Transient Ischemic Attacks in Parrots

[Kalel]

Sorry to hear this. I hope the RB gets better soon! In the meantime, sending some healing thoughts.

 

[GaleriaGila]

Sidechick, I think he would chew those zip ties right off... he has a thing for those... I suppose I could WIRE it... yes, I have some racks... boy that'd be a stinker to clean. I think I'm leaning more towards a smaller cage. He's not in it much. At least when he's alone in it, I'd worry less.

Stephen, many thanks. Still no repeats. Every time he's quiet for a nano-second, I have to go stare at him up close. Awful bird.
I love our community... so much good input. Like Ellen's. I still haven't heard back from the Caique's mom.

Kalel, I'm grateful for thse healing vibes, I truly am.

Thanks, everybody. Your support and advice has made all the difference.

 

[EllenD]

I emailed my CAV to see if he knows much about parrots having TIA's, or if he had any literature on it or could email me some links. He usually at the very least knows of another CAV somewhere who specializes in whatever I'm asking about, so we'll see what he comes up with. You're right, there is absolutely NO information about this online at all. Tons about parrots having seizures due to other issues, but nothing about TIA's or strokes in-general...

 

[chris-md]

Gail, I’m sending HUGE hugs to you, Rival, and RB. No advice from me but I’m following along. Only though I had was just what your vet said, lower perches.

 

[GaleriaGila]

Ellen, THANK YOU, yet again. I appreciate you so much.

Chris, thank you as well. I'm looking into a more fall-friendly cage and perch placements, indeed.

Y'all (ALL) are really lifting me up. Thank you, Community.

 

[jhsatx]

Thanks RB Mom
LaLa has it too.
Seen it a few times in the last 2 yrs.
Wish you bird people knew more about it.

 

[AmyMyBlueFront]

Gail?? TIA's??? What are they? Please 'splain!
I just saw this thread and my heart SANK when I read it!! :02:
Since I have no clue what you're talkin' about I cab't even begin to help,and even if I DID know...I'm soooo sorry I have no idea on how to advice! :02:

I can just say that Amy and Beebs and I will say extra duty prayers and send birdy hugs to RB and YOU..I'm here for whatever support I can give to you and Rickey.
This time around...YOU are MY hero!
I pray your CAV can come up with a definitive reason/cause.

RickeyBird?? DAMMIT! get well NOW! We all love you,you Patagonia Condor you!


Jim (And Amy..and little Beebers )

 

[MonicaMc]

Might try out Vetri-DMG. It can be purchased in a powder or liquid form. My Charlie *loves* the liquid version! Don't know why.... all other birds hate it. This version is from Vetri-Science, but I've used a powder version, mixed in with food, from Avitech as well.

 

[GaleriaGila]

jh... yeah it seems there's not much, if any scientific research on it, but we're seeing our avian vet the MINUTE he gets back from vacation, next week. Still no recurrences!

Jim... TIAs are mini-strokes... temporary circulator blockage that usually remit in less than five minutes, with no permanent damage. And SCARY! The Rb had just one, but I've seen them in humans enough to guess, and my vet (via phne, while he was on vacation) tentativey agreed. We'll get a full work-up soon. And he seems FINE now. Hey, I feel every one of those feather hugs from you and the boys, I really do! You three really lift me up.

Monica, thanks for that. I'll keep that name. I know that in people, the first response is usually a prescription for some kind of blood-thinner, maybe even aspirin. We'll see. I asked my vet about that and he said to continue everything as is until he gets a current baseline blood panel.

Thanks, y'all, you're really, really helping me.

 

[GaleriaGila]

Back from the vet's office, so I can update this. TIAs... apparently not.

His best guess, after exam and labs... probably a seizure related to elevated red blood cell levels. This is his body's response to hypoxia associated with mild cardiological deterioration. Rb will receive Enalapril for two weeks, then get another checkup. If red cells are down, no more meds at this time. If not, he may have to stay on the meds, maybe reducing amount. Dr. Lindstrom said his heart and lungs sounded very strong, but the red blood cells and the seizure gave us advance warning before anything was too serious. The cells had been a bit high before, but this latest test showed an increase, so... time to act. Enalapril, twice a day, .012 mg suspension.

I'm a little relieved and a little scared, but very glad to have my great vet on the job! I'm thinking of more questions now, but I think 'll just make a list for the next appointment.

Meanwhile, the Rb is his usual self.

 

[Anansi]

Wow, Abigail. Relieved AND a little scared sounds about right. But I'm so thankful that this was caught early... and all while his heart is still so strong. Have you ever had to medicate RB, before?

 

[Inger]

Thanks for the update, Gail! I’ve decided this is good news; especially the part about RB’s strong (and passionate?!?) heart. ❤️


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[GaleriaGila]

Thanks, Anansi and Inger.

I have never medicated him before, but a trial of a low-salt almond butter mix (okayed by vet) was successful, so we'll see. I have never toweled him, either, but... I may have to learn a new trick or two.

Yeah, the more I think it all over, the better I feel about it all.

 

[EllenD]

My CAV asked me to ask you if he has already been put on daily aspirin or a blood-thinner of any type. He's not had any experience treating a bird having TIA's, but he has treated birds that have had full-blown strokes before that have resulted in permanent paralysis. He said the long-term treatment is a special diet and daily blood thinners/aspirin therapy, but that's all he really knew about it. He said it's extremely rare in parrots, and then I told him that on the message board, along with this current Patagonian Conure, there was also a Black-Headed Caique, so it couldn't be THAT rare, lol...

 

[SunnyJ]

First ...I'm sorry about Rb....really I am! Second that video was hard to watch...
Baby has had what we call siezures and vet tests were done only to find out she was healthier than every other time she was tested. 'wait & see' was also the advice the vet gave. The episodes would start by Baby having no 'grip' in her feet....eyes would glaze over and she no longer had balance so we would hold her close til it passed....a minute or two...sometimes she would kinda growel.....I'm sure scary not knowing whats happening to you. I haven't seen it happen for a long time but there for a while it was happening several times a month. ~I feel your anxiety

 

[GaleriaGila]

Back from the vet's office, so I can update this. TIAs... apparently not.

His best guess, after exam and labs... probably a seizure related to elevated red blood cell levels. This is his body's response to hypoxia associated with mild cardiological deterioration. Rb will receive Enalapril for two weeks, then get another checkup. If red cells are down, no more meds at this time. If not, he may have to stay on the meds, maybe reducing amount. Dr. Lindstrom said his heart and lungs sounded very strong, but the red blood cells and the seizure gave us advance warning before anything was too serious. The cells had been a bit high before, but this latest test showed an increase, so... time to act. Enalapril, twice a day, .012 mg suspension.

I'm a little relieved and a little scared, but very glad to have my great vet on the job! I'm thinking of more questions now, but I think 'll just make a list for the next appointment.

Meanwhile, the Rb is his usual self.

Ellen... this is the latest... so we're on a med trial for two weeks. Thank you SO MUCH for your follow-up and caring and kindness.

Sunny... thank you so so much. Maybe we'll get a solution together. My vet says that the Rb is 80-ish in Patagonian years. I can't imagine it, by his activity and appetite and vocalizations, but...

Anyway, thank you ALL for the replies and PMs.

This is, in a way what we hope for... senior, long-lived birds, right. 34 years.
I'm gonna out-live you, Rickeybird, dang ya!

 

[SunnyJ]

Sometimes the best information is places like this where a lot can be shared.....blood work and exams only go so far. Most animals get things just like us humans and we adjust and find our new normal after we figure out what we are dealing with. The first time Baby had one we were both rather freaked out.......

 

[Scott]

Interesting turn of events, Sunshine. This seems an easier and far more calibrated treatment than concern for TIAs. Hopefully the course of Enalapril will prove successful.

 

[BoomBoom]

I don't have experience with TIA. I just wanted to drop by and offer you and Rickeybird great encouragement and warm thoughts.

 

[GaleriaGila]

Thank you, friends.

Sunny, you're so right. There's very little perfection in living things. A new normal, indeed.

Scott, I agree. There's hope this may actually be a lot more fixable than TIAs. And the Rb gets almond butter twice a day (with meds mixed in) so he's in Patagonian heaven!

Thanks, BoomBoom. Good wishes mean everything to me.