Secondary Inspection

Visible injuries

Is there blood, an obvious injury, or noticeable asymmetry in the bird? If the injury is obvious, give pain relief with meloxicam before any other examination steps.

Meloxicam dosage calculator

Formula: 0.2 × bird's weight in grams ÷ solution percentage

1. Bird's weight

30 g 50 g

2. Meloxicam solution concentration

0.5% 1.5% Selected percentage: —

3. Dose calculation

Calculate dose

For a weight of 30 g and a 0.5% solution, the result should be approximately one small mark on a 100-unit, 1 ml insulin syringe.

TBI

If the bird, whether a chick or an adult, shows even one sign of TBI, treatment must be started immediately.

Important signs of TBI and possible consequences:

• Impaired coordination
  the bird moves unsteadily, loses balance, and its movements become uncoordinated.
• Falling over to one side
  the bird falls or constantly leans to one side.
• Problems with the leg and wing on one side
  it tucks the leg up, grips poorly with it or cannot grip at all, clenches it into a fist, lets the wing droop and cannot hold it close to the body, although there are no visible injuries.
• Blood
  there is blood from the nostrils, ears, or in the throat.
• Pupil problems
  the pupils constrict at different speeds when a flashlight is shone on them.
• Different pupil sizes
  the pupils are uneven and unfocused.
• Eye problems
  unnatural squinting, swelling, or marked puffiness around the eyes.
• Unnatural head position
  the bird throws its head back or twists it over.
• "Watching trains"
  it moves its head from side to side with a large or small amplitude, as if following passing train cars.

Behaviour of a swift with traumatic brain injury

Priority actions:

• Rest and darkness
  a shoebox with ventilation holes.
• Head support
  place rolled supports around the bird so it can rest its head on them. The head should be at a 35-45 degree angle to prevent fluid rushing to the brain.
• Do not give water
  to avoid creating a risk of brain swelling.
• If the bird has sufficient weight, do not feed
  it may vomit, and feeding is also very stressful for an adult swift.
• Provide pain relief
• Oxygen canister
  helps ease the bird's condition.
• Do not warm the head
  the best temperature, if the bird is not emaciated, is 20-22°.

Pay attention to the droppings. If anything brown appears in them, it may be clotted blood. Put a drop of hydrogen peroxide on it: if it fizzes, it is blood and there is internal bleeding.

Keep in mind that with TBI there is often a "lucid interval" - a temporary period when the bird seems better, followed by a sharp deterioration. This usually happens in the first few hours or within a couple of days, so make sure the bird has truly recovered from the injury.

Righting reflex test

If there are no visible injuries, you can test the swift's ability to right itself from its back. To do this, wash your hands thoroughly or put on gloves; we try not to get grease on the feathers. Then gently turn the swift onto its back and remove your hands, trying not to get caught on its claws.

Normally, it should quickly flip back over.

Struggling or being unable to return to its normal position is a symptom of a serious injury. This can indicate anything from a bruise to an injury of the shoulder girdle, and sometimes a traumatic brain injury.

Try to record a video; it will give experienced specialists more information about the nature of the injury.

Detailed guidance on taking X-rays is covered in the treatment section.