Veterinary Resources

Hospital Basics

All surfaces should be non-cluttered and easy to clean and disinfect

  • exam table: any non-permeable, easily cleaned and disinfected surface will work,stainless is great, but expensive.

  • impermeable, easy to clean and disinfect flooring (sealed concrete, no-seams vinyl, etc)

  • gram scale(s)

  • the usual veterinary supplies and equipment

  • PPE

  • incubators/ICU

  • separate laboratory area, microscope, centrifuge(s), kits, machines, supplies

  • anesthesia equipment, O2 supply

autoclave or other sterilizing equipment

  • imaging room/equipment/machines

  • compliant controlled drug storage

  • separate surgical room

  • refrigerator/freezer

  • utility sink—stainless is best—hot and cold water

  • kettle

  • microwave

  • soft bath-, hand- and washcloth sized towels

  • disposable, stainless or lexan food and water bowls

  • inexpensive shelving

  • storage boxes: pest-proof and waterproof. Dehumidifying packs for sensitive items.

  • record-keeping (paper or digital) system

  • safe pest management and pest-proof storage

Separate Rooms

  • exam room/treatment area

  • hospital isolation

  • surgical

  • neonate/healthy orphans

  • laundry/dishes

  • clean food prep area

Cleaning and disinfecting

  • paper towels

  • mops with disposable heads/cover designated per room

  • plastic or nylon brooms that can be disinfected designated per room

  • non-dye-non-perfume dish detergent

  • non-dye-non-perfume laundry detergent

  • betadine scrub and solution

  • Synphenol3 or similar disinfectant—floor, tabletop, enclosures/incubators

  • hydrogen peroxide disinfectant—laundry, floors, tabletop, cages/incubators, flights

  • spray bottles

  • cold sterile solution for surgical and feeding and anesthesia (I use Benz-all)

  • isopropyl alcohol

  • nitrile exam gloves to be changed between cages/kennels/incubators and cleaning chores

  • booties, aprons, scrubs or smocks, other PPE

  • eye and ear protection

Nutritional Support

  • feeding tubes

  • “gummabone” dog toys for specula (or gauze loops) for adults

  • commercial feeding formula

  • pellets

  • fresh foods

  • local food items from the environment

  • enrichment food items

  • bandaging/wound/splint/fracture/beak injury

  • variable speed dremel tool with cone tips and assorted other tips

  • dental acrylic kit

  • vetwrap 1&2 inch sizes

  • non-woven gauze pads

  • tegaderm-type dressings

  • hydrogel-type dressings

paper tape

  • masking tape

  • tongue depressors

  • cotton-tips

  • cotton balls

  • thermoplastic splint material

Surgical

For wild urban psittacines, euthanasia should be a first option for critical injuries and potential surgical patients, so it is rare that a full-on sterile surgical procedure is needed.

  • designated table for surgical use only

  • sufficient lighting

  • avian-sized and avian-appropriate surgical instruments

  • pin set with tools —in most cases, most injuries grave enough to require surgical repair would preclude release (therefore euthanasia)

  • cold sterilization tray

  • surgical towels

  • surgical gloves, booties,masks, bonnets, gowns (all disposable)

  • drapes

  • synthetic sutures (nylon, prolene, vicryl, etc. 3-0, 4-0)

  • tiny infant staples

  • tissue glue

Anesthesia

  • infant and pediatric stethocopes

  • oxygen

  • anesthesia machine

  • anesthesia chamber: can be used as an oxygen treatment chamber

  • isofluourane works best in birds

  • monitoring equipment

  • masks/avian-specific IT tubes

ICU/Support

  • incubators (Can be set up with oxygen and heat, complex ICU incubators not necessary): at least 2

  • https://brinsea.co.uk/small-animal-care/tlc-intensive-care-incubators/

  • http://www.brinsea.com/c-91-tlc-broodersintensive-care-units.aspx

  • https://www.rcom-company.com/browse.htm

  • plastic “critter carrier” boxes

  • towels

  • heating pads

  • https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M5E7PCA/ref=asc_df_B01M5E7PCA5234822/?tag=hyprod-20&creative=395033&creativeASIN=B01M5E7PCA&linkCode=df0&hvadid=198101685250&hvpos=1o4&hvnetw=g&hvrand=2045119459174330443&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9030244&hvtargid=pla-350416069439

  • http://www.bigappleherp.com/Flex-Watt-Heat-Tape?sc=2&category=14

  • hardware lamps with 40 watt incandescent bulbs

  • cat/small dog kennels that are easy to clean and disinfect

  • perches are not necessary in most cases

  • pvc perches covered with vetwrap (where needed)

Diagnostics

  • microscope (can find refurbished ones ~$200) and smart-phone adaptor mount for photos

  • slides and coverslips

  • slide holders/shipping

  • red-top large hematocrit tubes

hematocrit centrifuge (can find refurbished)

  • hematocrit clay

  • fecal float (fecalizers)

  • 70% ethanol for parasite collection

  • sedi-stain

  • fecasol or similar fecal flotation

  • gram stain quick kit

  • quick-stain kit

  • assorted squirt bottles, yorkers, formalin jars

  • DTM tubes for fungal and yeast culture

  • microtip and regular non-gel bacterial culture swabs aerobic and anaerobic

  • red top and green top 1-2cc blood tubes

  • centrifuges: for hematocrit and vacutainer sizes

  • imaging

Basic Medical supplies

  • thermometer

  • otoscope or penlight

  • 1cc, 3cc (slip, luer lock), 5cc,10cc, 20 cc, 60cc (slip, luer lock, catheter tip) syringes

  • insulin syringes u100 .5 and .3 cc, 28-29 g

  • 18g, 20g, 22g, 25 g needles

  • 18g, 20g, 22g, 25 g butterfly catheters

  • IV tubing

  • 2.5%dextrose/.45% NaCl

  • 50% dextrose

  • sterile water for injection

  • sterile saline

  • irrigation saline

  • bandaging, fracture, wound care

  • disinfectants and cold sterile

  • instruments

  • protective clothing

Pharmaceuticals: basic list

  • amikacin

  • butorphanol

  • calcium glubionate

  • calcium gluconate 10%

  • calcium EDTA 35mg/ml

  • cefotaxime

  • ceftazidime

  • ceftiofur crystalline free acid (Excede)

  • Cimetidine

  • ciproloxacin

  • diazepam

  • diphenhyramine

  • doxycycline

  • epinephrine

  • fenbendazole

  • fluconazole

  • flumazenil

  • Itraconazole

  • Ivermectin 1%

  • meloxicam

  • midazolam

  • metronidazole

  • metoclopramide

  • pipericillin/tazobactam

  • pyrantel

  • sucralfate

  • vancomycin

Topicals

  • artificial tears

  • ciprofloxacin ophthalmic drops

  • betadine scrub

  • chlorhexidine scrub

  • clortrimazole cream

  • diphenhydramine cream

  • silver sulfadiazine cream

Fluids

  • .045% NaCL/2.5% dextrose

  • .9% NaCl

  • 50% dextrose

  • sterile water

  • sterile irrigation saline

  • DIAGNOSTICS AND SCREENING

Field testing kits

https://feraah.com/small-animal/

https://www.ssidiagnostica.com/flexicult-vet-urinary-test/

https://www.uricultvetusa.com/

Viral infections of Concern: screening screening at intake and prior to release

  • Avian Influenza

  • Newcastle’s Disease Virus (Avian Paramyxovirus PMV-1)

  • Psittacine Beak and Feather Disease (Psittacine Circovirus)

  • Avian Borna Viruses

  • Polyoma Virus(es)

  • Pacheco’s Disease (Psittacine Herpesvirus)

  • Psittacine Poxvirus

  • West Nile Virus

  • Encephalitis-related viruses

  • Other Vector-borne viral pathogens

  • Emerging diseases and local viruses of concern

Bacterial Infections of Concern: screening at intake and prior to release

  • Chlamydiosis

  • E.coli, Salmonella spp., other enteric and sewage-related infections

  • Pasteurella spp.

  • Mycoplasma spp.

  • Mycobacterium spp.

  • Borrelia and other spiral bacteria

  • Rickettsia spp.

  • community acquired staph/strep/clostridial

Fungal: screening at intake and prior to release

  • Aspergillosis

  • Histoplasmosis

  • Blastomycosis

  • Cryptococcus

  • Candidiasis

  • Macrorhabdus

  • Dermatophytes

Parasitic: screening at intake and prior to release

external

  • mites: feather mites, poultry mites, chigger mites, others

  • ticks: hard (ixodid) and soft (argassid)

  • lice: chewing

  • blow flies/bots:

  • hypoboscids

  • fleas

  • nest parasites: mites, ticks, hypoboscids,

internal

  • helminths

  • tapeworms

  • other worms

  • hemo/vectors

  • toxoplasma, coccidia, hexamita/giardia/various protozoans

  • vector-borne

Recommended for routine intake

  • PCV, TP, visual of serum

  • CBC

  • Chemistries (as complete as possible but at minimum Uric Acid, SGOT, Glucose)

  • Special testing as appropriate to locale

  • Pathogen screening (minimum) PCR

    • Chlamydia psittaci

    • PFBD

    • Polyoma

  • Pathogen screening (ideal) PCR

    • PFBD

    • Chlamydia psittaci

    • Polyoma

    • Pacheco’s Disease

    • Toxoplasma gondii

    • Mycobacterium

    • Mycoplasma

    • Borrelia

    • WNV

  • Protozoan screen

  • Local specialties

  • Gender DNA

  • Fecal analysis

    • with direct swab in saline

    • stained with sedi-stain

    • fecal floatation

  • Collection of external parasites

  • Microbiology

    • Choanal swab and cloacal/fecal swab for aerobic bacterial culture and antibiotic sensitivity

    • Choanal swab and cloacal/fecal swab for anaerobic bacterial culture and antibiotic sensitivity

  • Microchip, banding, marking

  • Biometric measurements

  • Feather collection for isotopes

  • Genetic samples as required by researchers/collaborators

Recommendations for potential zoonosis

All the above plus authorities’ or agencies’ suggestions as per outbreak

Examples: Newcastle’s Disease and Avian Influenza

Recommendations for pre-release

  • PCV, TP, visual of serum

  • CBC

  • Chemistries (as complete as possible but at minimum Uric Acid, SGOT, Glucose)

  • Special testing as appropriate to locale

  • Pathogen screening (minimum) PCR

    • Chlamydia psittaci

    • PFBD

    • Fecal analysis with direct swab in saline, stained with sedi-stain and float

Recommendations for Confiscated or ex-pet

  • PCV, TP, visual of serum

  • CBC

  • Chemistries (as complete as possible but at minimum Uric Acid, SGOT, Glucose)

  • Special testing as appropriate to locale

  • Pathogen screening (minimum) PCR

    • Chlamydia psittaci

    • PFBD

    • Polyoma virus

    • Pathogen screening (ideal) PCR

    • Chlamydia psittaci

    • PFBD

    • Polyoma

    • Pacheco’s

    • Toxoplasma Gondii

    • Mycoplasma

    • Borrelia

    • Aspergillosis

  • Protozoan screen

  • Local specialties

  • Gender DNA

  • Fecal analysis with direct swab in saline, stained with sedi-stain and float

  • Collection of external parasites

  • Choanal swab and cloacal/fecal/lesions swab for aerobic bacterial culture and antibiotic sensitivity

  • Choanal swab and cloacal/fecal/lesions swab for anaerobic bacterial culture and antibiotic sensitivity

  • DTM of skin lesions/plumage

  • UV scan

  • Thermal Imaging

  • Microchip

  • Biometric measurements

  • Feather collection for isotopes

  • Genetic samples as required by researchers/collaborator