Plucking after injury

[nailsrglue]

Hello. If you read my thread below about the GCC who had to go to the vet over an injury that lead to complications, Ducki is at home and doing much better. She is on antibiotics, pain killers, and a vitamin supplement, and at night I put calendula ointment on her wound. We still dont know what happened, but she has a big hole in her armpit.

When I discovered the wound, she had already plucked some of the feathers around it. Since coming home two days ago, she has continued plucking. It went from a small bald spot around the wound to a large spot under her wing. At this rate, her whole side will be bare in a week.

I know it has to do with the injury, but I'd love some advice on how to curb her plucking quickly, so it doesnt become a bad habit. She has never feather plucked before and is 7 years old.

I'll try to post a picture below.

 

[nailsrglue]

Here's a photo. While taking this, I realized that she has more dried blood on some feathers, which means she is also picking at her scab. Sigh. I'm going to call the vet to see what I should do :/

 

[Terry57]

I am glad to hear that Ducki is back home with you and that the vet was able to help her. I would call the vet if I were you about the plucking, they may have her wear a collar until the wound heals. Did you ever figure out how she got the injury?

 

[nailsrglue]

Just found fresh blood on her beak. She is definitely not leaving it alone. I've called the vet but they arent in today, so I hope tomorow they will ask me to come in to put a cone on her. She needs it.

 

[nailsrglue]

Oh and no. No idea how she injured herself. She might have somehow done it to herself as a sort of feather plucking turned to self mutilation thing. Shes never plucked before, so that would be surprising. Or, she might have had an ingrown feather that she dug out of herself and took it too far. Or she somehow injured herself inside her cage.

All I do know is after she broke the skin, she made it worse and worse until she made herself sick.