What to do if your bird is vomiting at home?

Vomiting in birds can be a scary thing for any pet owner to witness. While it may seem alarming, vomiting is actually quite common in pet birds and is not always a cause for major concern. That being said, it’s still important to monitor any episodes of vomiting closely and be prepared to provide supportive care for your bird or seek veterinary advice if the problem persists or seems severe.

What causes vomiting in birds?

There are several potential causes of vomiting in pet birds:

• Dietary issues – Eating spoiled food, too much fat/oil, or other dietary indiscretions can cause vomiting. Many birds will also vomit if they eat something that disagrees with them or does not digest well.
• Foreign objects – Birds are very curious creatures and will often ingest non-food items that can get lodged in their crop and cause vomiting as their body tries to expel it.
• Illness – Bacterial, viral, fungal or parasitic infections can potentially lead to vomiting. Some examples are psittacosis, proventricular dilatation disease, candidiasis, trichomoniasis, and avian gastric yeast.
• Heavy metal poisoning – Birds that ingest lead, zinc or other heavy metals often vomit as a result of toxicity.
• Medications – Certain medications, like antibiotics, can sometimes cause digestive upset and vomiting.
• Stress – High levels of stress and anxiety can also trigger vomiting in some cases.

Birds may vomit undigested seeds or food, clear liquid, bile, blood or other unusual substances depending on the cause. Take note of the appearance, color, volume and frequency of your bird’s vomit to help identify potential issues.

When to be concerned about vomiting

Occasional, isolated episodes of vomiting are usually not too worrisome. However, you should be more concerned if:

• Vomiting is frequent or chronic
• Your bird is lethargic, fluffed up or acting ill
• Weight loss is occurring
• Your bird’s droppings are abnormal
• There is blood or bile in the vomit
• Your bird is vomiting undigested food hours after eating
• Vomiting is interfering with your bird’s ability or willingness to eat

Any of these signs indicate an underlying health problem requiring veterinary attention. It’s also a good idea to contact your avian vet if your bird vomits more than 1-2 times within a 24 hour period.

What to do if your bird vomits

Follow these steps if your bird vomits at home:

1. Stay calm – Though unpleasant, try not to overreact or panic which could further stress your bird.
2. Note the details – Observe the color, volume, consistency, frequency, context and any other specifics you can about the vomit.
3. Prevent dehydration – Provide ample fresh drinking water to replenish fluids lost through vomiting.
4. Withhold food temporarily – Give the digestive tract a rest by taking away food for 1-2 hours.
5. Offer small amounts of water – After 1-2 hours, give a few sips of plain water or an electrolyte solution.
6. Gradually reintroduce food – If vomiting has stopped, slowly reintroduce your bird’s normal diet starting with small portions of bland foods like boiled rice, applesauce or scrambled eggs.
7. Keep your bird quiet and warm – Allow plenty of uninterrupted rest and maintain optimal housing temperatures.
8. Clean the vomit – Wearing gloves, use paper towels to soak up vomit from cage surfaces, dishes and toys then disinfect thoroughly.
9. Monitor closely – Watch for changes in behavior, appetite, droppings and additional vomiting episodes.
10. Call your vet – If vomiting persists, seems severe or is accompanied by other symptoms, contact your avian veterinarian right away.

With supportive home care, mild vomiting often resolves on its own within 24 hours. But if problems continue or your bird seems ill, veterinary assistance is strongly recommended.

Caring for a vomiting bird

While your bird recovers from vomiting, you can provide supportive care at home by:

• Keeping your bird calm and quiet – Minimize stress and exertion to allow full recovery.
• Offering soft, bland foods – Boiled rice, bread, eggs and applesauce are gentle options.
• Correcting dehydration – Provide oral electrolytes or subcutaneous fluids under veterinary guidance if needed.
• Giving medications if prescribed – Such as probiotics, anti-nausea or gastrointestinal protectants.
• Cleaning the cage daily – To prevent ingestion of spoiled food or vomit residue.
• Monitoring droppings – Keeping track of any changes from normal.
• Weighing regularly – Ensure your bird isn’t losing excessive weight from vomiting and poor eating.
• Continuing usual interactions – Giving affection, attention and stimulation as normal once vomiting stops.

Also make sure to follow your avian vet’s specific recovery instructions carefully. With supportive home nursing care and veterinary follow-up as needed, most birds make a full recovery after vomiting episodes.

Preventing vomiting in birds

You can help prevent vomiting by taking these proactive measures:

• Feeding a healthy, balanced diet – With limited fatty/salty foods and plenty of wholesome fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean proteins.
• Establishing a consistent feeding schedule – To avoid overeating and gastric upset.
• Purchasing fresh food – And properly storing/preparing it to prevent spoilage.
• Minimizing access to toxic plants or substances – Including lead, zinc, teflon, cleaning chemicals and houseplants.
• Using stainless steel, ceramic or other bird-safe cookware.
• Regularly cleaning and disinfecting food/water containers – To prevent bacterial or fungal growth.
• Limiting stressful situations – Use positive reinforcement training and house your bird in a peaceful environment.
• Scheduling annual wellness exams – To catch underlying health issues early.
• Quarantining new birds – And testing for contagious diseases before introducing them to your flock.

While vomiting occasionally happens with even the best care, proactive management of diet, housing, hygiene, stress and health can go a long way towards reducing episodes.

Understanding crop impaction and sour crop

Two digestive conditions called crop impaction and sour crop can sometimes initially present with vomiting. Here’s some information on recognizing and addressing these issues:

Crop impaction

Crop impaction occurs when an object gets stuck in the crop, preventing normal emptying and digestion. This can result in regurgitation of undigested food. Specific signs include:

• Regurgitation of intact seeds or other undigested food
• Distended, firm crop full of stagnant food
• Inappetence and lethargy
• Difficulty breathing if crop is severely enlarged

This requires prompt veterinary treatment which may include:

• Hydration therapy
• Gentle crop massage
• Lubricants to help move the obstruction
• Enzymes to help break down the contents
• Medications to control bacteria
• Assisted emptying of the crop with a catheter or lavage
• Surgery in severe cases

Sour crop

Sour crop develops when the normal digestive bacteria overpopulate and ferment food in the crop. Signs include:

• Foul breath
• Vomiting/regurgitation of spoiled food
• Abnormal appetite
• Lethargy
• Distension of the crop area

Sour crop requires prescription antibiotics, probiotics, anti-yeast medications and possible crop flushing to rebalance the microorganisms in the gastrointestinal system.

Conclusion

Vomiting in birds should never be ignored, but also doesn’t need to be cause for major panic. Monitor episodes closely for severity and duration. Be prepared to provide supportive home care while determining if veterinary attention is required. Address any underlying dietary, husbandry or health issues. With patience and proper care, most birds recover fully from vomiting and can go on to lead long, healthy lives.