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Common Causes of Bird Regurgitation & Vomiting

Common Causes of Bird Regurgitation & Vomiting

Updated On November 1st, 2024

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Reviewed By Petco's Animal Care, Education and Compliance (ACE) Team

Regurgitation and vomiting are signs commonly seen in birds. Regurgitation is usually a normal behavior associated with courtship or feeding their young and is the act of a bird bringing up the contents of its crop by voluntarily contracting muscles around its crop to force the food back through its esophagus and into its mouth. A bird that is regurgitating will often bob its head and stretch out its neck, allowing the food to pass into its mouth.The food does not look digested, e.g., whole seeds are regurgitated.

Vomiting is the expulsion of the contents of the proventriculus, ventriculus, or intestine. Vomiting is more of a spitting action, and the bird shakes its head from side to side. Vomiting is a sign of illness and should be evaluated promptly. While it may be difficult to differentiate between regurgitation and vomiting, the contents as a result of vomiting may include stomach acid and smell sour.

What are the causes of vomiting and regurgitation in pet birds?

There are a large number of causes of vomiting and regurgitation ranging from infections, to something the bird ate, to diseases of multiple organs in the body, or sometimes love- feeding their partner or young or as a sign of courtship. Some of the common causes are below.

INFECTIONS

Infections with gram-negative bacteria are one of the most common causes and often secondary to stress, another illness, or fecal contamination of food or water, and are one of the major causes in smaller birds; abscesses may form in some cases; Candida is also often secondary to another illness or stress; Trichomonas is a common cause, especially in budgies; pox virus and tapeworms are more common in imported birds

·       Bacterial: Mycobacterium, megabacteria, Pasteurella, Salmonella, and many other gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria

·       Fungal: Candida, Aspergillus, Mucor

·       Viral: Pacheco's Disease, polyomavirus, pox virus, papillomatosis, Psittacine Beak and Feather Disease, adenovirus, herpes virus, paramyxovirus

·       Parasitic: Capillaria, Plasmodium, tapeworms, Trichomonas, Giardia, roundworms, coccidia

·       Other: Proventricular Dilation Syndrome, Macaw Wasting Disease, Neurotropic Gastric Dilatation

 

DISEASES OF OTHER ORGANS

Heart disease is more common in toucans and mynahs; liver disease, especially hepatic lipidosis (fatty liver) and hepatitis, is a common cause in many bird species - hepatic lipidosis especially in budgies; trauma includes flying into a window or the bite of another animal which may cause internal bleeding or infection.

·       Heart disease

·       Liver disease

·       Pancreatitis

·       Kidney disease

·       Diabetes mellitus

·       Peritonitis

·       Septicemia

·       Electrolyte imbalances

·       Trauma

NUTRITION

Young birds are especially sensitive to the temperature and consistency of the food, and the amount given at one time; abnormal vitamin levels occur over a long period of time; high protein diet is a more common cause in cockatiels.

·       High protein diet

·       Hypervitaminosis D

·       Hypovitaminosis A

·       Hypovitaminosis E or selenium deficiency

·       High iron levels

·       Food allergy

·       Formula at wrong temperature or consistency

·       Overfeeding

·       Change in diet

TOXICITIES

Zinc and lead toxicity are common causes; heated teflon such as on frying pans and ironing board covers is very toxic.

·       Heavy metals: arsenic, copper, lead, zinc

·       Plants: See Poisonous Plants for Birds

·       Foods: chocolate, nicotine, salt, moldy or spoiled foods, avocado, alcohol, cigarettes

·       Pesticides/insecticides: carbamates, lindane, organophosphate, rotenone, arsenic

Household products: cholecalciferal, rubbing alcohol, chlorine, teflon, detergents, pine oil, aluminum chloride (deodorants), potassium chloride (matches), nitrate, phosphorous, thallium

GASTROINTESTINAL DISEASE, BLOCKAGE, OR COMPRESSION

Conditions which take up space in the chest or abdomen can put pressure on the digestive system; goiter is a common cause in budgies; crop conditions are more common in young and hand fed baby birds; papillomas in the mouth are also common; egg binding is a more common cause in canaries.

·       Goiter

·       Ascites

·       Aerophagia (swallowing air)

·       Crop conditions: impaction, stasis, crop burn

·       Egg binding

·       Gastrointestinal conditions: foreign body, intussusception, volvulus, stenosis, hernia, ileus; grit impaction; ulcers

·       Esophageal stricture

Neoplastic: papilloma, leiomyoma, adenoma, fibroma

DRUG REACTIONS

Only give these medications to a bird under direct supervision of a veterinarian, and closely follow the directions; contact your veterinarian if your bird is taking any medication and shows new signs of illness.

 

·       Antibiotics: doxycycline, polymixin B, trimethoprim/sufadiazine, sulfadimethoxine, enrofloxacin

·       Antiparasitics: fenbendazole, praziquantel, levamisole

·       Anti-fungal medications: fluconazole, itraconazole, or ketoconazole

BEHAVIOR

Courting behavior to other birds, mirrors, toys, or even pet parents is a common cause. Other causes include:

  • Motion sickness
  • Excitement or stress
  • Feeding their partner or young

How is the actual cause determined for a specific bird?

Sometimes it can be difficult to differentiate between bird regurgitation and bird vomit, and even harder to determine an exact cause. A veterinarian will need a complete history, including:

·       When the condition started

·       How often it occurs

·       Other signs of illness noticed by the pet parents

·       Whether the condition is related to a certain event, e.g.; after eating, while playing with toys, etc.

·       What the bird is fed

·       How the bird is housed

·       The sanitary conditions

·       Access to potential causes such as foods, household items, toxins, and exposure to other birds

·       Presence of the condition in other birds

·       Medications or supplements being given to the bird

·       Display of any courtship or nesting behavior

·       Other diseases the bird may have or has been treated for either currently or in the past

The diagnosis requires careful observation of the bird, a complete physical examination and potentially tests/lab work. If at all possible, bring the contents of what was regurgitated/vomited and the bird's habitat along with you to the veterinarian's office, because they can often offer significant clues.

How is vomiting or regurgitation treated?

The treatment of vomiting will vary considerably depending upon the cause. Supportive care in the form of stable temperatures, fluid therapy for dehydration,and nutritional management (sometimes withholding food may be necessary) are very important. Depending upon the severity of the illness, the bird may need to be hospitalized. Other therapies may include:

·       Giving medications to treat infections

·       Changing the diet

·       Providing appropriate therapies for diseases of other organs

·       Removing the toxic agent from the environment and/or the bird

·       Performing surgery or endoscopy to remove foreign objects or tumors and to correct other intestinal blockages

If a bird is regurgitating often and the cause is determined to be behavioral, your veterinarian may suggest removing the toys or mirror that are the focus of his regurgitation.

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