Sudden breathing difficulties and rush to vets

[The Green Demon]

Hello everyone,

Today I had to take my Salvador to an emergency vet's appointment. She was fine first thing this morning, and we had the same routine as usual. I had to pop her into her cage so that I could get some work done, and after a couple of hours popped back to her to give her some attention. I noticed she was fluffed up and seemed to be struggling to breathe. So I brought her out, and even though she was showing affection and wanting to be with me, I could see that her breathing was laboured with intermittent episodes of beak breathing.

She is now at the vets getting oxygen and nebulisation, but still struggling. The vet is unsure what has happened, as am I, as we ran through all and any possibilities. I don't use fragrances, candles or diffusers. She is nowhere near the kitchen, and I don't use Teflon products. There have been no changes to her environment or her food that I can think of. Drawing an absolute blank.

For her to become so ill so quickly has really shocked me. They are talking about possible x-rays and blood tests tomorrow if there is not improvement and I am terrified. I lost a dog under anesthesia and she is so small. My heart is breaking right now and my lounge is so quiet. I haven't spent a night at home in five years without her and I am so frightened I will lose her.

Has anyone else had this experience? And please, if you have and it went badly, please don't tell me right now. I couldn't bear it. I am here writing this right now because I don't know what else to do with myself and finding it difficult looking at her empty cage.

I know people here will understand how difficult this is. Anyway, I am going to steam clean her cage, and hunt around the house for any clues. Fingers crossed its good news tomorrow.

 

[wrench13]

Hoping for the best for Salvatore. While an emergency vet may have been all that was available at the time, any parrot medical issue is best looked at by a Certified Avian Vet since they get specialized training on bird related illness and issues.

 

[DonnaBudgie]

I'm so sorry your baby's sick! I've had a lot of birdsvput under anesthesia for imaging with no problems.

 

[The Green Demon]

Thank you for you're support.

So she was seen by an avian vet. He was very thorough and cautious with his approach. He also explained everything very carefully so I was aware of the risks and the costs. Luckily, there are two at the veterinary surgery we are registered with. Both have been in touch with me today.

She initially responded well to the oxygen and nebuliser, but the vet said she still had a tail bob, so wanted to keep her under observation. Over the course of the day, she started to deteriorate, so they decided it was time to x-ray her to see what was going on. It seems she was egg-bound despite laying only a month ago. I was surprised and hadn't noticed a bump, but the vet thinks the egg may have been stuck for a while. Over time, she became weaker and unable to pass the egg.

So they are now trying to induce her with calcium and something else (I can't remember entirely). She is on fluids and is being closely monitored. If she passes the egg tonight on her own, I get to bring her home. If she hasn't passed the egg this evening, then they will collapse it so that she can pass the broken parts more easily.

I feel very confident in both vets. They were very honest about outcomes, and I feel Salvador is in the best place she could be right now, even though I am missing her terribly. I have had regular updates on her progress too which has been reassuring.

So fingers crossed, she pulls through this last hurdle and I can bring her home soon.

 

[DonnaBudgie]

Oh My! Poor baby! Thank God for the imaging! There isnt alwsys a bump. The other thing they gave her was probably a pitocin like drug that stimulates contractions to help her expell the egg. Hoping for her full recovery!

 

[The Green Demon]

Oh My! Poor baby! Thank God for the imaging! There isnt alwsys a bump. The other thing they gave her was probably a pitocin like drug that stimulates contractions to help her expell the egg. Hoping for her full recovery!

That sounds about right! Thank you for your kind words.

 

[LaManuka]

Oh I;m so sorry to hear about Salvador's condition, @The Green Demon! Praying that egg passes, and sending all possible hopes and good vibes to both of you, thank goodness she has such a loving, observant and attentive parront in you!!

 

[rheashard2]

As above. Wishing egg passes.

 

[linnielove]

All fingers are crossed that she can lay her egg soon.

 

[Macawdamia Nut]

Oh, my! What a scare! Wishing Salvador a speedy egg passing and recovery. My macaw is male, so I have not had to face the drama of egg binding or a prolapsed cloaca.

It seems so common that hens kept as pets have egg issues. I wonder if these issues are just as prevalent in the wild.

 

[Vampiric_Conure]

Yeeeeeek! Let's hope she is okay and soon! **Many Huge Hugs and bird seed for your fid**

 

[The Green Demon]

Thank you for all your kind words and warm wishes for Salvador!

Thankfully, she passed the egg! It was a couple of mm larger in diameter than her other eggs and quite calcified. The vet seems to think it may have been there since her last clutch was laid. So frightening!

But she is home!! I cannot express how wonderful it is to have her home and to hear her happy little chirps. I missed her terribly!

Next Thursday, I have an appointment to insert an implant that will hopefully prevent any more egg laying, at least for the time being. Has anyone else ever heard of or done this for their own bird?

 

[The Green Demon]

Oh, my! What a scare! Wishing Salvador a speedy egg passing and recovery. My macaw is male, so I have not had to face the drama of egg binding or a prolapsed cloaca.

It seems so common that hens kept as pets have egg issues. I wonder if these issues are just as prevalent in the wild.

I wonder this myself. I did think Salvador was male; we didn't have any eggs for the first three years. You can imagine my surprise when we had one appear at the bottom of her cage! This was only her second clutch, and she is coming up to five years old. Her hatch day is in November, so not too many egg laying sessions, thankfully!

This last one, however, was a very expensive one! With that said, though, I would have paid whatever it took to help her. My advice would be to anyone else who has female birds, try to ensure you are doing everything you can to make sure they have what they need to be strong, know your bird and signs of distress, and have a good vet nearby!

 

[DonnaBudgie]

I'm so happy for you and Salvador (Sally?)! Thank God for avian vets, imaging, and parronts who aren't afraid to trust their instincts when their fids appear sick. That egg would have killed her!

I want my budgie Joey to get the implant. If I don't do it she's at very high risk of egg binding and I can't bear to watch another one of my birds suffer and die like that- once was enough for me!

Please ask her vet what those injections were that helped her pass that egg.

 

[Geslina]

Thank you for you're support.

So she was seen by an avian vet. He was very thorough and cautious with his approach. He also explained everything very carefully so I was aware of the risks and the costs. Luckily, there are two at the veterinary surgery we are registered with. Both have been in touch with me today.

She initially responded well to the oxygen and nebuliser, but the vet said she still had a tail bob, so wanted to keep her under observation. Over the course of the day, she started to deteriorate, so they decided it was time to x-ray her to see what was going on. It seems she was egg-bound despite laying only a month ago. I was surprised and hadn't noticed a bump, but the vet thinks the egg may have been stuck for a while. Over time, she became weaker and unable to pass the egg.

So they are now trying to induce her with calcium and something else (I can't remember entirely). She is on fluids and is being closely monitored. If she passes the egg tonight on her own, I get to bring her home. If she hasn't passed the egg this evening, then they will collapse it so that she can pass the broken parts more easily.

I feel very confident in both vets. They were very honest about outcomes, and I feel Salvador is in the best place she could be right now, even though I am missing her terribly. I have had regular updates on her progress too which has been reassuring.

So fingers crossed, she pulls through this last hurdle and I can bring her home soon.

So happy they were able to figure out what was wrong and that you got her to vet quickly. Going through a health crisis with my parrot right now, I know exactly how you felt. Scared to death. Ready to sell your soul just for her to be ok. I was really worried when I read your first post. I took a cockatiel from someone who smoked around her. Her breathing problems started very suddenly, and things did not end well.

Was going to tell you not to stress about X-rays, my bird has had 3 in the last four weeks and he did fine. I don’t think they even use full sedation for X-rays.

 

[DonnaBudgie]

For imaging they only use enough sedation to put him to sleep, not unconscious, deep sedation needed for surgery and the light sedation reverses quickly. Vets can learn so much from xrays that would be mostly speculation without. I wouldn't have thought Salvador was egg bound because my egg bound budgie went lame from the egg pressing on the nerves and vessels in the pelvis several hours before she died. Perhaps Salvador's egg was positioned farther up the reproductive tract. If Salvador had died they would have never really known why unless they xrayed her body. I'm beginning to wonder how often female birds mysteriously die from egg binding or how many birds presumed to be males meet the same fate.

 

[LaManuka]

Thank you for all your kind words and warm wishes for Salvador!

Thankfully, she passed the egg! It was a couple of mm larger in diameter than her other eggs and quite calcified. The vet seems to think it may have been there since her last clutch was laid. So frightening!

But she is home!! I cannot express how wonderful it is to have her home and to hear her happy little chirps. I missed her terribly!

Next Thursday, I have an appointment to insert an implant that will hopefully prevent any more egg laying, at least for the time being. Has anyone else ever heard of or done this for their own bird?

Oh that's awesome news that she's safely home, I'm so happy for both of you!!

 

[linnielove]

Yay, she laid the egg, congrats!

 

[The Green Demon]

I'm so happy for you and Salvador (Sally?)! Thank God for avian vets, imaging, and parronts who aren't afraid to trust their instincts when their fids appear sick. That egg would have killed her!

I want my budgie Joey to get the implant. If I don't do it she's at very high risk of egg binding and I can't bear to watch another one of my birds suffer and die like that- once was enough for me!

Please ask her vet what those injections were that helped her pass that egg.

I will ask when I take her for the implant. I was surprised that it was due to egg binding. She laid four eggs, a good sized clutch and seemed as though the has finished. If it wasn't for the X-ray, I am sure I would have lost her. Even the vet was looking more and respiratory than egg binding initially.

 

[The Green Demon]

For imaging they only use enough sedation to put him to sleep, not unconscious, deep sedation needed for surgery and the light sedation reverses quickly. Vets can learn so much from xrays that would be mostly speculation without. I wouldn't have thought Salvador was egg bound because my egg bound budgie went lame from the egg pressing on the nerves and vessels in the pelvis several hours before she died. Perhaps Salvador's egg was positioned farther up the reproductive tract. If Salvador had died they would have never really known why unless they xrayed her body. I'm beginning to wonder how often female birds mysteriously die from egg binding or how many birds presumed to be males meet the same fate.

I was in awe of the work they put into getting Salvador well. Incredible the things they can do with something so tiny. The vet also mentioned that it is light sedation, just enough to keep them still long enough to get the image. I had no idea it was egg binding. Like I mentioned in another post, she presented with respiratory problems, and that was the initial focus of the vets until she stopped responding to the oxygen and nebulisation. I have no doubt it is a regular occurrence for female birds, sadly. Not only does it not always present itself in an obvious way, but I don't know a lot of people who would be willing to take a small animal like a bird to a vet due to costs. It makes me incredibly sad.

A 'friend', when I mentioned I didn't have her insured said 'Why on earth would you insure a bird, it isn't' a dog or a cat. When I was growing up, you just went to the cage one day and they were laid on the bottom of the cage, feet up!'. An insensitive comment, but also very typical unfortunately.