Urgent Dog bite to my little conure

[Rebecca1992]

I took my little conure out of the cage while the dog was around, normally this is fine but today little Pickles decided to go for a fly and the dog got a hold of him. Initially he was in shock and wasn’t doing much, we took him to the vet and they gave him antibiotics and pain relief and fluids - I went back to see him later and he looked great but he has no use of his legs.... has anybody experienced this or know what this means? I’m really worried

 

[Shezbug]

I hope you’re bird will be ok. Good on you for taking him straight to the vet, you have done the best thing for him and hopefully with you getting him there so fast he will have the best chance at recovery. I don’t know if anyone can tell you with any certainty how things will turn out, what did the vet say about your baby not being able to move his legs? Will the vet be doing xrays at any point to see if there is any internal injury? If so you may get some good answers (or a better idea of what may be wrong) after the vet has had time to observe and do tests on your bird.
I hope Pickles will be ok.

 

[Rebecca1992]

Thanks for your reply @Shezbug. The vet said it could be spinal cord shock which could be gone by the morning but it might not. They didn’t want to do x rays today because he wasn’t stable enough and they wanted to make sure he was calm and well enough to do them. If he’s still not able to move his legs they will do one in the morning. Can birds survive without being able to move their legs? He looks pretty healthy otherwise, he was moving around with his beak, flapping his wings, eating and drinking. It’s just so sad and so concerning because he’s so little!

 

[enigma731]

I have a bird with a spinal cord injury who initially had no use of her legs. Three months later, she's gotten a lot of function back but not 100%. I adapted her cage so that she doesn't have to climb as much and she's able to get around just fine. I'd say that if your bird is acting like he wants to live, then give him every chance you can.

 

[enigma731]

BTW my bird is a cockatiel, so about the same size.

 

[JLcribber]

If the legs do not start working then you need to consider his quality of life. If doesn't matter what "you" want. It's what's best for the bird. If it means helping him cross over to the other side then so be it.

This time it was an accident. Should it ever happen again it's not an accident.

 

[enigma731]

If the legs do not start working then you need to consider his quality of life. If doesn't matter what "you" want. It's what's best for the bird. If it means helping him cross over to the other side then so be it.

This time it was an accident. Should it ever happen again it's not an accident.

If it's a spinal cord injury it won't be a quick recovery, though. It will be a slow return of function. I don't think it's fair to assess quality of life in the situation of an acute injury unless there's no hope of recovery. If the bird can fly, he may be plenty mobile even if his legs never work again. Not to say that there's never a time or place to consider euthanasia, but special needs birds deserve a chance to adapt.

 

[Hankmacaw]

If the legs do not start working then you need to consider his quality of life. If doesn't matter what "you" want. It's what's best for the bird. If it means helping him cross over to the other side then so be it.

This time it was an accident. Should it ever happen again it's not an accident.

Hey John, don't be so quick to destroy a life that can't speak for itself and is loved. Keep @Brittany0208 's Java in mind and the little bird who had both legs amputated. It doesn't matter what decision is made it's her, not the bird, who has to make the decision - she doesn't know what the bird wants.

 

[Birdbabe]

Its possible he will regain all mobility and he may not, if hes being his spunky self besides. ..Then hes a fighter..keep him in a small padded cage so he can move around best he can,,no perches! Hope he improves daily!

 

[enigma731]

When my girl got hurt, my vet was so adamant about not euthanizing that he offered to rehome her if I couldn't take care of her. (That was never an issue, I just wanted to make sure we weren't being unfair.)

Anyway, @Rebecca1992 we treated my girl with very high dose Metacam and subq fluids to protect her kidneys. She stayed on that protocol for about a week, then a lower dose of Metacam for 6 weeks.

 

[Brittany0208]

Having a disabled bird who has been through a lot of crap in his life, my vote is: if your little guy wants to live, don't give up on him. AA is here to support you and help you in any way we can. Hoping your little guy makes a full recovery.
And to answer your question if birds can live without function of their legs, the answer is yes! My bird, Java has only one leg, which has no range of motion so he can only weakly open and close 3 of his 4 toes. He struggles to walk and do the very basic things such as scratching his head, but he's taking it in stride. And even though it's been a challenge to accommodate him, there's no doubt in my mind that he wants to live and is very happy.

 

[JLcribber]

Hey John, don't be so quick to destroy a life that can't speak for itself and is loved. Keep @Brittany0208 's Java in mind and the little bird who had both legs amputated. It doesn't matter what decision is made it's her, not the bird, who has to make the decision - she doesn't know what the bird wants.

I understand. I am not thinking my best at the moment. Of course we must not rush to any decision. Just pointing out reality. My concern is how severe this injury is. A crushed spine will mean just existing from this point on. Not something I would want.

 

[enigma731]

A crushed spine will mean just existing from this point on. Not something I would want.

Not necessarily. Birds have better neurological recovery than humans do. And even humans with spinal cord injuries have some degree of recovery unless the cord is cleanly severed.

 

[EkkieLu]

Prayers and blessings to your baby.

 

[kitsunebandit]

I am sorry to hear that this has happened. Hopefully he makes a full recovery! Should he not regain the use of his legs there are certainly ways you can adapt things for him to keep him comfortable and content. Fingers crossed for you both. Do keep us updated

 

[WendyN]

Hoping your bird regains mobility health.

 

[Leanna]

I wouldn't right off the shock thing, it's more common than you'd think in vertebrates.

It could be inflammation related as well. Tissue swelling can interfere with nerve communication. If he's eating, drinking and flapping his wings this quickly, that's a powerful sign that he will recover.
​

 

[Birdbabe]

Hoping birdie will be fine, let's all lighten up on John right now.

 

[Tiel Feathers]

I’m sorry this happened to your little bird, and I hope he regains at least some of his mobility.

 

[Shezbug]

I hope you get some good news from the vet today about your Pickles @Rebecca1992. Please let us know how things are when you get some updates on Pickles