My Macaw is in surgery, I need advice

deque

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Aug 7, 2014
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Miami, Florida
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Bala- B&G, Capri- Greenwing, Cata- Catalina, Ruby- Military, Abbey- B&G
I'm shaking and need some advice.

My 6 y/o Catalina Macaw Cata has been badly injured. She got her right foot wedged between a perch and the wall of her aviary. She amputated one of her toes in an attempt to free herself. The others are intact but very swollen and without feeling. It seems the circulation was cut off several hours.

She's in surgery as we speak. The vet is trying to save the foot and remaining toes, but won't know until he gets in there. I'm praying he won't have to amputate the whole foot (please God).

Cata is part of a flock of 4 Macaws and the youngest. When I got to her the other 3 were huddled around her trying to comfort her. In the 15 years I've had Macaws I've ever had an injury....not so much as a broken tail feather. I'm just raw with gilt and worrie.

In the best scenario she will come home tonight WITH her remaining toes and we'll have to watch for the next few weeks to see if further amputations necessary.

In the worst scenario she'll be coming come with one foot. She'll of course be isolated, I've padded and wrapped her perches. I'll build a perch shelf today to do all I can to prepare.

If anyone has gone through this and can offer advice on what to expect or can share their experiences with a handy capped bird I'd be very grateful.
 

Inger

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My heart is with you and Cata.


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SailBoat

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We have enjoyed several Handicapped Amazons. The love offered from a Handicapped Parrot is without depth! One quickly finds that life is not that different then with a non-handicapped Parrot. A few adjustments and a bit more attention to detail is about all that is needed. Love covers everything else!

Web Search Handicapped Birds / Handicapped Parrots. You will quickly find that you are by no means alone and there is a large group of Owners that share and support.

At this point, you are way ahead of yourself and you need to be more into the moment. You have prepared for recovery and at this point your most important project is comforting your MAC.

God's Speed!
 

Birdman666

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Sep 18, 2013
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Presently have six Greenwing Macaw (17 yo), Red Fronted Macaw (12 yo), Red Lored Amazon (17 y.o.), Lilac Crowned Amazon (about 43 y.o.) and a Congo African Grey (11 y.o.)
Panama Amazon (1 Y.O.)
Sally had to have a toe amputated last year, and a second one surgically reconstructed. She has adapted just fine with the missing/repaired toes...

Hopefully they'll be able to save the foot. Losing a foot would be a significant handicap.
 

plumsmum2005

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Fly free Plum, my gorgeous boy.
Our thoughts and prayers are with you and Cata. To read "When I got to her the other 3 were huddled around her trying to comfort her." brought a tear to my eye. Pray you will double check your aviary for anything else that offers injury, laying no blame but doesn't hurt to double check does it? Sailboat's comments are good advice. Whatever, Cata has you and three other feathered family to support and love her, please keep us updated.
 
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Inger

Well-known member
Parrot of the Month 🏆
Mar 20, 2017
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826
Everett, WA
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Bumble - Pacific (or Celestial) Parrotlet hatched 02/19/17
Web Search Handicapped Birds / Handicapped Parrots. You will quickly find that you are by no means alone and there is a large group of Owners that share and support.



Oh that's great advice. And if you're on Instagram follow this account. http://instagram.com/about_a_too. Beau lost a wing recently and you'll see how truly resilient our fids can be.


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Scott

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Aug 21, 2010
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RIP Gandalf and Big Bird, you are missed.
Sending the very best of wishes for Cata's full recovery. Please update us when possible - you certainly have your hands full by now.

Accidents happen in the best of circumstances so please do not blame yourself. Every incident is a learning experience to improve, to share with the community.
 
OP
D

deque

Member
Aug 7, 2014
112
4
Miami, Florida
Parrots
Bala- B&G, Capri- Greenwing, Cata- Catalina, Ruby- Military, Abbey- B&G
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
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Update:

Long day/night. Cata came home last night. The vet removed two toes. He isn't holding out much hope for the others but agreed to wait until tues to make a final decision on a full amputation. She doesn't have feeling in them but I'm PRAYING the blood circulates so she can retain them for balance.

She ate a little bit of apple last night and drank water but didnt eat this morning. If it continues I'll start hand feeding formula.

She's on oral meds and I'm giving her antibotic injections in her chest every 12 hours.

It was a really hard morning, anastetic is worn off, she tries to stand but falls over on to her back than panics. Shes "moaning" quite a bit which is heartbreaking. Really hard to see my little hell cat so helpless.

Thanks for the support, continued prayers appreciated.
 

plumsmum2005

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Fly free Plum, my gorgeous boy.
Thanks for the update and you have the prayers.

Would it help to massage her leg and foot gently, improve the blood supply? Can you make a comfy place to rest until she is better?
 

Scott

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RIP Gandalf and Big Bird, you are missed.
So glad to hear Cata has safely returned home. Let us hope the remaining toes begin healing. She is lucky to have you caring for her, and I hope the pain meds are sufficient to keep her as comfortable as possible.

Macaws are resilient, and with your help she will adapt!
 

StChelle

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Male Galah named Valentine; male red-sided Eclectus named Harlequin "Harley"; female red-sided Eclectus named Petra
So sorry for your baby girl. Please keep us posted on her progress
 

Anansi

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I'm so sorry this happened to Cata. She'll be in my prayers as well that she won't need any further amputations. But as Steven has pointed out, parrots can be extremely resilient. She'll adapt, whether to her current circumstances or even if she must come to terms with the loss of a foot.

Please give her a few scritches for me.
 
OP
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deque

Member
Aug 7, 2014
112
4
Miami, Florida
Parrots
Bala- B&G, Capri- Greenwing, Cata- Catalina, Ruby- Military, Abbey- B&G
  • Thread Starter
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Update:

Took Cata back to the vet on Monday. The vet had to remove half of her front toe but was able to retain the back toe, a portion of the front toe and her hock which is great.

Now the challenges:
He placed a cone on her after the first surgery lined with vet wrap. That didn't go to well. She was super distressed by it and was refusing food and water. She was dropping weight quickly and was very week, so we decided to remove it and just heavily pad her foot.

She improved immediately. Eating non stop, water intake good, energy level returned to normal, playing talking the works. I was really encouraged.

The challenge is that she goes at the bandages non-stop if left unattended. The only way to keep her off it is to sit in front of her cage and correct her every few min. 24 hrs per day.

My partner who is not a bird person (God bless him) sits in front of her during the day while I work. I do the 6-12:00 pm shift, than we switch off every two hours throughout the night. In the morning she gets her pain meds, injection and I re tape her bandages. Its working but I have to admit the exhaustion and fatigue are really setting in.

We go back on Monday to remove the bandages and check that all is on track, she'll be bandaged for another week. Then they must come off for her to heal.

Getting through the next week and a half without sleep is pretty daunting but I'm super worried about the bandages coming off. The vet feels "she shouldn't bother with it to much" but I'm not buying that. If she damages either toe it will all have been for nothing.

Any ideas from anyone who had dealt with a recovery issue would be so appreciated.

Thanks for the support!
 

itzjbean

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Jan 27, 2017
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Thanks for the update...praying for a healthy recovery for your girl. Is there a way you could put the cone back on her AFTER she's eaten? That way she may be distressed but at least she won't be able to get at that foot until the next mealtime...
 

SailBoat

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Post surgery is a very difficult time for very young children and Parrots alike! Distraction is one way to reduce the extensive interest she has for the wrapping. She has no way to understand why it is there and its being there 'in her mind' requires its removal! After all, no health Parrot would have such a thing on them.

If she will spend time on or very close to you, this will help. Being in the cage results in a sense of separation that is more likely to support messing with the wrap! On or very near you, changes that and 'can' reduce the interest in the wrap as your MAC is caught between interacting with you or fending off that wrap!.
 

Scott

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Goffins: Gabby, Abby, Squeaky, Peanut, Popcorn / Citron: Alice / Eclectus: Angel /Timneh Grey: ET / Blue Fronted Amazon: Gonzo /

RIP Gandalf and Big Bird, you are missed.
I so admire your dedication to Cata! You'll get through this, albeit with perhaps some grey hairs!

Might you ask Cata's vet if a mild mood-altering drug would be productive? Many years ago I had a B&G who didn't like to be handled but needed frequent meds post surgery. Doc prescribed a short course of Haldol (Haloperidol) and it allowed us to handle her with ease. She was also very relaxed and almost in a hypnotic trance-like state. She reverted to normal behavior with no issues once discontinued. Jut trying to think out of the box for you! (there are more modern psychotropic drugs that are effective for parrots)
 

Kiwibird

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Jul 12, 2012
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1 BFA- Kiwi. Hatch circa 98', forever home with us Dec. 08'
My moms amazon broke her foot years ago and the vet put a cone on her while she was still knocked out. When she came too and realized she had that thing around her neck, she freaked out and my mom took it off because she was too stressed over it. It was a 24/7 effort by the whole family to keep her from chewing off her cast until the foot healed. She is not hugely interested in playing either, so using toys as distractions was futile and it was difficult for her to be cooped up and not able to fly around freely all day long, as she was accustomed too. It was tough, but at the end of the day, her injury healed, she didn't die from the stress of the cone and in the grand scheme of things, it was only a couple weeks of inconvenience for everyone to help her heal up properly and go on to have very minimal issues from a very serious injury.

I know it's tough what you're doing (having been there myself assisting a bird who rejected a cone!) but it isn't a permanent situation. You can do it though! And after all is said and done, perhaps a nice dinner out or something as a huge thank you to your partner for being so helpful throughout the process:)
 
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Kiwibird

Well-known member
Jul 12, 2012
9,539
111
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1 BFA- Kiwi. Hatch circa 98', forever home with us Dec. 08'
Doc prescribed a short course of Haldol (Haloperidol) and it allowed us to handle her with ease. She was also very relaxed and almost in a hypnotic trance-like state.

I would have never thought a vet could prescribe haldol to a parrot. That's a pretty powerful anti-psychotic. I would never have guessed even in a very low dose it would be safe for avians. Guess you learn something new every day!
 

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