Apologies for jumping in, as a newbie with a post for help. Also, I belong to a couple of other parrot forums and hope it's ok to copy and paste some of what I've written there (have MS and my hands are not great at the moment, to write it all out again). I'm just looking for someone on the internet who has had a similar experience, as I'm going out of my mind with worry. The people on my other forums are great with advice but I guess I'm just trying to get as much information as possible. Hope that's not against forum etiquette.
I have an 11 year old male Senegal, who I have had since he was a baby. We haven't been apart in all that time (except if I need to go to a medical appointment for an hour or so). He has always been the loudest, bossiest, naughtiest character. He torments me and is a clown. He has the hugest personality and he's the reason I carry on getting up in the morning.
Last Thursday night he had a fright from the new neighbours making a loud bang next door. He flew into the mirror and then backwards onto a clock. He was very subdued and quiet but I checked him and he seemed ok. Anyway - next day he was still the same. To cut a long story short - my avian vet gave him Metacam for pain relief because he thought he had bruised himself. He said to give it a few days.
Today I took him back, as he was still no better in himself. He's eating well but very unbalanced and moving very slowly. He has no voice any more and I was worried there was something going on internally so I asked for an x ray.
They were only able to do one x ray because his breathing was bad under anesthetic and he started to bring up clear fluid. His breathing is still not great, and he seems to be throwing up a little. I'm watching him closely. The vet said he didn't want to keep him in, as he's so bonded with me and it will stress him more.
The vet said that he's never seen a bird with this kind of fracture on its spine that wasn't dead from it immediately, or died soon after, paralysed - so the fact Ri has gone 5 days with it and is moving around, is a testament to what a fighter he is. He said he must be in incredible pain.
He said he could refer me to someone who could operate but he doesn't think he's make it through the anesthetic. Basically it's just watch and wait. He says he doesn't know if he will make it or not. He said, even if the fracture mends, there could be all sorts of complications - neurological damage, infection etc. Or he could just give up, because of the stress of being in so much pain.
He's given me more pain relief and also some antibiotics and anti fungal medicine - 0.02 Metacam once daily, 0.06 Baytril twice daily and 0.15 Itrafungol once daily. I asked if they could overload his system, taking all those at once and he said it was a chance I should take.
All I can do is keep him as still as possible, and as comfortable as possible. He said the next few weeks will show if he's going to make it or not. I have to go back next week.
To say I'm devastated, is an understatement. If he had damage and couldn't move, then I would adapt everything and still make his life happy - but I'm so scared he will get internal damage, or infection from this, as it fuses together (if it does). What has broken my heart more is the fact that he must be in agony but is trying to lean across to catch my tears and is making soft cooing noises at me, as if to reassure me. My brave boy.
Has anyone had a bird with a fractured spine, who is still ok and made it? I'm not finding much online - just about birds who died instantly.
I'll fight for him as much as I can because he's shown what a fighter he is.
Thank you for any advice or experience.
I have an 11 year old male Senegal, who I have had since he was a baby. We haven't been apart in all that time (except if I need to go to a medical appointment for an hour or so). He has always been the loudest, bossiest, naughtiest character. He torments me and is a clown. He has the hugest personality and he's the reason I carry on getting up in the morning.
Last Thursday night he had a fright from the new neighbours making a loud bang next door. He flew into the mirror and then backwards onto a clock. He was very subdued and quiet but I checked him and he seemed ok. Anyway - next day he was still the same. To cut a long story short - my avian vet gave him Metacam for pain relief because he thought he had bruised himself. He said to give it a few days.
Today I took him back, as he was still no better in himself. He's eating well but very unbalanced and moving very slowly. He has no voice any more and I was worried there was something going on internally so I asked for an x ray.
They were only able to do one x ray because his breathing was bad under anesthetic and he started to bring up clear fluid. His breathing is still not great, and he seems to be throwing up a little. I'm watching him closely. The vet said he didn't want to keep him in, as he's so bonded with me and it will stress him more.
The vet said that he's never seen a bird with this kind of fracture on its spine that wasn't dead from it immediately, or died soon after, paralysed - so the fact Ri has gone 5 days with it and is moving around, is a testament to what a fighter he is. He said he must be in incredible pain.
He said he could refer me to someone who could operate but he doesn't think he's make it through the anesthetic. Basically it's just watch and wait. He says he doesn't know if he will make it or not. He said, even if the fracture mends, there could be all sorts of complications - neurological damage, infection etc. Or he could just give up, because of the stress of being in so much pain.
He's given me more pain relief and also some antibiotics and anti fungal medicine - 0.02 Metacam once daily, 0.06 Baytril twice daily and 0.15 Itrafungol once daily. I asked if they could overload his system, taking all those at once and he said it was a chance I should take.
All I can do is keep him as still as possible, and as comfortable as possible. He said the next few weeks will show if he's going to make it or not. I have to go back next week.
To say I'm devastated, is an understatement. If he had damage and couldn't move, then I would adapt everything and still make his life happy - but I'm so scared he will get internal damage, or infection from this, as it fuses together (if it does). What has broken my heart more is the fact that he must be in agony but is trying to lean across to catch my tears and is making soft cooing noises at me, as if to reassure me. My brave boy.
Has anyone had a bird with a fractured spine, who is still ok and made it? I'm not finding much online - just about birds who died instantly.
I'll fight for him as much as I can because he's shown what a fighter he is.
Thank you for any advice or experience.