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Digby Cut Her Foot

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BethySue

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I thought I would give a quick update on Digby. Her feet are looking a ton better and she hasn't picked at the scabs since the day before yesterday, so I put her back in her cage today. She's busy playing with her toys now. :)

Thanks again everybody who helped!
 

Billie Faye

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This is great news! Go Digby! Glad everything is good!:)
 

Birdiemarie

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That's fantastic news! :D
 

BethySue

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(Okay...a long update. Summary: Dig isn't doing as well as she was.)

Wednesday, Digby made one of her feet (her right foot) bleed again by picking off the scab. It wasn't much blood, but I put her back in the hospital tank. She has continued to favor this foot ever since this first started happening last week. The day before yesterday, she picked at it again and made it bleed again. It was more blood than I had seen except for the first day this happened. :( I monitored her closely throughout the day, and Friday she seemed to be doing better. I still kept her in the hospital tank.

Last night she started a new behavior where she would lay half way on her side. She was only doing it some and would perk up as soon as she saw me. This afternoon, I noticed she was doing it even more and the scab on her foot looks worse than it did yesterday (but she has not picked at it enough to make it bleed). She also wasn't hopping up as soon as she sees me, but she is still eating, drinking, and even playing a little.

DigResting2.jpg DigResting1.jpg
(Excuse the food on the glass and the poop on the floor; the tank hadn't yet been cleaned for the day when I caught her doing and was able to take a picture. Also, the pictures uploaded sideways for some reason.)

She also seemed to be sleeping a bit more than usual. I decided it was time for the vet. I felt that if I couldn't get her in today, she would get much worse by Monday. I called a vet I knew was opened to see if I could get her in today. No such luck--the avian vet had already left for the day. They gave me numbers for a couple more clinics--both already closed. :( I was seriously starting to get upset. We called a couple of the big places--Metro Veterinary Emergency and Specialist or something like that and another similar place. They didn't treat birds but gave us the numbers for more vets that treated birds and would have doctors on call, one of which was over the river in Indiana. One of the the vets they recommended was able to help us a little, but the avian vet from her clinic wasn't on call. She gave us the number for an exotics vet in Indianapolis.

After calling around different vets for about an hour (we called at least seven just in Louisville, plus a couple in Indiana), we were able to talk to the on call vet at the clinic in Indianapolis. They talked to us and told us that it didn't sound like it was an emergency yet, as long as she continues to drink and eat. As of right now, we should be able to wait until Monday. They assured us, though, that if she stops eating and drinking, we can make the drive up there and they will see her even though we've never been there. I felt much better after we were able to talk to somebody. :) (A side note: this vet in Indy sounds awesome--they only do exotics. No dogs, cats, or horses. Why isn't there someplace like that here?! It is nice to know, though, that there is a place like that just a couple of hours from me.)

Now, we just have to wait until Monday. It's obvious that it is causing her more pain then it has been, so she will definitely be going in. I just have to figure out which one of these 7+ vets to take her to.

I really only have one question right now. One of the vets we spoke with said sometimes a certain mineral deficiency can cause a bird's skin to crack and bleed. Anybody know anything about this?
 

April

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Poor little Digby,I hope she gets better soon :hug8:
 

Quest

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Bethany, you have an avian certified vet right
here in Louisville,KY.He is good. It is
Dr. Sam Vaughn. He is an avian diplomat. I would
go to him. That way you have a vet that is close and
is avian certified. I use him. Tell him I sent you. He
is well known. PM me for his number if
you need it.
 

BethySue

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Bethany, you have an avian certified vet right
here in Louisville,KY.He is good. It is
Dr. Sam Vaughn. He is an avian diplomat. I would
go to him. That way you have a vet that is close and
is avian certified. I use him. Tell him I sent you. He
is well known. PM me for his number if
you need it.
Yes, I know him. I went to him once with a guinea pig as he treats them as well. One of my pigs had a "growth" on her eye. He looked at it for only a minute and wanted to do surgery to remove it. I felt it was very extreme. I took her to a different vet after another pig had the same symptom--it was an eye infection (and after a quick Google search I found it to be a somewhat common symptom in guinea pig eye infections). I know he is supposed to be good with birds, but he was very rough on my piggy and seemed to want to do the most extreme treatment after the "growth" had been there for less than 24 hours. I had specifically taken her there because I wanted to meet him before taking the birds to him, but our visit left me uneasy about taking the birds there.

ETA: In his defense, it did seem as though he was having a bad day that day anyway. But, I just don't know...
 
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Quest

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Well, all I can say is that he cares for
my flock and I trust him. I feel lucky to
have an avian certified vet so close. My dogs
and cats go to a different vet in a different
office. I like having a rapport with a vet before
I need one. My flock goes regularly for well bird
checks. He knows my birds. He has records of
their weights, previous blood work etc. Yep, even
my canary gets regular blood work. Whoever you
choose... good luck and keep us posted. I know you are
worried about your little one. I will say a prayer for
little Digby.
 
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BethySue

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Thank you, Judy. I may still choose to take Digby in there and give him another chance because I know he is supposed to be good with birds. I did talk to him a bit about my two when I was there with Prudence, and he seemed to really have a passion when it came to birds. It just that, like I said, after our visit, I felt uneasy about it.
 

waterfaller1

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I hope Digby will be ok. Sending healing energy.:hug8: I would run my hand on every bit of the cage, inside and out, to see if there is a catch, maybe at a weld spot? Toys, dishes could be cracked?
 

BethySue

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I have checked the cage numerous times. I checked the first day her feet bled. I checked before I put her back in. I checked all the perches a couple days ago when I decided to cover them all in VetWrap to give her a little bit extra cushion. I'll check again tomorrow morning. Maybe I missed something. :shrug:

She is now laying almost completely on her side. I really don't like her doing this as it makes me think something is really, really wrong. But as soon as she sees or hears me, she jumps up and looks at me as if to ask, "What?" My mom suggested giving her something that's nest shaped so she could rest in it to take all the weight off her feet, but I have also read that giving them a nest can induce egglaying. Would it be a bad eye to give her something like that?
 

Big Blues

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I had to take the weight off on the legs and feet of one of ours and I ruffled the towel somewhat so that his body was lifted up onto to the top of the ruffle. It might help Digby. It looks like she was perching on her food dish, maybe just taking that away and giving her food in your hand if she will take it.
 

BethySue

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She has stopped perching on her food dish except when she's eating. She only did that the first day she was in the hospital tank when the towel perch was still scary.

About an hour ago, she picked a new spot to sleep.

DigsNewSleepSpot.jpg

She's mostly hiding her face behind the towel. I think she's telling me it's bedtime, and she's right. I'll ruffle her towel and then let her go to bed for the night. Thanks for the suggestion.
 

Jeddy

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Sending positive thoughts for Digby to heal fast and get well . I will be waiting for the update after the vet visit.
 

Birdiemarie

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Jan, I hope little Digby will be alright. :hug8:
 

suileeka

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Digby is such a pretty girl. I hope the vet can find a cause for her injuries and help her heal up. :hug8:
 

Big Blues

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She has stopped perching on her food dish except when she's eating. She only did that the first day she was in the hospital tank when the towel perch was still scary.

About an hour ago, she picked a new spot to sleep.

View attachment 60084

She's mostly hiding her face behind the towel. I think she's telling me it's bedtime, and she's right. I'll ruffle her towel and then let her go to bed for the night. Thanks for the suggestion.
She is adorable and very resourceful. Hope she sleeps well and you too. Let us know how she is doing in the morning, please.
 

Anne & Gang

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hoping she will be ok..sending much love and hugs call the vet back that is in Lexington please it sounds to me like you cannot wait
 

Billie Faye

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Are any of her "joints" swollen?..Possible to get a picture of her feet? Could she have "mites" in her feet? OR is it possible she has Gout?
I am sorry to read that she is still having issues...Cayenne will help her with the pain so don't be afraid to give her cayenne paste on a spoon or even in her foods....Please let us know what the vet says....Calming energy being sent to you and Healing Energy for her!:hug8:
 
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