My Hawkster seems to be constipated...

[lainyg]

I'm actually on hold with the local vet's office right now to find out if there is anything I can do to help him.

He's a 'tiel...definitely a senior but we don't know exactly how old. He's been breathing heavy so I took him to the vet a couple of weeks ago. I know he's old and has been through a lot. He tired very quickly during the exam and concluded that we would be giving him palliative care. Basically keeping him nice and warm, lots of rest, all the millet he wants.

He's been doing pretty good...He sleeps a lot but seems to be really content and will take a little fly now and then but tires quickly. He's been eating but last night I noticed him straining a little...but managed to get it out. I was watching him this afternoon and noticed he is straining again and letting out little squeeks which makes me think this is painful for him.

Of course I noticed this just after 5pm. The local vet is open late but the CAV is gone for the day. So I explained it to the receptionist...she's going to talk to the vet that's in and they'll call the CAV at home if needed.

She just came back on line a minute ago and said it would be a few more minutes so she'll call me back...In the meantime I'm wondering if a nice warm bath might help...

 

[lainyg]

The vet just called back (not the CAV) She figured a bath would be a good idea. (She looked at Hawkster's chart from his visit and the CAV noted a mass of some sort in his abdomen...I totally forgot about that.) If that doesn't help I'll bring him in to the CAV tomorrow...it's possible that whatever is there could have grown and caused an obstruction.

So I put out a nice warm bath...he stepped up and I put him on the edge and he took 4 nice drinks of water but refused to get in! I was hoping that he would know it would help him. He flew over to the top of the other cage and is breathing pretty hard. Little Girl made a b-line for the bath, which I figured was good because anything Little Girl has, Hawkster wants...but he won't come off the other cage. I'm letting him rest for a bit and I'll try to get him in again. To be honest, looking at him right now...I'm worried that he won't make it through the nigt.

 

[Greycloud]

Elaine, so sorry for Hawkster! I would definitely get him into a bath and see if it helps. I hope it is not mass. If no better by morning take him in.

 

[ncGreyBirdLady]

Have You looked at his vent to see if maybe there is some dried droppings collected there? If there is,maybe You can use warm water to clean the area.I would not give a full bath,You do not want to give him a chill.Here is some info I found for You.
http://www.freecockatielcare.com/constipated-cocketiel/

Please keep Us posted OK

 

[WingedVictory]

Hi,

By chance do you have any slippery elm or can you get some at a health food store. The SE would coat his digestive tract and also help with constipation or obstruction to help it pass or pass around it. If you do find SE powder mix 1 part SE to 4 part water and feed a 1/2 tsp to him. Keep Hawkster warm, calm and hydrated. Give the senior a big hug from all of us.



Gary

 

[65sunnyday]

It's probably not a good idea to bathe this poor old guy--I think trying to keep warm will be too stressful for him. I agree w/Bonnie's advice. Give him what comfort he's willing to take, check vent, keep him warm, soft blankie on the bottom of the cage, & maybe keep him next to your bed when you go to sleep tonight, vet 1st thing in the morning. Good luck to you both

 

[lainyg]

Elaine, so sorry for Hawkster! I would definitely get him into a bath and see if it helps. I hope it is not mass. If no better by morning take him in.

Thank you. We were going to go do some Christmas shopping tonight but I'm staying with him. I definitely don't want him to suffer and will take him in tomorrow if I have to.

Have You looked at his vent to see if maybe there is some dried droppings collected there? If there is,maybe You can use warm water to clean the area.I would not give a full bath,You do not want to give him a chill.Here is some info I found for You.
http://www.freecockatielcare.com/constipated-cocketiel/

Please keep Us posted OK

Thank you for the link...will go look at it now. His vent doesn't appear to be pasted, but I'd have to towel him to get a closer look and that would tire him way too much right now. We actually keep it really warm in here just for Hawkster...probably too warm for the other birds as I think that might be one of the reasons Fuzzy started laying eggs. I don't know if I'll even be able to get him into the bath though...I tried to get him to step up but he backed away and closed his eyes. I'm going to let him rest for a bit and try again in a little while.

Hi,

By chance do you have any slippery elm or can you get some at a health food store. The SE would coat his digestive tract and also help with constipation or obstruction to help it pass or pass around it. If you do find SE powder mix 1 part SE to 4 part water and feed a 1/2 tsp to him. Keep Hawkster warm, calm and hydrated. Give the senior a big hug from all of us.



Gary

Thank you for the suggestion. I don't have any SE and I don't think there's anywhere around here I could get it tonight. It sounds like it would be good to have on hand.

I got Hawkster 4 1/2 years ago. A teenage girl had posted that her bird needed a new home and I wanted to find a companion for Little Girl (rescue) who was missing Ziggy (who passed away Dec '06). When I went to get him he was in a rabbit cage with one perch, no toys, and sunflower seeds. He didn't have a name and his chest feathers were growing the wrong way. She had no idea how old he was, just that they got him from someone who got him from someone else...I figured he was easily in his teens. I took him to my CAV (Dr. McDonald...the BEST around) and she said something had him by the neck at one point as there was scar tissue all around (the reason for the irregular feather growth). She was concerned that he wasn't going to be around for very long. Well, he's been quite the character...sort of like a grumpy old man. He's very protective of Little Girl, yet jealous of the affection she gets...even though he doesn't want any himself!

He just made his way over to the top of his cage again. He hasn't passed anything yet but I think the rest helped him look a little brighter. I just warmed up his bath water...hopefully he gives it a try...

 

[lainyg]

It's probably not a good idea to bathe this poor old guy--I think trying to keep warm will be too stressful for him. I agree w/Bonnie's advice. Give him what comfort he's willing to take, check vent, keep him warm, soft blankie on the bottom of the cage, & maybe keep him next to your bed when you go to sleep tonight, vet 1st thing in the morning. Good luck to you both

Bed? I'm not going to bed...at least not until he goes poop! The little brat just flew back over to the top of Fuzzy's cage, then he hopped down onto TJ's cage and chased him away! Now he's eating TJ's food!

 

[ncGreyBirdLady]

 

[lainyg]

He went!!! I didn't see him do it but it was right below where he's been perching...also there was undigested seed, which I noticed a couple of days ago. He's been hopping around from perch to perch and eating lots and drinking water. He looks way better than he did 4 hours ago and he's even grinding his beak!

Thank you all for the and kind words. It really helps to be able to talk to other bird people. I will let you all know how he's doing in the morning.

 

[Lauren and Jack]

I am so glad he pooped! its always scary to know your baby could be hurting! Now maybe you can get some sleep! Thank you for the update!!!

 

[lainyg]

Not sleeping. Hawkster is having a hard time. I could hear little squeaks coming from the cage so I had to check on him. He's still up on a perch but his breathing is very labored. No fresh poops. There is definitely something going on in his little body...I just hope he isn't in pain. I put a cozy little cloth on the bottom of the cage in case he decides to go down there and covered them back up. It's warmer in here than it is in our bedroom plus I have a heating pad on the outside of the cage. Now I'm just sitting here next to the cage hoping that he goes to sleep and gets some rest.

 

[ncGreyBirdLady]

 

[Ziggymon]

 

[65sunnyday]

 

[Danita]

Not sleeping. Hawkster is having a hard time. I could hear little squeaks coming from the cage so I had to check on him. He's still up on a perch but his breathing is very labored. No fresh poops. There is definitely something going on in his little body...I just hope he isn't in pain. I put a cozy little cloth on the bottom of the cage in case he decides to go down there and covered them back up. It's warmer in here than it is in our bedroom plus I have a heating pad on the outside of the cage. Now I'm just sitting here next to the cage hoping that he goes to sleep and gets some rest.

Lainy are you taking him to Dr. McD today?

 

[65sunnyday]

Checking in on little HawksterAnd how are YOU doing? Take care of yourself, too.

 

[WingedVictory]

Check here also, how is he?

 

[lainyg]

Check here also, how is he?

Checking in on little HawksterAnd how are YOU doing? Take care of yourself, too.

I'm sooo tired...I didn't go to bed until after 3am. My sweetie checked on Hawkster before he went to work at about 5:30 and he was resting quietly on his perch. When I got up he was on the bottom of the cage but climbed up to one of his perches when I took the cover off...did that ever tucker him out though! NO fresh poops from him this morning (I'm pretty sure they're all Little Girl's). He's moving around...and doing an odd stretch. I noticed this first last night but don't know how to describe it other than to say it looks like he's trying to stretch out his little body from his chin to his tail. No painful sounding little squeaks this morning, just the occasional squawk.

Lainy are you taking him to Dr. McD today?

Hi Danita,

I wish I was taking him to Dr. McD, but since we moved she's just too far away. We have another CAV close by that I took Hawkster to a few weeks ago but first I called Dr. McD's office to see if they knew of her. She's consulted with them before and they didn't have any concerns about me taking him there. I WOULD go to Dr. McD but because we are in a palliative care situation, I'll stay closer to home.

Well go see the CAV when she's in at 1:00. I had to go dig another cage out from the garage as their ususal travel cage is currently protecting TJ from his hormonal companion (good thing I have lots of cages...and it's clean!). All I have to do is set it up (Little Girl will come with us).

In the time it's taken me to write this (which has been quite a while...I keep getting up to do other things !) he's gone back down to the bottom of his cage. He sat there for a little while then climbed back up again. He struggled to get on his shell perch (not made of shell, but a mineral perch in the shape of a large clam shell...nice and big almost like a platform). He had a rest there them moved up and around onto one of the rope perches. I wish he would just sit still and get some rest.

 

[Danita]

He is prob. really uncomfortable

Just a couple more hours before he can go