Treatments
Treatments of very ill confiscated birds needs to be based on laboratory analysis. Samples should be taken prior to treatment, except in critical life-threatening cases. As soon as the samples are collected, interim treatment needs to be started; with the caveat that the plan may be changed as results are collected from the lab work. Confiscated parrots are often infected with multiple pathogens and treatment needs to be rapid, aggressive, and powerful. The route should be SC or IM, accompanied by parenteral fluids and appropriate nutritional support. The birds will be dehydrated, debilitated, thin, stressed and possibly in shock. Supportive care is essential.
Antibiotics (IM or SC) until lab results come in
Amikacin
Ampicillin/sulbactam
Cefotaxime
Ceftazidime
Piperacillin
Piperacillin/Tazobactam
Diagnostics Supplies
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, fecasol or similar fecal flotation kit)
fecal trichrome tubes
70% ethanol for parasite collection
urine sediment stain
India ink
Gram's stain quick kit
quick-stain blood kit
quick-stain Acid-fast 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
sterile swabs for viral transport
red top and green top 1-2cc blood tubes
centrifuges: for hematocrit and vacutainer sizes
inexpensive (reptile-egg) incubator ~$100
Uri-cult or similar urine culture kits