Help. Cockatoos voice gone!

[ultralitemin]

My cockatoo Falcor is my EVERYTHING! Literally. So this has me bawling night and day now. He has had a bad foot for 6 years and we never knew why. The vet said there was no breaks or fractures and it could’ve been arthritis. He’s only 17. He gets meloxicam twice a day for the foot or he won’t eat from pain. He’s had open beak breathing for a year and a half. Vet never found a reason but I thought my old neighbor spraying repellent everyday straight for a month outside may have been breathed in a lot. About a month ago I noticed his voice was higher pitched. Everyone said I was paranoid but it got worse each day. Last week I spent everything extra I had ($670) and had his avian vet do a smear and X-ray etc. He said everything looked fine except he did have some thickness to the lining in his lungs or something like that. I left with no answers hoping it would get better. It’s gotten worse and now it is COMPLETELY gone. I will say he did the most screaming he has ever done the last three months before that because I’ve always been home 24:7 with him and he even sleeps with me(I don’t recommend that to people as it can be dangerous but it was something stupid I started 15 years ago and well u know) but I started a new job and I’m gone 12 hours a day now and it sucks. Neighbors said he screams non stop. But for his voice to get worse throughout a month and now completely disappear? Please help and u can even text or call me anytime day or night. Especially if you have had similar experience. I’m desperate for answers. Melissa

 

[Scott]

Welcome Melissa and Falcor, thank you for comprehensive introduction! Quite a number of health issues for a young cockatoo, though repellent spray a suspicious issue given extreme lung sensitivity. Just to verify Falcor's vet is indeed avian certified? Frankly I'd expect detailed analysis given level of testing. At some point you may be better served with a second opinion.

Kudos for self-awareness of sleeping hazard, though I'd be remiss for not encouraging a safer alternative. Many of us have small "sleep cages" adjacent to our beds allowing closeness and prevention of possible tragedy.