Puffed up ears? (Amazon)

My blue-fronted amazon, Feygele, has some health issues. He has a number of small tumors, and one large one. I am currently saving up to get it removed. But the one health issue that is stumping the vet is his weird ears.

I inherited the bird, and I thought his head was just funny-shaped, but the vet informed me that his ears were super puffed up/swollen. She couldn't find his ear holes. She said they seemed to be full of air. She brought him into another room and managed to make them un-puff, but within a few hours they were back again.

Has anyone seen this?? How worried should I be?

(I happened to take photos on the way to/from the vet, which is why I have his old travel cage.)



The puffiest it's ever looked:



Temporarily un-puffed:



I'm more worried about his ears right now though. I want him to survive it! I'm afraid something else might be going on!

He's really an awesome bird!

I've never heard of or seen such a thing. My suggestion would be to get a second opinion from another experienced avian vet. I'm so sorry that Feygele is going through these medical issues right now. I wish you all the best for him.

I am sorry, but unfortunately there is no solicitation of funds in any way from the Parrot Forums website. The guidelines regarding this are in the second paragraph in this link that everyone has received upon joining the forum. Thank you all for understanding.
http://www.parrotforums.com/new-members-welcome/10871-official-forum-guidelines.html

I would think those are ruptured air sacs. I would definately find an avian vet.

Did the vet take any blood to test to see if there was anything else going on with him and what his overall health is?

My Scooter had a bacterial infection and her right air sac in her neck would puff in and out.

Hi and welcome to the Amazon section.

You have a Yellow Wing Amazon, which is a sub-species of the Blue Front Amazon Family.

Please see my additional post to your new member section regarding your grandparents estate. Since the tumors were preexisting, it may be possible to obtain some monies for the estate to support the medical needs of your Amazon.

SailBoat said:

Hi and welcome to the Amazon section.

You have a Yellow Wing Amazon, which is a sub-species of the Blue Front Amazon Family.

Please see my additional post to your new member section regarding your grandparents estate. Since the tumors were preexisting, it may be possible to obtain some monies for the estate to support the medical needs of your Amazon.

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I believe it's just a regular blue front? He looks just like mine, and I thought Yellow wings have a horn colored beak.

But this looks like an air sac problem, it might be because of his health issues but he will need to get checked for any infections or anything else that might be going on. If he's lived this long, he's a survivor and I'm sure he'll be fine.

Aquila said:

I believe it's just a regular blue front? He looks just like mine, and I thought Yellow wings have a horn colored beak.

But this looks like an air sac problem, it might be because of his health issues but he will need to get checked for any infections or anything else that might be going on. If he's lived this long, he's a survivor and I'm sure he'll be fine.

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It IS a Blue Front, Aquila. Blue Front and Yellow Winged are ultimately the same. http://www.parrotforums.com/new-members-welcome/55346-hello-western-michigan.html

JerseyWendy said:

Aquila said:

I believe it's just a regular blue front? He looks just like mine, and I thought Yellow wings have a horn colored beak.

But this looks like an air sac problem, it might be because of his health issues but he will need to get checked for any infections or anything else that might be going on. If he's lived this long, he's a survivor and I'm sure he'll be fine.

Click to expand...

It IS a Blue Front, Aquila. Blue Front and Yellow Winged are ultimately the same. http://www.parrotforums.com/new-members-welcome/55346-hello-western-michigan.html

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The subspecies thing gets me sometimes! So shh, here's a picture of Sydney.

RavensGryf said:

I've never heard of or seen such a thing. My suggestion would be to get a second opinion from another experienced avian vet. I'm so sorry that Feygele is going through these medical issues right now. I wish you all the best for him.

I am sorry, but unfortunately there is no solicitation of funds in any way from the Parrot Forums website. The guidelines regarding this are in the second paragraph in this link that everyone has received upon joining the forum. Thank you all for understanding.
http://www.parrotforums.com/new-members-welcome/10871-official-forum-guidelines.html

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When I was a member before I donated (as did many here) for that sham rescue of a large load of breeder birds. The member who started the fund ran off with over $4,000.

1Spongebob said:

RavensGryf said:

I've never heard of or seen such a thing. My suggestion would be to get a second opinion from another experienced avian vet. I'm so sorry that Feygele is going through these medical issues right now. I wish you all the best for him.

I am sorry, but unfortunately there is no solicitation of funds in any way from the Parrot Forums website. The guidelines regarding this are in the second paragraph in this link that everyone has received upon joining the forum. Thank you all for understanding.
http://www.parrotforums.com/new-members-welcome/10871-official-forum-guidelines.html

Click to expand...

When I was a member before I donated (as did many here) for that sham rescue of a large load of breeder birds. The member who started the fund ran off with over $4,000.

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Yep, you got it!! Some people ruin it forever for everyone which is why this rule has applied ever since...

Sydney and Feygele look so similar!

It sounds like I do need to try another vet. It's hard to find time and load Feygele into the car and pay for a visit, but I'm sure it's worth it. What do the air sacs do? Can they be fixed? I definitely didn't know that bird ears have air sacs, but that would definitely make sense, looking at Feygele's head.

It stinks that bad people ruin things like crowdfunding for everyone, but I definitely understand why this site doesn't allow it. If anyone has other ideas of where I can post my GoFundMe page, I'd love to hear them. I didn't find any terribly active facebook groups. But I digress...

Yes, Yellow-Wing Amazons are a sub-species of the Blue-Fronted Amazon (common) Family. Having said that, they are far-enough removed that it is not recommended that they are crossbreed with the Blue-Fronted (common) as deformities would be common. Once upon a time, there was an Amazon Society in the USA that was an out-growth of the primary group in England (still active). The classification defined below was and is still use to set and define the separation between the two parrots. The Blue-Fronted (common) will not meet the classification provided below.

Rejoice in the fact that you have a Yellow-Wing Amazon.

Common Name: Blue-Fronted Amazon (Genus Amazona)
Sub-species: Amazona aestiva xantopteryx (Yellow-Wing)
Full Common Name: Blue-Fronted, Yellow-Wing Amazon (Genus Amazona aetiva xantopteryx)
Know Common Name: Yellow-Wing Amazon

Color: Deeper grass green with darker (black) scolloping at the end. Common (red & deep blue to purple) display (flash) feathers on tail and wings

Breast: Yellow-green with slight (black) scalloping at the end

Forehead: Slight line (1/8 - 1/4" with splashes) of turquoise along the top and sides of the Cere (nostril area)

Head Feathering: Behind turquoise frontal feathers, a sizable area of creamy-white yellow merges into green. Pale yellow continues around both eyes and onto the cheeks, extending to the base of the lower beck. Under the beak (bib area) there is a slight line of turquoise-green, which quickly transfers into the yellow-green of the Breast. Green head feathers are scalloped with black and carry down the back of the neck and both sides. Tiny splashes of turquoise occur within and border the creamy-white yellow feathering.

Cere, Nostrils & Beak: Dark gray to black Mouth & Tongue: Black

Bend of Wing: Solid bright red wing edge with streamers (as if applied by an air brush) from body to bend of wing with bright buttercup yellow (with tiny splashes of red) on the bend extending onto wing (approximately the size of a quarter).

Carpal Edge: Yellow-green

Legs & Feet: Longer legs than common, gray to dark black toenails and yellow-green feathers on upper leg with yellow 'leg-lets' at feather base and inside .

General shape: Longer, slimmer, larger than common with greater wingspan and long tail.

Character, Expression & Vocalization: Not so strong willed as common, can appear with an aloof/surprised expression. Generally quiet calls and speech, but will produce very loud calls

NOTE #1: BFA are more common in Northern South America whereas YWA are more central/southern South America beyond where the jungle transitions into more open forested areas. Areas that longer body and larger wings and tail work in the open forests and plains. Yellow-wing Amazons evolved from Blue Front Amazons to better meet the needs of this more open area.

NOTE #2: The cover page of Sally Blanchard's Companion Amazon Handbook features her drawing of 'Darby' our Yellow-Wing Amazon.

Set a Blue-Fronted (common) next to a Yellow-Wing and the difference is very clear.
Ultimately, they are not the same!

Importers found that by simply using the 'common' name (Blue-Fronted), they could import Yellow-Wings and get around additional paperwork.
Why is any of this important. Simple. At present, there is likely more Yellow-Wings in North America then in their natural region: South/Central South America. As that population continues to declines, North America becomes the source. Clarity in the North American population becomes more important.

Maintaining the clarity of what Amazons are in North America becomes more important every year as the root population is Central and South America decline. It Is Important to clearly define and use their proper names.

Air Sacks are not the same, but as a basic understanding, they are like Lungs. Ears have little to nothing to do with Air Sacks.

SailBoat said:

Air Sacks are not the same, but as a basic understanding, they are like Lungs. Ears have little to nothing to do with Air Sacks.

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I believe it's called [FONT=Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif]Subcutaneous emphysema? My Amazon had a spot near the back of his neck/shoulder area that was a bubble under the skin, but my vet said it would resolve itself since there was no infection, but I've read that a persistent infection can cause this too, and it won't go down without antibiotics, but I could be mistaken. The only way to tell is with bloodwork.[/FONT]

Any updates? Did you ge8t a 2nd opinion?