ABSTRACT
It is usually far better to have a tentative diagnosis in a live patient than a confirmed diagnosis in a dead one: When the masking phenomenon (hiding signs of illness until the bird is decompensating) is combined with an owner’s approach of ‘waiting a few days to see if he gets better’, the result is often a patient that is presented badly dehydrated, in hypothermic shock and in a catabolic state due to anorexia. Occasionally, some birds will present with severe respiratory compromise, either acute or chronic in onset. In some cases, especially trauma, the patient may be in pain or have experienced significant blood loss. The clinician must recognise the clinical signs of these conditions and deal with them aggressively, often prior to making any diagnostic attempts. Oxygen therapy supplied either through a face mask or in an oxygen chamber can help patients with respiratory compromise.
