911 Mutilating

Lo_ · 7/14/15

Good news! Can't wait until you can get her.

kathyth · 7/14/15

This thread breaks my heart!
Sending you and Target thoughts and prayers for a safe and complete recovery.
He's so lucky to be owned by you!

JosienBB · 7/14/15

I leave in a hour to pick her up! :dance4:

rocky'smom · 7/14/15

I'm so glad it went well. in my thoughts and prayers.

JosienBB · 7/14/15

The doctor is pretty sure it's behavioural when I talked to him, because the blood results came back fine. It bugs me that he's going to that conclusion so quickly, before doing more tests. He says there's a possibility that there's a tumor there bothering her, but it's an unlikely spot. Or it may be arthritis bothering her. But he keeps on skirting the issue when I ask what other tests should be done. Keeps on saying we need to wait until she's healed first, which I understand, but I also need a plan of action.

Hankmacaw · 7/14/15

Josie, don't let your vet off the hook. There are too many of these birds around that are mutilating - they all can't be behavioral. Even my vet who I idolize doesn't have many ideas or much information about self-mutilation. He mentioned the possibility of Sarcocystosis which is contracted from Opossums. Some vets believe that the mutilation can be caused by atherosclerosis deep in capillaries or within the brain. Some believe it could be caused by displaced pain from an inflammation somewhere in the body. In other words no one seems to know much about non-behavioral mutilation.

I asked him once about the mutilating being the result of a virus and he said there are about 50 viruses that birds contract and how would you ever know which one to test for. Hank's Carcinogenic Thyroid Tumor that killed him was caused by a virus.

I hoe you keep your vet on his toes and keep us updated.

Danita · 7/14/15

I know this is a weird thing too, but we were talking about it somewhere else. Maybe there is a noise/ or tone she is hearing from somewhere that makes her nervous. Gerard was suffering from migraines really bad, went through all this testing only to find it was something from his sound system.
There is a noise/tone that they use in convenience store parking lots at night to keep teens away. Only they can hear it, mature ears can't lol It is an AWFUL sound to them and makes them crazy.
Anyway, just another thing to think about.

Birdbabe · 7/14/15

Macawnutz · 7/14/15

One day at a time.... :bluhug:

I have a pretty bad mutilation case happening right now.... the vets have NO answers and I have run every darn test I can get my hands on! When my favorite vet ran out of ideas I switched vets and continued.

Allergies, heavy metals, water quality, air quality, do a cbc and chem, fecal swabs, I went as far as to have a biopsy done that my vet told me would yield nothing. Asper, giardia... we are now working on hormones and cardiovascular issues. There has to be an answer.

If he starts chewing again the list is endless for you as it is for me. One day at a time is all you can do.

JosienBB · 7/14/15

We are BACK!

Target is doing very well, very alert and very active (a little too active actually lol).

My doctor is super weird. No cone of shame, no bandage, no antibiotics... sent me home with just a bit of painkiller. "Less is more," he says. Let's hope she doesn't pick at the sutures too much. Recheck next Thursday to remove the stitches.

Target was so cute when she first saw us. Let out a holler of happiness and did her weird little dance. Maybe she thought we abandoned her lol

JosienBB · 7/14/15

She is pigging out on all her favourite foods right now... almonds, sweet potato, quinoa pasta, red pepper...

Heather F · 7/14/15

Good girl Target! Now leave those stitchies alone.

Greycloud · 7/14/15

So glad everything went well! I am so surprised he did not collar her! Please watch her closely as the stitches will bother her and she may mess with them.

LunaHestia · 7/14/15

Danita said:
There is a noise/tone that they use in convenience store parking lots at night to keep teens away. Only they can hear it, mature ears can't lol It is an AWFUL sound to them and makes them crazy.
Anyway, just another thing to think about.

Is this serious or are you just trying to see how gullible we are?

Macawnutz · 7/14/15

LunaHestia said:
Is this serious or are you just trying to see how gullible we are?

It's wild! I downloaded a mosquito app on my phone. My son thought his tv was exploding! I could not hear a thing. Lol

JosienBB · 7/14/15

Greycloud said:
So glad everything went well! I am so surprised he did not collar her! Please watch her closely as the stitches will bother her and she may mess with them.

Yeah. I asked both doctors in the clinic multiple times about a collar. They said hawkheads in particular do not take well to being collared, and may end up doing more harm than good. They will collar her if necessary, but only as a last resort (i.e. she is actively tearing out the stitches). I don't know... I'm having to scold Target every five minutes not to scratch at the wound. I don't know how long I can keep this up lol.

EagleClem · 7/14/15

So sorry you are going through this. Sending prayers, and best thoughts that Target recovers soon.

jeme3 · 7/14/15

So glad she got through surgery and is home recuperating. Best wishes for a full recovery and a solution to the mutilating.

gibsongrrrl · 7/14/15

JosienBB said:
Yeah. I asked both doctors in the clinic multiple times about a collar. They said hawkheads in particular do not take well to being collared, and may end up doing more harm than good. They will collar her if necessary, but only as a last resort (i.e. she is actively tearing out the stitches). I don't know... I'm having to scold Target every five minutes not to scratch at the wound. I don't know how long I can keep this up lol.

I will say that my hawkhead did not do well in a collar. She actually threw herself down on the ground (not far, I was holding her close to it) and wouldn't get up for anything. She did take to a sock sweater just fine though. She didn't mutilate, but was (and still is) a long time plucker. If you need any info on that in the future I can send you pics and info on how we made them and what type of sock to use. I still would try Patti Lemaire's collar just in case. The one I had for gypsy was soft but didn't fit the same. Was more restrictive than hers. Emu oil is good for healing skin with mutilating birds, from what I've heard also. So sorry you both are going through this. I know it must be heartbreaking :sadhug2:

webchirp · 7/14/15

Dr. O is now wondering about nerve pain in these pluckers/mutilators. We tried everything under the sun for Giggie. A daily dose of gabapentin seems to work for her. But it's one of those drugs that either works or doesn't.

911 Mutilating

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