Going to the vet

Sometimes you have to take your cockatoo to a veterinarian, either as an emergency or for a less urgent medical problem. Make sure to do your research on which vet you want to take your cockatoo to. Not every vet is a good choice! The best vet for dogs and cats could do a terrible job when working with birds, for example. Choose a vet that has experience with parrots or cockatoos.

Do you have good experience with a vet and your cockatoo? Please send me his contact information. On this page I will collect a list of cockatoo-specialized veterinarians. My e-mail address is info@kaketoe-info.nl

Checklist for going to the vet

Are you taking your cockatoo to a vet? Make sure you have everything you need with you:

  • Copy of the CITES papers if your cockatoo falls under CITES law
  • Notebook for making notes
  • A toy or snacks to distract your cockatoo
  • Sturdy travel cage

Preventative care

If you buy a cockatoo, you should make sure it is not sick. Even if it looks healthy, it can carry diseases with it that could make it become sick later on. It could also infect other birds and even people. There are tests that can be done on blood and tests than can be done on the poop of your cockatoo.

You can have the blood of your cockatoo checked for DNA of common bird viruses. This is a sure way to know if your cockatoo carries a disease. You can have the blood checked for PBFD, Polyoma and psittacosis. Have your vet inform you about possible other diseases they can check for.

You can have the poop of your cockatoo checked for parasites. For example for Giardia and the eggs of intestinal worms. You do not need to bring your cockatoo to the vet, saving it a lot of stress. Just collect a fresh sample of your birds poop and bring it to the vet. Always consult your vet first about which tests they can do and when its the best time to bring it.