• Welcome to Avian Avenue! To view our forum with less advertisments please register with us.
    Memberships are free and it will just take a moment. Click here

Arthritis?

Status
Not open for further replies.

Sharpie

Rollerblading along the road
Avenue Veteran
Joined
11/5/09
Messages
4,376
Location
Now TN
Short version: How do you know if your bird has arthritis? What do you do about it?

Long version: I'm beginning to wonder if maybe Jasper has some arthritis in his feet. He's a huge guy for a YNA who's at a healthy weight of 725g. He's spent most of his 24 years in a cage with limited movement, little perch variety, and fat on a seed mix diet (though he did get some fresh stuff). He's gotten into much better shape and is on a better diet now, and his vet's thrilled about how well he's doing. His bloodwork showed that his cholesterol was high when I got him, but we haven't repeated it since. His uric acid was normal.

He will sometimes rest on the bottom of his cage, especially if one of his big whiffle ball foot toys is down there so he can rest his keel on it. He'll do the same thing on his perch where he'll straddle a big ring and rest his weight on that and take a nap. It's not uncommon for him to just flop belly down on my lap when he's getting scritches. He prefers to put his food down and eat it out of a bowl rather than hold it, though he will, and will alternate feet if he has to.

He has a VERY strong, equal grip with both feet when he wants and can easily hang one footed from a toy and do the mad bird flapping, so I don't think there's any neurological or musculoskeletal problems there. The skin on his feet is healthy, there are no sores, and he doesn't limp or seem lame. His joints are not large or abnormal in any way either.

So, what do you folks do for your birds that have arthritis? Does it sound to you like he might be having foot pain? I'm thinking of making him a padded platform perch he can rest on to see if he likes it. The thermo perches interest me, but I'm terrified of leaving anything plugged in when I'm gone, especially something around the birds. Are there any foods or dietary supplements that might help him out?
 

ncGreyBirdLady

They call Me crazy like its a bad thing!
Administrator
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
10/15/09
Messages
11,676
Location
Feathered Funny Farm USA
Real Name
Bonnie

suncoast

Cruising the avenue
Celebirdy of the Month
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
10/16/09
Messages
13,464
Location
Naples Florida
Real Name
Ginger
Will he let you massage his feet with a little warmed up vitamin E to see if that helps?

Ginger
 

Chicklette

Rollerblading along the road
Joined
11/24/09
Messages
3,594
Location
Canada Ontario
Real Name
Courtney
I thought one of my Birds Rascal had arthritis so I took him to the vets, he ended up not having it, Im just paranoid so this is what my vet told me. Their toes will be disfigured pointing towards the back, swelling and redness, pressure and sores on the feet, constantly switching perching on opposite feet, can’t get a good grip on things, they will be clumsy and loose balance. It’s very painful for them. I think you should take him to the vets for sure to have him take a look at his feet. He may prescribe a pain medication for him.

http://www.avianweb.com/arthritisbirds.html
 

birdlvr466

Hit the Road
Joined
10/15/09
Messages
16,655
Real Name
Pat
Good link Bonnie, that is what I was going to suggest as well.
 

Danita

Ripping up the road
Super Administrator
Chief Beak
Vendor
Avenue Veteran
Joined
10/16/09
Messages
35,199
Location
Canada
Real Name
Danita
Arthritis, in my experience, birds need soft perches (wrap wood with fabric), platform perches, warmth and metacam. Sometimes the metacam is just given for a few days and other times it is given daily. A heat lamp/source, imo is a must for arthritis.
 

JLcribber

@cockatoojohn
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Shutterbugs' Best
Avenue Concierge
Joined
10/16/09
Messages
22,620
Location
Alberta, Canada
Real Name
John
Scummo had arthritis in the last few years of his life. He began to have a hard time perching at night. We made him a hammock out of old sheets with a couple of sticks on each side. It looked like a mini stretcher that they carry injured people on. He would slide right into it and sleep on his chest.

He would also just plop down on his chest on a platform to rest his feet. He even leaned into a corner so he didn't have to hold himself up.

This was his favorite sleeping spot. Next to my briefcase on the coffee table with the cardboard to form a corner that he could lean into. :)

 
Last edited:

Gen120

Joyriding the Neighborhood
Avenue Veteran
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
10/16/09
Messages
23,121
Location
Memphis, TN
Real Name
Victoria :)
Yes, I think Sammy might have a slight case of arthritis, because she tends to have not as strong a grip as she should on some things, and she sometimes (very rarely), looses her balance. She has 1 of those platform perches and she loves it, that is her favorite perch, hehe!
 

Sharpie

Rollerblading along the road
Avenue Veteran
Joined
11/5/09
Messages
4,376
Location
Now TN
I thought one of my Birds Rascal had arthritis so I took him to the vets, he ended up not having it, Im just paranoid so this is what my vet told me. Their toes will be disfigured pointing towards the back, swelling and redness, pressure and sores on the feet, constantly switching perching on opposite feet, can’t get a good grip on things, they will be clumsy and loose balance. It’s very painful for them. I think you should take him to the vets for sure to have him take a look at his feet. He may prescribe a pain medication for him.

http://www.avianweb.com/arthritisbirds.html
What was is you saw that made you think Rascal had arthritis? What did the problem turn out to be?

What you said is all very true for severe, advanced arthritis. But look around at people. Plenty of people have mild, but still painful arthritis that hasn't progressed to the point where the joints are swollen and disfigured yet. That doesn't mean they're not painful. Same for our cats and dogs. They're finding that cats, especially, hide arthritis really well since the swelling, etc don't show up until later, and like birds, they have an evolutionary imperative to hide pain. But put that cat on some metacam and all of the sudden 'they're like kittens again' because the pain is gone, even though there was nothing to see or feel that said 'arthritis.'

Jasper has been to the vet (every few weeks in fact for his nails), and she hasn't noticed anything outwardly wrong with his feet/legs/general health. The next step would be knocking him out for radiographs and/or trialing him on some painkillers. Both steps have some pretty serious risks that outweigh the benefits for him at this point in time.

ncGrey, I'll take a look at that link, thanks.
 

Sharpie

Rollerblading along the road
Avenue Veteran
Joined
11/5/09
Messages
4,376
Location
Now TN
I have not had Fids with it Yet,Jimmy is 25 so I keep an eye out.Maybe this Article can Help You!Caring For Arthritic Birds: Causes, Symptoms and Treatment Options as well as Prevention
My synopsis:

Cage modifications- remove grates, provide flat, soft and wide perches, make sure perches are stable and easy to navigate, make sure that food and water are easily accessible, provide heat since cold might aggravate pain

Diet- a healthy diet is essential and weight control is key! Overweight birds will be in more pain

Oral supplements- (that might help in people and maybe our birds) include honey*, cayanne, cinnamon, ACV, Grape seed, pumpkin seed, dandelion, omega3's (flaxseed, rapeseed, RPO) and aloe

Veterinary medications- as prescribed by the vet. Higher risk of side effects than dietary supplements, but also more potent.

* I can't remember if honey is something that people generally regard as safe for parrots or not.

A lot of these changes and supplements are definitely in the 'won't hurt, might help' camp, and I may give it a go. It might be more of challenge to get some of them into him though. Gotta love mash and all the opportunities for adding things to the diet that it affords.

:lol:
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top