Emergency management of acute illness and trauma in avian patients

摘要

Live birds are generally presented to an avian practice in one of three conditions: healthy (or apparently so), injured, or ill. Injured patients often must be stabilized through supportive care before the injury can be tended to. The sick patient requires an approach that addresses his immediate medical needs, and at the same time investigates the nature of his illness. Therein lies the greatest challenge in avian medicine. In non-emergency situations, laboratory and ancillary diagnostics are essential for establishing a diagnosis and determining appropriate treatment. Unfortunately, the delicate condition of a critically ill bird may prohibit the employment of usual diagnostic protocols. Often, the stress of sample collection or the time needed to process the samples is more than the patient can endure. Managing the case becomes a matter of careful, precise, and efficient utilization of therapeutic and diagnostic options in order to simultaneously stabilize the patient and diagnose the disorder. Successful management depends on an accurate assessment of the severity of the patient's condition and the degree to which it will tolerate handling.