PET BUDGIES may soon be able to postpone that fateful drop from the perch.
Australian scientists are pioneering new treatments for avian cancer鈥攖he
biggest killer of older budgerigars.
Up to 30 per cent of elderly budgies die of cancer. Chemotherapy often works
in humans, dogs and cats, but surgery, amputation or even euthanasia are usually
the only options for pet birds such as cockatoos, parrots and cockatiels, says
veterinary scientist Lucio Filippich of the University of Queensland,
Brisbane.
So Filippich decided to undertake what he claims is the world鈥檚 first
controlled trial of an anti-cancer drug in birds. Together with colleagues at
the university and Australia鈥檚 Commonwealth
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Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Filippich treated
sulphur-crested cockatoos with the chemotherapy drug cisplatin, establishing
doses that can safely be given to birds.
鈥淐hemotherapy drugs have been used in birds before,鈥� he explains, 鈥淏ut they
have been on an individual basis, as opposed to a controlled trial.鈥�
Research has so far been restricted to healthy animals, but the team hopes to
start working with sick birds in the near future and an avian cancer clinic is
planned for the university鈥檚 small animal teaching hospital by early 2000.
Kate Bodley, a vet at Melbourne Zoo, added: 鈥淪ome pet birds can be worth a
lot of money. In such cases, owners may be willing to use this.鈥�