so upset and so scared

samhatch

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Aug 17, 2014
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British Columbia, Canada
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♥ 4 Tiels - Karson, Kai, Savvy and Cojo & 1 GCC - Raeden ♥
Hello all,

Haven't posted in quite a long time but I'm posting because I know people will understand here.
My youngest cockatiel Karson, who originally was thought to be a male thus the name Karson, is in fact a female. I was almost 100% sure she was female though after having her for a couple years because she never lost the barring on her tail feathers. She is now just over 4 years old.
A week ago I noticed her vent area was quite swollen and so we went to the vet who also thought she was male because she has a very very bright face, but I explained I thought she may be egg bound. The vet took some xrays but nothing showed up and so we went home and I was told to watch her eating, drinking and weight. Then yesterday I came home from work and noticed her vent area was very hard and swollen, obvious signs of egg binding. I called the vet again and set up an emergency visit for the next morning. I also tried to give her a good steam in the shower to see if it would help. It didnt.
So this morning I brought her to the appointment and had to leave her there with the vet. He did another xray and confirmed that there were 2 eggs showing up now. Both egg bound. Im at work right now and am just crying so much for my little girl. The vet says she still has amazing energy and is very perky, and will be giving some calcium and oxcitocin injections and will try to help the eggs out. If that doesnt work we may have to aspirate and remove the eggs, which comes with some risk.
Im so upset, I love her and all of my birds so much and I cannot imagine not having her around.
Just hoping she will get through this. And I just needed somewhere to get this off my chest. <3
 
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Allee

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Oct 27, 2013
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U2-Poppy(Poppy lives with her new mommy, Misty now) CAG-Jack, YNA, Bingo, Budgie-Piper, Cockatiel-Sweet Pea Quakers-Harry, Sammy, Wilson ***Zeke (quaker) Twinkle (budgie) forever in our hearts
Oh, I'm so sorry about your little Karson. I'm glad you know your girl so well and realized something was wrong. Hopefully she will be able to pass the eggs and they won't need to be removed. My thoughts are with you, please keep us updated. Wishing you and Karson the best possible outcome.
 

Ann333

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-BUTTERNUT- female TYS GCC Hatched in late Jan. 2016 and came home March 14, 2016
I am so sorry you and your girl going through this! I sincerely hope the vet can help her without surgery! Please keep us updated.
 

OOwl

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Oct 12, 2010
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Oh, my, that is a heavy burden of worry to wear today. I bet Karson will be just fine. Egg binding is something avian vets deal with every day and they have quite a few tools in their arsenal to treat it. I sent up a special prayer for your girl. I hope to check here later and find out she's on the mend.
 
OP
samhatch

samhatch

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Aug 17, 2014
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British Columbia, Canada
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♥ 4 Tiels - Karson, Kai, Savvy and Cojo & 1 GCC - Raeden ♥
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Thankyou for the replies.
I called back to just check up on her and she is in an incubator, with NO signs of progress. The vet thinks the best option will be to aspirate and remove the eggs, and he said that they would give her some gas because it's obviously an unpleasant procedure.
I told him to call me before they do anything else.
The fact that she has 2 eggs in her little body and has been trying to pass them for well over 24 hours leads me to believe it's probably going to come down to the aspiration and removal and I'm so scared she won't make it through or something will go wrong, and I can't even be there.
Am I thinking too pessimistically here? Or has anyone known any birds to get through a procedure like this?
 

Allee

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I know the waiting is awful. Karson is in good hands and as OOwl said, Avian Vets see this regularly. I'm sure the vet is doing everything possible to help your girl recover. Egg binding isn't uncommon in cockatiels, they can and do recover, especially under a qualified vet's care.
 

Kiwibird

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Jul 12, 2012
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1 BFA- Kiwi. Hatch circa 98', forever home with us Dec. 08'
I am so sorry Karson and you are having to go through this:( I hope that all goes well with the vet.
 
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samhatch

samhatch

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♥ 4 Tiels - Karson, Kai, Savvy and Cojo & 1 GCC - Raeden ♥
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Another Update....

So the vet went ahead and aspirated the first egg, which was successful. So the first one is out and he says the area...vent/abdomen... look pretty good considering. I do like that he told me exactly what he has done.. He used a needle through the abdomen to start aspiration, and finished through the vent and then was able to get the egg pieces out. (And yes I was very horrified that my little bird had to go through this... I'm still reeling a little)

Karson is awake from the anesthetic now and Vet has given fluids and injections and says he will probably give a little bit of food via a tube to energize her a bit to try and pass the second egg.
As much as I am very happy with this news... Karson is definitely not in the clear yet. Still one more egg to go and we need to prevent infection from having to remove the first egg.
Im off work in an hour and a bit and I want to make it to the vets office to see her before I leave her there for the night. I know that things can always turn, and when they do they turn quickly so I at least want to go see her.
 

Allee

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Oct 27, 2013
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U2-Poppy(Poppy lives with her new mommy, Misty now) CAG-Jack, YNA, Bingo, Budgie-Piper, Cockatiel-Sweet Pea Quakers-Harry, Sammy, Wilson ***Zeke (quaker) Twinkle (budgie) forever in our hearts
Thank you for the update. This is really good news and it sounds like Karson has a very competent vet. I know Karson will be happy to see you and I'm sure you'll feel better too. Lots of positive thoughts for you and your girl.
 

OOwl

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So glad to hear a positive update. Gosh I am looking forward to the day when we can spay our female pet parrots to avoid this egg-binding thing. It's terrifying. Although I know my vet is very matter-of-fact about it. Be very glad it's something that is treatable and that they do do so many of the procedures that they're pretty adept at it. I bet she's going to be just fine. Looking forward to hearing about her complete recovery.
 
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samhatch

samhatch

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Aug 17, 2014
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British Columbia, Canada
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♥ 4 Tiels - Karson, Kai, Savvy and Cojo & 1 GCC - Raeden ♥
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Thank you for all the kind words for Karson and me.

I just got done seeing her. The girls that work in the office let me go back to her incubator and give her a solid 20 minutes of scritches.
I will be calling tomorrow when they open up to get someone to check her.
 

RavensGryf

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Jan 19, 2014
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I'm sorry your little Karson is going through this. Great that one egg is out. I know it's scary, but vets see this common problem all the time, and it sounds like she's in good hands. I'm looking forward to another good update :)!
 
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samhatch

samhatch

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Aug 17, 2014
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British Columbia, Canada
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♥ 4 Tiels - Karson, Kai, Savvy and Cojo & 1 GCC - Raeden ♥
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So I was able to pick Karson up last night and bring her home to be with me, and she was being her goofy self, eating, drinking and generally acting normal. I had to bring her back to the vet this morning because she still has another egg in there(though no signs of trying to lay right now)... but because of the procedure the vet did the other day, and the fact that there is that egg still there, she is back for observation for the day today. :yellow1::)
 

Allee

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Oct 27, 2013
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U2-Poppy(Poppy lives with her new mommy, Misty now) CAG-Jack, YNA, Bingo, Budgie-Piper, Cockatiel-Sweet Pea Quakers-Harry, Sammy, Wilson ***Zeke (quaker) Twinkle (budgie) forever in our hearts
I'm relieved to hear this update! I know you were happy to have her home for the night and I'm sure she was happy to spend the evening with you. I'm looking forward to more happy updates.
 

OOwl

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I'm so happy to log in here and find she got to spend the night at home. She sounds like a wonderful bird. I hope she lays the pesky egg on her own without vet intervention.
 
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samhatch

samhatch

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Aug 17, 2014
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British Columbia, Canada
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♥ 4 Tiels - Karson, Kai, Savvy and Cojo & 1 GCC - Raeden ♥
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She gets to come home and stay home for now. Vet says she is doing very well... hopefully the second egg will pass on its own. I just have to watch... if she becomes egg bound again then we will have to do the same thing as with the first egg.
So its lots of cuddles and a steam shower tonight :2_smile:
I attached a photo of the cuddles from the day after her procedure.:yellow1:
 

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RavensGryf

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Jan 19, 2014
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English Budgie
Cute pic :). That's good to hear that Karson will be home now. I hope the steam showers work, and she passes the egg when it's time with no problems at all! Keep us posted on this :).
 

AJBirds

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I'm so sorry to hear about Karson but so happy and relieved to hear the procedure went well! Thank you for updating, and I hope she continues to do well.
 

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