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This forum is for advice about initial treatment given to your injured/sick bird until a qualified avian veterinarian is available.
THIS IS NOT MEANT TO REPLACE VET CARE
My Quaker has severe liver disease :(
- Thread starter Slic102
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I am sorry about Simon. It is one of the hardest descisions you can make for something you care for...but I know you will make it with his best interests.
I LOVE Treetop. They are amazing and most of the people that work there are very knowledgable. Debbie (the owner) is super nice too.
I LOVE Treetop. They are amazing and most of the people that work there are very knowledgable. Debbie (the owner) is super nice too.
jmfleish
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Before you decide to put him down, I would seriously run a heavy metals test to make absolutely sure it isn't zinc toxicosis. Rule everything out...he could recover if it is zinc toxicosis and if they haven't run the blood test for it, they cannot rule it out.
birdlvr466
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Oh. Well it is always good to ask, glad you did. I wish the best for you and Simon.
abbydp
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Oh Lisa I so feel for you. I also lost a cat exactly a month before Peep that I have had my whole adult life. I don't remember life before Emma, she has been through everything with me and was part of my soul. I am so sad and miss her so, but it was her time. She had a great life. It wasn't easy but somehow it seemed worlds easier than this. I completely agree with you about the pain of losing a bird. Don't get me wrong, I adored Peep, but I had not idea and was in no way ready for how bad it would hurt or how deep the hole would feel. I went to the grocery store for the first time tonight and it was torture - no veggies or special fruit needed any more ;( They say you won't be given more than you can handle but reading all that is going on with you right now makes me wonder. Please hang in there and come to any of us when you need to. It is ok to say you have had enough.
Katana
Walking the driveway
Oh my....I really feel for you...I've been exactly in your place a few months ago!
We went through this with our 15 year old Red Lored Amazon. We got him as a rescue when he was 10 years old. He came to us on a very poor diet of peanuts and seeds. He had his first vet visit with the complete work up of tests, and all came back normal (no suspicion of fatty liver disease). We were able to convert him to a pellet and fruit/veggie diet with in one month. During those five years he remained healthy and had good blood test results at his annual physical each year.
Fast forward five years to this past early December. He got sick and we took him at the first signs we noticed. He'd lost a lot of weight and his poop was bright yellow. The vet suspected either Psittacosis damaging the liver, or plain liver disease. He was hospitalized and blood tests were done. The test showed extremely high liver enzymes, with extreme anemia. Tests came back negative for Psittacosis. he was just suffering from severe liver disease. He was at the vets tube fed with antibiotic/vitamin shots for a full week. He got a bit better, so we took him home and continued treatment with weekly follow up visits. He did improve for a while, but towards the end of the month he started breathing very heavy and the vets said his chest seemed swollen and after tests confirmed fluid was building up. We attempted to clear it up with a diuretic.
As you we loved him so much and wanted to give him a chance. Sadly he got weaker and we just knew it was his time and we had him put down. It was the most difficult decision we ever made!
I know my story isn't something you really want to hear right now (or at least the outcome), but I felt I had to share it, so you know someone else went through exactly what you are going through. It's very hard and sad, but with time it does get better! My thoughts are with you during this trying time in your life.
We went through this with our 15 year old Red Lored Amazon. We got him as a rescue when he was 10 years old. He came to us on a very poor diet of peanuts and seeds. He had his first vet visit with the complete work up of tests, and all came back normal (no suspicion of fatty liver disease). We were able to convert him to a pellet and fruit/veggie diet with in one month. During those five years he remained healthy and had good blood test results at his annual physical each year.
Fast forward five years to this past early December. He got sick and we took him at the first signs we noticed. He'd lost a lot of weight and his poop was bright yellow. The vet suspected either Psittacosis damaging the liver, or plain liver disease. He was hospitalized and blood tests were done. The test showed extremely high liver enzymes, with extreme anemia. Tests came back negative for Psittacosis. he was just suffering from severe liver disease. He was at the vets tube fed with antibiotic/vitamin shots for a full week. He got a bit better, so we took him home and continued treatment with weekly follow up visits. He did improve for a while, but towards the end of the month he started breathing very heavy and the vets said his chest seemed swollen and after tests confirmed fluid was building up. We attempted to clear it up with a diuretic.
As you we loved him so much and wanted to give him a chance. Sadly he got weaker and we just knew it was his time and we had him put down. It was the most difficult decision we ever made!
I know my story isn't something you really want to hear right now (or at least the outcome), but I felt I had to share it, so you know someone else went through exactly what you are going through. It's very hard and sad, but with time it does get better! My thoughts are with you during this trying time in your life.
Pumpkin
Rollerblading along the road
Oh I am so very sorry. 
Big hugs to you both!
Big hugs to you both!
Oh, I am so sorry you are going through this. We get so attached to our little friends, just go by your gut feeling, but as Jen said you might want to rule out zinc poisoning.
Slic102
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I see you live in DFW....where do you live? I may even know you from Treetop as I'm there all the time. Deb is the best, but she has been sick and not able to be in since Thanksgiving. I speak to her via fb messages, and she has helped me to know end time and time again!!! You know Barbara there? I've been going there 4 or 5 years and I used to dispise her, but have discovered that she is a really good person, she's just not as much about the customers, but more about the birds. She now has my female Ekkie Ruby, who was miserable here, but now is happily living with a male plucker that she took home too. She has no plans to breed them, but she said they are absolutely in love with each other!
Slic102
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I actually have some awesome news today! Just spoke to the vet, and Simon ate some last night and she said that she didnt even recognize him today, he's bright and alert and playing in his cage. Hubby is picking him up for the night, but if he eats here, he doesn't have to go back to the hospital!!!!
So, I know that things could change in a heart beat, but this is the first good news we have had. I have to tell you something else. I'm not a religious person, however I do believe in God and the power of prayer, and last night after thinking long and hard about what John said, I got down on my knees and begged God to either take him home to the rainbow bridge, or give us a sign that he's getting better because I do NOT want to make that decision. I told my vet that this morning and she said it gave her chills. I know that even if he seems to recover, that at some point it could possibly get bad again, but you just don't know what one more day, week, month, year or even hour with my baby means to me.
So, I know that things could change in a heart beat, but this is the first good news we have had. I have to tell you something else. I'm not a religious person, however I do believe in God and the power of prayer, and last night after thinking long and hard about what John said, I got down on my knees and begged God to either take him home to the rainbow bridge, or give us a sign that he's getting better because I do NOT want to make that decision. I told my vet that this morning and she said it gave her chills. I know that even if he seems to recover, that at some point it could possibly get bad again, but you just don't know what one more day, week, month, year or even hour with my baby means to me.
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Thugluvgrl187
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I am very happy to hear the good news
Lisa, this is really good news! There is LOTS of power in POSITIVE energy and PRAYERS here on AA....take it one step at a time ....
What wonderful news!! Woohoo! I certainly do believe in the power of prayer of this forum because without it my Mikey would not be here today.. To make a long story short, he got sick back in November was all on different types of meds including being hospitalized for 3 weeks including getting shots of Amikacin 2x a day along with constant nasal flushes because his nares constantly clog.. He had also lost a ton of weight because as it turns out he had a mrsa infection on the roof of his mouth so yeah I wouldn't want to eat either.. During that time he had been thru 5 vets and 3 different animal hospitals.. We have gotten Mikeys weight back to where he should be... He is still not 100% maybe 80% but he sure does have a will to live and he's my little cuddlebug.. I know exactly how you feel about each day being a gift.. I'm soo happy that I can share this joyous news with you..
birdlvr466
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I fixed it Lisa.LOL I just re read my post and it looks like I said the vet ate today!!! I'm sure you all can figure out that I'm meaning Simon....
Wonderful news!!!
birdlvr466
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Lisa what wonderful news!! Hope your baby comes home today!
jmfleish
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I hate to beat a dead horse, but you might be seeing a positive change because he's suffering from zinc poisoning and once you removed him from the environment he was getting it from, he started to turn around. I would absolutely run a blood test for heavy metal poisoning...he's showing all the signs.I actually have some awesome news today! Just spoke to the vet, and Simon ate some last night and she said that she didnt even recognize him today, he's bright and alert and playing in his cage. Hubby is picking him up for the night, but if he eats here, he doesn't have to go back to the hospital!!!!
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