Clipped without my permission

[kanth]

Took my green cheek to a new vet today, my other vet is far away and this vet was only 20 minutes. It was supposed to be a quick checkup, he isn’t due for one but he doesn’t get nervous as easily as my rescue birds, he’s from a breeder. I was going to check out the new vet to see if I should bring my afraid of everything rescues to this vet. I was telling the vet about his behavioral problems, he’s been flying on other cages including my lovebirds who hate him and it always starts a fight (I always stop it before it goes anywhere), and he won’t recall or do any basic training because he always gets distracted. The vet told me he studied bird behavior and not just anatomy/medicine so I was looking for his opinion, but he took Galeo to a different room and clipped him. REALLY clipped him, he drops like a rock. I normally never let animals at the vet out of my sight so I can’t help but blame myself for this. I hurt my shoulder right before leaving and the appointment was early in the morning so I wasn’t 100% there. I told the vet Galeo has a tendency to pluck but he took him from fully flighted to dropping like a rock in a couple minutes, did he think that would have no effect on him? He doesn’t pluck much, he plucks around pin feathers and sometimes plucks when he’s bored or upset but 95% of the time his feathers look completely normal. There are feathers littered all over the bottom of his cage, this is the most he’s ever plucked, I feel so guilty I’ve been playing his favorite cartoons and giving him his favorite flavor of baby food to try and distract him but it’s not helping much

 

[Max83]

WTF?!?!? I'd give the vet at least a big bang on the nose!!! weren't you mad at him? he can't do something to your bird without your permission. bad vet, hope you'll advise other people against him

 

[Max83]

now obiouvsly try to cuddle him, I fear the anger for you hope he'll go better with time

 

[Mizzely]

Did you tell him off?? They almost did that to Koopa one time too. I took her in for a grooming when I had to take Jingo in for something else and they luckily confirmed "nails and wings, right?" And I was like UMM NO!!

I would be devastated.

 

[Chopper]

I am so sorry.

 

[kanth]

I didn’t get angry with him, just walked out. Nothing I can do about it now.

 

[Fergus Mom]

Oh my gosh... I'd have been in shock. I think you might still be in shock, as well as poor Birdie! So sorry!

 

[Sylvester]

Report this vet to one of the review sites. He had no business in doing anything to your pet without talking to you first. And it sounds more like a butcher job than a clipping.

 

[Mizzely]

If people can be mad about a bad groom job on their dog, you can certainly be mad about something that handicapped your bird. I would at least let the staff know you were unhappy so that it doesn;t happen to someone else. They need consent.

 

[finchly]

That's awful, and you should at the very least point out that you are unhappy about it and that you DID NOT GIVE permission for it. Furthermore you would at least have wanted a light clip where your bird could glide/land, right?

I asked my caiques breeder not to clip his wings....we were texting regularly but after that one she went silent. when we picked him up they were chopped. He too drops like a rock, and since he can't hold onto anything tightly he falls often. Very disconcerting, and it'll be a long time before they grow in.

 

[kanth]

I called them and complained. The vet said it’s “what everyone does” and didn’t care. I don’t know anything about clipping but I clipped 5 of my tiels feathers, they were half clipped and I was evening it out. My lovebirds are clipped, I counted 4 clipped feathers on one and 5 on the other, they can still fly short distances. I counted galeos clipped feathers are there are 11

 

[Sylvester]

I called them and complained. The vet said it’s “what everyone does” and didn’t care. I don’t know anything about clipping but I clipped 5 of my tiels feathers, they were half clipped and I was evening it out. My lovebirds are clipped, I counted 4 clipped feathers on one and 5 on the other, they can still fly short distances. I counted galeos clipped feathers are there are 11

Then as I suggested up above, take it to social media, a review site, and embarrass the h e l l out of the vet.

 

[hrafn]

I called them and complained. The vet said it’s “what everyone does” and didn’t care. I don’t know anything about clipping but I clipped 5 of my tiels feathers, they were half clipped and I was evening it out. My lovebirds are clipped, I counted 4 clipped feathers on one and 5 on the other, they can still fly short distances. I counted galeos clipped feathers are there are 11

Time to find a new vet.
My vet would never, ever, clip one of my birds without asking first. She requests my explicit permission even to trim my fids' claws. We have an absolute trust formed between us and she lets me know every single thing she's going to do before she does it, to make sure I'm okay with it.

Let this sorry vet know what you think. Write a review. Warn your friends with birds. Let everyone know!

 

[Feather]

I would be beyond livid in your shoes. What an awful thing to have happen without your consent! Poor Galeo... Is it possible to feather imp a gcc or are they too small?

 

[Kslee]

You did nothing wrong, the vet should have asked your permission and I'm so sorry. Wings will grow back within 4-6 months so no worries. That was terrible. Hope he is doing okay and your clearly a good bird parent!

 

[Aviana]

What would possess him to do that without asking? That seems very unprofessional. I would call again and tell him in no uncertain terms that doing this unannounced and without asking permission is unprofessional. If he seems unfazed, I would assume he will do it to someone else, and I would make trouble on social media or contact the Better Business Bureau, or the vet board. Something. Please post the name and location, so people in your area can avoid the practice.

 

[Dona]

Unbelievable. Nothing you can do now except complain. I would find a new vet as well.

 

[kanth]

I’m afraid it will take a while for his wings to grow back, he just finished molting. I only found a Facebook account for them, I don’t have Facebook though so nothing I can do there. I understand most would be angry but I’m just worried about him. My other birds are clipped but they flap their wings daily, I never worry about them getting enough exercise or getting atrophied muscles. Galeo only moves his wings when flying, or occasionally stretches them. He wasn’t a good flier yet but he is just coming out of his teenage years and is starting to listen to me and now all the progress is gone. He’s already refusing to use his favorite ladder because he has to jump 2 inches to it. I’m not anti or pro clipping I just want him to be healthy and I know he won’t be if he’s clipped

 

[SandraK]

I’m afraid it will take a while for his wings to grow back, he just finished molting. I only found a Facebook account for them, I don’t have Facebook though so nothing I can do there. I understand most would be angry but I’m just worried about him. My other birds are clipped but they flap their wings daily, I never worry about them getting enough exercise or getting atrophied muscles. Galeo only moves his wings when flying, or occasionally stretches them. He wasn’t a good flier yet but he is just coming out of his teenage years and is starting to listen to me and now all the progress is gone. He’s already refusing to use his favorite ladder because he has to jump 2 inches to it. I’m not anti or pro clipping I just want him to be healthy and I know he won’t be if he’s clipped

Try Yelp - they do reviews on places. I'd call the clinic and find out who the owner is and write. Clipping is not something a vet does because "it's what everybody does". If you had a pedigree dog and took it to that clinic it might be neutered because "it's what everyone does"? NO, I think not.

If you do write to the clinic's owner, point out that any injuries your bird has due to the fact that he is now flight impaired you expect to be reimbursed for. If you have uncarpeted floor, your fid could not only bruise but split his keel if he lands badly.

 

[finchly]

It is too bad and traumatic for the bird, but he’ll get over it I think. So sorry!

And the vet said “it’s what everybody does”? Uh, no. It is NOT. That was lame.