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Cockatiel Car Motion Sickness

 
Expert Question

Hello, My question is, I have a 19 year old cockatiel. He is very tame and I sometimes take him with me in the car. Today when I had him in the car he looked a bit unsteady and then started to vomit. He seems to be O.K. now I have him home , but this never happened before. What do you think would have caused him to vomit, as he was fine before I took him out, should I take him to the vet? 




Expert Answer

Car motion sickness can cause regurgitation in parrots. However, your bird is 19 years of age, and I would most definitely recommend a proper physical examination and diagnostic foundational workup if this is not current at present time.


Brian Speer, DVM
About Brian Speer, DVM

Avian veterinarian Dr. Brian Speer was raised in a small town on California’s coast. He received his BS in Biology from California Polytechnic State University in 1978, and his DVM degree from the University of California at Davis in 1983.

An active member of the Association of Avian Veterinarians (AAV), Dr. Speer is a much sought after guest speaker and has presented at numerous conferences in the avicultural and zoological communities both within the United States and abroad. He is well published in the AAV annual proceedings, has served as guest editor for the journal Seminars in Avian and Exotic Pet Medicine, the Veterinary Clinics of North America, and authored chapters in several recent veterinary medical texts on pet bird, avicultural and ratite medical topics. In 1995 he co-authored the extensive avicultural reference, The Large Macaws, and helped to co-author Birds for Dummies in 1999.

Since 1989, Dr, Speer has run a “bird’s only” practice in the San Francisco Bay area and is the President and Director of The Medical Center for Birds. He is a consultant for The Veterinary Information Network (Avian Medical Boards) and the Maui Animal Rescue and Sanctuary. In 2003 he was the recipient of the Lafeber award for excellence in private practice of avian medicine and surgery and in 2006, was named Speaker of the Year for the North American Veterinary Conference.