Waiting to see the vet in an hour

charmedbyekkie

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Cairo the Ekkie!
On eve before I fly off for a weeklong work trip, Cairo isn't doing well.

Last night, we got some toys in the mail. Quite a few pepper wood blocks, a variety of foraging toys, etc. I was going to post in the forums about the amazing haul with some reviews/feedback from Cairo himself after he tested them.

He broke apart the acrylic foraging toy, but didn't eat it. So I removed it from his cage. He nibbled at his 'fruit skewer' that I had put some wooden blocks and other toys on. And he went bonkers over this toy [https://www.instagram.com/p/Bp9rnJABhJ_/]

He figured it out so quickly when we had tiny sunflower seeds inside, so I switched it to walnuts (which we've only given him once before). He quickly figured it out, even when I put pieces of paper to block the walnuts, and emptied it within a minute or two.

He seemed so excited about the foraging toys - he didn't want to eat his chop, but he was happy enough to eat some of his birdie bread (which is more baked mashed yam than anything).

He started vomiting a few hours later at night. He vomited three times during the night. Then this morning, since he hasn't seemed interested in his chop, I gave him his probiotic dose and heated up a butternut squash for breakfast, so that it was a soft, warm food. He ate that, but also vomited it up (the fourth time).

He is still having all three parts to his droppings, but it's not as frequent as it usually is. He's lethargic - sleeping a lot and not wanting to move, interact, fly, or even preen (he's not preened at all, and he's usually such a good preener). My partner opened up a banana just now, and that was the first time Cairo flew. He just ate some of the banana (I'm so happy to see him eat), so I'm waiting beside him to catch any vomit into a ziplock baggie for the vet.

We're waiting in the warmest part of the house until the cab arrives to bring us to the vet. It's the evening now, and I still haven't packed my bags for the work trip. He's vomited four times within the past 18 hours, but made vomiting movements more frequently. He's only pooped about six times within the past 12 hours, but luckily there are still all three parts to his droppings and they are of decent size. I'm packing everything that could have cause this, so the vet can examine and maybe even test them.

...

So we don't know what's wrong. Our current list of suspects:
- walnuts
- new pepper wood blocks
- the fact that he ate more treats than usual within a short span of time
- something more serious (liver/kidney, infection, etc)

Wish us luck. I'm trying to be calm for him.
 

Laurasea

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Did the acrlic toy gave tiny magnets that held it together! I ask because I got one and the little magnets fell out so easy to swallow! I hope he is ok!!! Terrible stressful, get well
 

texsize

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I hope he gets better soon.
I know how scary it is.
 

ChristaNL

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Best wishes (of course), keeping fingers etc. crossed.
 
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charmedbyekkie

charmedbyekkie

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Cairo the Ekkie!
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Spent two hours at the vet.

She said he was really bad. I could tell; I mean, he hadn't preened or talked for a day.

At the vet's, it just seemed to get worse. He was so unresponsive. He slept through a lot. He was too out of it to respond to a 'step up' request. He didn't fight anything. And when they did towel him, his heart rate was just too slow. The vet said it was a slow as a dog's. After the first towelling to take a blood sample, they were actually concerned about doing a throat swab because of his heart. And during the blood sample taking, they had a hard time finding his vein because he was so dehydrated.

His faecalysis came back good. His Avian Reptile Profile (blood work for internal organs) came back good. They're doing microscopic analysis for four 'microscopic smear per slides' - I understand this to be from his choana and oral swab. We'll get the microscopic analysis results on Monday. If anybody can read a Vet Scan Avian/Reptilian Profile Plus report, I have a copy of it.

But right now, we don't know the cause. To be safe, we are tossing out the walnuts. And I will be rewashing in vinegar and baking his new pepper wood (when I get back from the work trip).

Our current approach right now? The vet gave us baby food powder/formula to rehydrate/feed him and cimetidine to limit the vomiting. We're on the baby feeding schedule - every two hours 12ml at 40C. If he can't handle that, we're to do every half hour 3ml at 40C.

I'm so terribly upset right now. Cairo isn't well, and the vet did point out that he could die if we can't get him to eat and hold down his baby formula. He was in such terrible shape - he couldn't clean his vomit off of himself, he let me swaddle him in a blanket against my chest (and he dislikes being touched normally), he let the vet touch and do whatever with him, and he was so silent and cold.

The vet walked us through how to feed him. Cairo took about 2ml of the baby formula and perked up a little. Enough to pull himself up to his favourite spot on my shoulder and to make a sound when the vet reentered the room.

So there's that.

I'm just praying he lasts until I get back from the work trip. I'm so upset that I'm leaving him. I already didn't want to go on this trip, and to have him fall so ill to the point the vet said that I should find a way to take MC.... I'd probably lose my job if I refused to go. And we can't afford that since my partner works freelance.

In 12 hours, I'll be away from him. And he only took 6ml of formula when we got back.

I just want him to live.
 

HEEDLESS

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"KISE" She was born in Jan, 2018.
"Akashi" He hatched 07/13/2021.
Mygoodness.. Your poor Beloved baby.... **Sob**


I will go NUT and CRAZY if my Kise gets sick....


I hope the vet will find out the caused soon, and he will get soon.

Stay Strong Buddy~~~~~~ **HUGS** **HUGS***

**CHUUUUUUUUUUUU**
 

noodles123

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I am so sorry!
Where will you be in 12 hours?
Can you call in?
 

Laurasea

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This is so sad, so fast! Did they give him Subcutaneous fluids???? My heart goes out to you. Can you talk to your boss and explain the life threatening illness? What a terrible position to be in. Is there a coworker who could take your place. I hope your beautiful baby recoveres as quickly as can be.
 

ChristaNL

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Sunny a female B&G macaw;
Japie (m) & Appie (f), both are congo african grey;
All are rescues- had to leave their previous homes for 'reasons', are still in contact with them :)
Oh dear ... you are doing all you can do, and I am praying it will be enough to keep him with you. It's up to Cairo now.


===


Just a weird thought... every time we get a shipment (to the larger shops) from china etc., you smell it for a long time after opening because of the huge amounts of pesticide that get gassed/ sprayed in the transportcontainers. Do you think insecticide (gaseous form maybe, or residue of the spray) could be the reason? Being such a sensitive guy...
 
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charmedbyekkie

charmedbyekkie

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Unfortunately, they could not fit an IV in. But the vet seemed comfortable enough to send us home after watching him eat 2ml of formula and not vomit it up.

As for the work situation, it's something I've been wrestling with.

To be as brief as I can, this is on-site fieldwork in a variety of Southeast Asian countries for a very important client (everyone in the world knows them). Normally, my role does not cover this type of overseas fieldwork; however, my boss flat out ordered me to go. He explicitly said, "Because [colleague] has been f*ing things up, you have to go. You can bring up to me whether or not you want to go, but who else can go?" So I'll be going and bringing a newbie to mentor.

I've just an email to my boss, requesting leave for 19 November. Just preemptively.
 

Laurasea

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Can your partner come with you, abd you bring baby with you and then you can both treat and they can cover while you work? Dang I hope by the time you have to go you see tins of improvement
 

LaManuka

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Oh poor Cairo, and poor you! Nothing worse than having a sick baby and not knowing what to do for the best! You are in my thoughts and I’m sending you every good wish - keep us posted ❤️
 
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chris-md

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Oh my gosh, what a nightmare! I’m keeping you all in my thoughts and prayers hoping for a speedy recovery. I’m so sorry you’re going through this :(
 

Anansi

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I'm so sorry this is happening to Cairo!

You reacted quickly and it sounds as though the vet is doing a good job covering all bases to find what is wrong. I know how difficult it must be to be going on this trip right now, but know that you've done all that you could. The fact that he seemed a bit more responsive after taking in some of the formula is a good sign.

You'll both be in my thoughts and prayers. Please let Cairo know that his extended family is collectively pulling for his complete recovery. Hopefully this was a reaction to something that he needed out of his body as soon as possible, and that he'll soon be turning a corner toward recovery. I'll be anxiously watching this thread to see what develops.
 

TiredOldMan

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Fingers crossed, toes crossed , and knocking on wood combined with prayers and healing wishes.

If it was me AND it was a possibility(rarely the case) He would be going with me.

I am truly sorry for what you and Cairo are going through.
 
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charmedbyekkie

charmedbyekkie

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This morning we woke up to find he vomited maybe 3ml of his food. We gave him the anti-vomiting med, but he was having a hard time keeping it down. We tried giving him 3ml of formula first, but he didn't want it after 0.4ml. My partner suggested banana (one of his favourite but infrequent fruits), so I offered him a banana. He took two tiny bites, then pushed it away.

He started getting into biting his wooden perch (he normally likes biting this wooden perch after he bathes). So I tried to sneak in more formula when his mouth was open, but he got wise to that quickly.

He's gone back to sleep. But I think we got only 1ml (at most) into him. I leave for the airport in an hour. And I still have prepwork to do for the fieldwork before I leave. I don't know what to do.

My partner has promised to keep a journal. But we don't know if him biting the wood is a symptom. Cairo is alert enough at times to want to follow me (he'll angle as if to fly to me), but I'm trying to encourage him to save his energy.
 
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charmedbyekkie

charmedbyekkie

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He vomited out this morning's feeding, then went to on top of his cage where he can rest his feet and tucked himself to sleep there. Noises that would usually disturb him aren't causing him to move.

I just selfishly need him to last at least a week for me.
 

LaManuka

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Nothing selfish about that! I pray he pulls thru for you, all my hopes!
 

Scott

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RIP Gandalf and Big Bird, you are missed.
So sorry to know Cairo is unwell and you are forced to leave. Hope he responds well and is greatly improved upon your return. Are you able to Skype or Face-Time during the absence? Parrots definitely react to video images and sounds.
 

Inger

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Everyone has already said anything I could say, so I just want to let you know I also have you and Cairo in my thoughts and prayers.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

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