Hello! Tobie's Mom here..question re liquid meds

[Jopalis]

Hi there.For those of you familiar with Tobie's story...you may recall she is 37 yr old female Grey. She has artherosclerosis from eating too many seeds and people food in her lifetime. We had to lower her perch to the bottom of her cage as she would fall asleep and fall to the bottom. She was put on a blood thinner administered twice a day. Good news is she has adjusted to eating a diet of pellets with some fruit and veggies occasionally. Vet says this is best. Also although she gripes to being grabbed with a towel by hubby (she loves him), she has gotten pretty used to it and it is more like grumbling now instead of shrieking.

 

Here's my problem.... We are going on vacation for 10 days. My neighbor normally checks on our pets when we go away. I can't expect anyone to grab her and give her her meds. I can board her at the vets and let tecs do it but I think this will be traumatic for her too. I thought of putting the meds in a grape. She loves grapes and generally only discards the peel. I know there is no guarantee she will eat it or all of it but she would get some of her meds. I also am not sure if we prefill the grapes if the grape itself would break down the meds..... Vet already said not to put it in her water. I just wondered if there were any ideas out there or if anyone does anything else with meds. I figure if she only got one grape in the morning and one at night..chances are she would eat it (and her pellets of course but grape is treat). So looking for ideas..... I could ask neighbor to put the drop of meds in the grape but scared he wouldn't measure it right or something....

 

She seems stronger and perkier. She has adjusted to sleeping on the bottom of the cage.

 

Also someone here once suggested a shelf perch at an online store and I was wondering what that was. I had her in a travel cage for quite a while but she was sad. So we put her back in her big cage and she climbs around. She doesn't fall from climbing...She uses her beak and even though one claw is diminished in use (probably small stroke).... she can use it and her other claw...so doesn't fall. Only falls when sleeping. We also have to put a cheapie food and water cup in the bottom. I hate this cause if she climbs she poops in it. Looking for any and all suggestions. Feed cup holder had to be turned around and not used since her perch is on bottom and if she uses the cups she would go to sleep with her head in them and fall.... Oh well we are accomodating are elderly bird as best we can.....

[M2MM]

That's a very creative idea, injecting her meds inside grapes, but I'd check with the vet about how well the medication can hold up under those conditions.

 

Considering her great age, and her medical conditions, if she were my girl, I'd board her with the vet instead of leaving her under the care of a neighbour. What if she had another stroke, or heart attack. The vet would be able to attend to her immediately.

 

I guess I'm a worrier, but I'm always concerned about "what if."<br><br>Post edited by: M2MM, at: 2008/07/02 02:02

[Jopalis]

Iknow... I am actually looking for alternatives because I feel she would be traumatized by the boarding and handling of others.... That's not good for her heart either.... It's not the money. She has just gotten used to my husband grabbing her and giving her her meds and she adores him. The vet told us if she got too upset getting the meds we should not do it because of the trauma. Also, I am not too keen on a tech doing it.... The vet put her on these meds because I specifically asked about them. There is not much clinical data on them. It is basically a blood thinner. If I could trust my neighbor to measure the meds right and put it in one small grape maybe she would get some of it. Some better than none. I don't like the idea of boarding her. She was a mess and a nervous wreck last time she went to the vet....

[BMustee]

It's a cool idea but I would ask the vet first. Something else to think of but if she likes Apple Sause you could mix it in with that too. I'm doing oral meds right now too with baby TAGS and it's going pretty well...one is wise to the meds and I have to do baby food chacers, that youngest doesn't care he just wants something in his tummy, and the middle child now only wants the meds and seems to be disapointed when he gets baby food.:woohoo: I would say talk to your vet about what would be best for your baby...maybe see if someone there would be able to birdie-sit and give the meds.

[Jopalis]

The vet said we can put it in fruit. But I have to be sure she will eat it all. That's why I thought about just putting a toothpick in a grape to make the whole a little bigger. She just gets a little of the meds. My neighbor is great with our pets. The dog and cats will have feeders so birdie will be the only one requiring a little more care. I will talk to him about it.... I think she will be happier at home. I don't know if I can pre-fill the grapes and have them ready for him to just give her. Not sure if something could change with the med in the grape.... Thanks! Do you just feed them the applesauce off a spoon? Last night I tried it with mashed banana and she tasted it but then refused it....