Cataract problem in african yaco eye

[MonicaCall]

Hello, good afternoon everyone
I am Monic from Barcelona (Spain), I am delighted to be here with you.
My African Yaco was recently diagnosed with a cataract in his left eye, they say with more than 50 percent lack of vision. Since November 2022 I saw that his eye was cloudy. Now his vet checks his eye every month. His diet has always been very good with Harrison Foods and vegetables and fruits (he is very healthy). We do not know if it was due to an infectious process or a blow.
Your vet does not advise me to look at an operation to remove cataracts because of the risk of losing the eye or even more complications.
I have to confess that lately I cry quite often because I am very worried about my feathered child, I have had him for more than twenty years and he is my life.
I don't know if in the US there is any other option to cataract surgery, any real medication that I could use with it, I have always known that medical and veterinary science is very advanced in the US.
Thank you very much for reading and many hugs to all

 

[Zara]

Welcome to the Avenue Monica, I´m sorry to hear of your bird diagnosis. Hopefully some members will have advice.

If it helps for anyone wondering, African Greys are called Yaco here in Spain.

 

[MonicaCall]

Bienvenido a Avenue Monica, lamento escuchar su diagnóstico de aves. Con suerte, algunos miembros tendrán consejos.

Si ayuda a cualquiera que se pregunte, los grises africanos se llaman Yaco aquí.
[/CITA]
Muchas gracias, eres muy amable, de ahora en adelante lo llamaré Yaco

 

[Pixiebeak]

Hi!
Sorry to hear about Yaco cataract. How old is he?
Diet sounds wonderful, but have you had calcium, vitamin A and D levels checked?
Yes ive seen several successful cataract surgeries on birds at a veterinarian College . The risk to the eye seemed minimal , with experienced ophthalmologist who did routinely. The greatest risk was always Avian anesthesia, and post anesthesia recovery in birds . This is minimized by pre oxygenated, excellent monitoring, mouth gag used for delay extubation until bird is fully awake with post op oxygen, holding birds head up to prevent post op aspirations , and manually flexing wings to help with respiration until not tolerated by fully awake bird.

 

[Pixiebeak]

I contacted a friend who does international veterinarian consulting and she is going to try and check next week to see if their are specialist in your area . No guarantees, but if she finds an avian ophthalmologist in her contacts I will pass thst on to you

 

[Zara]

Como quieres cielo.
He dicho porque si no, mucho miembros no sabrán cuál especies es su pajaro, y hay gran diferencia entra un yaco y un inseparable por ejemplo

Maybe @sunnysmom @saroj12 might know more about cataracts, I have tagged them so they see this thread when the log in next time

 

[MonicaCall]

Hi!
Sorry to hear about Yaco cataract. How old is he?
Diet sounds wonderful, but have you had calcium, vitamin A and D levels checked?
Yes ive seen several successful cataract surgeries on birds at a veterinarian College . The risk to the eye seemed minimal , with experienced ophthalmologist who did routinely. The greatest risk was always Avian anesthesia, and post anesthesia recovery in birds . This is minimized by pre oxygenated, excellent monitoring, mouth gag used for delay extubation until bird is fully awake with post op oxygen, holding birds head up to prevent post op aspirations , and manually flexing wings to help with respiration until not tolerated by fully awake bird.

My Yaco is 22 years old, he has always had a good diet. His calcium and vitamin D levels are correct, also the general tests are correct for cholesterol, liver, kidneys... By veterinary prescription I have been giving him Supradyn vitamins from Bayer for 2 months, which has vitamins A, D, E. .etc. And he eats several times a week raw broccoli, carrot, celery and fruit moderately every day.

And I also have a big doubt, I know that you should sunbathe, for vitamin D and absorb calcium... but I know that with cataracts the sun is bad for your eyes. I don't know what to do now for his health, because I don't want him to have the sun in his eyes.

It has been of great help to me that you tell me that it seems like an operation without much risk. Yes, I have thought that anesthesia is complicated and elaborated in experience. I suppose that here in Barcelona there are not so many experts, there is only one veterinary institute specialized in ophthalmology, but operations in Yacos or parrots are really rare. Perhaps where you are it is a much more normal procedure.
I heard that at the end of 2022 in the United Kingdom a medical research team is experimenting with drops to reduce cataracts, but it is only a study at the moment and it is focused on humans, although they experiment with rodents.

Thank you very much for offering me your experience, it has been very kind. I wish here in Barcelona we had a large team of veterinarians who are highly specialized in operating cataracts on parrots.

Hugs

 

[Pixiebeak]

For benefits from sunshine , you do not have to be in full sun. Being in light shade or dabbled shade is perfect.

I take mine outside on my patio thsts medium shsded by a tree.

 

[MonicaCall]

I contacted a friend who does international veterinarian consulting and she is going to try and check next week to see if their are specialist in your area . No guarantees, but if she finds an avian ophthalmologist in her contacts I will pass thst on to you

Thank you very much for your collaboration, you are very kind
I do know that there is an institute in Barcelona called IVO but in this institute operations on parrots are much rarer than on dogs and cats. He's not really a vet specializing in ophthalmology and specializing in exotics. Yes, I have seen a Macaw Macaw operated on, but this bird has a very large eye compared to a Yaco.
Actually, due to the experiences that my usual vet knows with cataracts, he does not advise me to operate. But I have to admit that I'm worried. And I want information.
I know that in Barcelona this institute could operate on my Yaco, I suppose. But I also know that there are high contraindications.

Thank you so much you're very kind

 

[MonicaCall]

For benefits from sunshine , you do not have to be in full sun. Being in light shade or dabbled shade is perfect.

I take mine outside on my patio thsts medium shsded by a tree.

Thank you very much for your advice, I'll try that. Not full light, some shade

 

[saroj12]

Como quieres cielo.
He dicho porque si no, mucho miembros no sabrán cuál especies es su pajaro, y hay gran diferencia entra un yaco y un inseparable por ejemplo

Maybe @sunnysmom @saroj12 might know more about cataracts, I have tagged them so they see this thread when the log in next time

Hmmm sorry I don’t. Have they been to the vet?

 

[Pixiebeak]

Its definitely a specialized thing, depending on a lot of factors. Not common. Ive only seen a few at highly specialized places

 

[sunnysmom]

Como quieres cielo.
He dicho porque si no, mucho miembros no sabrán cuál especies es su pajaro, y hay gran diferencia entra un yaco y un inseparable por ejemplo

Maybe @sunnysmom @saroj12 might know more about cataracts, I have tagged them so they see this thread when the log in next time

Welcome to the forum. I am sorry your bird has cataracts. I think it happens something in older birds. I don't really know much about them but can try to ask some people at the rescue I help with tomorrow.

 

[MonicaCall]

Hello, nice to meet you

I know that cataract operations are done but my vet rules it out as dangerous. We check your eye monthly, to see its evolution.
I wanted to know if in the US, apart from the operation, there is any medicine that could be feasible for this problem.

Thank you very much for your help

 

[MonicaCall]

[QUOTE="sunnysmom, publicación: 3660380, miembro: 10517
Bienvenido al foro. Lamento que tu pájaro tenga cataratas. Creo que pasa algo en pájaros mayores. Realmente no sé mucho sobre ellos, pero puedo intentar preguntarle a algunas personas en el rescate con el que ayudo mañana.
[/CITA]
Thank you very much

 

[TikiMyn]

Sorry he developed a cataract. Is the cataract still getting larger? Does your vet think it will come back if he operates? Maybe that is the reason he advises not to operate? Wether they come back after surgery depends on the cause of the cataract. If the cataract is stable, I personally wouldn’t worry too much. He can still live a happy, healthy, long life with diminished vision. But of course keep a close eye on him in case something changes.
I had a lovebird with large cataracts in both eyes, she already had them at 6 years old. Vet advised not to operate as it would likely grow back(due to genetic dysfunction) and on such a small bird it is very risky and as far as he knew not been done yet. He showed me pictures of successful operations on Senegal parrots though, quite a bit larger then a grey/yaco That may help soothe your mind if you choose to operate.

@Macawnutz has experience with cataracts as well.

 

[MonicaCall]

Thank you for your information.

My usual vet especially does not choose to operate the cataract because here in Barcelona the ophthalmologist veterinary experts have experience, but in dogs and some exotic but very little in parrots. And from the information that my usual veterinarian has, sometimes the remedy was worse than the disease because they can lose their eye or the cataract is simply not fixed or the risks of the same operation can be so high that I could lose my pet.

My vet wants to know if the cataract really remains stable, I am constantly looking at his eye and every month my vet looks at my Yaco's eye. At the moment it seems stable, although it could be too early to give an opinion...

My parrot is a little over 20 years old and I am very sorry that he already sees evil in one eye and above all that it could get worse.

That is why I wanted to ask you if in the US you have, perhaps, medicines or alternative treatments that are not operations, I know that you are very advanced in medicine. But I see that it is something global, in all countries cataracts must be cured with surgery. I would have liked an alternative without so many dangers. It terrifies me to think that by operating it if there are complications something happens to him or he loses his eye

Sincerely
Nice to meet you

 

[TikiMyn]

I understand, it is very scary to have something like that develop in your beloved companion. Surgery comes with risks and I am not sure I would take those risks either. Good luck with your little friend, I hope he will be alright even with his little disability

 

[MonicaCall]

I understand, it is very scary to have something like that develop in your beloved companion. Surgery comes with risks and I am not sure I would take those risks either. Good luck with your little friend, I hope he will be alright even with his little disability

He feels loved and cared for, it is so important that our feathered friends feel love, as it happens in life, it is the most important thing to be able to overcome setbacks and difficulties: unconditional affection

Thank you very much for your encouragement

 

[MonicaCall]

Sorry he developed a cataract. Is the cataract still getting larger? Does your vet think it will come back if he operates? Maybe that is the reason he advises not to operate? Wether they come back after surgery depends on the cause of the cataract. If the cataract is stable, I personally wouldn’t worry too much. He can still live a happy, healthy, long life with diminished vision. But of course keep a close eye on him in case something changes.
I had a lovebird with large cataracts in both eyes, she already had them at 6 years old. Vet advised not to operate as it would likely grow back(due to genetic dysfunction) and on such a small bird it is very risky and as far as he knew not been done yet. He showed me pictures of successful operations on Senegal parrots though, quite a bit larger then a grey/yaco That may help soothe your mind if you choose to operate.

@Macawnutz has experience with cataracts as well.

I'm glad to know that with cataracts your feathered friend was able to have a healthy and pleasant life .

It makes me afraid that he will lose sight, because my Yaco lives loose around the house, and it would be complicated because it is such a large space. He has never been in his cage, only to eat and currently has his food on a table. The house is your home and I fear that you will lose the freedom that I have always given you from day one. That is my greatest fear, that he will lose freedom, because I know that for him it is the most important thing.

Although I will always take care of him no matter what . We take care of each other for years

Thank you very much for your encouragement and for sharing your experience with me, it helps me a lot to know that they can be happy with less vision. Because I fear that, that he will be sad, but he has love every day because everyone at home loves him