Self-mutilation (skin injury) in parrots
Other names: Bites itself، Chest wound
Symptoms
- Open wounds on the chest/under the wing/legs
- Repeated bleeding
- Secondary infections
How it spreads
Not contagious.
Diagnosis
Same as plucking + culture from the wound.
Treatment
Protective collar, treating the wound and infection, pain control, the same plan as plucking. [Update 3] Merck: feather-destructive behavior and skin mutilation have multiple causes and medical causes must be excluded (giardia in cockatiels, liver disease, zinc, fungi/bacteria...); treatment is multimodal: good diet, enrichment and foraging, sometimes psychiatric drugs and not alone, omega acids. In PDD: gabapentin 50 mg/kg twice daily for birds that mutilate themselves.
Prevention
Same prevention as for plucking.
Treatment and doses are decided by an avian vet after an exam; Zajel does not publish doses.