Vet wants to use anesthesia

BreannPearlLang

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My conure has a very very flakey weird beak problem. The blood vein quik or whatever is all the way to the tip of her beak. The vet doesnt believe that it is caused by poor nutrition from living in a pet shop.
My vet looked at the beak after a small piece broke off, and she didnt do anything about it at the time because I would have to reschedule to have her put in a sleep chamber with anesthesia.. I'm not sure if this is right.
Has anyone else experienced a similar situation? Should I just go ahead and take her in so everything is done and over with and I can continue maintaining it?
 

MacawGuy

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Dr. Scott he travels n we puts a lot of birds to sleep whne he does his work. but good luck
 

Alisana

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If you have a picture, it might help.

How long as this been going on for?

Is there anything wrong feather wise or are they still very healthy?
 

MaraWentz

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If it's absolutely necessary, yes, and by necessary I mean life or death. Get more than one opinion- like 2 or 4. My Elvis was killed while under anesthesia that wasn't even required (blood tests), but it was an Emergency appointment and the vet had the last of my money, so I had no choice. Low and behold, 3 minutes later my baby is dead. He didn't set up the right equipment, and it could've all been avoided if the vet had only used what techniques were necessary (ie- not anesthesia, but toweling my bird). Just please go over ALL the risks and get more than one opinion. Please.
 

BoomBoom

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I'm sorry this is happening to your bird. I'm wary of anesthesia just because I have read of so many stories where it went wrong. Perhaps you might consider a second opinion? Also, could you take a photo of how it looks like now?

Whatever your decision, I wish you and your bird the best. Keep us updated!
 

WannaBeAParrot

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Please do read up and get second opinion about this.

Find out about all the alternatives to anesthesia, and IF and why your vet believes it is the ONLY option. Sometimes when you push them (and human doctors), you may find out that there ARE other ways and that they do it because it's easier on the doctor and staff. Your baby's health and well-being is the top concern in the decision-making with the lowest risk.

You could even call one or two well-known Avian specialists in the U.S. (if that's where you are) and ask how they have handled this? You may find that anesthesia is how they all do it. What about a mild tranquilizer? But if it will be painful for the bird, then that may be why anesthesia. I'm not a medical person, but I'm thinking maybe they can't numb the beak like a foot or something like that.

Keep us posted.
 

Alisana

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Disclaimer: BEFORE reading what I wrote below - please have a talk with others and get a second opinion. I would like to clarify that I don't have any professional training in avian medicine - I simply read a lot for hobby/general interest/and occasional research. Also, I am not in any way trying to scare you away for the idea of putting your bird under, but if you want to be aware of the risks, then read on.

In the hands of a qualified/board-certified AVIAN vet, your companion should be fine. However - I would not trust a general cat/dog/whatever vet, simply due to lack of training and experience. Birds are NOT mammals and MUST be handled differently on the surgical table. Avian Vets are qualified because they must spend at least a year (sometimes more, depending on the country) under the supervision of another avian vet so that they can handle ALL birds regardless of size and species. If your vet is not an avian vet, get an opinion from one. If you don't have one in your area, ask around the different clinics for who HAS experience with birds. (There are some vets who keep up with readings, technologies and medicine in the avian field, but don't have the time/resources to train under an avian vet) Don't be afraid to ask questions.

At the same time - if your bird IS sick, then you need to get that treated, and only a vet can prescribe medication for the sickness. Birds hide illnesses very well, so by the time we start seeing symptoms, it can be more difficult to treat, so time is of essence.

-------------------

OK - I did some reading in my Avian Medicine books. It mentions the use of certain chambers is ill-advised, in particular the older-style machines, and that a dedicated vaporiser is recommended instead: this allows an exact concentration to be given, irrespective of temperature or air pressure.

[...] anesthetic machine should be on a mobile trolley with shelves for placing the monitoring equipment, such as respiratory and cardiac monitors, together with drugs to deal with an emergency

It did however recommend that a chamber can be used should be used if being pinned down and having a mask applied will stress the bird.

Injectable anesthesia can be used as an alternative, BUT the bird MUST be weighed before and after the injection - otherwise a fatality can occur.

Regardless of anesthesia methods used, the bird MUST be monitored at all times. Ask the vet how they monitor and WHAT they monitor. Below is a list of what they should be checking:
  • Reflexes (*)
  • Circulatory Volume (*)
  • Pain
  • Electrocardiogram (ECG)
  • Respiratory Rate
  • Temperature (*)

The * are the ones that should be monitored even AFTER surgery.

'...With regards to local anesthesia - these are not standard use [...] in birds as they are thought to be very sensitive...'

Risks:
  • Overdose
  • Respiratory Depression
  • Respiratory Arrest
  • Cardiac Arrest
  • Hemmorrhage (in surgery)
  • Hypothermia
  • Hypoglycemia
 
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BreannPearlLang

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If it's absolutely necessary, yes, and by necessary I mean life or death. Get more than one opinion- like 2 or 4. My Elvis was killed while under anesthesia that wasn't even required (blood tests), but it was an Emergency appointment and the vet had the last of my money, so I had no choice. Low and behold, 3 minutes later my baby is dead. He didn't set up the right equipment, and it could've all been avoided if the vet had only used what techniques were necessary (ie- not anesthesia, but toweling my bird). Just please go over ALL the risks and get more than one opinion. Please.

I live in a fairly small area with a population of about 5 thousand..so i'm really feeling that the vet has no idea what shes talking about. i think i'll take her with me to anchorage (about two houers away) and find a more experienced vet.
 
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BreannPearlLang

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xiam8.jpg


the main issue is her beak. the vet referred to it as being splintered. i think the vet wants to put her to sleep because its faster and less work. i just feel like its wrong.

button does not bite, and shes pretty docile. i've been filing her beak a tiny bit just to make her used to the file..

also her feathers are very healthy but her feet used to get sore and red, when i switched from dowels to ropes she stopped get irritated. and her nostrils are healthy.
 

evesta

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I hope things work out. I live in a rural area and the closest avian vet I've heard bad things about. Since my boys have been healthy and happy since they were born I've been putting off a visit because I'm scared they will catch something or the vet will mess something up. Seems I always see horror stories on this and other forums about routine vet visits gone bad:(
 

MollyGreenCheeks

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If my vet said there was reason to put Molly or Cody under I would not hesitate. I trust her 100% with my birds!
 

Pedro

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I had to have a little GCC put under anesthesic to take a leg ring off. This was done by a young regular Vet. I was warned about the risks of putting a bird under. Everything went to plan & i was able to bring him home 1 hour later.

Can you post a clear pic of her beak?
 

DebsFlock

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If you don't have confidence in the vet, by all means seek a second opinion from an avian vet you do feel confident in. I would not hesitate to have my bird anesthetized if I believed it was medically appropriate, but birds are so delicate I wouldn't take a risk I believed was not necessary. That said, if a procedure was going to be very painful, I'd prefer anesthesia to physical restraint.
 

Lovelyloribeth

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What exactly does the vet want to do to her beak?? Like what treatment does she have planned while she's under anesthesia?
 

Alisana

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she just wants to dremmel off pieces

Hmmm... Has she considered a treatment for the flaky issue first though?? Not meaning to be offensive, but your vet should be finding the cause of the beak issue rather than just treating it - otherwise it might come back again.

There are a number of different things that can cause beak abnormalities, PBDF is high on the list for causing flaky beaks - check her feathers for any change such as loss of colour or weird feather loss, otherwise it could be a vitamin deficiency, or even toxicity. Ensue your vet is checking and screening for any abnormalities.
 

MaraWentz

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I agree and you don't need anesthesia to groom a beak. A mobile groomer files and clips my grandmothers' birds beaks while toweled in 4 minutes. I dremel Erin's beak and nails when needed because her quicks are sooo long and it's safer than worrying about clipping the quicks. Go to an experienced groomer if all he is going to do is groom it's beak. It will save time, worry, and money.
 

Echo

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After medical evaluations to make sure that there is no underlying diseases, I would make sure that she takes baths drying in the sunlight everyday. She should also have wood toys and perches to use to wipe and keep her beak trimmed naturally.

A beak needs water, sun and wood (busy beak) to stay healthy.

Ps: it looks like the same thing my Grey when through with her beak and it worked for her. We increased baths and sun and it got back to normal on its own.
 
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Lintini

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Heya,

We have to take our amazon in to the vet every 3 months to get her beak done because it grows funny and grows too long on her bottom half and our vet is avian and he wraps her up and fixes her up with a dremmel. I've never heard of knocking a bird out for something like this and Margret is a pretty large amazon.

In the back of my head I am thinking this vet is scared to get bit or something because I think it's very extreme to knock a bird out, especially a conure ...over a beak manicure. I would really try to find a different vet to get another opinion because that doesn't seem right.
 

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