This is Sam. Sam is also known as Dr. Sam Backos, Avian Vet. Sam is a really, really good Avian Vet. He knows it, and I know it but I try not to tell him for fear he’ll hike his prices! Seriously he really does a good job with my flock. I adore him and he knows this too. He’s also pretty good about giving me expert quotes when I need them for articles I write.

This is Shari. Shari is a friend, but she is also a Vet Tech at Sam’s office. Sam and Shari are friends too. They like to talk about basketball.  Here Shari is letting Parker know it’s not the end of the world.

This is an X-ray of Pepper’s insides. Sam wanted to get a gander at her liver.  Pepper was 15 when she came to me and had some health issues due to a hideous diet, one of which was the fact that she has a tiny liver. Because of this, I give milk thistle seeds to help boost her liver. these are milk thistle seeds:

She eats them and they’re good for her, but she eats like a field hand anyway! I never have to worry about Pepper not eating.

As you can see, Sam and Shari are a good team. Here Shari is holding Parker while Sam gets some blood from a toenail for a blood panel. On the counter is an old copy of BIRD TALK Magazine I fond in the lobby. He has a whole load of back issues and I like to read the old copies to see what was in the magazine in 1995. I tend to make myself comfortable because with three Greys, I’m usually in there over two hours. Sam takes his time!

Parker is getting weighed. And here are the results:

The dude is a bruiser! 448 grams of fluffy, feathery vandalism. Don’t get me wrong, I love the little guy, but he’s been irritating me lately ever since he developed a taste for mops. I’ve gone through three in the last month. But that’s another story. Sam likes homeopathic remedies and hand-grinds powders to help birds who have issues. He mixes up his own concoctions and gives them to you for your bird with a little spoon to measure with. Shari and I sometimes refer to him as “The Little Spoon Man.” Here are his morters and pestles:

Personally, I like the idea of natural remedies for birds. There’s still so much we don’t know about their diet but there are some natural remedies that can be used instead of drugs. Sam isn’t afraid to address issues using these methods. He certainly turned Pepper’s liver around.

Here Nyla is getting over the indignity of it all and returning to the safely and relative tranquility of her carry-cage.  Here, Parker is hiding, because he knows round two is coming up:

Sam washes his hands for round two:


While all of this is going on, I’m wandering around and talking to the Vet Techs, taking photos and asking questions. Sam doesn’t mind when people take an interest in his work. Here’s the paperwork for their blood tests:

Here, Sam is giving Pepper a once-over;  just taking a look, and poking around, feeling for abnormalities and looking at their overall appearance:

And when it’s all done, the birds are a bit ruffled, but none the worse for wear and it’ll be another year before they return.

I look forward to it. I want to take another crack at that stack of back copies of BIRD TALK!


Advertisement