Common Macaw Diseases

Weight loss / lack of appetite

Partially closed or watery eyes, closed eyes or swelling of the eyelids

Respiratory symptoms, such as rasping noises, difficulty breathing

Ruffled plumage (feeling unwell, cold)

Drooping wings, sagging body, falling off perches (weakness)

Bulges in feathering (tumors?)

Excessive saliva (toxicity?)

Dirty vent (indicative of diarrhea)

Any change in the feces not apparently diet related

Behavioral: Listlessness or extreme mood changes

Avian Bornaviral Ganglioneuritis (PDD)

Psittacine Beak and Feather Disease, PBFD, Beak and Feather

Psittacosis (chlamydiosis or parrot fever)

Respiratory Signs, Chronic Depression, Weightloss: Aspergillosis (fungal disease), bacterial infections / pneumonia, nutritional deficiencies (Hypovitaminosis A), Psittacosis / Parrot Fever, and inhaled toxins

Chronic Sinus Infections: increasing humidity and using air filters may help minimize the problem.

Sunken-Eye Syndrome: Caused by sinus infections. The eye sinks into the socket.

Herpes Infections: May cause proliferative lesions, but more commonly exemplify itself by depigmentation (loss of color).

Feather picking (various behavioral as well as physical reasons can be the cause - boredom, but also heavy metal toxicity, giardia, bacterial / viral diseases)

Toxicity - heavy metal poisoning

Allergies

Coacal Papillomas: Thought to be a viral condition. Contagious to other birds (thought to be sexually transmitted). Affected birds should not be used for breeding.

Kidney disease (gout) - May be caused by excessive supplementation of Vitamin A.

Lipomas (tumors) in older birds

Macaw "Acne": Small swellings on face caused by small, ingrown feathers on face and eyelids, simple surgery to release trapped feathers; antibiotic injections, cortico-steroids needed if bird rubs and scratches affected sites.

Beak malformations in chicks (improper feeding technique?)

Annular Toe Lesions: Seen in chicks, may result in loss of toes.

Miscellaneous Infections: Bacterial, viral or fungal