ABSTRACT
To examine and treat a bird, it is necessary to handle the patient. When handling an avian patient, it is important to immobilize the bird (to avoid damage to both the patient and staff), but minimize stress and avoid restricting respiration by putting as little pressure on the bird's body as possible. Check for injuries, overgrowth, deformities, asymmetry, abnormal patterns of wear, dark spots and softness of keratin. Muscle development, and thereby the prominence of the keel bone (Carina), gives an indication of the nutritional status of the avian patient. Birds with low Body Condition Score (BCS) are more likely to suffer from chronic diseases than birds with high BCS. Of course, comorbidity can exist, so a low BCS doesn't rule out an acute problem. The heart is auscultated at the thoracic inlet and at both sides of the ventral thorax over the pectoral muscles. In healthy birds, the only firm organ that can be palpated is the ventriculus.
