Older birds can develop heart disease. Symptoms include difficulty moving or flying without becoming weak or short of breath. Because pet birds now live longer and diagnostic tests to discover heart disease have improved, veterinarians are able to diagnose and treat heart disease in birds earlier in the bird’s life.
As medical doctors do for people, veterinarians can use x‑rays, CAT scans, electrocardiograms (paper printouts that show the heart's rhythm and rate), and echocardiograms (a 3D exam of the heart using ultrasound) to diagnose certain heart problems in birds.
If your bird is diagnosed with heart disease, your veterinarian might prescribe medications to decrease the effects of the disease and to help the heart function better.
Heart disease in pet birds is often linked to atherosclerosis (narrowing and hardening of the arteries with cholesterol deposits, preventing normal blood flow through them). Psittacine birds (parrots)—especially Amazon parrots, macaws, and African grey parrots—are at higher risk of heart disease.
Factors that make heart disease more likely in birds include lack of exercise, high‑fat diets, and high levels of cholesterol in the blood.
Symptoms of heart disease in birds can look like respiratory problems. Affected birds might be weak and sluggish, and they might breathe faster and with more effort. They might tremble or suddenly lose balance and fall as if they fainted. If your pet bird shows any of these signs, take it to the vet immediately.
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Also see professional content regarding cardiac disease in pet birds.
