Essentials of Parrot Medicine and Surgery
1st Edition
Will be published approx. on 2. July 2026
Book
Paperback/Softback
304 pages
978-1-119-29011-7 (ISBN)
Description
An accessible guide to parrot medicine for the general veterinary practitioner
Essentials of Parrot Medicine and Surgery is for veterinarians treating parrots in general practice. Designed as a quick reference, the book is applicable to the most commonly kept parrot species and covers essentials including anatomy, nutrition, history-taking, pathology and imaging. A range of surgical options are also presented by anatomical regions and include biopsy and anaesthesia.
Built on these principles, the authors also provide an entire section on differential diagnostics. Logically arranged by presenting signs such as regurgitation, feather disorders, dropped wings, lameness and parasites.
Readers will also find:
Differential diagnostic and problem-based approaches by presenting signs in the parrot
Information relevant to the non-specialist practitioner
Consideration of behavior, training, and behavioral diseases
Appendices including an avian formulary, summary tables of infectious diseases, toxins, and more
Essentials of Parrot Medicine and Surgery is authored by a team with decades of experience in avian and exotic practice and is a must-have for any veterinary practitioner seeking a handy reference. It will also serve as a refresher for educators and specialists in avian veterinary medicine.
Essentials of Parrot Medicine and Surgery is for veterinarians treating parrots in general practice. Designed as a quick reference, the book is applicable to the most commonly kept parrot species and covers essentials including anatomy, nutrition, history-taking, pathology and imaging. A range of surgical options are also presented by anatomical regions and include biopsy and anaesthesia.
Built on these principles, the authors also provide an entire section on differential diagnostics. Logically arranged by presenting signs such as regurgitation, feather disorders, dropped wings, lameness and parasites.
Readers will also find:
Differential diagnostic and problem-based approaches by presenting signs in the parrot
Information relevant to the non-specialist practitioner
Consideration of behavior, training, and behavioral diseases
Appendices including an avian formulary, summary tables of infectious diseases, toxins, and more
Essentials of Parrot Medicine and Surgery is authored by a team with decades of experience in avian and exotic practice and is a must-have for any veterinary practitioner seeking a handy reference. It will also serve as a refresher for educators and specialists in avian veterinary medicine.
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
New York
United States
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Dimensions
Height: 246 mm
Width: 189 mm
Thickness: 15 mm
Weight
726 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-119-29011-7 (9781119290117)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
John Chitty | Aidan Raftery
Essentials of Parrot Medicine and Surgery
E-Book
04/2026
1st Edition
Wiley
€44.99
Available for download
John Chitty | Aidan Raftery
Essentials of Parrot Medicine and Surgery
E-Book
04/2026
1st Edition
Wiley-Scrivener
€44.99
Available for download
Persons
John Chitty BVetMed CertZooMed MRCVS is veterinary surgoen at John Chitty Veterinary Consultant in Salisbury, UK.
Aidan Raftery is Clinical Director of Avians and Exotics at Avian and Exotic Animal Clinic in Manchester, UK.
Aidan Raftery is Clinical Director of Avians and Exotics at Avian and Exotic Animal Clinic in Manchester, UK.
Content
List of Contributors x
Preface xi
Acknowledgements xii
Introduction xiii
1 Parrot Biology 1
1.1 Anatomy and Physiology 1
Mariah Harrington
1.2 Natural History of Parrots 10
Felipe Martinho
2 Diet and Husbandry 18
2.1 An Approach to Nutrition and Nutritional Disease in Pet Parrots 18
Brian Stockdale
2.2 Breeding and Rearing of Pet Parrots 31
John Chitty
2.3 Husbandry of Pet Parrots 34
John Chitty
3 Parrot Behaviour, Training and Behavioural Disease 37
John Chitty
4 Handling 46
Cheryl Ramsbottom
5 Transport 50
Cheryl Ramsbottom
6 Reception Skills 53
Cheryl Ramsbottom Copyrighted Material
7 Clinical Examination and History Taking 55
Aidan Raftery and Cheryl Ramsbottom
8 Therapeutics and Basic Techniques 65
8.1 Oral Dosing and Crop Tubing 65
Natalie Wissinck- Argilaga
8.2 Injection Techniques and Fluid Therapy 68
Lianne Foxall
8.3 Grooming Techniques 71
Natalie Wissinck- Argilaga
8.4 Microchip Placement 79
Natalie Wissinck- Argilaga
8.5 Leg Ring Placement and Removal 81
Natalie Wissinck- Argilaga
8.6 Nasal Flush 84
Aidan Raftery
8.7 Blood Feathers and Imping 86
Aidan Raftery
8.8 Air Sac Cannula/Tube 88
Zacharias Vougioukalos
9 Clinical Pathology and Faecal Examination 91
9.1 Clinical Pathology of Parrots 91
John Chitty
9.2 Parasitology 104
John Chitty
10 Euthanasia 107
John Chitty and Aidan Raftery
11 Post- mortem Examination 109
Charlotte li
12 Imaging 115
12.1 Radiography 115
Cristian Segura- Cortijos
12.2 Ultrasonography 122
Elisa Gonzalez
12.3 Advanced Imaging 125
John Chitty
13 Endoscopy 130
Aidan Raftery
14 Anaesthesia and Analgesia 135
14.1 General Anaesthesia 135
Aidan Raftery
14.2 Parrot Analgesia 141
John Chitty
15 Surgery 144
15.1 Principles of Avian Surgery 144
Aidan Raftery
15.2 Peri- operative Care 146
Aidan Raftery and Amy Shawcross
15.3 Surgery of the Skin 150
Aidan Raftery
15.4 Surgery of the Respiratory Tract 152
15.4.1 Rhinoliths 152
Zacharias Vougioukalos
15.4.2 Surgery of Infraorbital Sinuses 154
Zacharias Vougioukalos
15.4.3 Tracheal - Syringeal Obstruction 157
Zacharias Vougioukalos
15.5.1 Caudal Coeliotomy 162
Zacharias Vougioukalos
15.5.2 Coelomic (Abdominal) Hernias - Pseudohernias 170
Zacharias Vougioukalos
15.6 Gastrointestinal Surgery 173
Aidan Raftery
15.7 Reproductive Surgery 176
15.7.1 Female Reproductive Tract Surgery 176
Zacharias Vougioukalos
15.7.2 Male Reproductive Tract Surgery 181
Zacharias Vougioukalos
15.8 Cloacal Surgery 184
Rebecca Hindley
15.9 Fracture Repair Principals 188
Aidan Raftery
15.10 Biopsy Techniques 190
John Chitty
16 Hospitalisation and Nursing Care 192
Amy Shawcross
17 Problem- Based Approaches 195
17.1 The Fluffed Bird 195
John Chitty
17.2 The Thin Bird 198
John Chitty
17.3 Vomiting and Regurgitation 201
Cristian Segura- Cortijos
17.4 Loose or Abnormal Droppings 204
Lourdes Lavilla- Atienza
17.5 Seizures 208
Federica Fogli
17.6 Collapse 210
Federica Fogli
17.7 Coelomic Distension 212
John Chitty
17.8 Chronic Egg Laying and Egg Retention/Dystocia 215
Federica Fogli
17.9 Prolapse 218
Federica Fogli
17.10 Feather and Skin Disorders 221
John Chitty
17.11 Lumps 229
John Chitty
17.12 Lameness 232
John Chitty
17.13 Dropped Wings 236
John Chitty
17.14 Respiratory Changes Including Change in Voice 239
Lianne Foxall
17.15 Upper Respiratory Tract Disease and Nasal Discharge 244
Lianne Foxall
17.16 Eye Diseases 246
Lourdes Lavilla- Atienza
17.17 Parasites 252
John Chitty
Appendix A: Formulary of Commonly Used Drugs 257
John Chitty
Appendix B: Important Infectious Diseases of Parrots 263
John Chitty
Appendix C: Important Toxicoses in Pet Parrots 269
Federica Fogli
Appendix D: Typical Weights of Normal Parrots 273
John Chitty
Index 275
Preface xi
Acknowledgements xii
Introduction xiii
1 Parrot Biology 1
1.1 Anatomy and Physiology 1
Mariah Harrington
1.2 Natural History of Parrots 10
Felipe Martinho
2 Diet and Husbandry 18
2.1 An Approach to Nutrition and Nutritional Disease in Pet Parrots 18
Brian Stockdale
2.2 Breeding and Rearing of Pet Parrots 31
John Chitty
2.3 Husbandry of Pet Parrots 34
John Chitty
3 Parrot Behaviour, Training and Behavioural Disease 37
John Chitty
4 Handling 46
Cheryl Ramsbottom
5 Transport 50
Cheryl Ramsbottom
6 Reception Skills 53
Cheryl Ramsbottom Copyrighted Material
7 Clinical Examination and History Taking 55
Aidan Raftery and Cheryl Ramsbottom
8 Therapeutics and Basic Techniques 65
8.1 Oral Dosing and Crop Tubing 65
Natalie Wissinck- Argilaga
8.2 Injection Techniques and Fluid Therapy 68
Lianne Foxall
8.3 Grooming Techniques 71
Natalie Wissinck- Argilaga
8.4 Microchip Placement 79
Natalie Wissinck- Argilaga
8.5 Leg Ring Placement and Removal 81
Natalie Wissinck- Argilaga
8.6 Nasal Flush 84
Aidan Raftery
8.7 Blood Feathers and Imping 86
Aidan Raftery
8.8 Air Sac Cannula/Tube 88
Zacharias Vougioukalos
9 Clinical Pathology and Faecal Examination 91
9.1 Clinical Pathology of Parrots 91
John Chitty
9.2 Parasitology 104
John Chitty
10 Euthanasia 107
John Chitty and Aidan Raftery
11 Post- mortem Examination 109
Charlotte li
12 Imaging 115
12.1 Radiography 115
Cristian Segura- Cortijos
12.2 Ultrasonography 122
Elisa Gonzalez
12.3 Advanced Imaging 125
John Chitty
13 Endoscopy 130
Aidan Raftery
14 Anaesthesia and Analgesia 135
14.1 General Anaesthesia 135
Aidan Raftery
14.2 Parrot Analgesia 141
John Chitty
15 Surgery 144
15.1 Principles of Avian Surgery 144
Aidan Raftery
15.2 Peri- operative Care 146
Aidan Raftery and Amy Shawcross
15.3 Surgery of the Skin 150
Aidan Raftery
15.4 Surgery of the Respiratory Tract 152
15.4.1 Rhinoliths 152
Zacharias Vougioukalos
15.4.2 Surgery of Infraorbital Sinuses 154
Zacharias Vougioukalos
15.4.3 Tracheal - Syringeal Obstruction 157
Zacharias Vougioukalos
15.5.1 Caudal Coeliotomy 162
Zacharias Vougioukalos
15.5.2 Coelomic (Abdominal) Hernias - Pseudohernias 170
Zacharias Vougioukalos
15.6 Gastrointestinal Surgery 173
Aidan Raftery
15.7 Reproductive Surgery 176
15.7.1 Female Reproductive Tract Surgery 176
Zacharias Vougioukalos
15.7.2 Male Reproductive Tract Surgery 181
Zacharias Vougioukalos
15.8 Cloacal Surgery 184
Rebecca Hindley
15.9 Fracture Repair Principals 188
Aidan Raftery
15.10 Biopsy Techniques 190
John Chitty
16 Hospitalisation and Nursing Care 192
Amy Shawcross
17 Problem- Based Approaches 195
17.1 The Fluffed Bird 195
John Chitty
17.2 The Thin Bird 198
John Chitty
17.3 Vomiting and Regurgitation 201
Cristian Segura- Cortijos
17.4 Loose or Abnormal Droppings 204
Lourdes Lavilla- Atienza
17.5 Seizures 208
Federica Fogli
17.6 Collapse 210
Federica Fogli
17.7 Coelomic Distension 212
John Chitty
17.8 Chronic Egg Laying and Egg Retention/Dystocia 215
Federica Fogli
17.9 Prolapse 218
Federica Fogli
17.10 Feather and Skin Disorders 221
John Chitty
17.11 Lumps 229
John Chitty
17.12 Lameness 232
John Chitty
17.13 Dropped Wings 236
John Chitty
17.14 Respiratory Changes Including Change in Voice 239
Lianne Foxall
17.15 Upper Respiratory Tract Disease and Nasal Discharge 244
Lianne Foxall
17.16 Eye Diseases 246
Lourdes Lavilla- Atienza
17.17 Parasites 252
John Chitty
Appendix A: Formulary of Commonly Used Drugs 257
John Chitty
Appendix B: Important Infectious Diseases of Parrots 263
John Chitty
Appendix C: Important Toxicoses in Pet Parrots 269
Federica Fogli
Appendix D: Typical Weights of Normal Parrots 273
John Chitty
Index 275