Lost our Chiquita last Friday

[Nakiska]

Hi all,

It's been quite some time since I've been able to frequent the forums. Life has a way of taking over I guess.

Anyway, I don't know if any of you remember me, but I wanted to share that we lost our beloved Lutino Cockatiel, Chiquita Friday June 12th after a terrible battle with some sort of awful infection.

May 18th, I came home from work and found her eye all swollen shut and as soon as I could the next day, I took her to our vet. He looked at her, weighed her (72 grams) He put her on an antibiotic and a pain med and it seemed to do very well. She got almost back to "normal" looking and then took a terrible turn for the worst.

On June 5th I woke up in the morning and found her with a bunch of crusted up drainage all over her cere and forehead and her eye was absolutely TERRIBLE, again I rushed her to her vet and he took cultures of the drainage, weighed her (down to 60 grams) prescribed her an eye drop and a different antibiotic, and cleaned up all the drainage. We went home, each day I had to clean off all the icky drainage and her eye just didn't seem to get any better.

Anyway, we did all we could for her and she fought her best fight, but it was just too much and Friday afternoon June 12th, I found her at peace.

Here's a couple pictures of her infection and a "selfie" with her I took on the 20th of May.

Sure do miss her.

We don't know what caused this infection, there were no injuries, none of our other birds got it...we just don't know.

Toni

 

[Flboy]

I am so sorry, I am sure you will miss her! Poor dear, looked so painful!

 

[Mariar]

Just read your post..it made me cry a bit...so sorry to hear of your loss.sending you love and feathered hugs..

 

[SilverLining]

I am sorry for your loss. She is in a better place now..

I am curious what kind of infection that could be and how she contracted it. I would be very concerned about it getting another one of my birds.

 

[Allee]

I'm so sorry you had to say goodby to your beautiful little love. I wish the vet could have done more for her. Deepest condolences to you and your family.

Fly free Chiquita, you will be forever missed.

 

[Terry57]

I am so terribly sorry for your loss What a beautiful girl she was.
My heart goes out to you.

 

[RavensGryf]

Hi Toni, I do remember you. I am so terribly sorry to hear about Chiquita, and that your return to the forum was under these sad circumstances. It is heartbreaking, but she is flying pain free now...

 

[Blancaej]

I am so so sorry for your loss. She was beautiful.

 

[SoCalWendy]

what a beautiful cockatiel. so sorry for your loss. Did the vet say what kind of infection it could have been? I am glad that you are back, how you will stay.

 

[Scott]

I'm so sorry, Toni. Chiquita was a beautiful bird with an exquisite face.

 

[smartiecoco]

sorry for your loss, she was beautiful!

I don't know if human medicine can translate to parrots but by the look of it she had a pretty severe case of cellulitis and may have involved the orbit and the sinus/possible abscess and thus why it's draining. Cause wise? maybe a piece of food/wood chip got into her eyes and started it maybe it's something else.... and sometimes even in humans we don't even know

For us humans, drainage, infection source control and IV instead of oral antibiotics would have been necessary. I guess for little ones like her that is just not possible.

I'm sure she knows that you love her very much and is now free of suffering over the rainbow bridge.