HARRISON'S BIRD FOODS

Scooter the Goffin whips a history of difficult molts with Harrison's Avian Enzyme!

2012-03-02T12:18:00.002-08:00

Recently we recieved a call from Kim K. in regard to some issues she was having with her Goffin (Scooter) - as it seemed to be stuck in a state of constant, incomplete molt. Indications were that her bird was having trouble getting the most out of its' diet so we recommended the new 2oz Avian Enzyme, which is noted to help birds (and other animals - HEALTHzyme) utilize the nutrients inside their diets in their entirety. Within a few short weeks Scooter has completed his molt cycle with ease.

Special thanks to Kim K. for allowing us to share her story of succes. We greatly look forward to seeing photos of Scooter! Kim's letter:

I am emailing you to give you my very much appreciated feedback on your recommendation regarding using Harrison’s Avian Enzyme.

When we spoke a month ago I described how Goffin Cockatoo (named Scooter) was not fully molting his feathers and nothing helped him. His feathers under his wings were coming through, but not fully growing.
This had been going on for four years. I had asked various owners of exotic bird stores and event my vets. Had his blood checked, which came out normal and yet nothing I did helped.
He had been eating well. He loves Harrison’s Mash. He also stopped enjoying frolicking on his perch while being misted with a spray bottle or dipping his feet in a water bowl. I had to force spray him. His companion in the cage named Pearl had no issues.

After you sent me the enzyme product I used it as suggested, sprinkling it on their food. Within two weeks his feathers started to show improvement. Four weeks later there’s an obvious change. No clumping feathers, and they are coming through silky, not dried out.
Best of all, I put the two of them outside on their perch with a bowl of water to splash in and tried misting them both. For the first time in four years, Scooter relished in the constant spray of water – for 30 minutes. I had to refill the bottle three times!

So I wanted to give you this feedback for any other bird owners who love their pets that they may want to try this product.

I will follow up with a photo of Scooter soon.
Thank you again,

Kim K.

Happy Anniversary to our founder!

2012-02-23T11:16:00.000-08:00

2012 marks Harrison's founder Dr. Greg Harrison and wife Linda's 49th wedding anniversary.

We wish them the best as they close in on #50!

Back in Stock - HPF and ALC

2012-02-22T11:24:00.000-08:00

AVAILABLE!

A quick reminder here on the blogspot that both

High Potency Fine and Adult Lifetime Fine are in stock!

Dr. Laura George Wins Final Harrisons’ Pet Products 2011 Clinical Case Report Contest

2012-01-09T12:40:00.000-08:00

Harrisons’ Pet Products announces that Laura George, DVM was selected by the company’s medical review team as the winner of the Clinical Case Report of the Year. Dr. George is the Executive Director of Coming Home Animal Sanctuary in Candor, New York and Associate Veterinarian at Catnip & Carrots Veterinary Hospital, New Hyde Park, New York. The award includes a $1000 cash prize. Her submission was entitled The Use of HEALx Soother Plus in Traumatic Foot Wounds in a Rescued Rooster. Click here to view the presentation. (Warning graphic content)
The contest involves photographic documentation of an animal case in which one of the Harrisons’ Pet Products (AVIx, HEALx or Harrison’s Bird Foods) was used alone or in conjunction with other products to successfully resolve a disorder. Each case was rated according to medical relevance, case completeness, photo quality (before, during and after procedure) and overall presentation.

Click here to see other entries in the 2011 Clinical Case Contest and additional new cases. (Warning graphic content)

Click here to view previous winners of the Clinical Case Contest. (Warning graphic conten

Avian Enzyme - Now in 2oz Packages

2012-01-04T10:53:00.000-08:00

Today we highlight one of our most popular supplemental items - Avian Enzyme.
Now available in 2 oz. packaging, Avian Enzyme is ideal for any bird with suspected digestion concerns. If your bird is passing undigested food, not adding enough weight or simply doesn't appear to benefit as it should from a good diet Avian Enzyme may help.

Avian Enzyme is added to your bird's food and eases the assimilation of nutrients and overall digestion of foods. Avian Enzyme is ideal for use with Harrison's formulas.

AVIAN ENZYME
A source of live, naturally occurring enzymes for birds.

GUIDELINES FOR USE:

- To improve digestion in any bird under any condition.
- Uses can also include, birds with chronic pancreatitis, malabsorption syndrome, proventricular dilation, neonates with slow-emptying of the digestive system, geriatric birds, or birds under stress of illness.
- May be beneficial in Day 1-7 neonates being hand-fed.
- Also indicated in chronically ill or geriatric birds that seem to not be getting all the benefits from their food and for sick birds under stress of illness.
- For hand-feeding when formula seems too thick when the correct amounts of water and powder are used.

Dose and Administration: Add a pinch of Avian Enzyme over hand-raising formula and allow to stand after stirring to achieve desired consistency. If still too thick, add more Avian Enzyme. Do not add more water than called for in hand-feeding formula directions. Add to tube-feeding formula for sick birds - one pinch per feeding mixed in formula. Add to dry food for recovering birds - a pinch (1/16 tsp) per meal.

Ingredients: Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast cultured on corn, wheat, rye, malt, corn syrup and molasses.

National Bird Day Contest Entries.

2011-12-29T09:26:00.000-08:00

Below is a link Dr. Harrison has asked to pass along to all of our friends that discusses the importance of free-flight in parrots. It's amazing how insightful even the youngest kids can be...

LINK: National Bird Day Contest Entries

"January 5th is National Bird Day! This important occasion was established by the international animal protection organization, Born Free USA in conjunction with The Avian Welfare Coalition. Its purpose is to honor the diversity of beautiful bird species world wide, to encourage us all to help preserve the natural places that support birds, and to embrace freedom as the right of all winged creatures.

To herald the event, Foster Parrots & The New England Exotic Wildlife Sanctuary has sponsored a National Bird Day Awareness contest for children in grades 1 - 6. The children are asked to do their best work, coloring a picture of a parrot, and writing a paragraph answering the following:

Pretend you are a parrot! - Tell us why flying free is important to you!"

"It is important because it allows me to explore the universe and not just be stuck in a tiny claustrophobic
space all day. Flying free is a feeling of independence and it allows me to interact with other parrots. Being in a cage is like staring into a wonderland while standing behind a pane of glass. It also provides
good physical exercise from being locked up.

Zane - Age 10"

Buzzy The Cockatiel Turns his Health Around!

2011-12-29T08:26:00.000-08:00

Here at Harrison's we love all the success stories we get from our clients (and their owners). Today's post is a very special story about Buzzy the cockatiel, submitted by his owner Jennifer B. from Romulus Michigan.
It's not uncommon for stressed seed eaters to turn it around quickly once switched to Harrison's. (for quick "Bird Bread conversion" please visit http://www.harrisonsbirdfoods.com/budgies.html )

(Photo, courtesy Jennifer B. - Buzzy, before and after)

Here's what Jennifer had to say...

"Just wanted to share the story of my bird! I adopted Buzzy, a rescued cockatiel, just under a year ago. He'd been kept in overcrowded conditions, and the other birds plucked him relentlessly.

I was told that his feathers probably wouldn't come back. He'd also been living on an all-seed diet, and it turned out that he had a chronic respiratory infection (which took several trips to the vet and several courses of antibiotics to clear up). I took the photo on the left in April, when he was finally mostly healthy and ready to start a diet conversion. It took a couple months, but by the end of June, he was eating Harrison's mash as his main food (I mixed Lifetime and HP, because I couldn't get him to eat the HP on its own. Now he's on Lifetime only). He also gets a small piece of Harrison's Bird Bread (made with Sunshine Factor, as recommended by his vet) every day, along with a small amount of veggies and millet for variety.

Since the diet change, he's grown in lots of new feathers! The pic on the right was just taken a month ago. His neck is still pretty bald, but look at his face! Even better -- he seems happy and his blood values are almost normal now. I firmly believe the Harrison's products have a lot to do with his improvement... so, thank you! :)

Buzzy had been a little underweight at 73 grams when I first adopted him, but since the recovery from his illness and the diet change, he's been steady at 78 grams (which is about right for his size). At his last physical exam, the vet commented on how well-muscled Buzzy is now. Buzzy's also been singing a lot more, and has been more active in general. He looks forward to his snuggle time every evening, when he gets his Harrison's Bird Bread. I'm not sure if he's mostly interested in the snuggles or the bread, though, lol. One more brand new thing - he's had a bald spot on his right wing, where the long primary feathers are supposed to be, so he hasn't been able to fly. Well, when I was giving him his shower this morning, I noticed a new feather starting to come in.

Not much is known about his past though, beyond the overcrowded conditions he'd been in. I'm not even sure how old he is (he had X-rays done when he was sick, and the vet said it looked like he might be an older bird, but beyond that, no clue)."

An extra special thanks to Jennifer B. and Buzzy for taking the time out of her day to share their story!

Happy Holidays to all of our feathered friends (and their owners)! - The Harrison's Team

Harrison's - The Official Photo Shoot!

2011-12-22T11:51:00.000-08:00

Today's blog post is a fun quickie, revealing a few "behind the scenes" pics from the very highly anticipated Harrison's photo shoot.

The photos are the first "official" shots of the newer Harrison's packaging. Paparazzi was not privy to the secret Nashville shooting location. Look for these photos to hit the street sometime in early 2012!

Reader Response to "What’s the Solution for Abandoned Pet Birds?"

2011-12-16T09:26:00.000-08:00

Special thanks to Christine R. for sharing her response to our inquiry from September when we asked What’s the Solution for Abandoned Pet Birds? in the most recent Avian Examiner.

"I worked in horse welfare for several years.

The problem that I see is that animal welfare organizations have conditioned the American Public to, "rescue & save". While that is laudable, rescue does NOTHING to change what is causing the problem. Rescue often enables owners, allowing them to be irresponsible.

If you want to change human behavior there has to be a negative consequence. People MUST be held accountable for their actions. In this country we use the Justice System, either criminal or civil, to hold people accountable.

Speaking from experience I can tell you that when the State Police show up at your door to investigate a complaint of cruelty or abandonment, people take notice. When people have to PAY MONEY for something or face the prospect of being convicted of cruelty to animals, their response is vastly different than when a rescue shows up & takes an animal ( " a problem"), off their hands.

Holding owners accountable is not 100% effective, no approach can claim that. Despite the fact that homicide, rape, robbery, & kidnapping, and a host of other acts are criminal, does not stop people from breaking the law. However, I am certain if law abiding owners, and the majority are law abiding citizens, knew they would be arrested with their name & picture on the evening news, they would think twice.The above approach though is reactive, which is what policing is. We also need to change society, & THAT is the tough one. People are conditioned from an early age that if they want something, they CAN HAVE IT RIGHT NOW! Where before parents made a child wait before they could own a pet, now if the child wants something, the child gets it.

I strongly believe that before ANYONE takes ownership of an animal, they need to go & work with a reputable professional. Learn what is involved in providing for this animal, understand its needs, & what is involved in the day to day care of the animal.

Education is wonderful, and RESPONSIBLE people WILL educate themselves. The responsible people though are NOT the problem. It is the IRRESPONSIBLE people who are the problem & that is where the police step in because that is the tool we use in is country to hold IRRESPONSIBLE people accountable for their actions.

Animal welfare organizations, along with veterinarians, need to start conditioning/marketing the concept of accountability & responsibility. The American Public needs to stand up and DEMAND that owners be held accountable.

The problem is often, not the law, but enforcement of the law. Often those tasked with enforcement are not suited for enforcement because they are emotional. The investigation of animal cruelty demands personnel trained in law enforcement, with a SPECIALTY in animal cruelty. We need veterinarians and other animal caretakers trained in forensics and the criminal justice system, along with resources.

The amount of money paid in state sales taxes in each state by pet owners on pet related products more than justifies the expenditure of resources to enforce the cruelty law, and passage of legislation if it is proven that the law itself is lacking, and not enforcement that is lacking.

There will always be those who are cruel to animals, but it is about time we started holding them accountable for their cruelty.

Sincerely,
Christine R."

Thanks again to Christine.
We would love to hear from you as well. Please submit your ideas to Dr. Harrison at birddoc@harrisonspetproducts.com

The Effects of Mega Agriculture and its Effects on the Health of Animals

2011-12-14T12:15:00.000-08:00

Dr. Greg Harrison presented a very well received lecture on the Effects of Mega Agriculture at the IWRC conference last month and it was so well received that many organizations asked him to send them a link to the presentation so they could share the “message” with their followings.

Below you will find the full presentation and a shorted (6 minute) version for your viewing pleasure and to share as you see fit.

Short version (5+ minutes) of:

What You Need to Know About Mega-agriculture and Its Effects on the Health of Animals Introduction

Full Version (1 hour) of

What You Need to Know About Mega-agriculture and Its Effects on the Health of Animals

Thank you for your commitment to excellence and to making a difference in the lives of companion animals and wildlife!

Dr. Harrison Interview - The Independent Entreprenuer

2011-12-09T08:48:00.000-08:00

By Sean Salisbury

Dr. Greg Harrison is the founder of Harrison’s Bird Foods, a company that has been producing high quality organic bird food for over thirty years. Dr. Harrison discusses formulating his product, growing his business in a declining market, as well as what it’s like to run a family business.

Click to visit The Independent Entreprenuer and listen to the interview

Zeus the Australian Shepherd tackles illness with HEALx products

2011-10-21T10:16:00.000-07:00

Recently we received this wonderful note from Becky, who works with Dr. Ray at The Avian and Exotics Center of Nashville. Becky was kind enough to share her progress using HEALx Booster in her beautiful Australian Shepard Zeus. Here's what she had to say...

"I have to also tell you. After my dog was diagnosed with laryngeal paralysis last week, I was worried that he was getting close to the end of his life. Along with using the Soother Spray and Cream, I started him on Booster. Yesterday, I got home from work, expecting the worst, since I didn't want to leave him for 8 hours with an e-collar on, I wasn't sure what I would find when I got home. I walked into my bedroom to find him on my bed. He had pushed all the pillows and blankets off the bed, and I haven't seen him do that for a long time! He was alert and active. We went outside and he started jumping up on me and trotting around the yard. He's not supposed to get winded, as it brings on respiratory distress and he gets cyanotic. He did not do either. This morning was the first morning I did not give him the tranquilizer, as I have been the past week. He has not had one "attack" since early Saturday morning. He is more active and looks alert and seems happy. I take him for a follow up tomorrow, but I expect his prognosis to be excellent!

I am a true believer in your products. My sister was so impressed by Zeus's recovery, which we both give credit to your products, that she wants to try her cocker, Jack. He is a fairly young dog, but is allergic to everything and is plagued by skin issues and other health problems. She has a concern that he might be allergic to the Booster, but I feel like he will be okay to try it. I'm going to put my cat who has recently had hair loss and my birds that eat seed that won't convert yet to a pelleted diet. I cannot tell you how happy I am to see my old dog back!!!! Thank you, thank you, thank you!" - Becky

Harrison's would like to thank Becky for sharing her thoughts and we wish Zeus all the best in his recovery from laryngeal paralysis. We would also like to thank Dr. Ray and The Avian and Exotics Center of Nashville for the great job at the recent Nashville Bird Fair helping spread the word about Harrison's and HEALx/AVIx.

Learn more about HEALx Booster
HEALx Soother Plus Cream
HEALx Soother Spray

A Tribute to Dr. Donald Zantop by Greg J. Harrison

2011-10-18T11:10:00.000-07:00

It is with a mixture of emotions I sit down to write my tribute to a man who left our lives far too soon.

Of course, my first emotion is the sadness and unfairness that “only the good die young.” I am sad for the family loss of a truly wonderful husband and father -- such a rarity in our time. We need more men like Don.
Then a smile sweeps over my face as I remember Don always smiled. I never heard him complain -- even when we shared the challenges of running a veterinary business.

At a North American Veterinary Conference almost 30 years ago Don heard me talking about making a bird bread for my breeding hyacinth macaws and asked to have some for his clients. From that day forward he was a loyal client of Harrison’s Bird Foods. Just last week I suggested to Tanya (Harrison) that we contact Don to review his client results with the food.

Later we were very pleased when he agreed to abridge the 1394-page Avian Medicine: Principles and Applications textbook to make a softbound version available for broader distribution.

He and Suzanne joined our small touring avian veterinary groups to Costa Rica and Australia, and we all got to spend quality time with them there.

Don loved the ocean - sailing, boating and diving. If there is such a thing a fitting end, then to leave this world doing what he loved is just that.

I will miss you, Don!

- Greg Harrison

Dr. Donald Zantop Remembered

2011-10-18T11:06:00.000-07:00

Donald W. Zantop, D.V.M. (MSU ’76), Diplomate, American Board of Veterinary Practitioners, Certified in Avian Practice, died suddenly on October 13, 2011 off the coast of North Carolina.

Dr. Zantop was a small animal, avian and exotic animal practitioner and co-owner of the Fallston Veterinary Clinic in Fallston, Maryland for 32 years and was active in veterinary organizations. He was a 35-year member of the American Veterinary Medical Association, served as Avian Specialty Exam Chair of the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners; President of the Association of Avian Veterinarians, the Mid-Atlantic States Association of Avian Veterinarians, and the Maryland Veterinary Medical Association; served as secretary of the Maryland Veterinary Foundation, and was a member of the Greater Baltimore and Harford County VMAs. Dr. Zantop was published in the Journal of the Association of Avian Veterinarians, served on the editorial board of Exotic DVM Magazine, and abridged the first edition of the text Avian Medicine: Principles and Applications (Ritchie, Harrison, Harrison, 1997) Several times, he was a finalist for the Lafeber “Avian Practitioner Award.”

CLICK TO SEE "A TRIBUTE" BY DR. GREG HARRISON

In Maryland, he offered his services pro bono to Wildlife Rescue, Phoenix Wildlife Rescue, the Carrie Murray Center, and the Patuxent National Wildlife Refuge.

Born in Arlington, Virginia, Dr. Zantop grew up in Michigan. He aspired to a career in veterinary medicine from the age of seven. He was an Eagle Scout and graduated from Allen Park High School, where he met his wife, Suzanne Merlo, whom he married in 1972. Also in 1972, he won the NCAA-College Division silver medal for 3-meter springboard diving for Eastern Michigan University when it won the NCAA – College Division Championship. He subsequently transferred to Michigan State University to attend veterinary school, graduating with high honors.

Dr. Zantop was also an avid sailor on the Chesapeake Bay, in the Caribbean, Belize, and Thailand. As a certified technical scuba diver, he dove regularly in the Bay, on the East Coast, and in Grand Cayman, as well as trips to the Canary Islands, Costa Rica, Hawaii, Florida, Belize, and the Caribbean, frequently hunting for megalodon teeth, scallops, lobster, and historical artifacts.

He and his wife enjoyed travel, including trips throughout the US and Canada and to Brazil, Central America, Europe, and Asia.

He is survived by his wife, Suzanne, and a daughter, Ettienne, both of Fallston; his father, Harold Zantop, of Martinsville, Indiana; his mother, Barbara Wray of O’Brien, Florida; his mother-in-law, Maggie Merlo of Bel Air, and 6 brothers and sisters.

A memorial service will be held on Friday, October 28, at 4 p.m., St. James Episcopal Church, 3100 Monkton Road, Monkton, Maryland. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations in his memory to the AAV Research Fund, 90 Madison Street, Suite 403, Denver, Colorado, 80206.

Remembering Donald Zantop, DVM

2011-10-17T10:36:00.000-07:00

It is with great sorrow that we must pass along that our longtime friend, avian veterinary counterpart and client Donald Zantop, DVM has passed away.

Dr. Zantop and his Fallston Veterinary clinic was the very first veterinarian to carry the products of a fledgling Harrison's Bird Foods all the way back in the mid-1980's

On Thursday, October 13, 2011 Dr. Zantop, passed away after having a heart attack while diving in North Carolina with his daughter and friends.

Dr. Zantop is survived by his wife Suzanne and his daughter Tia.
He will be missed by many.

A memorial service will conducted on October 28. Please check back with us for further information. Harrison's plans to share remembrances of our past experiences with Dr. Zantop in the near future.
Condolences may be sent to: Fallston Veterinary Clinic, 2615 Belair Rd., Fallston, MD 21047

Harrison's Avian Examiner - Special Edition

2011-10-12T12:24:00.000-07:00

The Avian Examiner "Special Edition" Series is a free avian newsletter that is created by HBD International. Editions are available to bird clubs and other interested parties. It includes articles written by vets, company representatives and associates as well as other avian news.

Avian Examiner #33S What is the solution for abandoned pet birds? Feeding captive canaries. Diet Conversion Kits and more.

The Harrison's Online Feather Picking Brochure

2011-10-05T10:15:00.000-07:00

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD FEATHER PICKING BROCHURE

Back by popular demand!

One of the most common requests we get is for information in regard to Feather Picking. The Harrison's team subsequently developed this excellent brochure that covers the varying causes and ways to approach dealing with this very frustrating situation. The brochure is available in .pdf form for printing.
Please feel free to download and share.

Tips for Converting Small Bird Species to Harrisons’ Bird Foods

2011-09-26T12:41:00.000-07:00

Diet Conversion is a Challenge not to be taken Lightly!

Small birds have a rapid metabolism and can starve to death in as little as 36-48 hours if they do not get enough food to eat. Owners should consult with an avian veterinarian and set up a conversion program that works but does not harm the bird in the process.

Modifying a bird’s diet is one of the biggest behavioral challenges an owner will undertake. Most issues can be overcome with patience and perseverance. Educating the owner about the benefits of feeding a formulated diet versus a seed-based diet is the first challenge.

Any dietary changes should be undertaken gradually. An important concern is the bird’s refusal to eat a “new” food, leading to significant weight loss. Weighing the bird (in grams) on a daily basis using a gram scale is the best method for monitoring adequate food consumption. Weight fluctuations greater than 10% are considered problematic. Even if provided with supplemental food, birds can starve to death while merely appearing to chew their food but not consuming it. Grinding the food into a fine powder is not the same as eating the food.

Monitoring droppings is an excellent indication of the amount of food the bird is eating. Prior to the diet change, the number and character of the droppings (color, amount, liquid, form, shape, lack of odor, staining) should be noted. Any change in the volume or number of droppings (usually a dramatic decrease in amount) indicates insufficient food consumption.

Owners should not be confused by the appearance of wet droppings, which they may assume to be normal. Wet droppings usually have little fecal matter produced from food consumption. Wet droppings are often a sign of weight loss as fat and muscle are converted to energy and water. The character of the droppings will change as the bird consumes more formulated diet – they usually become more firm with a definite shape.

It is imperative to immediately return a bird to its original diet if it refuses to eat the new diet.

The Easy Three-Step Program to Changing a Bird’s Diet

- Administer AVIx Bird Builder in the bird’s drinking water for 3-6 weeks. This builds up the nutritional state of the bird.

- Offer bake-at-home Harrison’s Bird Bread Mix as a way to introduce a new food other than seeds.

- Offer High Potency Fine (cockatiels or other similarly sized small to medium birds) or High Potency Super Fine (Canaries, Budgies and other similarly sized small birds) formula.

What’s the Solution for Abandoned Pet Birds?

2011-09-20T08:57:00.000-07:00

An Excerpt from HBD's Avian Examiner #33
Greg J. Harrison, DVM, Dipl Emeritus ABVP (Avian), Dip ECZM (Avian, retired)

Many committed and well-meaning persons join bird rescue organizations because they are concerned about the welfare of abandoned pet birds and want to make a difference. I understand that a basic frustration occurs due to the constant struggle for financing and the vast number of birds in their care. Of course, well-adjusted, socially acceptable, reasonably-sized, family-friendly birds are not usually among these. In most cases the shelter birds have been “donated” or abandoned due to some buying impulse/misjudgment on the part of the owners or chronic behavioral problems — screaming, biting, other aggression — on the part of the bird.

A resolution for this situation must start with educating potential bird owners. What is their motivation to own a blue and gold macaw, for example, which tends to favor a single person and shows aggression toward other family members? Or why choose a cockatoo that expresses its natural chewing tendencies by destroying the kitchen chairs? Some of these birds can be “saved” and adopted out to an appropriate household. But many become totally unwanted and end up occupy¬ing cramped space in a rescue facility.

Ideas for Solutions?

While we applaud the effort of kind volunteers who donate significant personal time to provide care for these birds, we also recognize that overcrowding scenarios in some rescue facilities do not spare some birds from enduring a life of misery. Preventive, educational measures are the keys to addressing this issue moving forward. We look to you for suggestions on how to incorporate such measures.

Please submit your ideas to Dr. Harrison at birddoc@harrisonspetproducts.com
......................................................................................................
The Avian Examiner is a free avian medicine newsletter that is created by HBD International and is distributed several times every year. Subscriptions are available to veterinarians and veterinary clinics who carry or sell HBD products. It includes articles written by vets, practice tips and avian medicine news.

HEALx Rain Take 2 Video

2011-09-07T13:08:00.000-07:00

All About AVIx Bird Builder

2011-08-31T09:24:00.000-07:00

Posy the Parakeet ditches the seeds!

2011-08-04T11:58:00.000-07:00

Posy the Parakeet ditches the seeds!

We at Harrison's would like to express our gratitude to our Canadian friend Angelika Zecha for taking the time to create this cool graphic detailing the progress her beautiful Rosy Bourke's Parakeet "Posy" made using Harrison's Bird Foods.

Why is it important to switch away from seeds?
A diet of seeds (even if they are vitamin fortified) simply does not meet the bird's basic nutritional requirements. Commonly fed cereal grains like sunflower, millet, oats, safflower, and corn are deficient in at least 32 essential nutrients. As early as 1923, scientists observed health deficiencies in caged parrots that were fed seed diets, yet these diets continue to be fed to this day. Birds that eat seeds often seem to be "addicted" and are sometimes difficult to convert to a healthier dietThe bird selectively eats only certain types of seeds

Disadvantages of seeds
- Seeds are often of low quality (dirty, old, contaminated with fungus and mycotoxins)
- Selectively eaten seeds often have excessive fat content and lack high quality protein
- Deficient in high quality minerals, trace elements, vitamins and primary amino acids
- May stimulate aggression, picking and chronic egg laying

Is your bird a seed addict?
The discussion in regard to seeds fed as a main diet has been an ongoing topic for many decades. The improvement we see on birds switched from seeds to Harrison's is profound. Please feel free to contact Harrison's any time to discuss your bird's diet. We have a live customer service staff awaiting your inquiries.
Our number is 1-800-346-0269 and our email is customerservice@harrisonsbirdfoods.com

Harrison's loves all of our friends from north of the border. Thanks again Angelika for sharing your results!

What is HEALx Soother Plus?

2011-08-03T09:48:00.000-07:00

What is “Soother Plus?”
Soother Plus is a nontoxic, topical antimicrobial cream with immediate antiprurtic effects. It can be used safely and effectively on all species: dogs, cats, birds, exotics and zoo animals. The only exception is fish. Soother Plus may be used anywhere on the body except around the eyes.

PURCHASE SOOTHER PLUS HERE

What is Soother Plus made of?
Soother Plus is a patented monoglyceride suspended in an aloe vera distillate and a patented quaternary ammonium solution.

When should I use Soother Plus?
Soother Plus should be used as directed by your veterinarian; however, it is effective on animals suffering from burns, wounds, cuts, skin disorders, lick granulomas abscesses, bumblefoot, ulcerative pododermatitis, mange, dermatitis, inflammation, anal prolapse, self-mutilation lesions and more.

How do I apply Soother Plus?
Apply a thin layer and massage gently until it is absorbed into the affected area. It can also be inserted into a wound cavity or applied over a suture line.

How many times a day do I need to use it?
Several treatments per day may be required to manage pain. Most cases require 2 applications per day; however, serious burns and other severe cases may require application every two hours. For best results, use Soother Plus as soon as possible after the injury or disorder has been discovered.

How soon after I start using the product can I see results?
The time frame for results varies depending on the animal and the severity of each individual case. Some animals respond and show signs of recovery in a few hours; however, more severe cases may take weeks or even months for complete resolution.

When would I use Soother Plus rather than Soother Spray?
Soother Plus is much more concentrated and should be used in cases where pain may be involved. Soother Spray works best in less severe cases where only irritation involved.

How long can Soother Plus be safely used?
Soother Plus can be used safely for months if required.

How long is Soother Plus effective after it has been opened?
Soother Plus should be used within 2 years of opening.

Why does the Soother Plus cream have a different appearance at different times?
Soother Plus has a consistency that is temperature-dependant, which means that when the product is cold, it becomes thick and creamy; however, when it is warm, it becomes thin in consistency and loses its creamy color. Soother Plus is still active either way -- it just looks different.

Is Soother Plus toxic if my animal eats or licks it after application?
No. Soother Plus is nontoxic; however, contact with the eyes should be avoided.

Why do you suggest using Booster in conjunction with Soother Plus?
Booster is a whole food supplement that helps heal from the inside out, while Soother Plus is healing from the outside in. Booster also supplies the animal with nutrients that may be needed for healing skin or tissue after illness or injury.

What is RAIN?

2011-08-03T09:44:00.000-07:00

What is “Rain?”
Rain is a natural, nontoxic hydrating spray. It can be used safely and effectively on all species: birds, exotic animals, dogs, cats and zoo animals. Rain may be used anywhere on the body except around the eyes.

PURCHASE RAIN HERE

What if I get Rain in the eyes of my pet?
The eye area should be avoided but if accidental contact with Rain occurs, it will not harm your animal or bird.

When should I use Rain?
Rain should be used as directed by your veterinarian; however, it has been effective for dry flaky skin and minor scratches, and may add hydration to healthy skin during dry months, such as with animals housed indoors during the winter. Rain may also be used as an effective, safe reptile soak.

How soon after I start using the product can I expect to see results?
The time frame for results varies depending on the severity of each individual case. Some cases respond and show signs of recovery in a few minutes; however, other cases may take weeks to show a response. Rain reduces dander and dust immediately. For an added sheen to the coat or feathers, store Rain in the refrigerator and apply cold to add extra gloss.

When would I use Rain and when would I use Soother Spray?
Rain is a hydration spray to add moisture to healthy skin, coat and plumage. If the animal has a skin disorder, Soother Spray is the preferred remedy. For more information on Soother Spray, please watch the Take 2 Video on Soother Spray.

How long can Rain be safely used?
Rain may be used safely for months or even years, if required.

What is the “wetting agent” in Rain?
It is 0.0001 (1/10,000th of a percent) of a mild soap agent.

Why do you add a wetting agent?
This minute amount is needed to penetrate skin and preen oils so the active aloe vera component can hydrate the skin and coat or feathers. Without a wetting agent, Rain would not effectively hydrate.

Do I need to rinse Rain off?
No, rinsing is not needed.

Can I use other topical sprays at the same time as Rain?
We do not recommend using any other topical modality at the same time as Rain.

What is HEALx Soother Spray?

2011-08-03T09:40:00.000-07:00

What is “Soother Spray”?

Soother Spray is a patented quaternary ammonium and active aloe vera topical spray that provides soothing antipruritic and anti-inflammatory effects. Soother Spray is safe and effective on all species: birds, exotic animals, dogs, cats and zoo animals. The only exception is fish. Soother Spray may be used anywhere on the animal’s body except around the eyes.

PURCHASE SOOTHER SPRAY

When should I use Soother Spray?

Soother Spray should be used as directed by your veterinarian; however, it is effective for common ailments, such as bug bites, minor cuts, scratches, flea allergies, urine scald, minor burns, and self-mutilation cases, such as feather picking.

How soon after I start using the product can I expect to see results?

The time frame for results varies depending on the severity of each individual case. Some cases respond and show signs of recovery in a few minutes; however, other cases may take weeks to show a response. Self-mutilation cases such as feather picking may take up to a year for complete resolution.

Why do you suggest using Booster in conjunction with Soother Spray for best results?

Soother Spray helps soothe the skin and helps speed healing, but Soother Spray does not resolve disorders by itself. Therefore, skin and plumage issues respond best when Soother Spray is used with Booster as a daily dietary supplement. For more information about Booster see the “Booster Take 2 Video.”

When would I use Rain and when would I use Soother Spray?

Rain is a hydration spray that is useful to add moisture to healthy skin, coat and plumage. If the animal has a skin disorder, Soother Spray would be the preferred remedy.

How long can Soother Spray be used safely?

Soother Spray may be used safely for months or even years, if required. It will build up on skin and/or feathers over time, so a warm water bath is recommended every 7-10 days.

Can I use other topical sprays at the same time as Soother Spray?

No, we do not recommend using any other topical modality at the same time as Soother Spray. Safety studies have been conducted on Soother Spray by itself, but not if it is used in conjunction with other topical products in the marketplace. Also, use of multiple products confuses the issue of cause and treatment results.

What is HEALx Booster?

2011-08-03T09:36:00.000-07:00

What is “Booster?”
Booster is a non-synthetic whole food vitamin supplement that has antimicrobial activity. It may be used safe and effectively in all species: dogs, cats, birds, exotics and zoo animals.

PURCHASE BOOSTER HERE

What is Booster made of?
Booster is a blend of certified organic red palm fruit oil (Sunshine Factor) and a patented purified monolaurin.

What is monolaurin?
Monolaurin is a combination of lauric acid and glycerol, a combination that results in an emollient that is completely nontoxic and nonirritating.

When should I use Booster?
Booster should be used as directed by your veterinarian; however, it is effective in animals suffering from recurring upper respiratory infections, and in animals or birds with allergies or any microbial disorder, and in animals or birds that have been treated with antibiotics. Also, Booster has been reported to help sick, weak or immune-compromised animals. It also benefits animals with skin disorders and cases of self-mutilation, such as lick granulomas and feather picking.

How do I give Booster?
The dosage for Booster is based on the body weight of the animal. For little critters weighing under a pound, Booster can be liquefied and administered at 0.02-0.06 ml per 100 grams body weight. For larger animals, like dogs and cats, it is administered at 1-3 tsp per 50 pounds body weight. Most dogs and cats will eat Booster directly from a spoon. If they do not like the taste of Booster, mixing it with their favorite treat usually helps palatability.

How soon after I start using the product can I expect to see results?
The time frame for results varies depending on the animal and the severity of each individual case. Some animals respond and show signs of recovery within a few weeks; however, more severe cases may take several months.

When would I use Booster versus Sunshine Factor?
A good rule of thumb is to use Booster with any animal that has an ailment or skin disorder. If the animal is healthy and only shows evidence of a dull coat or feathers, Sunshine Factor would be the preferred modality. For more information on Sunshine Factor please review the “Take 2 Video on Sunshine Factor.”

How long can Booster be safely used?
Booster may be used safely for months or even years, if required. Some animals with a weak immune system may require Booster daily for the rest of their life.

Can I mix Booster in the water?
No. Booster is basically an oil and does not mix well with water. Therefore it should be offered daily by feeding it orally or administering it on the animal’s food or a treat.

What vitamins are in Booster?
Booster is a whole food source of carotenoids (precursors to vitamin A, including both alpha-carotene and beta-carotene). It contains 6 of the 8 forms of vitamin E and provides a rich source of CoQ10.

Do I need to worry about toxicosis when I feed Booster?
No. Because Booster is a whole food vitamin, each animal’s body biochemically “chooses” the missing nutrients and passes what it does not need.

Can I feed Sunshine Factor and Booster at the same time?
No, you would use one or the other. Booster contains Sunshine Factor so adding more is not needed.

Thoughts on Diet Conversion - By Dr. Harrison

2011-07-20T13:15:00.000-07:00

Recently we were asked about resistance towards diet conversion. The response below from Dr. Harrison is a good read and addresses some key points in regard to why (and how) patience and persistence goes a long way in improving a bird's diet.

"The reason we developed Harrison's was because there was no other food program that even the devout could follow and get the results I wanted for my pet bird clients.
Our formulas were initially based on very successful diets designed by John Stoodley. Over the years we have re-addressed and improved the formulas based on input from avian nutritionists, other avian veterinarians and general usage feedback.
If you review the articles on our site http://www.avianmedicine.net/ (specifically http://avianmedicine.net/articles/proceedings.htm) John endorses our approach as being as good as his.

These conversion issues we are discussing today have long presented one the largest challenges in my work.

I ultimately found that presenting the information in the physical exam chapter of Clinical Avian Medicine along with examples of “perfect vs. poor feathers” and finally a USB microscope exam (50-100X)
of a bird to allow the specific clinical sign to be so obvious no one can miss it, convinced all but the totally closed minded.

Recent breakthroughs in addressing acceptance issues include preconditioning with Builder®. http://www.harrisonsbirdfoods.com/Bird-Builder/products/69/

A surprising number of birds need this build up and the attending herbal (milk thistle, SAMe) and organ supportive products (lactulose, apple cider vinegar or probiotic) published in our conversion literature, prior to executing a diet change. Preconditioning birds for conversion in this manner has been found to be a genuine leap forward in diet conversion methods.

The Bird Bread® and Power Treats ® have added many birds to the fold due to high acceptance.

Sadly, a huge percentage of birds still do not get converted. Patience and persistence (incorporating the dozens of ideas in our conversion literature) has worked over time on every case. "

Tales of "Birds Feeding Dogs" Leads to Organic Dog Cookie Mix

2011-06-16T12:29:00.000-07:00

Over the years we have recieved many calls from bird owners who have noticed that their pet bird had developed an interest in "feeding" the family dog, from the cage using Harrison's Bird Foods. Birds are clever and most dogs will pounce on a tasty bird food nugget given the opportunity. It was these stories that lead to the creation of our premium, certified organic, "Bake at Home" cookie mix for dogs (Harrison's Certified Organic Dog Cookie Mix).

Made from some of the same great certified organic Harrison's ingredients that you have known and trusted for decades is a tasty treat that you can bake up yourself. It is perfect vehicle for administering medications, or you can customize the cookie as you see fit. We recommend using Sunshine Factor instead of standard cooking oil - which is an added health benefit for your canine pal.

The mix is available in 400g bags or can be purchased as "Dog Cookie Kit" which features two 400g bags, one 1oz Sunshine Factor and a fun bone-shaped cookie cutter, all packed into a cool paw-print craft bag.

If you have a dog-loving friend the kit makes a perfect gift for any occasion!

Click for more details.

More THOR!

2011-06-02T11:11:00.000-07:00

*No endorsements of any kind are implied by these photos. Please do not reproduce.

And here is what you DID see in the pet store scene from the movie Thor! Our Handbook For a Healthier Bird and a HEALx rack card are prominently displayed as Thor demands a horse from the shocked pet store clerk shown here. Click image to enlarge.

Harrison's Pet Products on The Set of "THOR"!

2011-05-27T11:50:00.000-07:00

*No endorsements of any kind are implied by these photos. Please do not reproduce.

Here's what you didn't see in the theatrical release of "THOR".
If only The God of Thunder needed some bird food instead of a horse. Maybe in the next movie?
These are production stills of the pet store sometime before the scenes were shot. Who knows, maybe the home release with expand this scene. Fingers crossed.

First Aid Brochure for Pet Birds - printable PDF

2011-05-26T09:43:00.000-07:00

First Aid Brochure for Pet Birds - printable PDF
Full color tri-folded copies available for only $10 per pack of 50 (Available from Harrisons Pet Products 1-800-946-4782).

Great for bird clubs, veterinarians, pet stores, rescues, and bird breeders.
Click to download

CLINICAL CASE: The Use of HEALx Soother Plus,® Booster® and Harrison’s Bird Foods™ for an African Grey Parrot with a Severe Wound on its Breast

2011-05-18T12:19:00.000-07:00

We would like to thank Dr. Sergio Sarmiento Valiente (Exoticos Vet in Palma de Mallorca, Spain) for the outstanding job done saving Thor, The African Grey from his dire injuries. We believe his continued graphic documentation of clinical cases is invaluable to the world of veterinary medicine.

The Use of HEALx Soother Plus,® Booster® and Harrison’s Bird Foods™ for an African Grey Parrot with a Severe Wound on its Breast
Sergio Sarmiento Valiente, DVM

A male African grey parrot (Psittacus erithacus) named Thor presented with a severe open wound on the breast.

The wound was cleaned daily with a sterile saline. A generous amount of HEALx Soother Plus® cream was applied topically and covered with strips of gauze. The gauze was applied to the wound and covered with a fine layer of plastic film to keep the cream in place. The breast was then dressed with soft co-adhesive material. The Soother Plus® and gauze treatment was changed every 3 days for the first 2 weeks, and then every 4-6 days for the next 3 weeks.

From Day 1 the African grey was fed Harrison’s High Potency Coarse mixed with HEALx Booster® (1 tsp/1 lb of food). The bird did not have any difficulty converting to the new diet.

On Day 42 the wound had healed. We believe both the topical treatment and diet were the key in resolving this difficult case where 9 out of 10 veterinarians would have chosen to euthanize this bird.

Day 1

Day 14

Day 14

Day 14

Day 14

Day 21

Day 28

Day 35

Day 42

STUDY: Medical Treatment of Avipoxvirus Infections in Birds of Prey

2011-05-16T11:31:00.000-07:00

STUDY: Medical Treatment of Avipoxvirus Infections in Birds of Prey

Excerpt:

"Poxviruses are double-stranded DNA enveloped viruses that infect a wide spectrum of animals. Poxvirus infections in birds are caused by a large avipoxvirus. This infection (mostly dry form) is now seen more frequently in Spain, and considered common in falconry birds in Europe and Middle East. Until now most of the treatment options were surgical. We treated more than 150 raptors infected by poxvirus with a monoglyceride (HEALx Booster Concentrate) to treat over 150 birds of prey observing clinical remission without or with little sequels. PCR and histopathology on some cases confirmed the poxvirus infection."

Please follow the following link to read the complete study.
Booster Concentrate Clinical Study in Bird of Prey

Harrisons' Pet Products Student Veterinary Program 2011

2011-04-22T10:36:00.000-07:00

Click HERE to view full details (.pdf)

Want to become an entrepreneur while attending veterinary school?
…and support your avian/exotic animal club at the same time?

WHAT’S IN IT FOR YOU:

• Start with a free $250 credit with which to make your first purchase.

• Receive a deep discount (20% below wholesale) for sales to fellow
students and faculty.

• Take advantage of the discounts for your own pets.

• Receive educational and promotional materials (brochures,
rack cards) to support your growing enterprise.

• Gain knowledge and experience with these products that will prepare
you for success following graduation.

• Develop business skills while you are still in school by responsibly
clearing balances on time and designating profits for subsequent
orders and club activities and guest speakers.

Interested?
Contact Bobby at
Bobby@HarrisonsPetProducts.com
or call 800-346-0269.

Harrisons’ Pet Products Introduces Convenient Diet Conversion Kits

2011-03-29T09:50:00.000-07:00

The nutritional status of a pet bird is the single most important factor that influences the prevention of disease in a healthy bird and response to treatment in a sick bird. Harrison’s Bird Foods produces certified organic, nutritionally complete formulated foods for pet birds, but it is sometimes challenging to change the eating habits of a bird that is accustomed to eating a high-fat, nutritionally deficient but familiar seed diet. To assist in this conversion process, Harrisons’ Pet Products has released two convenient kits:

The “Small Bird Conversion Kit” includes:
• 1 1-oz (30 ml) bottle AVIx Bird Builder to supply trace minerals missing from seeds
• 1 bag Harrison’s Bird Bread Mix (Millet & Flax flavor) to attract a hesitant bird to try something new
• 1 1-oz (30 ml) bottle HEALx Sunshine Factor for overall nutritional support
• 1 1-lb Harrison’s Bird Foods High Potency Fine or Superfine Formula to maintain the diet conversion
• 1 copy of the “11 Quick Tips for Conversion” educational handout

The “Large Bird Conversion Kit” includes:
• 1 4-oz (120 ml) bottle AVIx Bird Builder • 1 bag Harrison’s Bird Bread Mix (Original flavor)
• 1 4-oz (120 ml) bottle HEALx Sunshine Factor
• 1 1-lb Harrison’s Bird Foods High Potency Coarse Formula
• 1 copy of the “11 Quick Tips for Conversion” educational handout

Both kits are available @ harrisonsbirdfoods.com

Twenty Years of Progress in Pet Bird Nutrition (JAVMA 1998)

2011-03-24T10:55:00.000-07:00

Revisiting Twenty Years of Progress in Pet Bird Nutrition
Greg J. Harrison, DVM
Diplomate Emeritus American Board of Veterinary Practitioners - Avian Practice
Dip European College of Zoological Medicine (Avian) (retired)

Published in JAVMA vol 212, No 8, April 15 1998 p1226-1230 reprinted with permission of AVMA

For much of the last twenty years, avian veterinarians have been occupied with developing diagnostic and therapeutic procedures for companion birds. Birds have often been presented in an emergency condition, and many of these birds died. In the late 70's, the most conspicuous causes were related to importation (eg, infectious diseases, parasites, immunosuppression from overuse of antibiotics) or poor management associated with companion bird breeding facilities. Veterinarians were concerned about putting out these disease "fires," so preventive medicine was not much of a consideration.

At the same time, however, Dr. Milton Scott of Cornell University was exploring avian diets. Dr. Scott conducted whole body analyses of birds, which showed that across the orders, all birds were made up of very similar components (especially ash and protein). He concluded that variation in actual intake of foodstuffs was primarily a result of food availability and adaptations for harvesting. Recommendations were made at that time regarding nutrient requirements of birds.

Today, twenty years later, many advances have occurred in the medical and surgical care of companion birds; therefore, one would think that enormous strides have also been made in pet bird nutrition. But relatively little scientific research has been conducted. According to experienced avian practitioners, malnutrition still underlies up to 90% of all clinical cases, yet veterinarians continue to recommend inappropriate diets for birds, including the feeding of enormous amounts of table food and the combining of various commercial products together (in effect, allowing the client to become his own "nutritionist"). Pet shops are also relatively ignorant about bird care and allow economics to dictate their sales of "bird food" (seed) to the public.

There will probably never be documented nutritional requirements for all the species of psittacine birds commonly kept as pets. But the knowledge is there for today's avian professional to prevent malnutrition by offering to species under their care practical diets based on the considerable data available for Galliformes, Anseriformes and Passeriformes, and to evaluate and re-evaluate the clinical results obtained from feeding trials with various formulations. The variables that must be considered in applying the limited formulas that have been developed include: the species, age, sex, genetics, season of the year, housing, activity level, and whether the birds are laying eggs, raising young, molting, or recovering from surgery, disease or other major stress.

Many veterinarians with private bird clients and large collections of birds with malnutritional diseases often fail to realize the progress made by manufactured diets in recent years. It has become obvious from observing birds undergoing a diet change to a high quality formulation that a transformation occurs in the behavioral aspects of the bird as well as the physical and physiological condition.

I. AVIAN FEEDING RECOMMENDATIONS 1977-1997

Seeds

According to the September, 1997 issue of Pet Age Magazine, the top four bird food companies in the United States base their sales mainly on seeds; therefore, most companion birds in this country are eating seed-based diets -- just as they were in 1977. The difference is that today it is well known that seeds -- no matter how they are colored, mixed or pressed into shapes -- are not a complete and nourishing diet for pet birds. As early as 1923, scientists observed health deficiencies in caged parrots fed seed diets. Seeds (cereal grains such as sunflower, millet, oats, safflower, corn) are missing essential nutrients for bird health (Table 1).

Table 1. Deficiencies of Seeds
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
Vitamins choline, niacin, biotin (H), pantothenic acid, riboflavin (B2), vitamin A, vitamin D3, vitamin E, vitamin K, folic acid (M), cyanocobalamin (B12)
Minerals calcium, phosphorus (70% as phytates), sodium, magnesium
Trace minerals selenium, iron, copper, zinc, manganese, iodine, chromium, vanadium, bismuth, tin,
boron
Pigments chlorophyll, carotenoids, canthaxanthia
Protein (amino acids) lysine, methionine
Fiber soluble (mucopolysaccharide), insoluble
Vitamin precursors beta carotene
_____________________________________________________________________________________________

Pet birds are reluctant to give up a seed diet for several reasons: 1) their parents were probably raised on seeds; 2) birds are extremely habitual creatures and do not want to change; 3) seeds are relatively high in fat content and thus taste good. On the other hand, if a bird had been raised on a formulated diet, it would not recognize seeds as food and would be reluctant to eat them.

Seeds Plus Supplements

As birds became more popular as pets in the early 1980s, improper feeding was identified as the chief cause of disease and death in pet birds. It was accepted by then that seeds had deficiencies of nutrients so the term "malnutrition" was considered synonymous with "deficiency." The "cure" was perceived to be the addition of supplements to the seed diet.

The first supplements consisted of liquid vitamins applied to the drinking water, which was eventually discounted because of the dilution, pollution and rejection by the bird. Similarly, a cuttlebone attached to the side of the cage did not replace the missing calcium. Soon manufacturers of seed diets claimed to have various topical applications or secret processes of nutrients that penetrated the hulls of seeds to render the kernel "balanced" when consumed. None of these -- including colored seeds, vitaminized seeds, fortified seeds, pressed and glued seeds -- appeared to be effective because the clinical signs of malnutrition were still evident.

Table Foods

The next step was to supplement with fresh table foods -- the wider the variety, the better -- eventually evolving to recommendations of dark green, leafy and dark yellow vegetables and fruits because of their vitamin precursor content. Owner compliance was high because feeding their bird from the table was an excellent opportunity for bonding. Publications on "how to make your bird a table food connoisseur" implied that these steps would result in a balanced diet. What resulted were inconsistent feeding practices and basically allowing the bird to "choose" its own diet.

Even the fruits and vegetables that are available on the market today in the USA do not contain high quality nutrients -- they are often picked immature in order to be shipped around the world (as many are imported from Central America, Mexico and even Australia), some are chemically treated to resemble mature vegetables, and most are grown with non-sustainable agriculture practices. The actual nutrient levels in the soil in the United States have been dropping since the 1930s because there is seldom correct crop rotation, fertilizers are limited to only nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium, and there is no composting or trace mineral replacement.
¬¬¬¬¬¬¬-_____________________________________________________________________________________________
Table 2. Overview of 20 Years of Recommendations for Feeding Pet Birds
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
1970s - seeds, grit, cuttlebone, greens, liquid vitamins, turkey food, dog food, trout chow, canary seed, lory diets, flamingo diets, early pelleted products, monkey biscuit, bread, milk, fruits, meat, chicken starter, vegetables, nuts, eggs

1980s - dog food, variety seeds, nuts, fruits, vegetables, oyster shell, sprouts, egg shells, mynah bird pellets, trout chow, bread, wheat germ, insects, cuttlebone, pound cake, multivitamins, soybeans, bean mixes (with or without dog food), monkey biscuit, turkey pellets, mash, pellet, kibble or crumble, mixed animal pellets (pig, monkey, turkey, pigeon, rabbit, mouse, hamster), fruit, sprouts (and then no sprouts), table food, egg, bread, pellets, cooked beans, peanut butter

1990s - well developed formulated, pelleted and extruded diets leaning toward "natural" ingredients and even certified organic bird foods are available, but professionals continue to recommend seeds and supplements or treats, rice, pasta, cereals, vegetable, fruits, meat, legumes, dairy products, bones, pellets, cooked mixes, breads, muffins
_____________________________________________________________________________________________

III. MANUFACTURED BIRD DIETS

Manufactured diets specifically for birds were developed first from poultry nutritional requirements. The initial nutritional research performed on psittacines was done on cockatiels at the University of California at Davis, looking superficially at a sustainable diet, then more specifically at hand-raising formulas and levels of protein, lysine and total solids. Energy levels have been studied in research with budgies. The bulk of the data used to design food for today's companion birds came from this background, starting with poultry and game bird foods and modifying them based on feeding trials.

It is evident that manufactured diets have the most potential for providing apparent nutritional needs to pet birds, but currently there are no published standards that would allow manufacturers to state that their foods are "complete and balanced."

Early Manufactured Foods

The earliest attempts to adapt companion birds to manufactured diets relied on available formulas for other species: trout chow, chicken starter, turkey chow, and eventually monkey chow because the primate diet contained vitamin D3 rather than D2. During the 1980s large numbers of psittacine species offspring were hand-fed using a monkey biscuit-based formula -- sometimes with added baby cereal to dilute the D3 levels and peanut butter to increase the fat.

Pellets

Today's formulated diets were actually available in the form of pellets in 1977 but they were not very popular. The concept was valid but the process of pelletization did not really cook the food and caramelize the carbohydrates to increase the palatability. There was also some controversy over the effect of pelletization on nutrients such as fatty acids. More importantly, the poultry formulations were too high in salt, vitamins A and D3 and protein resulting in serious disorders in parrots.

Formulated Diets

Formulated diets increased in popularity in the late 1980s because of a process called extrusion. With extrusion, ingredients are forced through a valve under high pressure and heat, resulting in a product with uniform appearance, increased palatability from caramelized carbohydrates and incorporated air, increased digestibility, and increased shelf life due to altered enzymes.

A number of well developed, high quality formulated diets are available today based on direct feeding trials with various companion bird species. Some are more readily accepted than others. Birds are able to taste, which is supported by the presence of taste receptors. Preference testing experiments have shown responses to sweet, bitter, acid and salt solutions. Sugar or fat can be added to a diet to facilitate its acceptance; however, the continued use of 10% sugar and 15% fat by weight in a formulated diet has been shown by this author to be detrimental.

Subtle shades of black, brown, yellow and green (naturally occurring colors of food) have been shown to be most acceptable by birds. The use of dyed foods has been found to decrease the acceptance of food by the bird in several studies, although the owner may find these attractive.

The Fallacy of Balancing a Diet at Home

Recent work at the Animal Medical Center in New York verifies that adding table foods or formulated diets to seeds does not balance a bird's diet; formulated diets must be fed over 75% of the total intake to be effective. There are too many variables on the part of what the owner offers and what the bird selects. Balancing the seed portion with an extruded or pelleted portion is also impossible to manage.

Nutritional Excesses

Documented cases of hypervitaminosis A and D3 are well known in pet bird literature. Yet to maintain the level of nutrients consist with package labels to survive the production process and to prolong shelf life, some manufacturers double or triple the initial amount of potentially toxic component. Heat- and moisture-sensitive ingredients such as vitamins, vitamin precursors and pigments (eg, beta carotene) should be applied after the extrusion or pelletizing process, in this author's opinion.

III. EVALUATING AN AVIAN DIET

One of the most important aspects of preventive avian care is nutrition. Many veterinarians do not realize that malnutrition is the underlying cause of most of the clinical signs of disease they see on a daily basis. The clinician should maximize his ability to detect the early signs of malnutrition because these are also the early signs of illness. The chronic signs of malnutrition (feather picking, sore feet, dry, flaky skin, liver disease, obesity, listlessness, lack of singing, talking and playing, chewing up cage, biting people, self-mutilation, etc.) could actually be considered signs of cruelty. Especially when there are high quality formulated diets that have proven to relieve these often painful clinical signs with no other form of therapy.

Clinical Signs of Malnutrition

Malnutrition can be the primary etiology that produces obesity, generalized deficiency syndrome, hyperkeratosis, metaplasia resulting in poor feathering and skin quality, fatty liver degeneration, hypocalcemia, gout, mineralization of kidneys, and other organ failure from dietary excesses. More often, though, malnutrition creates an immunosuppressed bird that expresses this condition as feather picking, persistent molting, cloacal prolapse, egg binding, chronic egg laying, foreign body consumption, behavioral problems, and susceptibility to bacterial, yeast, viral and parasitic infections. These are the most common clinical presentations seen in a psittacine practice and correction of these disorders becomes a major part of the clinical criteria for evaluating the nutritional status of avian patients.

CONTINUED (.pdf)

Eclectus, commercial bird food diets and "toe-tapping"

2011-03-07T12:38:00.000-08:00

Over the past decade or so commercial diets, ingredients and supplemental items such as vitamins, spirulina etc. have been blamed as the "culprit" in regard this unusual behavior. Internet "expertise" has been quick to conclude that this issue is directly tied to commercial diets but there is no actual data showing tapping as a food related problem, or even a problem at all.
What has been observed is that even pefectly healthy eclectus tap.

So why then does this species display this unusual behavior?

We defer to comments from to Dr. Cathy Johnson-Delaney on the subject.

"Everyone needs to see Nature "Parrots in the Land of Oz" (PBS). It spends considerable time on wild Eclectus in Australia - they have a unique social system, where males fly huge distances daily and mate with lots of females, females are also promiscuious (sp.) and the male "taps" as a way of communication. It is a normal behavior. Our captive eclectus housed as pairs are frustrated (the females mate with lots of different males) and the males mate with lots of females. It is not a Male:female pair bond social system.

When the male is "toe tapping" he's calling and declaring his position for other males - with none answering, he keeps doing it.

I'm going to buy the dvd and invite all eclectus owners to come see it. And we need to re-think medicating or whatever for a "normal" behavior. I have a feeling those eclectus getting the spirulina were actually in better reproductive health and therefore getting quite frustrating tapping and drumming with no birds answering.

You can order the dvd for 19.95 US dollars at the Nature TV website

It's well worth it."

Cathy Johnson-Delaney, DVM, DABVP-Avian
President, Association of Exotic Mammal Veterinarians

Harrison's recommends eclectus be fed the High Potency formula, follow supplementation guidelines as listed on the bag and like all pets, annual veterinary visits are in order.

Harrisons' Exhibitor Schedule 2011

2010-12-08T08:49:00.001-08:00

We will have exhibitors representing Harrisons' Pet Products at the following scheduled events:

NORTH AMERICAN VETERINARY CONFERENCE (NAVC) - January 15-19, 2011 – Orlando

STUDENT AMERICAN VETERINARY MEDICAL ASSOCIATION (SAVMA) Symposium - March 24-27, 2011 – UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine

SOUTH FLORIDA PET EXPO - March 26, 2011 – South Florida Fairgrounds

EUROPEAN ASSOCIATION of AVIAN VETERINARIANS (EAAV) – Madrid, Spain – April 26-29, 2011

ASSOCIATION of AVIAN VETERINARIANS (AAV) - August 6 - 12, 2011, Seattle, Washington.

See you there!

A question about soy

2010-12-07T13:54:00.000-08:00

Q: Why does Harrison's contain SOY and is it bad for my bird?
Does SOY cause hormone stimulation in birds?

A: Negative press about soy (soybeans) is another classic example of anonymous claims from internet sources that must be taken with a grain of salt.

For starters, Harrison's formulas are steadily reviewed by PhD avian nutritionists. This practice of review has been in place for almost 30 years.

Many products being challenged for their use of soy actually use soybean by-products, which are made with soy oil or soybean oil meal from a chemical extraction technique using hexane.

Hexane was formerly used as a cleaning agent for removing grease in the printing industry as well as a solvent for rubber cement, but now it's showing up in many so-called "natural" and even "made with organic" soy foods. Even this inferior soy source has not been proven harmful.
(The soy in Harrison’s Bird Foods is whole, organic, rolled and toasted.)

The digestive system of a bird functions in a way different from ours. They can tolerate foods we can't; we can tolerate foods that would make them ill. We do know there are many beneficial effects for birds from consuming soy products; the negatives are much more a speculation.

At the 2nd International Symposium on Pet Bird Nutrition in Hannover in 2007, we at Harrison’s discussed this with our current nutritionist, Dr. Kirk Klasing of the University of California Davis. He is studying the feeding of soybeans as they are normally raised and those that are genetically modified to produce phytoestrogens (specifically genistein), which are used by the pharmacological industry. This latter soybean has a thousand times the phytoestrogen content of regular soybeans. Dr Klasing has found no indication that even this high level has any effect whatsoever. His research subjects are finches, which have the highest metabolism rate and would show problems the soonest. His co-researchers have also set up flocks of finches for breeding, which starts at less than one year of age, and have not seen any effects on fertility, hatchability, chick maturation or illness.

Harrison's has been fed to the leading breeding facilities in the world for almost 30 years, and the egg-laying, hatching and survivability have always been excellent. In fact, Harrison’s was developed to solve breeding problems in hyacinth macaws (i.e., no eggs, infertile eggs, eggs that had to be incubated to hatch, weak hatchlings that needed assistance to hatch, rejection by parents so the chicks had to be hand fed).

There was a 1970’s lawsuit in New Zealand claiming rosellas were maturing early due to being fed soy, and that some even died. The claimant had millions to spend on the case, whereas the new USA pellet manufacturer did not, and the case “appeared” to prove soy was the problem. It did not. Veterinarians familiar with the case said the birds were infected with one of the first cases of circovirus in rosellas. The manufacturer has continued to use his original formulas that have been used for over 30 years at the U of California cockatiel research flock without incident. The claimant has saturated the internet for these 30 years with the weakest of claims, all based on poor empirical observations.

There is a failure by claimants to conclusively prove that feeding products that contain soy are unhealthy. And again, processed soy is a very different product from raw soy.

The soy in Harrison’s Bird Foods is whole, organic, rolled and toasted. That is because our mentor was John Stoodley, who used whole organic soybeans in his famous formulas. John’s breeding results are unparalleled in seed-eating birds. He kept impeccable records. Most aviculturists do not. So there is no honest way to compare diets.

Another exception is Eric Von Kooten, who has the only peer-reviewed comparison of traditional aviculture diets to Harrison’s. The study was on the members contributing to the Ruppel’s parrot stud book. His summary: “The conclusion is justified that the use of HBF (Harrison’s Bird Foods) is definitely worth the extra costs when compared to the use of traditional feed. Next to the benefits mentioned previously, such as a larger number of young birds, fewer dead birds, healthier birds, faster independence of young birds and fewer ill birds, other aspects have not been mentioned. Among others, the most important are that we experienced a major improvement in behavior since the introduction of HBF as well as a remarkable change in color of the feathers.
No doubt, the introduction of HBF is one of the elements that has improved the well-being of our parrots in addition to the other actions we initiated in the early 1990s to realize a more sensible captivity of these beautiful animals.”

The full paper is available at http://www.avianmedicine.net/articles/vankooten.pdf
Dr. Klasing has chosen Harrison’s to be the food used for the extremely endangered kakapo in New Zealand.

Please review the Iowa State University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences magazine Stories in Agriculture and Life Sciences Fall 2008 which can be downloaded at http://www.ag.iastate.edu/stories/archives/2008fall see page 21 (19 in the PDF) entitled Soy Isoflavones May Offer Health Benefits - based on science rather than speculation.

Hormone stimulation comes from many other causes, in my experience. Plastics and pesticides are some of the worst. We have never seen it from soy.

Feeding warm foods, rich table foods, fruit high in sugar, sweet corn, high oil items (nuts, sunflower seeds), hand feeding and stroking are the main causes of hormone stimulation, in my practical experience.

Finally, the poor health resulting from feeding seeds and tablefood, still being promoted by well meaning but misinformed bird owners, is and always has been the most dangerous preventable cause of suffering in birds. For decades we were taught birds “hide their symptoms.” A leading seed mix company shows a photo of their blue and gold macaw as if it was healthy. The photo shows the tattered wing feathers so often seen in birds eating seed-based diets. A better photo with emphasis on beak, nails, foot patterns and feather color would show that this bird is not on a balanced diet. That bird is suffering, in my opinion.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Harrisons' Pet Products 2010 Clinical Case Report Contest - Ammended with Submission Form link

2010-11-17T11:08:00.000-08:00

PLEASE CLICK TO DOWNLOAD SUBMISSION FORM

Harrisons' Pet Products 2010 Clinical Case Report Contest
*For Licensed Veterinarians Only*
Case submissions are based on the following criteria:
• Medical relevance
• Case completeness
• Photo quality and content (before, during and after)
• Overall presentation

The award includes
• a $1000 cash prize
• a plaque
• publicity in various veterinary publications

Someone is going to win $1000, and it could be you.

CLICK TO SEE LAST YEAR'S WINNER
___________________________

How to Submit a Clinical Case Report
We are seeking photographic documentation of an animal case in which a Harrisons’ Pet Product was used to successfully resolve the disorder. Please begin by photographing the original presentation and continue to photograph various steps along the way during the treatment. Close-up digital images must be taken at a resolution high enough for a 4"x3" (10 x 7.5 cm) image to be printed at 300 ppi (1200 x 900 pixels, or at least 1 megapixel). Please save images as individual .jpg, .tif or .psd files.

In describing the case and the images, please include an introductory paragraph with the history, presumptive diagnosis, and other therapies that were used in conjunction with the Harrisons’ Pet Product (including the generic name of drugs, dosages and treatment intervals). Click here to see a sample clinical case report. Please save the text as a Word doc file.

Images and text should be emailed to info@exoticdvm.com with “Clinical Case Report” as the subject by December 1, 2010. Include your name and contact information. The winner will be notified by email on December 17, 2010, and the $1,000 cash award will be presented at the North American Veterinary Conference (NAVC).

Need not be present at NAVC to win. Winner will be selected by a panel of HEALx Veterinary Consultants. The contest is open to all licensed veterinarians; however, Harrisons’ Pet Products’ employees, consultants and their veterinary associates (at their practice) are not eligible to win.

JoJo and Chickie - caiques munching their Pepper Lifetime nuggets

2010-11-16T09:41:00.000-08:00

Special thanks to our good friend Saroj for allowing us to post the video of her two beautiful caiques JoJo and Chickie indulging in some Pepper Lifetime Coarse!

From Saroj:
"JoJo and Chickie are 5 years old. They were on a mostly fresh fruits and veggies and seed mix diet for several years as recommended by the breeder. My vet kept encouraging me to offer Harrisons so I would buy a bag every month and still continued to serve seed. The nuggets would be ignored.
Then this august at our five year check our vet (Dr. Kimberley Breeze of Breeze Animal Hospital at Panama City Beach) said these guys are chubby! No seed for you! The caiques told her she was a seed Nazi LOL!
Anyways I stopped the seed and dished up those cute wooden pots full of Harrisons's Pepper and went to work telling myself they would not starve since they eat a lot of fresh anyways. Much to my shock and delight I came home to find the unprinted paper on the grate strewn with bits of nuggets all over!
Aaargh I should have tried this years ago!!!! LOL better late than never. We haven't looked back since and between the two of them and my grey they use up 5 lbs every month. Not all of it gets eaten but that is the way it is with birds....they must feed the jungle floor from the canopies you know!
Some of the nugget bits my grey leaves on his tree stand...the cockatiel and quaker fly over and eat. its broken down to the right size for them!
Oh, and my ultra finicky red bellied parrot.....well the silly boy doesn’t realize I am tricking him with Harrisons Pepper Birdie bread!
Thank you for the great products!"

As always, thank you Saroj!

Dr. Harrison interview on "species specific" bird diets.

2010-10-27T08:43:00.000-07:00

From time to we at Harrison's get interview requests for magazines, websites, etc. and sometimes the results of the interviews aren't exactly in line with whatever product etc. they want to push at that moment.

Such is the case with the interview below. I suspect the trade magazine in question thought that everyone was fully supported "species specific" products and did not anticipate Dr. Harrison's answers. Bottom line: "species specific" is nothing more than a marketing ploy.

Why are species-specific bird foods important for the health and well-being of pet birds and parrots? The only pet birds that have had any formal scientific nutritional studies done are cockatiels (hand-feeding, protein and moisture or total solids, hypervitaminosis A, calcium) and African Greys (calcium). So the specific scientific diet requirements for these and other species is ultimately unknown and the formulas offered are based on empirical results. It appears from clinical studies that larger birds need more protein and fat per gram of food than small birds. It also appears that breeding, immature, molting, and ill birds also need higher energy and protein diets.
Companies offering species specific diets are taking advantage of the pet bird community’s lack of understanding of this subject – it is purely marketing.

Could you give some examples of the specific dietary requirements of different bird/parrot species, such as budgies, cockatiels, Amazons, African Greys, etc? Please refer to question 1

Could you give examples of the dietary deficiencies these species are prone to? Far too many birds are still fed seeds. All species appear to develop deficiencies in:
Missing 32 ingredients in a seed based diet (from eight groups)
• Vitamins - choline, niacin, pantothenic acid,
riboflavin (B2), cyanocobalamine (B12), biotin (H), D3, E, K, and folic acid (M)
• Vitamin Precursors - ß-carotene, converted to vitamin A in liver
• Minerals
• Calcium
• Phosphorous (70% tied up as non-digestible phytates in plant products, such as grains)
• Sodium
• Trace minerals – selenium, iron, copper, zinc, manganese, iodine, chromium, vanadium, bismuth, tin, boron.
• Pigments - chlorophyll, canthaxanthin.
• Protein - (amino acids) lysine, methionine.
• Fiber - (mucopolysaccharide) both soluble and insoluble
• Fatty Acids Omega 3. Some birds show problems with one deficiency easier than others. Calcium for example in African grey parrots needs ample sun to be assimilated properly. Vitamin D3 added to the diet alone is not satisfactory

How are your diets specially formulated to meet these nutritional needs and prevent these deficiencies? From over 20 years of clinical observations. Birds on Harrison’s are free of the common nutritional disorders and the constant medical problems seen in birds on deficient diets. What we have seen is that birds on Harrison’s appear to be living longer and healthier lives.

Has your company conducted any recent research or development that has led to new, different or improved diet formulations? Please review http://avianmedicine.net/articles.html for in-depth coverage of these topics. Doctors Stanford and McDonald have offered the latest evidence that Harrison’s formulas have been correct from the beginning.

How would you recommend retailers best market and sell species-specific bird foods in their stores, especially to new bird owners who are unfamiliar with the importance of species-specific diets?
To be honest and work with an avian veterinarian who is aware of the deception being promoted about balanced seeds and species specific diets.

Dr. Friedrich Janeczek discusses the occurence of black feathers in parrots eating seed based diets

2010-10-12T11:51:00.001-07:00

Dr. Friedrich Janeczek was asked to respond to the recent discussion on the Exotic DVM forum where the occurrence of black feathers was showing up on a green bird. Dr Janeczek has one of the only all parrot veterinary practices in the world.
His comment is that while on Harrison's a bird's feathers remain the normal bright vibrant colors and elasticity for up to three years.
Whereas a bird on seeds, vegetables and table foods has liver disease and it is reflected in the black feather color and loss of proper structure.

Dr. Ross Perry on feeding Eclectus'

2010-07-26T13:09:00.000-07:00

Igor the Lovebird!

2010-07-13T10:18:00.000-07:00

Special thanks to Che and her wonderful lovebird Igor for sending us feedback on Igor's recovery!

Igor - April 2010

"Hello, I wanted to share a story about your products and my lovebird Igor.

Igor was a ragged and naked little lovebird who I saw in a pet store and decided to rescue. Igor was featherless in many places and the story the pet store gave me was that he (or she) had been picked on by the other lovebirds and driven out. They said the feathers would grow back. After I brought Igor home I took him to the vet who said that he probably had PBFD. I went home and researched the disease, seeing horror story after horror story about the disease. When the tests came back positive I was crushed. A second vet I took him to months later said "Get Igor eating Harrison's!" It took awhile to get Igor converted but after a few weeks Igor now eats it exclusively (High Potency Super Fine). Now, Igor is a new bird! His feathers have grown back! Which was astounding? Especially with the disease he has. His energy level has skyrocketed, vocalizations increased, and now Igor has a bright future ahead, PBFD or no!

A couple months ago the skin on his left foot thickened (probably from the PBFD) and he started chewing on it really badly. He had to go to the vet for it because the sores kept getting bigger and he started to limp (Igor's amazing improvement - left and below!). That was also how we met our new and incredible vet who has been wonderful. But after about three weeks of bandages and foot cream (Soother Plus Cream) his foot is back to normal. We keep putting the cream on every other day or so. And Igor gets spritzed with the Rain spray daily."

As you can see from these photos, Igor has made major improvements in just a very short time. We would once again like to thank Che for allowing us to use her wonderful photos!

All photos courtesy of Che (and Igor).

For further information on Harrison's Bird Foods and HEALx/AVIx products please contact our friendly, live staff at 800-346-0269

HEALx Herald #10 is here!

2010-05-18T10:06:00.000-07:00

NEW - HEALx HERALD - #10 Spring 2010:
PDF Download:
http://www.harrisonsbirdfoods.com/hpp/herald10.pdf

HEALx Newsletter #10. Catch up on all the latest HEALx news, products, case studies and more.

Presidential Cancer Panel: Go Organic!

2010-05-18T09:36:00.000-07:00

With the recent government urge to move towards organic for the health of our country's people, we are compelled to remind pet bird owners that feeding birds organic is even more critical than ever. The delicate immune systems of birds are even more susceptible to the harmful effects of chemical pesticides than those of humans. Choosing a certified organic, formulated diet for the health of your bird is a no-brainer.

Please read the full article provided via the OTA (Organic Trade Association):

http://www.organicnewsroom.com/2010/05/presidents_cancer_panel_organi.html

“The American people—even before they are born—are bombarded continually with myriad combinations of these dangerous exposures,” the panel wrote in a letter to President Obama. It added. “The Panel urges you most strongly to use the power of your office to remove the carcinogens and other toxins from our food, water, and air that needlessly increase health care costs, cripple our Nation’s productivity, and devastate American lives.”

Harrison's Bird Foods are third-party certified organic and carry the USDA Organic Seal.

Power Treats are a hit with Coco!

2010-04-21T09:47:00.000-07:00

Special thanks to Coco's momma (Robin in North Carolina) for allowing us to post this pics of her lovely Amazon digging into some tasty, certified organic Power Treats with Brazilian Palm Fruit Oil.

"Coco has been a Harrison's eater since she was hatched"

Just look at those lush green feathers!

Joey Loves Harrison's Bird Foods - Part II

2010-03-24T11:23:00.000-07:00

After posting our first images of Joey we recieved these new "before and afters" and Joey's playground. Note the improvement in Joey's feathers, beak and feet.. Even more important than the improvements you can physically see are the internal ones you can't see..

Joey's Story: "I inherited Joey from my PawPaw after he passed away in August of 2008. At the time, she had been mostly fed a diet of pistachios. While I know my grandparents did the best they knew how, I wanted to honor my PawPaw by giving Joey the best life possible. Thank goodness for Dr. Strother from the North Alabama Cat and Bird Clinic. She highly recommended Harrison's for Joey and gave me a sample to take home. Like I said in the earlier email, the transition was a snap and Joey was hooked after only 3 days! Her Vet records show that all her levels are right on target and that she is completely healthy." - Elli

Special thanks to Elli for sharing her wonderful story and photos of Joey with us. :-)

Joey Loves Harrison's Bird Foods!

2010-03-19T12:37:00.000-07:00

We get mail! We often get letters and photos from satified customers. Recently Elli sent us these pics of Joey the cockatoo digging into some fresh High Potency Coarse.. Looks like Joey might need some more Harrison's, quick!

"Dear Dr. Harrison,

Dr. Strother at North Alabama Cat & Bird Clinic suggested Harrison's for my 20 year old female Cockatoo Joey. So, I came here to buy. The transition to Harrison's pellets was as easy as pie, and Joey dives into it like it's going out of style! Thank you so much for providing us bird lovers with a quality organic pellet for our babies! I wanted you to see some pictures of Joey diving into a Harrison's bag. It's quite funny and I now have to hide it from her!

Thanks again,

Elli"

Dr. Harrison Radio Interview

2010-03-16T12:18:00.000-07:00

Bird Foods founder Dr. Greg Harrison discusses various aspects of pet nutrition, organics etc.
LISTEN TO THE INTERVIEW (mp3)

Courtesy of The Animal Talk Network

All New Harrisons' VETERINARY STUDENT PROGRAM

2010-03-08T12:03:00.000-08:00

Kakarikis Mango and Melon try Harrison's Bird Bread - and Love It!

2010-02-08T11:03:00.000-08:00

Special thanks to Laura D. (Lincolnshire, UK) for letting us use these wonderful images of her pet Kakarikis Mango and Melon trying Harrison's Bird Bread Mix for the first time!

"Kakarikis in general are wonderful birds, while they do not fit in as making great pets due to the space and exercise needed they fitted into my lifestyle perfectly. I never wanted a parrot I'd have to cuddle and walk around with, they are wonderful to watch fly around the house and make an absolute mess!

After Mango fell ill Christmas Eve and was diagnosed with psittacosis, we had to make a hard decision to treat or not so we gave it a go. This means all my flock have been under strict quarantine and life has changed a bit. I even had to put breeding budgies to side and focus and getting everyone well. threw the toughest of times. You can still hear my Kakarikis making kissy noises and screaming 'hello' from their room.

Melon was a rescue from a family who owned three parrots, they started fighting so the family clipped their wings and threatened to release her into the wild. a rescue family came along who took on many animals and the little girl in who they named 'Beau'. They treated her like gold and was spoilt rotten, I was then chosen to take her on. Now her flights are grown back in, she is more confident happy bird and isn't scared of trying her best at anything!

I think they are brave little soldiers! with a heart of gold."

I asked for some samples of Harrisons through the post and both Kakarikis took to them no problem, i then went to place an order and noticed the bird bread was on offer- why not get some too!

When they arrived I had so much fun cooking them and made some lovely cute muffins and a slap.

My birds love them (even the budgies!) and they are a wonderful treat."

Thanks again to Laura D. and our friends at The Avian Avenue!

The GABRIEL FOUNDATION needs your help.

2010-02-03T10:50:00.000-08:00

Our friends at The Gabriel Foundation need your help. Always working towards bettering the lives of parrots, these hard working folks have donated their time, money and resources over the years and have recently been inundated with new situations (see the Pueblo, CO rescue below) and are in dire need of your support.

Harrisons' Pet Products has long been a supporter of the Gabriel Foundation, regularaly donating bird foods and other items. On Feb. 2, 2010 Harrisons' donated 500lbs of Harrison's High Potency Coarse along with various other avian support items.

Please contact The Gabriel Foundation and let them know how you can help.
http://thegabrielfoundation.org/

303-629-5900

Tips to Reduce Feather Destructive Behavior

2010-01-28T11:40:00.000-08:00

Feather Picking and other self destructive behaviors are a common problem seen in pet birds. Dealing with such a situation often requires a multilayered approach. Proper nutrion is the foundation of recovery but many other things may be at play.

Harrison's Pet Products now offers the following printable .pdf:
Tips to Reduce Feather Destructive Behavior
which covers many options for birds suffering from this issue.

HARRISON'S BIRD BREAD as a Conversion Tool for Small Bird Species

2010-01-26T10:27:00.000-08:00

Switching a bird to Harrison's is generally a simple conversion process. For many birds it's as simple as just offering the food, confirming that the bird is indeed eating the food (not hiding or tossing it) then remove the previous diet and keeping a close eye on the bird's eating and pooping habits*.

Sometimes birds ignore new food offerings and require some help switching. Abandoining the conversion process is not doing your bird any favors and there are tools available to help make switching "tough" birds an easy process. One such tool is the use of Harrison's Bird Bread Mix, a certified organic, bake-at-home bread mix that is well received by birds, large and small..

Check out the following conversion via Harrison's Bird Bread documentation:

BUDGIE CONVERSION MADE EASY WITH HARRISON'S BIRD BREAD MIX:

Successful trial conversion
A very stubborn pair of budgies who were on a strict diet of grocery store spray millet were brought to us for a conversion trial.

We spent week one observing eating habits and introduced AVIx Bird Builder to their water. The pair was ravenous for spray millet but turned up their beaks to anything else offered.

At that point we baked up a batch of Harrison's Bird Bread in small muffin shapes with spray millet mixed into the bread. The bread was broken up into pieces and placed on top of a clean paper towel at the bottom of the cage.

As expected, for the first few days the pair sorted through the muffins for the millet. On day three though we observed that they were also now eating bits of the Bird Bread. The amount of millet mixed into the bread was reduced and eventually replaced with High Potency Fine. After a few more days the millet was completely removed and High potency Fine was scattered amongst the pieces of Bird Bread on top of the white paper towel.

Within a few days not only were they off spray millet completely and they were now eating only Bird Bread and HPF.

*(A bird that stops or slows in regard to pooping may not be eating enough). Always keep a food on hand that you know your bird will eat during the conversion process.
Quick Tips For Converting Your Bird's Diet

If you are switching your bird and have questions don't hesitate to contact Harrison's:
800-346-0269
Contact Harrison's Online

"MESSY BEAKS" photo contest @ AvianAvenue.com

2010-01-19T13:53:00.000-08:00

"MESSY BEAKS" photo contest @ AvianAvenue.com
Sponsored by Harrisons' Pet Products.

Does your bird get a messy beak during feeding time? Take a photo and you just might win some good stuff!

First prize is a Harrisons' "Hollywood Goes Green" gift set that features an organic "All My Pets Are Green" backpack filled with Harrison's Products.
You must be a registered member of the Avian Avenue forums to participate.

The Avian Avenue is an independent entity, run by bird lovers.

Rio "Digs" High Potency Fine!

2010-01-12T11:24:00.000-08:00

Thanks so much to Claire in London (UK) for sending us these dandy photos of her little pal Rio who loves his High Potency Fine!

Rio is a yellow sided green cheek conure, and was hatched on 10th June 09. His hobbies include having tickles, playing football and hanging upside down ! PS: Claire notes that she doesn't usually allow Rio to climb inside the bag.

Thanks again to Claire and Rio.

Got an interesting photo of your pets and Harrisons' products? Send it to us @ info@HarrisonsPetProducts.com

Harrison's Founders Donate Books

2010-01-12T10:05:00.000-08:00

ALUMNI DONATE BOOK PROCEEDS TO IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF VETERINARY MEDICINE

January 11, 2009

AMES, Iowa— Iowa State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine will be the beneficiary of the proceeds from the sale of the world’s number one and number two bestselling books on avian medicine.

Iowa State alumni Greg and Linda Harrison are co-editors of “Avian Medicine: Principles and Application” and Greg co-edited “Clinical Avian Medicine.” Greg Harrison is a 1967 veterinary medicine graduate of Iowa State, while Linda Harrison graduated Iowa State in 1963 with a degree in home economics education.

The South Palm Beach, Florida couple has purchased the remaining inventory of the two publications and donated the books along with the copyrights to the College of Veterinary Medicine. The total value of the gift is anticipated to be $650,000.

Iowa State University Extension has created a dedicated Web site (https://www.extension.iastate.edu/store/ListItems.aspx?CategoryID=98) where the books may be purchased. All proceeds from the sales will benefit the College of Veterinary Medicine and the college’s avian and exotic animal medicine program. The Harrisons have also pledged a cash gift to further support this program.

“Linda and I are interested in impacting the avian and exotic animal program at Iowa State,” Greg Harrison said. “We want to foster an educational program so students feel confident and competent to go into practice and do basic evaluations and procedures on birds and other exotic pets.”

After graduating from Iowa State, the couple settled in Florida where Greg Harrison opened his own practice in Lake Worth in 1969. He gravitated toward aviculture and soon established The Bird Hospital, the first Florida practice exclusively for pet bird medicine and surgery before retiring in 2005.

“Avian Medicine: Principles and Application” is a comprehensive text and practical guidebook for individuals involved in captive avian medicine and stewardship. “Clinical Avian Medicine” offers topics of concern to contemporary avian practitioners.

This gift is part of Campaign Iowa State: With Pride and Purpose, the university’s $800 million fundraising effort. More than $735 million in gifts and future commitments for facilities and student, faculty and programmatic support have been made to Campaign Iowa State.

Bea The Grey switches to High Potency Mash

2010-01-08T10:54:00.000-08:00

Special thanks to Danita in Vancouver for filling us in on the progess of her very special African Grey Bea.

How old is Bea?
Bea is roughly 23 years old.

How long ago did you acquire her?
I have had Bea for about 1 and one half years. I found a picture of her on the internet, posted by someone who wanted to rehome her. I was heartbroken just looking at it. The exchange of money for Bea took place at a Dairy Queen restaurant at the side of a highway. She was in a little carrier, holding so tight to her three eggs, and protecting them with all she had in her.

What was her previous diet/health condition at that time?
According to Bea’s vet, she was extremely debilitated, emotionally and physically. She was so weak, she had difficulty perching, and she was an excessive egg layer. The first week here, she ate and ate., She could not get enough food. Bea was also treated with medications for several infections. Her previous diet consisted of seeds and cat food.

How is she doing now?
She is laying infertile eggs twice a year. She is so strong and healthy. I attribute her strength, feather condition and overall good health to her diet of Harrison’s mash. She looks forward to it twice a day. Bea also enjoys fresh foods. In the time that Bea has been here, she has become the senior flock member (we have another grey and a macaw). They both know that Bea means business when they come near her.

Bea is very affectionate with our family. She enjoys cuddling and lots of interaction. There is something in her eyes that is hard to describe, when she looks at me I melt every time. Bea is one of those pets that you bond with so tightly, and that only comes to you once in a lifetime. I am so thankful I was able to give her a forever home where she will always be treasured and cared for.

"She was a Peanut/Cat food/ and Seed girl when I got her.
I wanted her to eat Harrisons, so I started with mostly warm mashed banana, then added the mash slowly. Eventually it increased to all mash and no banana. My three large birds eat this 1-2 times a day.

I click the spoon on the dish, I created a conditioned response, stimulating her appetite. I wanted her to eat as much as she could. I have done that since Day 1 Now when she turns her nose up to food, I click the bowl and she eats. Now whenever she eats, she wants the click sound."

(Bea - prior to being adopted by Danita)

Quote courtesy of Danita in Vancouver and The Avian Avenue
Bea's veterinarian is Dr. Anne MacDonald - Night Owl Bird Hospital

2009 Clinical Case Award announced

2010-01-07T12:46:00.001-08:00

WINNER ANNOUNCED! Vittorio Capello, DVM, Dipl ECZM (Small Mammal) Wins Harrisons’ Pet Products’ 2009 Clinical Case Report Contest.
More (pdf)...

Harrison's Bird Bread wins PET AGE Pinnacle Award (from 92/09)

2010-01-07T12:45:00.000-08:00

Pet Age Magazine readers have chosen Harrison's Bird Bread Mix the most exciting new pet bird product of '08. Find out for yourself what all the excitement is about.

Birds of a Feather Go Green Together! (from 4/09)

2010-01-07T12:12:00.000-08:00

Harrisons’ Pet Products is proud to announce its participation in the “2009 Earth Day Hollywood Goes Green” celebrity gift bag this April. Environmentally conscious stars and their pets will be the recipients of a handy “All My Pets Are Green” organic cotton backpack loaded with green goodies. Included is the newest bake-at-home product, Harrison’s Bird Bread Mix, as well as HEALx products for the celebrities’ favorite pets among other cool green items.
HEALx is a pet wellness product line based on 25 years’ certified organic principles and uses only human quality ingredients. Harrison’s Bird Foods are premium certified organic formulated pet bird foods that have remained the gold standard in the industry since the 1980’s.
We invite you to discover the green power of the unique nutritional supplements, wound healing and skin care topicals as well as premium, certified organic pet bird foods we offer at HarrisonsBirdFoods.com

HEALx is a pet wellness product line based on 25 years’ certified organic principles and uses only human quality ingredients. Harrison’s Bird Foods are premium certified organic formulated pet bird foods that have remained the gold standard in the industry since the 1980’s.

We invite you to discover the green power of the unique nutritional supplements, wound healing and skin care topicals as well as premium, certified organic pet bird foods we offer at HarrisonsBirdFoods.com

Harrisons' Goes Hollywood (from 5/09)

2010-01-07T12:08:00.000-08:00

HBD products were spotted in the recently released movie Everybody Wants To Be Italian. Our stuff (Harrison's Bird Foods, AVIx and ZEN products and promotional materials) appears no less than a dozen times in the film. Central character Jay Jablonski (Jake Bianski) brings a sick pet to Dr. Marisa Costa's (Cerina Vincent) veterinary clinic. At that point various HBD items appear in the background throughout the clinic. The movie was released on DVD in early 2009 Check it out and let us know what you see!

2010-01-07T11:55:00.001-08:00