The biting has become a problem.

[Greywings]

Ok now Jake is feeling much better so you can relax a bit and take a nice long bubble bath. Lets now worry yet as you are not really certain what to worry about. These birds can really age us quickly.

[katana600]

I whole heartedly agree with the bubble bath, deep breathing and meditation as you await news and what it means for Jake. Seriously, after an internet search your own adrenaline will be coursing through your body and keeping you up all night. I have had to wait three weeks for biopsies a couple of times and as much as I wanted to research and see where it might be that it would go so I would be ready for anything, the best thing was just to breathe deep, decided that until there was a diagnosis, today is just like yesterday. Go from there. Deep breaths, love his little grey self with all you have inside you and don't get ahead of yourself. Its a lot easier on this side of it to say it than it is for you, I know. All my thoughts and prayers are with you tonight.

[Wingy]

The vet has not called so I have nothing to update.

[danmcq]

Thanks or the update. Still hoping and praying for the best results.

[Wingy]

The vet and I have been playing phone tag since Thursday and we were finally able to speak today. The result from the lab shows that his beta globulin is at .71 which is higher than the normal .66. This may be Jakes normal or there may be something going on. Right now the plan is for a follow up blood test in 4 to 6 weeks and we will touch base in about 10 days.

 

I found this on avianweb http://www.avianweb.com/aviancbc.html and it was a bit helpful.

 

 

Beta Globulins

Beta globulins include carrier proteins, lipoproteins, and fibrinogen. Some include acute phase proteins

Increased egg production is the most common reason for elevated Beta globulin levels in birds.

Beta globulin increases indicate acute inflammation, inflammatory liver disease, chronic liver or kidney disease, malnutrition, lipemic artifact (fatty substances in the blood not naturally present), systemic mycotic disease, protein-losing enteropathies, and the nephrotic syndrome

Both Alpha and Beta Globulin decreases occur with hepatic insufficiency, severe inanition, blood loss and protein-losing GI diseases

 

Jake is a DNA tested male so the increase would not be from egg production. The CBC showed that kidney and liver were good. I cannot seem to find what is meant by acute inflammation.

 

So for now I guess we wait and see. Jake is still very upset from the vet visit. Most of the time he will shake and run to the back part of the cage top whenever my partner or I go near him. Occasionally he will want to be with one of us but that only lasts a few minutes before he wants back to the safety of his cage top. It makes me sad knowing that we lost his trust and while we are more than willing to slowly work at earning it back we are a bit concerned over what another vet visit in a few weeks might do.

[Timbersmom]

Well, I will be praying the it is just Jake's "normal," which it could very well be. I'm not a bird, but I have a couple of things in my bloodwork that are always out of "normal" range. My 89-year-old mother and my 26 year-old son have the same readings on those numbers. We have all been told that those are "normal" for us.

 

I feel for you on the vet visit trauma. Timber takes a couple weeks to normalize after a visit, and it is always a setback in our relationship. Necessary I know, but discouraging while it is going on on traumatic for him.

[carlsjr]

Nancy Jake will bite a forearm or a hand after flying to it, he won't step up for anything but a pillow without a bite now, he attacks legs if he is sitting on your knee, he will fly at your face/neck/shoulder/back/rear end/legs and tear either of us up and it doesn't matter if we are sitting on the couch, standing up, or walking. He can be sitting nice on a knee one moment and the next taking chunks out of it. When ever one of us gets a bite we say not nice, no bite while the other now has to grab a pillow and have him step up onto that (which he hops up onto willingly) for a trip back to the cage. Wrist status isn't going to do diddly because he isn't on a shoulder. It is about time for his yearly check up at the vet and I will be bringing this to her attention because this is either there is something medically wrong or this is a behavior issue that we need help with. We are trying to remain positive but the rate with which this is escalating is frightening.

 

we rehomed a orange wing Zon who was a bastard. he acted just like your grey. he would not step up and would bite piss out of you and would not stop he would tear into your hand like a hawk into a rabbit. I still have scars from him and that was 4 years ago. the only way we could move him around is to dangle a towel in front of him and let him climb on. that bird would bite hard, even through heavy leather gloves it felt like hulk hogan had a pair of pliers squeezing your finger. i finally just gave up trying, we were not in "his" flock and he had no intention of interacting with us.

[katana600]

Poor Jake, you must be heartbroken when you see him shaking and frightened. We have gone through this with Gilbert and we are gearing up for his annual vet visit Friday so it will take a little while for him to come back to peaceful days too. Will keep my fingers crossed that your numbers don't change much and this is just his "normal". I wonder if some warm oatmeal or mashed potatoes on a spoon would be soothing to him? That seems to be magical for Gilbert during stressful times.

[kins2321@yahoo.com]

Personally... the best thing you can do for Jake after a doctors visit... is to empathize with him, but NOT feel sorry for him. Lots of love and special treats. Eventually I'm sure you will be able to give extra snuggles when past terrible twos.They sense our anxiety, when they are stressed. Stay calm, empathize, let him know his life has not changed forever! Sophie would be quiet for a day after visit. I treated her as normal, and kept to our routine. It took her a day to adjust. Once she realized life was the same, she got over it! I hope I don't sound cold or callous... I'm certainly not. I just knew what would work for Sophie. Whenever I freaked out about something with Sophie... IE:loose feather hanging, she wasn't pulling it out!!! I was soooo stressed out about it, she started limping! Ryan knew I was very anxious, he actually put the feather in her foot and told her to get rid of it. She did! He has a gift with our birds. I told him he was amazing, he told me Sophie is a " drama queen!" Nancy