Opinions PLEASE??

[Lori~D]

Ok, so I have so many Birds and Dr. Scott McDonald comes real close by here and I was thinking of having him come out once a year. This is what I got in his email....now Im not so sure....

A stop would include doing exams on all the birds. I can do any grooming you might need
I usually do my exams with the birds relaxed with isoflurane. You can do a much better exam with the birds relaxed and its less stressful on everyone. It is very safe.
There are no vaccines I would recommend for older birds. The only vaccine out there for birds right now is Polyomavirus vaccine, and this is really only for baby birds before weaning.
I can do gram stains on feces or vent swabs to survey for bacteria/yeast
Blood disease testing is optional. Honestly, if you are dealing with older birds that have been around awhile, the changes of having Psittacosis, Polyoma, PBFD, or Pacheco's are extremely low.
Also these are tests you can run yourself thru BioTech if you wanted too
You can also do CBC's and chemistry panels...but honestly, if a bird is acting heathy, and if the exam is normal, then 99% of the time, these tests will be normal.
Scott McD

Hmmwhat do you think?

[magdalena]

Sounds good to me, he knows you'd save money doing the tests yourself through avian biotech. My only concern would be to let him know you do have new birds coming in from time to time which is why you'd be concerned with diseases being introduced. I don't know anything about isoflurane but he does say he only usually does it so you can ask him not to I'd guess.

[Izzy]

I'm a little concerned about the CBC and chemicals thing. Oftentimes birds with liver or kidney problems act fine until it's too late to reverse the damage or keep it from getting worse. I do blood work on my guys every few years to monitor their organ function.

[Monica]

There are some avian vets who question Dr. Scott McDonald's practices because he may set up in a persons kitchen or a pet shop for a few days surgically sexing birds and doing routine work on them. Allegations have been made against him, such as he's doing the practices illegally (not in surgical suites), doesn't sterilize his equipment properly, and using gas anesthesia with assistance of non-medical people.

With that said, there are many breeders and people who praise him highly, even if he is rather cheap.


I'm of the personal opinion that a CBC and Fecal should be a routine thing because any person can look at a bird and say it's healthy, but it wont tell you if there's something going wrong that you don't know about. I learned this the hard way.

[Lori~D]

Tests through Biotech are NOT cheaper than a vet. It ends up being like $20 a TEST and when you add all the ones up your vet would do (not counting the office call and exam) its a ton more. I dont need surgical sexing and dont agree with the last line at all from my expiriences.

[kellywess]

I do not like the thought of using the isoflurane and I agree with you about the last line in his response. I would pass.
I agree with Monica on routine fecal and CBC, we all know how our birdies like to hide things.

[KimM]

Hmm. My only concern would be the isoflurane. I would think since the birds are in their own environment, they would not need to be given this. My Avian vets (both of them) usually towel them and they're not happy, but they get through it.

Both are not keen on any kind of anesthesia, vaccines, etc. unless absolutely necessary. My main Avian vet does run a full blood panel and feces check each year and does the usual checking - the heart, lungs, ears, eyes, nares, vent and preening gland and general overall condition of my boys.

the other thing he will not do is if they come in for exam, he doesn't groom. He believes grooming AND the full physical is too stressful. It seems to work well for both of mine. Newt gets more easily stressed than Elliot. but my AV Dr Diaz is very good with both of them.

[Michelle & Fids]

JMHO- but I would never let him touch one of my birds again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! When I was new to birds I went to one of his clinics, people walked in and out for hrs with their birds, luckily my two that I took didn't catch anything from my not knowing any better. I was only there to have wings and nails done and both my birds were gassed because it was easier. I'm sure it was more traumatic for me then them, but never ever again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[mabird]

My gut says pass.

Also, I agree 100% with Kelly.

[TooDusty]

Gassing birds sounds like a way to make his job easier and your visit more expensive. If he can't restrain a bird then he shouldn't have graduated school.