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Conference 7.286::pet_birds

Title:Captive Breeding for Conservation--and FUN!
Notice:INTROS 6.X / FOR SALE 13.X / Buying a Bird 900.*
Moderator:VIDEO::PULSIFER
Created:Mon Oct 10 1988
Last Modified:Tue Jun 03 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:942
Total number of notes:6016

859.0. "Dusty is gone, but not forgotten!" by AIMTEC::SIMPSON_L () Tue May 03 1994 18:49

    Hello!
    
    A friend of mine just had a sad thing happen last night.  Her
    cockatiel, which she had frm about age 3months, died.  The bird was
    nearly 11 years old.
    Is this old for a cockatiel?  How long do they live on the average?
    
    At any rate, about a week ago, they had to rush the bird to the vet
    because she apparently bit her toungue.  They saw blood on her beak and
    she was choking as it
    got into her sinuses.  The bleeding had stopped by the time they got
    there.  The vet
    cleaned out her sinuses and they were asked to place the bird on soft
    food
    for a day or so.  After that, the vet said, they could return to
    feeding her seed.  He said that birds do bite
    their tongues sometimes, just like people.  Sometimes it is very
    serious.  But he told them that
    their bird appeared to be healing fine and that she should heal
    quickly.
    
    Last night, when they went in to feed their birds, they found
    the cockatiel lying on the bottom of the cage.  There was blood
    on her beak and some on the perch.  I do not believe there was
    a lot of blood all over the cage.  The cockatiel had died and
    they wonder what could have happened.
    
    
    I have owned a cockatiel in the past but not had much experience with
    them.
    I've had more experience with budgies and large hookbills.
    
    What my friend would like to know is:
    
    1.  Do cockatiels have a tendancy to bite their tongues?
    
    2.  Should the vet have taken the situation more seriously?  I thought
    she should have
    been kept on soft food for a longer period and posibly been treated
    with an antibiotic
    to avoid any posible infection.
    
    3.  Would an autopsy be in order to find out the actual reason why the
    bird died?
    
    As you can imagine my friend is quite upset and even feels a bit of
    mistrust for the vet now.
    
    Any thoughts/comments/ideas/experiences would be greatly appreciated.
    
    Thanks very much!
    
    Laurie
    
    
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859.1A long-winded reply-hope it helps someMRKTNG::COMPTONWed May 04 1994 21:2555
    Yes, an autopsy is an option.  Given the pre-existing condition though,
    some would say an unnecessary expense.  The vet is only human and works
    with a limited amount of information, relying mostly on what we, the
    bird's owner, tell him or her.  There might have been something in the
    cage that the bird caught its tongue on that was not removed (maybe 
    the subject never came up of looking for sharp objects in the cage?).
    I have had 'tiels catch themselves on swings I hadn't noticed had
    developed a dangerous opening in the loop that attached the swing to the
    ceiling of the cage.  I haven't heard anything about 'tiels or other
    birds being known for _often and regularly_ biting their tongues, but
    sure, they could I suppose.  I think it is more likely that the bird
    encountered the same object again or irritated the wound trying to
    crack a sunflower shell, for instance, which would have started the
    bleeding again.  
    
    It is always tragic to try to help, then have the bird die without you 
    there.  I extend my sincerest sympathies to your friend, having been 
    through this myself.  There is only so much an owner or a vet can do.  
    
    Eleven is in the twilight years for most 'tiels, although there are always 
    exceptions.  It could be that the stress of being reinjured was enough to 
    tip the scales.  If your friend does talk to the vet, it may help the vet 
    understand at least what happened here.  Yes, maybe next time the vet would
    recommend an antibiotic, but often minor flesh wounds heal just fine so 
    long as they are kept clean, and antibiotics bring with them their own 
    health hazards.  And yes, maybe the bird could have been on soft foods for 
    longer--it is always a judgement call that _both_ the vet and the
    owner make, hopefully together.  
    
    I had a vet tell me to separate a female lovebird from her mate while 
    I was giving her injections to treat her for lead poisoning (She chewed
    some paint off a window sill when she got out through a cage door I
    stupidly didn't not check to be sure it was locked--she's a notorious
    escape artist to this day.)  She was very underweight.  I decided
    it was more important that her mate be with her (he fed her regularly
    and helped her gain weight) and in this case I turned out to be right.
    I could have been wrong.  I decided the vet was telling me the standard
    thing, but this pair was and is very bonded and separation would harm
    them both. (They have five beautiful babies in the nest right now...)  
    
    Your friend did their best and so did the vet.  If your friend lacks 
    confidence in the vet's judgement now, perhaps it is best to move on.
    But the next vet is also only going to be able to apply the art of
    avian medicine.  It is not yet and may never be an exact science.
    Oh how I wish it were.....
    
    Be sure the vet is an avian specialist, not someone who 'also treats 
    birds'.  Membership in AAV (the Association of Avian Veterinarians) is 
    usually a sign of at least a serious interest in this area, but does
    _not_ guarantee competence or experience.  There are no pre-requisites 
    to membership.  (Anyone is welcome to join and receive the magazine who
    is willing to spend the money to learn more about what is being done
    today in avian medicine.)  
    
    Linda
859.2AIMTEC::SIMPSON_LThu May 05 1994 15:5816
    Linda,
    
    Thanks very much for the long reply.  I'll pass along your thoughts to
    my friends.
    
    As far as sharp things in the cage, that was suggested to them and they
    checked several
    times but could not find anything.  An autopsy was done and
    it is suspected that Dusty had some form of liver disease.  I believe
    more tests have been done and they are
    waiting on the results.
    
    Again, thanks so much for sharing your experience.
    
    Laurie
    
859.3Liver disease killed my cockatooBEBBI1::SCHMIDTIFri May 13 1994 09:1220
    Laurie
    
    It's always very painful when a pet bird dies if this bird had a long
    life or not. Six weeks ago my triton cockatoo died, unexpectedly for
    me, after more than twelve years close relationship. She was like a
    two-year old child for me. And we had tough times together as she had
    several diseases during this time. But at last, we lost the fight.
    And she died very fast in a special hospital for birds, which I only
    found last year. We knew that she had a kidney disease for which
    she got some injections all three months. I put her to the hospital
    when there came some blood out of her beak. And, after the autopsie,
    we know that the had a liver desease so for small injuries the blood
    could not coagulate anymore. The bleeded to death internal and nobody
    was able to notice it in time.
    
    But, from the autopsie we learnt, too, that she was very, very old,
    about 90 years or more. But I only knew her for the last 12 years...
    
    Ilona
    
859.4AIMTEC::SIMPSON_LThu Jun 02 1994 23:1313
    Hello!
    
    Sorry I have not written to let folks know about Dusy.  I waited until
    the
    test results came back.
    
    It appears that she did have a liver disease.  My friends were told
    that it was not contagious to the other two birds they have.
    I do not know any other details at this point.
    
    Thanks very much for your replies.  I really appreciate the info!
    
    Laurie