An iodine deficiency in your pet cockatiel can cause serious illness

When you have a pet cockatoo, you should be on the lookout for any signs of iodine deficiency in your little friend. If you are like me, you would do anything to keep him healthy and happy.

Goiter, or an enlarged thyroid gland, shows external swelling of the bird’s neck. The growth presses internally against the culture and the trachea. Any effort, such as flying and running, will cause the little bird to run out of breath very quickly. Breathing will be very heavy and the bird will fall to the ground with outstretched wings and a hanging crop and neck. You can also make a high-pitched squeak or hissing sound with each breath. To help it breathe easier, the bird often rests its beak against the bars of the cage or on a parallel perch or on a tree branch.

If you do nothing about it, your pet cockatoo will immediately get worse. You may start to walk in circles, which is an indication of a brain infection. Sudden death could then follow, caused by suffocation, heart failure, or weakness due to insufficient food intake.

With these severe thyroid symptoms, a prescription for iodized glycerin can be given to the bird. The right mix for cockatoos is one part tincture of iodine to five parts glycerin. Alternatively, a mixture of nine parts paraffin oil with one part iodine glycerin, administered with a plastic dropper to one corner of the spout intermittently over a 3-day period, can generally work wonders. If symptoms continue, see your avian vet immediately.

An iodine deficiency can occur when drinking water is deficient in iodine. This used to be very common in captive cockatoos, Australian parakeets (rosellas, Bourke, and others), lovebirds, and parakeets. Typically, these conditions no longer occur due to commercial iodine-treated cage litter.

You can be sure to give your beloved pet cockatiel small amounts of iodine in various items. They are contained in cuttlefish bones, shell sand, oyster shells, meat, milk, fish, and eggs. Fishmeal and cod liver oil are rich in iodine, but wheat germ is not. A recipe for white bread soaked in milk is a good gift to prevent goiter.