Teaching avian patients and caregivers in the examination room

Abstract

Client education and patient well-being should be primary goals and responsibilities for practicing avian veterinarians. Time is limited in the normal clinical appointment setting. However, this opportunity can still be used to introduce clients to the basics of training with positive reinforcement. These methods build a healthy relationship of trust between caregivers and their birds. Within the allotted appointment time, it is possible to teach clients how to train a simple behavior. This article outlines and demonstrates how training avian patients is successfully applied in a typical clinical practice.