Requesting advice about transporting injured macaw

[JuneGponer]

I work in a pet store. One of our customers is an elderly woman with a pet macaw. She told me it injured its leg, but "is doing okay." Pressing for details, I found out that the foot is dangling loosely, which sounds like there has been a serious fracture to the leg. I told her she must take it to a vet.

Sounds like she doesn't have anyone who can help her and no mobile vet will take the call. I have some experience with large parrots and would like to try to help because I feel sorry for her and the bird. I was planning to get it into a large dog crate if the cage it is in can't fit into my SUV. I would towel it wearing thick gloves, in a dark room if possible. (I have never met the bird.)

Moving a flighted macaw into a travel cage is tough enough, but what has me really worried is the fact that his foot is "dangling." How can he be safely transferred into a travel cage without risking injury to the already fractured foot?

Do any of you have any suggestions? Should I contact her vet and see what he suggests?

I feel sorry for her and want to help her and the poor bird, but this seems like a big task. Are there any other options you can think of?

Thanks.

 

[BillsBirds]

Yes, contact the vet and see what he suggests. See if he can help the bird, and ask how he suggests you move the bird. Maybe he will suggest a mobile vet that he works with. This could be tricky. You don't want to further injure the bird, or stress it out more. Plus, an injured Macaw can be an aggressive and dangerous bird. If you were more familiar with birds, I'd tell you to towel him and restrict his movements. But, doing that wrong can be disaster for you both. See what the vet says. And keep us posted. Thanks for trying to help this bird.

 

[weco]

I totally agree with Bill on all points.....not knowing where we are talking about or how far you might be from the vet, if there's not a mobile vet in your area, I know my vet would be willing to come out & give the bird a shot for pain, so that it could be moved, though he does things like that after hours or if he doesn't have any patients scheduled.....

Good luck.....

By the way, welcome to the forum.....

 

[JuneGponer]

Thanks for the advice. It's really the only way this can be done. I have handled macaws before, but the fact that its foot is "dangling" is worrisome - on top of the concerns I already have for its size and strength and likely level of aggression - makes me apprehensive about toweling it.

She had told me no mobile vets were willing to come to the house. It appears that she does not have a regular vet. I told her to make an appointment with a nice avian vet I know. When she does, I will call him and see what he suggests can be done, maybe make him understand how bad the situation is.

I feel sorry for this old woman. She's in a tough situation, but I made it clear to her that she must act, that she cannot just let him go on with a fractured leg. I don't really know her well - she is a regular customer who I have lent a sympathetic ear to.

Wish us all luck!

 

[goalerjones]

the longer you wait the more likely the foot is to either never heal properly or to be lost altogether from lack of circulation...