Sick Lovebird

[jbarkan]

My lovebird ingested either plant soil or paint chips which made her sick.
I rushed her to a 24-hour emergency clinic in Valley Stream Long Island, New York. They charged me $1,250.00 dollars to keep "Peaches" for 2 nights, and administer an anti-biotic, take blood work and x-rays.
She also had surgery to remove a fatty tumor from her wing, in the animal medical center in new York which cost me about $800.00. I can no longer afford any more medical expenses for the bird. I am astounded at how outrageous the fees are in the New York tri-state area to care for a sick bird from the animal hospitals. Does anyone regulate this industry?
What options do I have for the future? Can anyone recommend a resonable priced emergency clinic or bird hospital for the future or insurance options? The bird is still sick.

 

[Anne & Gang]

avian vets are very pricey...there is something called care credit that you can pay into every month something like health inurance....in the meantime, in what way is your bird still ill? do you have him in a hospital cage, keepinghim warm...it may take a while for him to feel better after all that he has gone through..many healing energies on the way..can you tell us his name? I am sure someone else will come on with further recomendations.

 

[jbarkan]

The lovebird's name is Peaches. She is sleeping alot, even though she seems to have a pretty good appetite. She is home now. I could not afford to keep her in the hospital. She's been home since December 18, 2010.

 

[suncoast]

First I am very sorry your Lovie is sick, but you are a great Mom getting her seen right away.

Second was the vet you took her an avian vet? Third I'm guessing that you paid emergency fee rates which are higher than normal vet rates. That being said, my avian vet in Miami charged $415.00 for a complete well bird check up for my little Lovie. Bird veterinary care is very expensive and I put money away every week for a vet fund just so I don't get caught having to try and pay it all at once.

What is still wrong with your faby. If she is still sick I would talk to the vet who took care of her and find out what tests were done. Did they do blood work? Xrays? How did they make the diagnoses. Antibiotics are useless if it is metal poisoning.

If she has injested something she probably would need celation treatments for metal. One thing that I know can help get the toxins out is to feed her bits of peanut butter, it could bind with the metals and pull it out of her system.

If she is still ill, she needs to be in a hospital cage. Tent 3 sides and the top, put a heating pad on low under one half of her cage. Food, water, perches need to be low so that she doesn't expend energy trying to get around.

She needs fluids and rest. You can mix clear pedylite in her water 50/50.

Ginger

 

[jbarkan]

Great. thanks so much.

 

[Billie Faye]

I also would like to know what they did and what meds she was sent home with and how you are keeping her warm now...You see, warmth is so very important when a bird is sick...air temps around them should be in the range of 85-90º...I have a 10 gal fish tank for this very reason...it has a screen top over it that I can put towels across to regulate the temp...I have a heating pad wrapped in towels (don't shut off after 2 hours is very important) and a rolled small towel the bird can perch on...water/food is there for the bird to eat also...
Which brings up the next ?...
What types of food are you giving her now?
I am so sorry about your Lovebird...do you have an Certified Avian Vet who has seen her? Do you need help in finding one in your area?

 

[Daisy's Mom]

I am soo sorry to hear about your baby... And I am just going thru this dealing with a very sick cockatiel... I don't know how many posts you need for me to PM you the rates that he had given me.. Go to Dr. James McKinely at Amwell Bird Hospital here is his link.. Amwell Bird Hospital He is not only a board certified avian vets but he is a kind soul who is not as money hungry like the others in our area..

 

[Birdbabe]

I hope she gets better.

 

[jbarkan]

My apartment is normally extremely warm, I also when I am home from work, put a floor heater next to her cage.
I believe the antibiotic was bactrim or something like that.
Thanks for the info on the hospital from new jersey. I really can't afford to spend a couple of thousands of dollars in the future to care for her.
She loves seed, but I have been trying to introduce nutriberries broken up in her food, otherwise she plays with it like a ball, and pellets(she does eat them). Are there any brand of pellets or nutriberries others have had success with, if the bird is used to seed? Just need the brand name or web site I can order from.

 

[jbarkan]

My mistake, she ignores the pellets in her food.

 

[suncoast]

Have you tried Avicakes? It's a 50/50 mix of pellets and seed.

Ginger

 

[April]

My babies eat Roudybush and a mix that I order from http://www.mybirdsafestore.com/ and they get Avicakes for treats. . Nala wouldnt eat anything but pellets,I got the mix for Simba who is better at trying new things. Just for the heck of it I gave some to Nala and she loved it. I highly recommend this mix. Bountiful Harvest Blend for Small Birds PER LB. - MY BIRD SAFE BLENDS by MY BIRD SAFE STORE

Kathie is even a member here and could answer any questions you might have

 

[Daisy's Mom]

Oh Jill, I totally understand how you feel amount the enormous amounts of money.. I went to 3 different vets with 3 different animal hospitals myself over a months period of time and racked up quite a bill myself... But finally I found a wonderful one! Dr. McKinley for the first initial office visit charged me $75 which is dirt cheap compared to the others I went to.. I hope I don't sound preachy, I am only trying to help and I know you are doing the best you can.. maybe if you just had him look at your little one and brought over copies of all your test results he just may be able to give you a diagnosis... You would have to call and ask... He also happens to have been nominated to be bird channels top 10 birdie vets BIRD TALK's Top Bird Vets . I too am only learning and have been trying to give my fids the best life I can.. Big hug to you.. > Oh and my birdies love avi-cakes and the tropical fruit nutriberries..

 

[Anne & Gang]

honey, seriously I wouldnt be trying to convert her to pellets while she is sick...if she will eat them bonus, but if not...a good seed brand and plenty of fresh fruits and veggies are really all they need even if you convert to pellets, they are not a miracle cure....you would still have to supplement with the good stuff...fresh foods....also you may want to hand feed her a bit...sometimes they love the comfort feeding when they are ill

 

[Billie Faye]

Does she watch you eat?
Lovebirds are very inquisitive and will want what you are having...
FRESH veggies/leafy greens/cook sweet potatoes/apples/pears pieces are what I would be trying to play with in front of her...
I also agree that trying to get her to change while not feeling good is very hard....I'm not a pellet person...but I do sprout seeds for my birds and I make birdie bread for them also...
Quinoa is a GREAT seed to cook (one of the few things I do cook for my birds)...it is great for you to eat also instead of rice...
I cut my veggie/fruit up for my birds about the size of my thumb nail...I use to raise Lovebirds and they liked that size...
I don't give anything to my birds that I won't eat myself...so that helps in preparing foods, I eat/they eat.... LOL
Dandelion greens are good for a sick bird..help to clean out the liver and build it up...
Just some ideas for you ...
ask ?'s and we will be able to help you better...

 

[suncoast]

Also milk thistle seed is very good for them I buy mine online at Mountain Rose.

Ginger

 

[jbarkan]

Thanks everyone for your help, great ideas!!!

 

[jbarkan]

I have an appointment with Dr. Mckinley this saturday. I just hope we do not get snow. thanks for your help.

 

[Daisy's Mom]

I have an appointment with Dr. Mckinley this saturday. I just hope we do not get snow. thanks for your help.

YAY!!! I'm sooo happy your going to him!! Honestly he really is a wonderful vet and truely cares about birds and not as much interested in trying to make a extra buck like the others in this area.. When I took Mikey to him 2 weeks ago what I did is I typed everything up that I wanted to tell him so I didn't forget anything.. (dates that things happened, doctors I dealt with, medicines and dosages that I was given and tests I brought with me) Its easy to forget because there is soo much to remember and I was a wreck... I also took notes and if I didn't understand something I asked him to repeat himself.. I really trust him!!! Let us know how it goes!!!!

 

[Billie Faye]

YAY!!! I'm sooo happy your going to him!! Honestly he really is a wonderful vet and truely cares about birds and not as much interested in trying to make a extra buck like the others in this area.. When I took Mikey to him 2 weeks ago what I did is I typed everything up that I wanted to tell him so I didn't forget anything.. (dates that things happened, doctors I dealt with, medicines and dosages that I was given and tests I brought with me) Its easy to forget because there is soo much to remember and I was a wreck... I also took notes and if I didn't understand something I asked him to repeat himself.. I really trust him!!! Let us know how it goes!!!!

This is an EXCELLANT idea! We all forget to aske/remember things because we are so upset about our birds/animals being sick...writting/keeping notes is very important afterwards!