Despite popular belief, seed-based diets are not the healthiest for parrots. Along with being high in fat and cholesterol, seed-only diets are very deficient in vitamin A. Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin that plays a role in epithelial cell growth & repair, immune function, bone growth, vision, and feather color. Without adequate vitamin A, these tissues undergo changes to their structure which may appear as thickening of the tissues or loss of functionality. Chronic vitamin A deficiency is exceedingly common in pet birds and can result in a number of health problems involving the feathers, oral cavity, respiratory system, and other organ systems.
Birds with vitamin A deficiency have poor feather condition and may have white plaques in the oral cavity, blunted choanal papillae, coughing, sneezing, difficulty breathing, increased thirst, increased urination, poorly formed eggs, and non-specific signs such as anorexia, lethargy, ruffled feather, weight loss, diarrhea, and poor body condition.
Often a presumptive diagnosis can be made through a thorough review of the patient’s history and diet and based on findings during the physical examination. Your veterinarian may recommend a complete blood count and serum biochemistry to determine the patient’s overall condition and to determine the extent of illness. Birds with vitamin A deficiency are often prone to infections and your vet may recommend infectious disease testing as well. A definitive diagnosis can be made with a liver biopsy to test vitamin A levels.
Treatment of this condition relies on improvement of the diet by providing vitamin A-rich foods such as red or orange vegetables (carrots, sweet potatoes, red peppers, squash, mango, papaya) or dark green leafy vegetables (spinach, broccoli, collards). If the bird is currently eating a seed-based diet, your veterinarian will recommend a more nutritionally complete pellet-based diet and discuss transitioning to this diet with you. Temporarily your vet will prescribe vitamin A supplements or may give your bird a booster shot of vitamin A.
Any concurrent illnesses or infections will also require treatment. Infections should be treated with prescription antibiotics. Sick patients may also require supportive care such as fluid therapy and assist feeding.
The bird’s prognosis is dependent on the severity of the disease and its effects on quality of life at the time of diagnosis.
Rechecks will be recommended dependent on prognosis and signs of illness at time of diagnosis.
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