NewBird Posted January 3, 2013 Share Posted January 3, 2013 Hi Everyone, I recently found out at Loki’s annual appointment that he has a “severe heart murmur”. My avian vet referred me to an avian cardiologist to get it checked out. However, I am still paying off vet bills from my dog’s emergency surgery of a few months ago, so money is really tight at the moment (plus I am 99% sure I’m going to spend hundreds for the specialist to tell me “there is nothing we can do”). So the appointment with the specialist is going to have to wait for now. Anyway, I am wondering if anyone else out there has a parrot with a heart condition/murmur and how do you deal with it? Loki is fully-flighted and I’m wondering if maybe I should get his wings clipped, as he is quite out of breath (he pants like a dog) after just a few laps around the house : ( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave007 Posted January 3, 2013 Share Posted January 3, 2013 Because of his seroius situation , excessive activity isn't a good idea. Think about much more time in his cage or think about a mild clipping that won't allow him to go upward and will allow about 10 ft of horozontal flying. The heart gets strained when going vertically causing a very winded bird. If clipping is chosen, make sure it's somene experienced and make sure he/she has the time to listen to your wants and needs. Mention the murmer and mention that the diagnosis came from a vet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greywings Posted January 3, 2013 Share Posted January 3, 2013 Do ask your Vet if they can make a payment plan, don't decide in advance what the outcome will be that can only be determined by an Avian specialist. There may be a surgery or medications that can lengthen his life or at least improve the quality of that life. See if you can get aqn estimate for the specialist visit either from your Vet or from the specialists office so you know what you have to plan for. The sooner the better to discover the management of his condition. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvparrots Posted January 3, 2013 Share Posted January 3, 2013 Personally, I believe quality is much more important than quantity. If your grey enjoys being with you, I would get him a portable table stand and just let him come with you throughout the house. My greys love to come with me and follow me from room to room and usually sit quietly or play around on their boings and perches. They just want to be be able to see me and be with me. I would not take the pleasures that Loki has away from him. Regardless if he lives a day, a week, a month or years, it is the joys of life that he will want not the quantity. This is of course my personal opinion as a person who is "handicapped" with a heart condition since birth. I am still here and regardless of what my cardiologist says, I am still ticking. Be sensible with Loki and both of you can enjoy life together forever how long. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kins2321@yahoo.com Posted January 4, 2013 Share Posted January 4, 2013 If your grey is getting short of breath, he is demonstrating a symptom of congestive heart failure. In a human, he would require a heart valve replacement. I'm sure, your bird is going to require the same thing, if available. You need to think what you want to do, and if the surgery is available for a bird. Nancy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Talon Posted January 4, 2013 Share Posted January 4, 2013 I just want to say.... Imo......when my birds first learned to fly (after having their wings clipped since before they came to me) they had no stamina, were panting and had shortness of breath after a very short flight. It took quite a while to build that up. . Im not saying this is the case with your bird as i dont know the history since you've only posted here 7 other times, i am just throwing that out there. But by all means, I agree with Luvparrots, quality is most important. Please get another opinion, work out a budget plan., this is what happens when you have pets etc. they all tend to have health issues at the same time when you are strapped tightly..please keep us posted andnletnusnknow what you find out. You don't want something to happen and your bird suffers in any way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jayd Posted January 4, 2013 Share Posted January 4, 2013 Do ask your Vet if they can make a payment plan, don't decide in advance what the outcome will be that can only be determined by an Avian specialist. There may be a surgery or medications that can lengthen his life or at least improve the quality of that life. See if you can get aqn estimate for the specialist visit either from your Vet or from the specialists office so you know what you have to plan for. The sooner the better to discover the management of his condition. Please do this, I'm sorry for being so blunt, this is a life and death situation which can bring much suffering to your parrot and with your symptom description he could be suffering already. Make me wrong please..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itsjustnikki Posted January 4, 2013 Share Posted January 4, 2013 I'm a vet tech and I would definitely recommend getting his wings clipped any at least until you can get further diagnostics done. I don't know how well they explained what exactly a heart murmur is to you, but it could just be a thickening of the valves causing blood to flow in the opposite direction making the murmur sound, or it could be a sign or something more significant. This is why they are recommending an echocardiogram. They probably graded the murmur by loudness, (but loud doesn't always mean bad and quiet doesn't always mean good) Don't get too worked up and think the worst until you can see a cardiologist, it might not as bad as you think. I'm not sure if the practice you go to offers something called Care Credit, its like a credit card but only accepted at places like veterinarians and doctors. They offer 0% interest and extended payment plans for larger bills. It might be something to look into to help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danmcq Posted January 4, 2013 Share Posted January 4, 2013 I'm not sure if the practice you go to offers something called Care Credit, its like a credit card but only accepted at places like veterinarians and doctors. They offer 0% interest and extended payment plans for larger bills. It might be something to look into to help. Great suggestion! We have used care credit for years. It is a real life line in caring for all our creature friends. You never know when a serious and costly health issues may arise in a pet and it is a life saver when needed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewBird Posted January 4, 2013 Author Share Posted January 4, 2013 I do have a Care Credit card already, but there is not enough on there for a specialist yet. Trust me, my critters always come first (hence the $5000 emergency surgery for my dog). I am working 2 jobs to get me back on my feet. I just wanted to clear things up a bit - he only pants after flying and/or running up and down the boing, so he's not just sitting quietly and panting. He's a pretty active little guy, it's just when he flies around more than just from 1 spot to another is when he starts to pant, but he recovers quickly. I wasn't sure if this was normal or not. Thanks for all of your advice. I will talk to my avian vet about a mild wing clip until I can see the specialist. I will keep you all posted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katana600 Posted January 4, 2013 Share Posted January 4, 2013 I'm with itsjustnikki on this one. We have gone through some serious health issues with our previous parrots and with our dog recently. When the vet says something is wrong, I couldn't really hear any more in that visit. I would come home and think about it and read more and get more concerned. After I got my thoughts together again, I called and talked to the vet again and that made a better partnership for us. With the ordeal you have gone through with your dog recently your emotions are already fired up. I have seen both our healthy parrots panting after more activity than usual. One is flighted and for the most part she will fly from place to place and stay where she is to play. Other times she will take such great delight in making wild flights around the house until she gets overworked and breathes hard. Our other parrot Gilbert is not flighted and hasn't flown in at least five years. He sometimes gets startled and dives off his cage and flaps wildly and not just the exertion but his fright will cause him to pant a little. Asking your vet about this and maybe taking a video of Loki when she is panting to show the vet if he hasn't seen it in person. Another question I will ask the vet or my own doctor when recommending tests is what will change in the treatment plan when you get these test results? Also, get a quote from them on the overall cost of the test so you know what you are facing. If you are frank with your vet about the costs being prohibitive right now, they may have an explanation that either they don't have the necessary equipment or if they are having an abundance of caution from what they have heard in Loki's recent exam. The more questions you ask once you have thought about it, the better equipped you will be to handle things as they come. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jayd Posted January 4, 2013 Share Posted January 4, 2013 QUOTE=NewBird;275735]I do have a Care Credit card already, but there is not enough on there for a specialist yet. Trust me, my critters always come first (hence the $5000 emergency surgery for my dog). I am working 2 jobs to get me back on my feet. I just wanted to clear things up a bit - he only pants after flying and/or running up and down the boing, so he's not just sitting quietly and panting. He's a pretty active little guy, it's just when he flies around more than just from 1 spot to another is when he starts to pant, but he recovers quickly. I wasn't sure if this was normal or not. I truly wish from the bottom of my heart the best to you and your Grey, I deleted my posts, they were just to negative, you need all the support now. My feelings stand but it's more important to be positive now. The best will happen.....Jayd...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greywings Posted January 4, 2013 Share Posted January 4, 2013 Very beautifully stated, we are all on your side and hoping for the very best! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itsjustnikki Posted January 5, 2013 Share Posted January 5, 2013 I can't really say whether the panting is from the heart murmur or not because I don't know your bird and I'm not a veterinarian (I'm a veterinary technician) but I would try to limit his exercise as much as possible. Hopefully your vet can work something out with you as far as the financial end is concerned. I know without the echo, there isn't much more they can do because that will give you a better answer. Good luck, I will definitely keep you in my thoughts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cklam Posted January 6, 2013 Share Posted January 6, 2013 My Blue Fronted Amazon was diagnosed with a loud heart murmur & enlarged heart over 5 years ago. At that time they told me she could die of a heart attack at any moment. But they put her on Enalapril (a drug used to lower blood pressure) & she was on that all these years. Sadly her life ended the day before Thanksgiving. Her wings were not clipped but she did not fly much after the dx. though she would flap her wings at times & climb all over her cage when she was in it. Was my avian vet who put her on the medication (no avian cardiologists by me). Perhaps you can ask about it. I also gave her Milk Thistle to keep the liver healthy. Good luck with Loki. Hi Everyone,I recently found out at Loki’s annual appointment that he has a “severe heart murmur”. My avian vet referred me to an avian cardiologist to get it checked out. However, I am still paying off vet bills from my dog’s emergency surgery of a few months ago, so money is really tight at the moment (plus I am 99% sure I’m going to spend hundreds for the specialist to tell me “there is nothing we can do”). So the appointment with the specialist is going to have to wait for now. Anyway, I am wondering if anyone else out there has a parrot with a heart condition/murmur and how do you deal with it? Loki is fully-flighted and I’m wondering if maybe I should get his wings clipped, as he is quite out of breath (he pants like a dog) after just a few laps around the house : ( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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