Advice/Help With Wheezing Grey:

[Barbara2]

I just want you to know that I'll be wide awake with you tonight because I'm not going to be able to sleep worrying right along with you.

[Pi_1]

Well I don't think she is going to survive the night. When the vet brought her back from X-Ray she could hardly breathe. She was doing fine before. Not sure what they did since they wouldn't let me come along to calm her. So they then gave her a steroid, benadryl, and a bronchodiliator. None worked. They then informed me that they were closing and had to go home and threw us out on the street with a dying bird, telling us to go to the emergency clinic. I proceeded to call all around - hours away - even calling Michigan State U's animal center but they wouldn't take birds. So we found ourselves back at the emergency clinic already $1760 spent. The emergency clinic now tells me they won't treat her and will just send her home if I can't come up with a $1500 additional deposit - and that that will only last until 6AM. I told them I don't have that much money, so they're now packing her up to send her home at only a charge of $500 for having her on oxygen for an hour. I don't think she'll last thru the night without oxygen. She is in far worse shape than when I got to the vet and I think I would have been better off staying home. Not sure what to do - I was so angry I walked out since they won't allow you to see your animal anyway. They suggested in the AM going thru their affiliated bank and applying for a 10,000 loan which should cover "a couple days care". Ridiculous. None of these places care a darn bit for anything but money. I'm done with animals if she doesn't make it......these people are the scum of the Earth. I wish my vet would have at least notified me they no longer treat birds so I could have found another in case of emergency such as this.

[Pi_1]

So they just kicked us out when we ran out of money........sent her right home. I've now spent every cent I have - around $2200 - with nothing to show for it but a couple syringes of Metacam, one poor X-Ray, 3 hours on oxygen, and a bird worse off then when I brought her in.

 

I don't know if I've mentioned but I'm a medical student at MSU (currently off for summer and living up north for work). So I decided the best I could do for her was to try to give her an IV of fluids. I got her home and did my best to give her an IV subcutaneously under her wing. I got it going and she is looking and acting much better at the moment but still has labored breathing. I have her in the small plexi box still since it is quite warm and so she an't hurt herself in a larger cage since she is so weak. She seems to be looking stronger now that she has some fluids.

 

I guess I'm going to take her back to the vet that kicked us out in the AM - don't know where else to bring her. I can't find a darned vet in this half of the state that will treat her any time soon - even MSU won't take her. Ridiculous. After the IV I'm a little more optimistic about her chances but we need to get her breathing improved and if the steroid and bronchodilator didn't do it I don't know what will.

 

Anyway, wanted to leave you an update......doing everything I can to keep her alive. What kind of vet won't treat a dying animal? I can see if I was just in off the street, but they've already taken me for a ridiculous amount of money for very little treatment. And I could pay when I get paid next Friday. Nope.........

[Morana]

I'm so sorry to hear this:-(((( My vet didn't respond yet.

I'm very interested in X-ray. Is there something stuck in her throat or not?

IMO you are doing a good job keeping her alive with this IV. Keep it up!

What about calling the breeder? Any breeder for a recommendation for an avian vet at this point(?)

Edited August 6, 2011 by Morana

[Zoom]

Oh man, I totally sympathize with how frustrated and upset you're feeling. You're doing everything you can to save your bird, and the vets are doing practically nothing but robbing you.

 

Keep doing what you can for her. I hope she rallies - you both deserve it.

 

Maybe you should switch out of medical school and into vet school. Obviously there's a need for competent and compassionate avian vets in your area.

[Pi_1]

Sheesh, what a night.....first the questions......

 

The X-Ray showed no blockage but they didn't get the best angle. I have a hard time believing there is something stuck in her throat anyway - would be too much of a coincidence. They did, however, say her wing looked a bit funny. They were worried there was a fungal infection that was causing all this, and that a steroid would make it worse. I told them to go ahead with the steroid to improve her breathing. If she stops breathing......well......you know. I wanted to be as aggressive as possible. I can't imagine she has a fungal infection anyway - I think the blurry area in the X-Ray is just the bad angle and her squirming to get away. The vet had little experience reading bird X-Rays. We have lived at the same place since she was a baby - she never showed signs of illness before - we keep the place spotless (I'm a neat freak) - no one comes over (we go out) - and we never touch her when coming home until after washing our hands. Anyhow......

 

As far as the breeder, they're worthless. If you happened to read another thread of mine here, they're the ones that told us when she wouldn't eat her pellets to stop feeding her everything but pellets until she started eating them. They also told us it was ok to feed her McDonald's and other fast food - meat and all - and when I would go there their birds would be eating french fries, burgers, and tacos with them for lunch and lapping at their coke. They also almost killed our Betsy as a baby by giving her a marshmallow once when I went to visit before taking her home. It gummed up her beak and she almost choked to death. I spent 2 hours cleaning it off. So no, I have no confidence in anything they say.......unfortunately they're the only shop in the area that deals with parrots so everyone goes to them. They have a shop right on one of the busiest streets in the area and their new thing is that they put bird cages (with Greys and others inside) right out by the street to entice people to come in. The birds must be terrified.

 

So after the IV she perked up[ quite a bit. I stopped the drip and left her in the plexi case we borrowed. It is large enough for her to turn around and has a fluffy pad on the bottom. She wanted out, but I kept her in overnight to avoid her using precious energy and so we could keep her next to our bed - plus the case gets quite warm so I figured that was best as it was getting cooler at night. I opened it to put her water and food inside, and she escaped, climbing up my arm to my shoulder. I let her sleep there for an hour or so, then put her back in.

 

We awoke this morning to her drinking up a storm. We had to refill her water dish! She was also munching on her food - whatever her beak touched, LoL - stuff she normally won't even touch she was munching down. She ate a fair amount, drank like crazy, then went back to sleep. She must be exhausted. When she goes to the bathroom now it looks fairly normal and not clear as before. She is also talking a fair bit - saying "Hey you", "want out", "daddy's up!", and other such stuff. She wants out bad at this point, but I think I'll keep her in there at least until afternoon if not longer. She looks dead tired and her legs/feet look quite weak, but she was bobbing her head and asking for pets. I didn't want to open the tank, however, since I knew she would try to escape and that it would be significantly more difficult to get her back in than it was last night. Didn't want to stress her. I think she liked sleeping by our bed - she normally sleeps in the living room. She curled up on the side of the cage right next to me, LoL.

 

At this point, going by what the vet told me (the real vet), the steroid and bronchodilator should have worn off. She is no longer wheezing at all as far as I can tell, so I hope the problem is corrected. The water helped like you wouldn't believe. It really was amazing. I cannot describe to you the condition she was in when they brought her back from X-Ray. She was just gasping for breath, so weak she could hardly stand, and bleeding slightly from under her tailfeathers (I think from pushing so hard to either use the bathroom or breathe). I prepared myself at that moment for her to crash at any second.

 

Don't know what else to say other than I'll keep you updated. I put in a call to the vet 3 hours ago but they have yet to call me back. I'm supposed to go to an appointment for a couple of hours this afternoon and didn't want to leave her alone until I spoke with them, so I hope they call back. I'm quite disillusioned with vet care in general after this ordeal. You would think these people wouldn't be in it just for the money. I can understand wanting to make a good living, but the stuff I've experienced is ridiculous. 100+ dollars an hour for oxygen? 300 dollars to pop in and look at her every once in awhile? Just sad - and what kind of medical facility lets an animal die rather than treating it and working out a payment plan? At worst they would have had to wait until Friday for payment. Who has thousands of dollars in liquid cash at 1 AM on a Saturday morning?

 

I thought about vet school but decided at the time the cost of school to earnings ratio and job availability was too poor - and thought I could do more good working on humans. I've come to wonder about the decision over the last couple of years, however......I pressed my fiance to become a vet since she loves animals so much - but she's too interested in forensics. A shame - she would be great.

 

Anyway, I'll be back to update as soon as the vet calls. I just called again and they "haven't forgotten me"........but the receptionist said they would need me to bring her back in before they could answer any questions. I had really hoped to avoid the stress with her doing better......

[Pi_1]

Oh, I'd also be interested to hear the opinions of some of the experts here........about her recovery. Since she has resumed eating and drinking, talking, etc......and since the meds should have long since worn off by now.....do you think the problem is corrected? What do you think about the fungal theory? What do you think about bringing her back in? Stress her and do it or monitor and see how it goes? I don't know why a vet can't answer some simple questions unless I bring her in......they want the money I guess. I can't believe even Michigan State won't take birds - a friend brought an injured BAT there once and they treated it! They treat HORSES! Ludicrous. This vet is the only one, even hours away, that will see her before Wednesday. One place said they'd see her Wednesday - the soonest I could get her into any other was August 17 for a "new patient". Again, what kind of vet won't take an emergency if they're in the office? Again, ridiculous. I bet I called 50+ vets yesterday throughout the day - all the way down to Detroit, Indianapolis, and Ft. Wayne. I'd drive all day if I had to in order to get her proper care. My problem at this point is that they've gouged me for so much cash I don't have much left for treatment until I can withdraw some from a money market account or sell some investments Monday.....

 

Anyhow, any experts around give me your best guess on my queries and how to proceed going forward. I wish I was more versed in bird anatomy. Never even dissected a bird. Humans, yes. Birds, no......

[KimKim]

I hope she continues to improve.

[Barbara2]

Great news! I hope the problem is gone and she's back to being her healthy self.

[danmcq]

Your medical education and background just may be what has saved her and been the underlying reason for her health improvement. Dehydration can cause a plethora of symptoms in a bird. It is possible the Metacam exacerbated the symptoms. A fungal infection could only be diagnosed with a scrape or biopsy.

 

I completely understand your frustration with the clinics all wanting Money up front before helping at all. You would think after spending so much at that one place, they would have perhaps considered a payment knowing how much you care about your bird and the amount you were already willing to spend. The most disturbing event you mentioned that alarmed me, was a vet in the middle of a 911 saying "It's Closing Time" and pushing you out the door! I cannot imagine such an attitude from a doctor of veterinarian medicine. Many are of the "Cut of Cloth" that will get up at 2 am from an emergency call and stay with it until the patient critter is at least stabilized and a reasonable amount of certainty that being kept in the environment they are in will be sufficient for some number of hours.

 

I must say though, from a clinics/vets point of view, people probably walk in the door many times a day with a 911 seriously hurt or ill critter and ask to make payments due to not having any money at all. I suppose after you have tried to help people and be kind following your conscience, that they would become calloused and wish to no longer suffer the loss of time and money they have spent being "A good Guy" after helping out several people that received the emergency treatment and just disappeared never paying back a cent.

 

You have set a standard in doing all you can to get your grey treated that all here I hope would follow in such an event.

 

The only thing I might suggest, is establishing a regular visit once or twice a year to a vet you trust and feel confident in. After the relationship is established and they know you and your critters, when emergencies or serious illnesses happen, many time they would be open to payments. I experienced this when one of our Dobies had cancer that needed to be removed and treated which became enormously expensive. Once my resources ran out, they did indeed allow me to have a "Tab" and make payments, which I did so in very short order to keep the relationship strong and the impression that I/We are responsible people they can trust.

[Zoom]

I'm so happy to hear she's so much improved! You saved her! (Too bad you can't get your $2200 back...but at least you still have Betsy.)

[Morana]

Well, this is great news!! :-) It looks like she is out of the woods! Keep doing what you are doing and hopefully she'll be herself in no time! :-) Well done!! :-D I agree with Dan. Think your medical education and background just may be what saved her.

I just wanted to mention.. When Zak had some problems with breathing and saw too much of the vets (in three days) he was exhausted and only wanted to stay on his boing and sleep. I brought his food and water to him while he recovered enough to go back to the cage every time he was hungry/thirsty. Also- he slept a lot. My point is, if Betsy wants out, maybe you can provide her a safe , slightly dim enviroment where she would rest and be comfortable. It doesn't necessarily be the plexiglass cage, right?

Good luck and keep us posted:-)

[MarcusCAG]

That's wretched about the vets... but I am so glad your Betsy seems to be doing better right now. I've been thinking of you guys, and I just hope that she continues to improve, even if it is just gradually--like you mentioned, it really may take some time for her to get all of her energy back.

[judygram]

Her prognosis does look good since she is back to eating and drinking and like the others said your medical background may have played a big part in how she is right now, not that she is out of the woods yet but you may have saved Betsy's life.

I don't know where you live but you have had one horrendous experience with vets and even avian vets, I hope, no I know that not all of them are like this but you seemed to have found the bottom of the barrell with your recent experience. I do like Dan's idea to establish a good rapport with one you like so they will be more willing to work with you when it comes to an emergency.

I will be checking back on this thread as I want to see more improvement in Betsy, she has been thru so much the last couple of days and deserves to get better so she can play an active part in her flock, her family.

Not that we have to mention it but your fiance will certainly consult you about using any possible carpet cleaners or any kind of cleaners as our fids have very sensitive respiratory systems.

[Pi_1]

Hi all,

 

First I wanted to say thank you for all the support - it was really nice to read and we appreciate it.

 

Betsy is doing great tonight and is back in her normal cage. The vet wants her to remain on antibiotics just in case, and also gave me a type of bacteria in a syringe to give her so she doesn't have problems with her crop. She was so excited to get out of the plexi box! When I got home this afternoon I checked on her, then proceeded to clean her cage top to bottom - every bar - with warm water to make sure no residue of the cleaner was left........just in case. I then mopped the kitchen floor with water, dusted everything in the living room, vacuumed the furniture, and then did the carpet. I cleaned all the surfaces in the living room and kitchen too. The area has been airing out with all the windows and doors open since the incident. I then took a shower and went to get her and she got so excited when she saw me! She immediately started saying "Come out, come out". Thje second I opened the top of the box she was in my hands saying "I love you" and making her little "hoo" affection noise. I had planned to let her sit on my shoulder all night, but when I put her up there I looked down at my hands and they were FILTHY from her dirty feet. I took her to the sink and at least got the worst of it off, but she wasn't having too much of it. I kept her out for a few minutes and she was playing and talking like crazy. I put her back in her cage and she started asking for peanuts and cheese. I gave them to her and she ate some. She has since been sitting on her swing cleaning herself. She looks so happy. My fiance just got home and she screeched "Mama!". She is SO excited to be back in the living room and she seems to be in perfect condition - you wouldn't know she was on death's doorstep last night. Amazing really. I had just about resigned myself to losing her. All I could think was that I couldn't believe I'd never hear her little voice again......

 

So now I'm sitting and relaxing, typing on the couch while watching her happily clean herself after a nightmare 48 hours. Thanks again to everyone.

 

Regarding my fiance - I don't think she'll ever make this mistake again. She was crying her eyes out all last night at the vets. I think what must have happened is that while the stuff is technically "bird safe", she sprayed it too close to the cage and too far away from the carpet, causing Betsy to actually inhale some of the cleaner - not just the fumes which have never bothered her before.

 

Regarding the "fungal infection" - they were thinking it was internal and said they'd need a blood sample to test for it. They said it can form on their bones with no open wound and no warning. I've never heard of anything like it - sounds far fetched to me. I think it was just a bad x-ray and want to avoid moving her again unless necessary.

 

 

Regarding finding a vet - I certainly plan to. Like I said, our first vet stopped treating birds (at least they notified us) so we were referred to the second vet. We had no idea they had stopped treating birds until we needed them. They never notified us - we thought Betsy was still a patient there. We'd only been in a couple of times but still......they knew we planned on using them for her care. A courtesy call would have been nice or even a letter......I'll certainly take the advice and find a vet and get familiar with them in case of emergency now.

 

The emergency vet is just a bunch of heartless scam artists. I had to go outside at one point - it was all I could do to keep from berating them all. I wasn't happy about being kicked out of the other vet with

Betsy in critical condition - but I can't complain too much since they were the only ones out of countless calls that would even take her on short notice. At least they did that......and the treatment was a lot better than at the emergency vet. I'm going to do everything I can and talk to anyone that will listen to try and get that place in some sort of trouble. It's basically extortion.

 

I'll update you all tomorrow. Gonna hang out with the fiance and Betsy now and watch some TV and relax finally........

[Pi_1]

I'll post a picture tomorrow so you can all see our Betsy........

[Pi_1]

Here's one from when she was little......

 

[Pi_1]

Here's a recent one of her playing......

 

[Morana]

YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEy!!!! :-D

I'm so happy for you all!! :-) This is the best news I read! :-) Beautiful pictures:-D

I'm glad you cleaned all the apartment. How did you cleaned the carpet, tho? You didn't spray it again, right? You can always throw it away;-)

Take good care of Betsy and maybe you should find (very, very soon) a good avian vet and then do a whole check up, rather than to let these vets probe her again. They are known for hiding their illnesses... Good luck and keep us posted!

[Pi_1]

I just vacuumed the carpet a few times thoroughly. The cleaner was a foam style that you spray on and vacuum off, so I wanted to run a vacuum over it a few more times just to be safe. No, I didn't spray it again - normally I just use the cleaner to spot clean any stains or spills - not to clean the whole thing. It is the living room carpet and not a rug so it cannot be thrown away without major renovations, LoL. I'm sure it will be fine - she has played on the carpet many times after using the stuff. I think my fiance probably sprayed too close to the cage and too high above the carpet, causing her to inhale some of the actual cleaner.

 

The soonest any of the vets can get her in is Wednesday - and I'm not sure I like that one from speaking with them. I'll probably have to use the current non-avian vet until I can get an appointment at one that is around 3 hours drive......they said August 17 was the soonest they could get us in. In the meantime we're keeping a close eye on her. She was so excited to be in her own cage and with us tonight. She played and played and talked her head off. Then she got really tired and went back to sleep, LoL. She's dead to the world now! Sleeping on one foot (I think her legs are tired from the ordeal) with her little head down. It's funny - she rarely tucks her beak under her wing in back like most birds do. When she was a baby - when we first brought her home from the store - the only way she would go to sleep was if I let her lay on my chest and tuck her head under my chin. She would sleep like that every night while I watched TV. When I was going to bed I'd scoop her up and carry her to the cage like a sleeping child, LoL. She would then sleep on the floor of the cage. She was too little to sleep comfortably on the perches. She didn't even have all her feathers yet. The store had quite a few babies when we picked her out - and I had first choice - so they put a magic marker stripe on her head so they would know which one I had picked. In all her baby pictures she has the magic marker on her little head - it took months to go away. It's so funny!

 

She has the most unique voice too - she sounds like a little girl when she talks and says things with such enthusiasm. She knows over 200 words and it just cracks me up some of the things she says. All I could think when I thought she wasn't going to make it was how much I would miss her little voice. Thanks to everyone here for the support - I passed the time sitting at the vet by reading your posts. They were very nice and thoughtful and were much appreciated. It seems too good to be true....the recovery she has made. She went from lying on her side gasping for air in the oxygen tank to talking, playing, eating, and drinking in less than 12 hours and now after 24 you couldn't even tell anything was wrong at all other than her seeming happier and more enthusiastic about small things than usual and sleeping more soundly than she usually does. Normally if I turn lights on during the night (I'm always up late) she scolds me and tells me it's time for her to go night night. Tonight she slept right through the lights.

 

Anyway, sorry for talking your ears (or eyes) off. Just excited to have her back. Thanks again all!

[danmcq]

It sounds like she is on the mend and doing great. I am so happy for you and her. Thanks for the photos, she is a fine looking grey. I would love to see some videos of her once things settle down a little and you all have time to return to a normal modus operandi.

[Zoom]

I LOVE happy endings! She sounds like a wonderful bird and I'm so relieved to hear she's pulled through and is back to her happy healthy self.

[bran]

such an ordeal, so glad that everything worked out!

[Pi_1]

Had her out for a few hours today and she played and played - bugging me to flip her upside down, going after my water bottle and playing with it......trying to get hold of my fiance's toes, LoL. She seems so happy! Boy is she filthy though. Dusty like never before - we had to vacuum the floor and furniture AGAIN after she went back to the cage. She despises water/baths so we never make her take them, but I just wanna drag her little butt into the sink or shower, LoL! Her feet are brown/green even after washing them off with soap and water.

[Morana]

Baths are a "must do" thing. My Zak also didn't like them but in time he started to enjoy misting. I still need to get him to go into the shower cabin so I wouldn't get my whole livingroom wet..:-S Try splashing Betsy a bit in a sink and see how she reacts.. Good luck!