Yearly checkup results

Hey guys,

So I took Jasper last weekend for his yearly checkup. General exam + bloodwork + car rental = $430. Ahhh.

Anyway the vet called me today and said everything looks good but his calcium is low. I figured it was since I've forgotten to give him egg shells for awhile What other foods can I give him to help boost this up?

She then said they unfortunately didn't take enough blood to complete the entire blood sample. For the CBC they only had partial results. I'm floored. She said they would re-do the test free of charge. I also asked for the results to be emailed to me but I haven't gotten them yet.

Great, BUT now Jasper has to go through the torture again (it took him 3+ hours to recover afterwards, he was just in an awful state) plus obviously having to rent a car again.

I cant remember exactly what she said but the white blood cells (I *think*) were showing a possibility of infection. Not the exact words, I'm having trouble remembering exactly as she called right during work and talked so fast Anyway she said could be because of when he was very sick before (we're talking a year+). He's not showing any symptoms like before (I KNEW when he was sick) so I'm hesitant to follow her advice for a crop wash/fecal test. I simply don't see any reason compared to before.....

Thoughts would be appreciated

My biggest grip over the years have been not getting the results in writing after a Vet visit. I have kindly elected to withhold payment until I have a writing 'finding and recommendation' document. This works fairly quickly since my Amazon is very busy telling the staff person just what he thought of his visit and other whys and ware-for's. It's the only time I really get to hear the darker side of his vocabulary and in context.

Anyway, this has become ever less a problem as the staff is working the Vet to minimize the verbal abuse. It always surprises me the number of dog owners that stop-by to say that they wished there dog would do the same!

Not taking the correct amount of Blood for a full blood screen is really odd. Its a known value by screen and the correct vial is provided as part of the kit.

I had always viewed the fecal test (gram stain) as a standard part of an yearly examination as it is comparatively inexpensive and defines a different set of values than the Full Blood Screen provides plus a couple of supporting values.

Crop wash is a elective, driven by a visual examination. A Crop Swab is likely the test they had recommended. I have historically viewed that as a test driven by another test. My Amazon loves to get into yawning battles with me to see who can yawn the longest (yes, I let him win). That trained activity assures that the crop is well exercised and that particles do not build-up.

I understand that renting a car is expensive. So, do you travel on bus or other public transportation with your Parrot? Some of the stress can come from not traveling very often and even more so, if the only time your Parrot travels is to the Vet's Clinic. I also work at training positions that are helpful for the Vet to examine my Amazon without needing to towel him, which can take two up to three people sometimes. This tends to reduce the time being toweled and the stress that can cause.

Well, the blood test is important and you may as well begin planning your next trip!

I would definitely get the rest of the blood work done, I know it's a pain but it's very important, especially since they are stating that his white cells may be high (I can't imagine elevated white cells now would still be a result of an illness a year ago, so I'd question that one and get a full explanation, in writing). As Sailboat said this is very odd, as they take a different tube of blood for each different blood test, and each test is put into a different type of tube as each test requires a different reagent. But a CNC is a single tube all by itself and a full tube equals enough blood to run all of the values included in a CBC, so it's not like they can run fill a CBC tube and not have enough blood to do the red blood cell count or any other part of the CBC. So that tells me they might want to repeat the CBC or something happened, like a dumped tube or a mistake of some sort. It's weird, but either way you need to get it done completely and get full test results, including the individual test values and explanations of the results in writing ASAP.

My CAV does the fecal smear as part of the yearly wellness checkup to test for parasites and do the gram stain, it's important to get that done yearly and it shouldn't cost much at all. The crop swab is usually done if the blood work shows any sign of infection, like an elevated white cell count, so that's probably why they want it done, but a flush shouldn't be necessary unless they're looking for something specifically..

If I were you I'd call the vet when you can sit down quietly and talk to him. You need a full explanation of what he's doing, why he's doing it, and what he thinks is going on...Elevated white cell counts do not still exist from an infection a bird (or person) was treated for and got over a year prior, so I'd be digging for more info on that one ASAP.

"Dance like nobody's watching..."

Thank you for the replies. Yeah, I just got my car bill it was $50. Ouch. I *can* take public transit, I have a couple times before but it's a couple transfers and the bus is so packed people were squishing into his bag. And after having stressful procedures done it just isn't "nice" for him to be stressed on the bus the entire way back I'll book an appointment in a couple of weeks and do it again.

In the meantime I have his results. I was hoping someone would be able to take a look if you can? The things he's low on don't seem bad to me, but maybe someone is better at reading these.

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Thank you

Kale and broccoli are both high in calcium. They also have edible flavored calcium perches, which I have in all of my cages. Very inexpensive.

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/produ...d=PLA_G_6193&gclid=CIiW2bWhxdMCFce6wAodrNMPng

Scrambled eggs with crunched up shells in them if he won't eat that stuff...

I do well birdie's every 2 years. (Yeah, multiply that by SIX in my case.) UNLESS there is some reason why I might suspect something is wrong. Biggest thing about well birdie exams is to give your vet a base line cvc level in the event that something bad happens, and there is an emergency. The vet can compare the baseline, with the results, and it usually helps narrow down a diagnosis. That can save time, and "guessing wrong." Since birds mask their symptoms so well, usually by the time you know something is wrong IT'S REALLY LATE IN THE GAME...

Yes crunched up egg shells in anything your bird likes to eat, broccoli, kale, and occasionally a few slivers of hard Gouda cheese.

Finally got around to reading the results. It turns out the white blood cell count was NOT done as I had mentioned in my OP. In the report it says:

Monocytocis possibly indicative of chronic inflammation. Total WBC count needed to form a moreprecise list of ddx. Insufficient blood available so HT, PT and total WBC count could not be performed.

Would it be fair of me to ask them to credit my account the cost of my trip there again because it was their fault they didn't do the blood sample correctly? Not sure they'd be willing but maybe worth a shot... :S

It never hurts to ask! The worst that can say is: No!

Well, great news. the vet said they'd cover the cost of my car rental for having to come back. Pleasantly surprised.

I'm sad Jasper has to go through this again. Poor thing was stressed to the max last time. I booked it for a week from now so he's had 2 weeks in-between. Poor little guy is going to wonder why I keep bringing him to be tortured

Take care to mask your own emotions, they feed so quickly off of us! The more relaxed you are, the more comfortable they will feel! Much easier to say than to do! Smile! This To Shall Pass!

Any results, Katie?

Yes, broccoli is great for calcium. So is dandelion and egg shell.

Also, do you feed him a lot of spinach? I ask because spinach is known to block the absorption of calcium and could be a contributing factor to his low levels.

As for monocytosis, that would explain your vet mentioning something from a year prior. As I recall (fuzzily, I admit), monocytosis arises from chronic infection and inflammation. And Jasper's adventures from last year would surely qualify. Weird that they would be able to tell that the monocytes are high, yet not have anything on a WBC count. You know, considering that monocytes are themselves a type of white blood cell.

I just got him back today for his re-test. Couldn't get a Car2Go the last couple weekends so had to keep delaying. Ugh!

He handled it much better today than last time, poor guy. Had fully recovered by the time we got home. Will have the results in a couple of days...

Nope, no spinach! Had completely forgotten it even exists because I don't eat it lol. I need to do better with the eggs, I always forget He doesn't like broccoli but I still mix it into his food anyway.