First vet visit, highly unpleasant

[Girltron]

Poor Francis. He thought we were off for an interesting ride. He whistled so happily the whole way there. He even regarded the vet staff with a fairly benign eye, until they had to grab him and give him a poke...I didn't know he could make a sound like a strangled turkey, but now I do.

 

Now that they've taken blood his foot hurts. I tried to offer my hand for a step-up and he gave me a warning nip and only wanted my husband. He wouldn't step up at all, and at last was brave enough to try climbing his ladder back into his cage. He's right in the middle now, one foot forlornly in the air, all his feathers akimbo.

 

I sure hope he starts trusting me soon. I hope even more that everything's fine with his blood work, because the second time I try to put him in the cat kennel he's going to know exactly what's up.

[judygram]

Poor dear but some just don't like to be prodded and poked and who can blame them but he will get over it, just allow him to have a cooling off period. Josey doesn't much like vet visits either but she takes them in stride and doesn't hold a grudge when it is over and done with but some do so don't take it personally.

I would recommend you put him in the carrier and take him on outings so he can associate good times had in that carrier, I take Josey out in hers and she doesn't hesitate to go in it because she knows she is going somewhere otherwise you will have a struggle every time you need to get him into it.

[crossfit]

As Judy said, get him in that carrier and take him for fun trips. I read somewhere that you can think of it like a bank account - the more times he associates something with fun the more easily it will offset those times associated with bad things.

[Girltron]

Ugh, I hope so. He's offered another nip this afternoon so I'm not going to try putting my hands in there today. I'll let him sleep in the big cage instead of the sleep cage for a change. He's only just done a few little whistles, he's really quiet. I hate being the bad guy, I'm the one who takes all our pets to the vet, administers medicine, picks up puke...and as a result, I'm the party pooper every time.

 

I hope I can get him to use the carrier for "nice" trips too. I hope I don't get my finger bit off trying to do so! It won't be for several weeks, that's for sure.

 

I'm just really hoping the bloodwork comes back normal. Given that he was living in a painted cage with rusting toys, the vet says if he comes back anemic at all they're going to want to do an X-ray to look for heavy metal poisoning and that means another carrier trip, more angry bird, more traumatic vet visit! Not to mention medicine I suppose. I'm just crossing my fingers.

 

The vet showed me where he's been habitually picking and picking at his right wing under the joint. It's very bare and just so sad looking. I can't be sure he's done that at all since he's been with us, and I hope he totally stops because the vet says at this stage he thinks the feathers will still be able to grow back.

[Joolesgreyuk]

I know what you mean, they seem to take to the ones that do the least for them, that's life I guess but Judy is right he will get over it and for sure will be back to making that other noise tomorrow morning....sorry about that lol.

[judygram]

I hope his bloodwork all comes back with good news and hopefully he is not picking under his wing any longer but time will tell, please let us know what you find out but he will get over his vet visit soon and you will have your grey back.

[Xtreme575]

Being a worrier, I have taken my parrot to the vet three different times over the past 8 months, and on the last visit was finally able to get all of the blood work and other tests that I wanted, a full work-up. Luckily, my avian vet sent me away so that Paco wouldn't associate me with the visit, and in fact, look like the hero coming to save him from their evil ways! He was quiet and a little less trusting for three weeks after we got home.

 

The best make-up for us was for me to have him step-up (after the owwies from the needles go away) on my hand and let him perch there while I offered him small foot toys to play with. I spoke in a very quiet, yet reassuring voice (make sure you have a towel on your lap so you don't even have to worry about poops) while he played with the toys. After doing this everyday for a couple of weeks, he has come back to his usual cheery, chipper self, making all sorts of noises and running across his playtop to visit me when I walk up to him. Good luck.

[Girltron]

Oh good. I hope so. After two attempted bites yesterday, I'm not going to try putting my hands in there until I'm sure he's acting normally. My husband can transfer him to his sleep cage. We can talk through the bars, and he will take an almond from me.

 

Unfortunately I saw him pick at that spot this morning for a moment. I suppose bad habits die hard.

[Girltron]

He's still holding a grudge. Tonight during "parrot time", the only time I got close to him was to offer an almond, and he darted in, ignored the almond, and bit my finger. This was after about a half hour of us playing games from a distance, peek a boo and so on, me yawning and him copying me...all good and happy things, or so I thought. I'm going to have to let my husband do all the handling for awhile and really work to get back his trust.

 

I worried about this when I set the appointment, but for various reasons I felt he really had to see the vet. Especially with the feather picking. But the previous owners hadn't taken him to the vet in 10 years, so it was critical.

 

I'm learning more about Francis and I don't think the situation is irreparable, but it's not good and it's definitely a setback. I'm not sure I'll ever take him to the vet again unless it's a dire emergency, as long as his bloodwork is healthy this time around.

 

Could the vet have handled it differently? he was happy until they grabbed him in a towel, then held him up with his head in a vise grip, then stuck needles into his feet. I told him it was okay and he was being a good boy, but I think I actually just lost credibility because he so obviously felt that it wasn't okay. Are there less scary ways for vets to manipulate birds?

[Jane08]

The only other way to do it is if you train your bird for the vet visits, which would take a lot of time and patience.

 

I am the same with ours they hate it. One thing we do is not go in with our birds. We hand them over in the cage and sit in reception and wait. I have always felt that then they won't blame me for what happens and when I get them home they are so happy to get out and be with me. I always make them their favourite dinner and give them favourite treats.

[Girltron]

That's probably wise. Lucky for me, today Francis is in a famous good mood, whistling along to Dvorak and waggling his wings at me. I've reached into the cage several times (with my fingers tucked in, just in case) and he's nibbled on my arm friendly-like, and tried to step on board once. I wasn't actually asking him to step up though, so I let him transfer his weight back onto the perch and closed the door, and gave him tons of praise. His feet are still a little swollen and red where they pricked him: they had to do it twice, poor little chicken. He's much better though. Tomorrow or Wednesday I should know the results of the bloodwork. We couldn't do a fecal because he was too stressed to poop while we were there! I suppose I'll just bring them a sample one morning.

[Jane08]

Glad he is in a better mood. Must admit I am no expert and they must know what they are doing, but it seems strange that they take the blood work from the foot. It seems such a tender place to take it from, no wonder it is swollen. When we have taken ours the blood work is done from around the front of the neck area as they have always told me it's easier.

[Girltron]

Interesting. Francis's old vet records show that they used to clip a nail for bloodwork at his vet in California. That seems much worse! Because the first foot they poked didn't bleed right away, they did the other foot too. He squeaked much more on the first one, I think they hurt him by not hitting his vein just right.

[Janfromboone]

I'm so sorry your first vet trip was so traumatic. Tobies first vet trip was scary for me and for him. He screamed. I swore I'd never take him again until there was an emergency. And he didn't have an injury or anything sore. I took him to a different vet the next time and poor thing screamed even louder being toweled by the second vet and poked getting cultures from the crop and the cloaca. I stayed in the room with him both times. At least I know what went on while he was screaming and I know that he wasn't misshandled. I wish there was an easier way.

[judygram]

I think Josey's vet took blood out of her neck but she doesn't seem too traumatized by the avain visits we have made, I stay with her in the examining room but they take her into the back for drawing of blood, she is usually fine when she gets back home like nothing happened. All greys are different and I know some people who's greys do hold grudges for a while but they too get over them and Francis will too.