Pets

What is the most rewarding part of your current work?

Rewarding Work: Saving Animals and Educating Veterinarians

What is the most rewarding part of my current work? It's, I mean, obviously working with animals. That's what I've wanted to do my entire life and maintaining the human animal bond for people. But I also really love educating other veterinarians, especially our general practitioners and students. So I love having students from veterinary schools come and shout out during their senior year rotations. And tomorrow I'm leaving for Nashville to speak to a group of veterinarians at the Music City VMA meeting. So that'll be cool. The following weekend I'll be in Vegas at the Western States Veterinary Conference speaking to a bunch of vets as well. So, yeah, I love to travel, so that's pretty fun. But I love getting the message out about veterinary behavior and behavior medicine.

The most rewarding part of my current work is working with animals and educating other veterinarians. I also enjoy travelling to conferences and speaking about Veterinary behavior and Behavior Medicine.

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The most rewarding part of my current work is working with animals and maintaining the human-animal bond. It has been my lifelong passion. Additionally, I find great joy in educating other veterinarians, particularly general practitioners and students. Having veterinary students join me during their senior year rotations is a highlight for me. I also have the opportunity to speak at various events, such as the Music City VMA meeting in Nashville and the Western States Veterinary Conference in Vegas. I enjoy traveling, so these speaking engagements are particularly exciting for me. It brings me immense satisfaction to spread awareness about veterinary behavior and behavior medicine.

To Clip or Not to Clip: Bird Wings for Safety

The question is, should I clip my pet birds wings and that's going to depend on the bird that you have, as well as the household that you live in. So, with Pavlov here, we do not clip his wings so that way he can escape because we have cats and dogs in the same household as he is. And so I want him to be able to fly back to his cage, whenever he should feel the need for safety. But some birds, especially those that you might take outside, you're going to want to clip those wings, so they can Can't fly away. Sometimes will do just a partial clip where you clip either One Wing or partial feathers of both wings but you definitely need to discuss this with your veterinarian, the pros, and the cons of, having a bird with clipped wings. But like I said, for Pabbie safety in our house, we definitely keep his wings nice and long so that he can fly.

Whether to clip your pet bird's wings depends on the bird and the household it lives in. In this particular case, Pabbie has his wings kept long so he can escape if needed, but for birds that are taken outside, a partial wing or feather clipping may be necessary. Consult with a veterinarian to discuss the pros and cons of clipping wings.

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Whether or not to clip your pet bird's wings depends on the specific bird and your household situation. In the case of Pavlov, we choose not to clip his wings because we have cats and dogs in the same household. We want him to have the ability to fly back to his cage for safety. However, for birds that may be taken outside, clipping their wings can prevent them from flying away. Some owners opt for a partial clip, where either one wing or partial feathers of both wings are clipped. It's important to discuss this decision with your veterinarian to understand the pros and cons of having a bird with clipped wings. In our case, we prioritize Pavlov's safety by allowing his wings to remain unclipped so he can fly.

How can I prevent or minimize pain in my pet, and what are some natural or alternative pain management options?

Prevent pet pain: Natural alternatives & tips to manage.

How can you prevent or minimize pain in your pet and what are some of the natural or alternative pain medication options? So the biggest thing with pain in a pet is to make sure that they're not obese. So keeping them on a nice lean body condition score is really ideal. So that's first and foremost and then making sure that you don't over or under exercise them because either way can actually be really bad. So if they do get pain, there are a lot of natural and alternative options to include acupuncture, laser therapy, electromagnetic field, you know, devices that actually can help with pain. But there's also supplements like glucosamine and chondroitin, collagen, some of the other ones that we use are fish oil, green-lipped muscle. So there's a lot of natural type stuff out there and actually CBD can help. So this is one area where I do recommend CBD and that is as an adjunct for pain control. So yeah, just make sure that you keep them in a nice lean body condition, lots of good controlled exercise, nothing too much, nothing too little. And if they do get pain, talk to your veterinarian about some options.

The best way to prevent and minimize pain in pets is to keep them at a lean body condition score and provide a regular exercise routine. Natural or alternative pain medication options include acupuncture, laser therapy, electromagnetic field devices, supplements such as glucosamine and chondroitin, collagen, fish oil, and green lipped mussel, and CBD can also help as an adjunct for pain control.

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To prevent or minimize pain in your pet, there are a few important steps to take. First and foremost, ensure that your pet maintains a healthy weight by keeping them on a lean body condition score. Obesity can contribute to pain and discomfort. Additionally, it's crucial to provide appropriate exercise for your pet, avoiding both overexertion and insufficient activity.

If your pet does experience pain, there are natural and alternative options for pain management. These include acupuncture, laser therapy, and electromagnetic field devices, which can help alleviate pain. Supplements such as glucosamine, chondroitin, collagen, fish oil, and green-lipped muscle can also be beneficial.

One natural option that has shown promise is CBD. It can be used as an adjunct for pain control in pets. However, it's important to consult with your veterinarian before using any CBD products.

Remember to maintain a healthy weight for your pet, provide controlled exercise, and discuss pain management options with your veterinarian. They can guide you in choosing the most suitable approach for your pet's specific needs.

Can you tell me about the variety of animal friends you share your life with?

Animal Menagerie: Meet Ike, Scooby, Ginny, Dhabi, Pavlov, prickles, and more!

Can you tell me about the variety of animal? You share your life with? Do you have 20 minutes? Just kidding. I do have a menagerie though. I have a giant schnauzer who is five years old named Ike Pike. And I have a three-year-old miniature schnauzer Named Scooby a one-year-old Airedale Terrier named Ginny a about seven or eight year old kitty. Cat named Dhabi a 98 9 month. Old Indian ring-necked. Parakeets Named Pavlov and a one-year-old Hedgehog named prickles at the clinic, we also have to Clinic kitties. The first one's name is Fibonacci, otherwise known as nacho and the other one is named as e. So we share our lives with quite a few pets. And I also have two of the 2 legged. Kind to my kids. So hopefully you sure your lives with a lot of pets too.

I have a giant schnauzer, a miniature schnauzer, an Airedale Terrier, a cat, two parakeets, a hedgehog, and two clinic cats. I also have two kids.

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Let me tell you about the variety of animals I share my life with. I have a five-year-old giant schnauzer named Ike Pike, a three-year-old miniature schnauzer named Scooby, and a one-year-old Airedale Terrier named Ginny. Additionally, I have a seven or eight-year-old cat named Dhabi, a 9-month-old Indian ring-necked parakeet named Pavlov, and a one-year-old Hedgehog named Prickles. At the clinic where I work, we also have two clinic kitties named Fibonacci (or Nacho) and As E. So, as you can see, we have quite a few pets in our lives. And of course, I also have two two-legged kind of pets, my kids. I hope you also have the joy of sharing your life with many pets!

Parrot Talking: Mimicry and Repetition Unlocks Their Chatter

How can parents talk parents? Talk via mimicry meaning they are just imitating sounds that they have heard. And this can be noises that, you know, they hear, maybe the telephone ringing or the radio, but it also can be our voices. So if you want your parrot or other types of birds like pave here, who's an Indian Ringneck parakeet to talk, you want to make sure that you repeat the same sounds over and over and birds, don't talk until Till a certain age. So, Patty here is only about 8 months old, and most often they pick up words. These little ringnecks around nine to ten months of age. So I have been wanting having to talk for a long time since we got him. And every morning when I open his cage, I uncover him. And I say cockadoodledoo in hopes that eventually when he starts talking and mimicking, my speech that when I open his cage in the morning, he will say that word which I just think is going to be so cute. So, All they're doing is mimicking. What they hear some birds can have an understanding of those words though. To and those are most often, the bigger parrots African Greys are known for their verbal repertoire in their understanding of human language and how it equates to certain things. So hopefully you have a bird that you can have fun with like Patty here and teach him to talks, you know, say some words occasionally

Talk to your bird by mimicking sounds and words you want them to learn. Most birds, like Indian Ringneck parakeets, start talking around nine to ten months old. African Greys are known for their understanding of human language. Have fun teaching your bird to talk!

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Parrots can talk through mimicry, meaning they imitate sounds they have heard. This can include noises like telephone rings or radio sounds, as well as human voices. If you want your parrot to talk, it's important to repeat the same sounds consistently. However, birds don't start talking until a certain age. For example, Indian Ringneck parakeets like Patty here typically start picking up words around nine to ten months old.

To encourage talking, I've been saying cockadoodledoo to Patty every morning when I open his cage, hoping that he will eventually mimic my speech. It's important to note that birds are simply mimicking and imitating what they hear. Some birds, particularly larger parrots like African Greys, can also have an understanding of certain words and their meanings.

Teaching a bird to talk can be a fun and enjoyable experience. Just remember that it's all about mimicry and repetition.

Trimming Your Bird's Beak: When and Why?

Should you trim your birds beak? The answer is a little bit more complicated than just. Yes. Or no. For the most part for a normal average bird. The answer is no, but if your bird has what's called a malocclusion, where their beak doesn't know, lay in the normal fashion, you can see Pappy's beak there. How the top overrides that bottom, then they may need some trimming help. So Pavlov has a cuttlebone in his cage that that allows him to go and kind of scratch his beak on it and we're down the really sharp points on his beak and that he just keeps it naturally the normal length as he should. But if your bird has trouble eating or like I said, has a malocclusion. You definitely want to talk to your vet about perhaps trimming that beak and how you should trim. It is going to depend on what's going on. So definitely ask your vet for more information

It's not recommended to trim a bird's beak unless it has a malocclusion and it should be done with guidance from your vet.

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Should you trim your bird's beak? The answer is not a simple yes or no. For most normal, average birds, the answer is no. However, if your bird has a condition called malocclusion, where their beak doesn't align properly, trimming may be necessary.

In the case of malocclusion or if your bird is having difficulty eating, it's important to consult with a vet. They can provide guidance on how to trim the beak and address any underlying issues. Some birds, like Pavlov, have a cuttlebone in their cage that helps naturally maintain the beak's length and sharpness.

Each situation is unique, so it's best to seek professional advice from a vet for more information on whether or not your bird's beak needs trimming.

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Dr. Pike has been a vet for over 20 years and is one of fewer than 70 Boarded Veterinary Behaviorists in North America. She has written articles for professional veterinary journals, is Fear Free Certified, serves on the Board of Directors of The Animal Welfare League of Arlington, and is a mentor to her own residents. Dr. Pike also acts as an instructor for E-Training for Dogs and presents at National Veterinary Conferences multiple times per year. She has recently moved to Northern Virginia and is co-owner of two ABWC locations, where she sees pets with behavior disorders ranging from mild fears to extreme aggression. She has gathered a team of behavior professionals to tackle any behavior problem and is working to expand prevention services with her support staff.

Neither AnyQuestion nor its Experts provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment or otherwise provide professional healthcare services.

Amy Pike