Swanny - UPDATE p. 4 (fingers crossed!)

[theswann]

Well she's still here this morning. She looks a little bit brighter? Though having just sorted the bottom of the cage out, she obviously still has a poorly tummy. She's having some millet at the moment.

hezz - quite possibly. I'm going to phone the avian specialist in Cardiff today to see if he has any ideas. In terms of the vet here, I am sort of torn, I don't think they have a huge amount of experience with birds. I don't really know what to do.

[Hezz]

I totally understand! I hope you get some answers from the Cardiff vet. Good luck!

[theswann]

Unfortunately but understandably I suppose, the Cardiff experts aren't really able to advise or comment on Swann over the phone, they need to see her. I had sort of expected that but am still glad I phoned. What they did say was that they would be happy to liaise with my vet here about symptoms and treatment if that seems a good idea - which I will definitely suggest we do.

Her lab results still aren't back - they'll call me when they come in. If they're not back in the morning I'll take her in anyway. While I don't think she's in pain exactly, this is an obviously untenable situation in the medium to long term.

Otherwise she is much the same really... In her self she is ok - not normal by any means but she is still interacting and playing a bit and she did half an hour of proper talking this morning which was lovely. She has had a bit of millet and a mix of plantain and dandylion and am continuing with the GA and the drops from the vet.

I'm worried about her cage though - the poo is so watery it is going everywhere, all over the lower bars and sides of the plastic bottom. I'll give it all a good clean later after popping her in the travelling cage. TBH she might be better in that for the moment anyway maybe.

[Hezz]

Nice of the Cardiff vets to offer to liaise with the regular vet you can get to. At least you know you have back-up for your questions. Poor little Swanny, we really need for her to get better. Another thought, ask the vet if the drops they gave you could be making her droppings watery. With different things being added to her diet, that may be an answer to her runny poos.

[sarah*glittergirl2212]

I've not been on here for a few days, just been reading all the threads on here about Swanny, I hope she picks up soon, you are doing everything for her.

[theswann]

Thanks hezz and Sarah.

Sorry I didn't reply sooner.

So, an update. Well, Swann had what I am pretty sure was a stroke or seizure this morning. She had looked a lot brighter yesterday but was still only eating red millet and fruits / veg. This morning she basically just starting fluttering in her cage (she was back in the large one, I cleaned it thoroughly yesterday and had set up some willow branches for perches... anyhoo) and fell to the bottom and sat panting in the corner. We got her out and she had gone blind and her legs weren't supporting her. I was sure she was on her way out - she was completely unresponsive though still conscious. She basically just cuddled into my hand and dressing gown.

But gradually, in the hours since she has got brighter again. Firstly taking her weight on her feet, then starting to look around and respond. Now she is on her rope perch in the small cage covered on 3 sides and has been having a little bit of millet and some carrot tops though I haven't seen her drink.

So, what the heck do we do now? If it hadn't been a Sunday I would have taken her straight to the vet but it's cold and windy out and we were pretty sure she wasn't going to make it through this morning. But she's still here and responsive again - we've even had some talking and some bird impressions. She's playing with a toy at the moment.

I'll take her to the vet in the morning (they're sick of us I am sure!) but my question is, as this is probably the second seizure she's had (I think she had one 3 weeks ago in the night), what's the outlook here? Is she suffering? What do I do? Ask the vet to put her to sleep? If she was as she was immediately post-seizure then I wouldn't hesitate to do that, and I honestly thought there was no way she would 'recover' from it this morning. I am guessing this will keep happening?

I am beyond stressed - I was almost relieved this morning when this happened, that we could hold her as she slipped away. She has fought so hard. We love her so much, I just want to do the right thing. I don't want to give up on her but I don't want to prolong this if we are not looking at a tenable situation.

Please, has anyone been through something like this?

Thanks

[Marianne Marlow]

I don't know what to suggest but I am thinking of you and Swanny x

[theswann]

Oh also to add, this morning her vent was clogged up (this was before her seizure) so I gently washed it with some warm water. So her droppings have seemingly gone from one extreme to the other.

I felt her keel bone and she has lost a lot of weight.

I absolutely do NOT feel confident about the possibility of crop feeding her, should I research it and try or would that likely to cause her more distress on balance?

Her breathing seemed laboured (and immediately post seizure she was panting with her beak open). I think there is some discharge on the feathers about her cere.

If the vet thought she had a respiratory infection when he saw her a week ago, why didn't he give us baytril there and then? It seems to be presenting as a resp infection now (or at least before this morning's events). But then I am just blaming myself for not insisting we get ABs :-(

[theswann]

thanks Marianne

[Marianne Marlow]

How tame is Swanny? Will she take food from you?

Was just wondering if you could mash up something really nutritious and feed it to her. Do you have any pellets?

[theswann]

She is very tame but not too keen on being held! She'd usually take food from us direct but not anymore. What is tricky is that if she's out of the cage she's so weak that she has tended to crash-land if she tried to fly.

She has refused egg everytime I have tried it but will make another batch up tonight (your egg food recipe!). Meantime she's had some carrot tops this afternoon.

No, I haven't any pellets

[Marianne Marlow]

Could you sprinkle guardian angel and some mashed up egg on the apple maybe?

Oct 23, 2011 14:50:04 GMT theswann said:

She is very tame but not too keen on being held! She'd usually take food from us direct but not anymore. What is tricky is that if she's out of the cage she's so weak that she has tended to crash-land if she tried to fly.

She has refused egg everytime I have tried it but will make another batch up tonight (your egg food recipe!). Meantime she's had some carrot tops this afternoon.

No, I haven't any pellets

[theswann]

Good idea, will try that!!

[Marianne Marlow]

Good luck. Sometimes you have to trick them into eating stuff that is good for them

[barrieshutt]

Not a lot i can say .............if it was my bird having seisures and possible kidney/liver problems also i would consider the birds has lost all quality of life and would not hesitate to have her put to sleep, this is painless and will free your bird of more stress and pain,sorry to post this but sometimes it needs to be done...................sadly i had to do this today with a young hen of my own