Tau Had a Whoopsie

[Ripshod]

Needless to say he isn't happy.
I watched him fall from the other side of the room. Even though it was slow motion I couldn't get to him on time. He hit his face on the end of a perch then thrashed around in the bottom of the cage crashing into everything including the cage sides. He didn't respond to me or my hand so I just threw a towel in over the top of him, to slow him down, and he stopped. I had to, he was obviously spooked.
I left him to calm down for five minutes then carefully extracted the towel with him inside. Unwrapped him carefully from the towel, took a couple of crunching bites to a finger. As soon as Tau saw me he calmed down, let me finish unwrapping and went and hid in the crook of my elbow. I left him there to stop huffing and puffing.
The tally:

Black eye, right.
Scratch between his cere and his right eye. Blood stopped.
Cut to the back of his head. Blood stopped.
Scrape to the front of his left wing. No bleeding, just a graze.
Nasty cut to his belly, just inside the right leg. Took some doing but stopped the bleeding.
Broken blood feather left wing. Bleeding stopped. Never saw the moulted flight so that was a surprise.
Main tail feathers severely chewed up, but none broken.​

I'm taking him to the vet first thing. Apart from his obvious injuries he has 2 feather cysts on the underside of his left wing, and one that looks like it's abscessed on his belly. I found those while I was cleaning him up.
No sign of concussion or seizure. He's perched fine right now and moving about carefully, but safely.
He's in a temporary (smaller) cage with low perches and a padded bottom.
If it's not one bird it's another. And always on public holidays.

I have some Metacam, but I'm not sure if I should use it. Anyone know how if Metacam thins the blood?

 

[iamwhoiam]

Hope all will be well. Good that you are taking him to the vet. Ask the vet about the Metacam.

 

[tka]

Okay Linden, the first thing you should do is hide the calendar where holidays and Bank Holidays are marked... I think your birds have paid too much attention to it

Seriously though, I hope Tau feels better soon. Poor little guy.

 

[finchly]

Oh gosh - poor Tau!

I know it's scary but most of it sounds superficial. Glad you are going to the vet, and as @iamwhoiam said let the vet guide you on the metacam.

 

[sunnysmom]

Poor birdie. I hope he's okay.

 

[Ripshod]

Metacam doesn't thin blood but it does affect clotting, so no go on that. It'a shame, the cut on his belly is really quite bad and even though the bleeding has stopped it is concerning - he's definitely feeling it.

Why is it that tiels bounce around a cage like that? He knows the sides of the cage are there. I think a padded cell may be more suitable accommodation for him.

 

[Zara]

Poor Tau

I hope all goes well at the vet!

 

[Tiel Feathers]

I’m so sorry Tau hurt himself. I hope he makes a quick recovery, poor girl!

 

[CeciliaZ]

Hope all goes well at the vet. Feel better, Tau.

 

[Mockinbirdiva]

Wishing blessings for Tau!

 

[RatTails]

Sending good vibes!

 

[Ripshod]

Sending good vibes!

Wishing blessings for Tau!

Hope all goes well at the vet. Feel better, Tau.

Thank you, everyone. He's home now, grumping and griping in his roost. He is sooooo angry at me, but it had to be done.
The main problem on his belly was cleaned and paper sutured. The rest of his injuries were just a clean up. Has a lovely shiner.
Cyst on his belly was abcessed and was removed.
Vet asked me about the cysts under his wing, whether I wanted to take him back every year. I said no so the cysts and follicles were removed. The broken blood feather has been left. It's no threat and will help support it's neighbours when they grow out.
In a couple of months there will be zero evidence this ever happened. To me that's a huge relief.
It was a seizure. Even though I saw nothing the vet said that's what it was. I've to take Tau back in a month for assessment and he will probably be on Phenobarbital for the rest of his life. This makes me very happy (sarcasm), I have to adminster it.
For now Butorphanol, Ciprofloxacin and Acetylsalicylic Acid cream if needed.

I'll just state right here - he DID NOT enjoy his day out.
And yes, he's lost his flippin' tail again.

NOT HAPPY:

 

[Khizz]

Awww I'm sorry to hear this, but glad he is generally doing OK now. Unfortunately for Tau he does pull the cutest disgruntled face!

 

[Tiel Feathers]

I’m glad he’s doing okay now, but that’s too bad the vet thinks it was a seizure. What a grumpy face!

 

[Hankmacaw]

Poor baby. I hope he heals quickly and that his seizure don't cause him any problems. He was pretty beat up.

 

[greys4u]

@Ripshod The phenobarbital, is it liquid or pill form? Valentine has to take a medication in the capsule everyday and I sprinkle the contents of the capsule over her favorite, a blueberry (frozen but thawed) I hold the bowl to make sure she eats it all.

 

[Ripshod]

@Ripshod The phenobarbital, is it liquid or pill form? Valentine has to take a medication in the capsule everyday and I sprinkle the contents of the capsule over her favorite, a blueberry (frozen but thawed) I hold the bowl to make sure she eats it all.

It's liquid form. I opted for that because Tau likes a piece of birdie toast every morning.

 

[Mockinbirdiva]

Bless his little heart. Poor guy. I'm glad he's doing ok!

 

[finchly]

Oh gosh. Poor Tau! <3

 

[greys4u]

@Ripshod if you have problems with it, ask the vet for pill form.