Ollie is not doing well.

[GivemeSeedsorgivemeFlesh]

Ollie has been falling of his perches a lot. I hoped it was just that he needed a nail trim but today it is evident after the nail trim that it is more serious. Of course it's Saturday night and the vet is closed. I think he has a neck injury or neurological condition. He keeps stargazing and getting stuck on his back. I set him upright and he is okay. I would take him to the vet in a heartbeat if I thought there was something he might be able to do. But they aren't open till Monday. He's in a hospital tub with towels because he's not safe in a cage. He nearly got his wing stuck while thrashing around.

 

[LaManuka]

Ollie has been falling of his perches a lot. I hoped it was just that he needed a nail trim but today it is evident after the nail trim that it is more serious. Of course it's Saturday night and the vet is closed. I think he has a neck injury or neurological condition. He keeps stargazing and getting stuck on his back. I set him upright and he is okay. I would take him to the vet in a heartbeat if I thought there was something he might be able to do. But they aren't open till Monday. He's in a hospital tub with towels because he's not safe in a cage. He nearly got his wing stuck while thrashing around.

Oh poor baby, those symptoms do sound a bit neurological, don't they? And these things have a habit of happening on the weekend too! All my very best wishes and love go out to you both, I hope Ollie will be ok

 

[DonnaBudgie]

I'm so sorry! My Mariah had a problem like this and I kept her safe in a bin for a month and she mostly recovered. I really hope Ollie gets better. I know how much you love him.

 

[GivemeSeedsorgivemeFlesh]

Hopefully it will heal but if it is neurological it may just be palliative care. He is eating, but when he tries to preen he flips over and has to be set upright and calmed down. Poor little guy.

 

[onamom]

It always seems to happen on the weekends doesn’t it? My vet very fortunately has a 24 hr emergency service but it costs a fortune to get an appointment for it, like $400. They also have urgent care during biz hours that’s a lot less.

I’d make an appointment Monday for your little guy and try to keep him comfortable until then. I’m so sorry to hear this

 

[DonnaBudgie]

The fact that he's eating is really good. Mariah continued to eat the while time she stumbled around falling on her back unable to right herself. I would give Ollie as much spray millet as he can eat and an open shallow bowl of water close by. Wet lettuce or other greens will give him moisture. He needs fuel to heal. You should also pick him up and check to make sure his vent area doesn't get caked with poop. Hold him gently in a small cloth like a t-shirt that won't get his toes snagged too much and gently wash his vent with a baby wipe or wet paper towel. Don't be afraid to use a moistened fingertip to feel the vent area and pick off any stuck poops.

 

[DonnaBudgie]

I'm not saying that you shouldn't, but I didn't bring Mariah to the vet. I have an excellent vet but I didn't think they would be able to do anything for her and would just tell me to put her down. I didn't want to do that unless she wasn't eating and seemed to be really suffering. I figured that a bird that's eating can't be suffering that much. A dying bird will definitrly not eat.

My Rocky's mother Lilibet had a more severe neurological event probably a bad stroke. She couldn't do anything but thrash around banging her head against the side of the bin so I brought her to the vet to be euthanized. It broke my heart to have to do that but it was pretty clear that Lilibet was not going to recover and was goings-on to die a bad death if I didn't.

I have hope for Ollie and I don't think it's false hope. As long as he's eating there is hope.

 

[DonnaBudgie]

I would also line his bin with paper towels on top of any soft Terry cloth towels so Ollie's toes don't get snagged in the fabric. Mariah's toes got snagged a few times and it was very stressful on her to unsnag them.

 

[GivemeSeedsorgivemeFlesh]

That's good advice thank you! I do have hesitations about taking him in because if it is neurological what are they going to be able to do? A vet bill is worth it if they can do something. It also could be a very expensive "nothing to be done" bill. He has not lost his affection for millet in the least, and he is still feisty enough to bite me. I know for sure if I took him to the vet ER( we were there in June $$$!!) I would not be able to take him to his regular vet. Two bills would not be doable.

 

[DonnaBudgie]

It would be a very hefty vet bill! I think your home care plan would probably not change if you brought him in because there's so little they can do for neurological problems. Just take care of him the best you can and hope with time and rest he regains some or most of his functioning. After going through such a similar situation with Mariah I would not give up and let anyone convince you to put him down unless he stops eating. If you have any Melocam left over from any previous illness it may help if there's any inflammation of his nerves.
Where do you live? I have a bottle of Melocam and I'll be driving from Maine to New Jersey next week. I somehow think you live in NY. If so I could bring you my bottle.

 

[goalerjones]

Your conscience should be the only guide you use for your decisions. Birds, as we know hide illness very well, and a delay might mean all the difference. If you're okay with them saying "should of come earlier", okay, and I mean that sincerely. However, if you will kick yourself in the future, then find an emergency vet.

 

[DonnaBudgie]

Her conscience is so important. The other important factor is her

 

[DonnaBudgie]

Her financial situation needs to be considered too. Many of us parrot people don't have the resources to spend hundreds of dollars when we have to pay rent, mortgages and utilities while putting food on the table. I know that when I have a sick budgie it breaks my heart. In fact, it breaks my heart when any PF members have a sick bird. I want to rush my sick bird to the vet ASAP. A $400 vet bill for imaging, blood tests, etc only to he told my bird is going to die or I need to pay another $200 for euthanasia is a hard financial hit. So sometimes we do what we can and just pray a lot.