product Description

A routine surgical procedure performed by avian veterinarians is laparoscopy in order to determine the sex of an individual bird. Here, the veterinarian is inserting the laparoscope trocar into a Blue-fronted Amazon. —M. Vogel

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #317104 in Books
• Published on: 1991-08
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 320 pages

From Library Journal
The minimal care and attention required by pet birds has resulted in a great increase in their popularity. As a result, the advice Doane dispenses in this volume will apply to all pet birds as well as parrots. In addition to describing how to choose a competent avian veterinarian, Doane discusses the parrot's potential health problems with recommended treatments and/or surgery so that the owner may be an "informed partner" with the veterinarian in the care of the pet. He also covers coping with the loss of a bird. Because this book is easy for the layperson to read and is the most complete in the field, it should become very popular in general libraries and, with its extensive bibliography, will be useful in scientific libraries.
- A. Louis Shor, D.V.M., Veterinary Consultant, Mt. Laurel, N.J.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Inside Flap Copy
Dramatic advances have developed in avian medicine and are changing how we care for exotic birds, particularly the parrot species. Veterinarians are now better able to care for our birds because they have access to technologies that were unheard of until recently. Modern avian veterinarians have a formidable array of diagnostic tools and therapeutic techniques at their command. Advances in antibiotics, radiology, and microsurgery are three of the weapons they can use to improve the health of all captive birds. As natural habitats shrink, the endangered-species list grows. We may see a time when so much of the natural world is obliterated that captive stocks may be our only link to living natural history. As it becomes more essential to care for the birds we have and to encourage captive breeding, we can be happy that interest in avian medicine is growing and that today's parrots are now better looked after than were their counterparts in years past. But all the advances in avian medicine mean nothing if owners of pet birds neither recognize the signs of illness nor seek out a veterinarian when needed. The Parrot in Health and Illness helps owners to recognize the nature of a bird's illnesses and learn how they affect the bird's ability to function and what can be done to bring the bird back to good health. The Parrot in Health and Illness is not intended to replace the veterinarian; it is, however, a valuable reference that belongs in the library of everyone who owns a parrot.

About the Author
Bonnie Munro Doane, a veteran aviculturist, has had extensive experience in working with the parrot species and with a wide variety of people and organizations, including avian veterinarians. She is, as a result, familiar with the particular health needs of the parrot species. The measure of Doane's profile in avicultural circles is her having gained approval from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to breed Vinaceous and Cuban Amazons and Queen of Bavaria Conures—all endangered species.

Customer Reviews

Parrot book
Although a useful book on parrot illnesses, it was a great shame and disappointment that the book was all in black and white. there were no colour pictures or photographs. once again a real disappointment!

Great book
Everyone with a parrot should have this book.

Someday I want to get a hardcore book on avian medicine.
Until then, this book is great, and at an accessible price.
A really good job. My only criticism might be the figures
which seem to be in a world unto themselves, and not in close
synch with the text in the books. Not that they aren't
interesting or informative, they just aren't integrated
with the rest of the book.

My real objection is the leadin from Amazon.com saying that

birds are popular because they need so little care. What
nonsense, and pity the birds kept by people who believe it!

"A Valuable Guide to Avian Medicine"
There have been so many advances in avian medicine over the years that it's hard to keep up. This book is a valuable guide for all parrot lovers, and owners, who want to know the latest in avian medicine. In these eight chapters Doane covers in great detail everything you need to know to better take care of your companion parrot. There are chapters on picking an Avian Veterinarian, knowing the signs of a Well Bird and a Sick Bird, using proper first aid in the event of accidents, disease problems, avian surgery and there's even a chapter on dealing with the loss when a bird dies.

This is the first in a series of books authored by Bonnie Doane, and it is excellent. It is a must that you have this in your personal library. There is also an excellent glossary included, and appendix on medications. Be sure to check out her other books, "My Parrot, My Friend", and "The Pleasure of Their Company." Highly Recommended!!!