Pet Bird – Open Mouth Breathing

One of the most common health issues in pet birds is respiratory problems. Most pet birds will develop some type of respiratory illness at some point in their captive life, which may or may not be life threatening. Many veterinarians report that behavior such as “open-mouth breathing” is one of the most commonly reported respiratory symptoms by pet bird owners. There are many different factors that can cause open-mouth breathing in a pet bird, which may sometimes require immediate veterinary attention.

RESPIRATORY ILLNESS

Open mouth breathing in pet birds is most commonly caused by a type of respiratory illness. These illnesses can be extremely serious, and can cause the death of the bird if veterinary pet care is not immediately given. A common respiratory disease seen in many pet birds is pneumonia, which can either be caused by a bacterial or fungal infection. This causes a bird’s airway passages to constrict, which results in labored breathing. In addition to exhibiting open-mouth breathing, a bird with pneumonia will often sneeze, wheeze or have noisy breathing.

ASPERGILLOSIS

The condition known as aspirgillosis is actually a reference to a category of diseases caused by a specific fungus. This fungus is classified in the genus “Aspergillus”, and is responsible for causing diseases that inhibit proper respiratory functions. In most cases, a fungus “ball” will accumulate in a bird’s lung area, which is not detectable unless the bird has a chest x-ray. Aside from open-mouth breathing, aspergillosis can also cause symptoms such as coughing up blood, fever, and severe difficulty breathing. This infection is usually fatal if not immediately treated with medications. There are certain anti-fungal drugs for birds that may be effective against aspirgillosis, though most birds are unable to survive this condition.

AIRBORNE TOXIC SUBSTANCES

According to some bird care experts, inhalation of airborne toxins can cause some birds to exhibit open-mouth breathing. This is because birds are often caged in indoor areas where they are exposed to air fresheners, incense, household cleaners, secondhand cigarette smoke, kerosene heaters and other household toxins. Birds can be especially sensitive to the inhalation of airborne toxins, so it is essential that you indentify the substance that is causing the respiratory distress and remove it immediately from your bird’s environment. Treatment for inhalation of airborne toxins is extremely difficult, since most birds will die soon after exhibiting the symptoms of respiratory distress.

PREVENTION OF RESPIRATORY DISTRESS

To ensure that your bird does not suffer from respiratory distress, it is best for you to choose carefully about the placement of your bird’s cage. Do not keep your bird in a room that is frequently contaminated by cigarette smoke or air fresheners. Try to avoid using powerful household cleaners in a close proximity to your bird’s cage, as the airborne inhalation of toxic cleaners can cause severe respiratory problems. In addition to this, it is not recommended that you use household cleaners to disinfect your bird’s cage. While it is important to keep your bird’s living space clean, you also need to ensure that they will not have adverse reactions from the cleaning substances that you use.