AS A BIRD OWNER, you shoulder many responsibilities. One very important one is taking your bird to the veterinarian. There are lots of factors to weigh when choosing a veterinarian. And even after you've settled on someone, taking your bird in for an appointment can be a stressful experience. There are things the veterinarian does that you probably wonder about. Is that the best way to take blood, for instance? Should your bird be anesthetized? Should you insist on being present during procedures?

Dr. Ken Welle speaks often on good veterinary practices and bird care, sometimes accompanied by his umbrella cockatoo Pooh.

How your veterinarian decides to treat your bird depends not only on the situation, of course, but his or her own work habits, so in many instances there is no strictly wrong or right answer. However, the better you educate yourself about what to expect, the less anxious you'll feel and the better decisions you'll be able to help make for your bird. Here are a few tips.

Choose a veterinarian before you need one
You should retain a good veterinarian well before you need one, ideally before your bird comes home. Waiting until a bird is sick allows little time to think through choice of doctor.

In some areas, especially rural parts of the country, there may be no veterinarians with avian experience. If this is your situation, it might be wise to contact a few local small-animal veterinarians and ask if any would be willing to provide emergency care for your bird. Then you can try to find an experienced veterinarian with whom your local vet can consult. Try to find an expert as close as possible. That way, if your bird has to be referred, you won't have to travel as far.

What makes a good veterinarian for your bird? The same things that make a good veterinarian for your dog or cat: knowledge about the species, compassion, and a willingness to work with you.

But if I had to pick one trait above all others, it would be knowledge. Veterinarians who know a lot about birds obviously are better able to treat their medical problems. They don't waste time on unnecessary tests. They're better able to advise you on behavior questions.

Knowledge also translates into confidence, and more confidence means less anxiety, for everyone. Stress can predispose birds to illness, and a visit to the veterinarian can be one of the most traumatic events of a bird's life. In birds already ill, stress can make a critical difference. Add to this the fact that many birds present loud, vigorously struggling challenges that can be, to put it mildly, unpleasant for the veterinarian, and it's especially important to find someone who is self-assured. Not all the unpleasantness can be eliminated, of course. But when birds are outside a veterinarian's comfort zone, he may dread your visit.

Finding a good bird veterinarian
It can be tough for bird owners to assess just how knowledgeable a veterinarian is. There are obvious signs during an exam, of course, such as how smoothly the veterinarian handles your bird and whether he can identify the species on sight. But ideally, you want to find out a few things about the veterinarian before making an appointment.

One way to assess expertise is to pay attention to credentials and titles. Let's start with the term "avian veterinarian." People often tell you to find a good avian veterinarian, but what exactly does this mean? Any licensed veterinarian who professionally works with birds to any degree can call him or herself an avian veterinarian. An avian veterinarian may see a bird every 15 minutes - or one bird a year.

Some veterinarians may refer to themselves as an "avian specialist" or use the description "practice limited to birds." These mean that the veterinarian treats only birds. If they follow the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) guidelines for the ethical use of the term, avian specialists are certified by the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners (ABVP) as having completed a rigorous application and examination process. You'll often see the title "Dipl ABVP (Avian)" after the names of these veterinarians.

Certification indicates a veterinarian has gone the extra mile in formal education. However, that doesn't mean other veterinarians who are not formally certified don't have just as much or even more experience. They may have gained it in their practice, through continuing education, from other knowledgeable avian veterinarians, or all three.

In any event, it is not unreasonable to ask a veterinarian you are considering what continuing education specifically geared for birds she has attended in the past year or two. Most veterinarians are very upfront about their abilities. At the very minimum, the veterinarian should be a member of the Association of Avian Veterinarians (AAV). The AAV supplies the highest-quality avian continuing education available.

Beware veterinarians who say they don't know much about birds but are willing to do wing and nail trims. Botched grooming can cause serious problems for a bird.

In the office
You've made the first appointment with your new avian veterinarian, and it's time to get acquainted. You'll see the office and meet the staff, and your bird will get its first exam. What are some of the things you should be looking for?

A passion for what they do is already a given for most avian veterinarians. Why? In the early 1990s, many small-animal veterinarians began to see avian medicine as an untapped market and entered the field. However, many found that avian practice was too labor-intensive to be an easy profit center and dropped out. Those who remained stayed because they were mesmerized by the charm of pet birds.

Beyond a love of birds, you should look for a smoothly run office and a willingness to take your needs into consideration.

Let's start with making the appointment. By the time you notice your bird is ill, the condition can be serious, so you'll probably want to make a same-day appointment. Mindful of this need, a good avian veterinarian will always leave a few empty slots open for emergencies.

Once at the veterinarian's office, you shouldn't have to wait long to see the doctor. A crowded waiting room is not a good place for a sick or even merely nervous bird. Long waits, especially when dogs or cats are present, can greatly increase the stress level.

A waiting room just for birds would be ideal, but since most veterinarians also see other animals and can't afford three areas - for birds, dogs and cats - the best you can hope for is that each doctor will have access to at least two exam rooms. That way you can go straight to an empty room to wait while the doctor finishes up with a patient in the other.

While you wait, the staff should be interviewing you for your bird's history or having you fill out a form. The veterinarian should review this information before he meets with you and your bird. This can save time in making a diagnosis and eliminate a lot of stressful handling.

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