Birds can break bones and develop other muscle or bone disorders just like people do. Some of the more common problems are described below.
Fractures
Birds can fracture bones or dislocate joints. These injuries can be difficult to treat because some bird bones contain air and are connected to the respiratory system. Birds also have more calcium in their bones than people have, so their bones are more brittle and more likely to break into multiple pieces.
Despite these challenges, the treatment of fractures in birds has greatly improved since the 1990s. Specialized methods using wires and metal pins to stabilize fractured bones in birds have been developed.
Because bones generally heal faster in birds than in mammals, it is sometimes enough just to provide rigid support of fractured bones (such as with a splint) while they're healing. For more severe fractures, surgery or implanted devices (such as metal plates, wires, or screws) might be needed.
Bone healing can be complicated by infection. Osteomyelitis is a painful bone infection usually caused by bacteria. Bacteria from the infected bone can spread through the bloodstream and cause serious, even life‑threatening, infections in other organs. Antibiotics are essential to prevent or treat these infections in birds.
If osteomyelitis occurs at a fracture site in a bird, the fractured bones might take longer to heal or might not heal at all. Blood tests, cultures to identify bacteria, x‑rays, and CT scans help diagnose osteomyelitis.
Just like people with fractures, birds with fractures need to rest to heal. During recovery, physical therapy might be prescribed to prevent joint stiffness and maintain normal range of motion. Your veterinarian will give you specific instructions that must be followed closely for the bird to fully recover.
Your veterinarian also will probably prescribe pain medications that can be given in food or water, or directly by mouth. Healing can take weeks to months, depending on the extent of the fracture and where it is.
Joint Disease From Gout
Gout (also see the section on kidney and urinary tract disorders) is ultimately a fatal disease of the kidneys that typically occurs in older birds. It is not a disease of bones or muscles, but it can cause severe joint and muscle pain.
With gout, the kidneys fail, and uric acid crystals (normally eliminated from the bird’s body in urine as the white, chalky portion of droppings) build up in the bloodstream and are deposited in organs and joints, especially in the feet.
Walking and perching become extremely painful for birds with gout. Affected birds might rest on the cage floor or on any flat surface, move only when necessary, and cry out in pain. Veterinarians might prescribe drugs to decrease uric acid production and relieve pain, but the long‑term outlook is poor.
For More Information
Also see professional content regarding traumatic injury and gout in pet birds.
