Anyone had experience with a parrot post stroke?

[CyrusLUVSGemma]

My African Grey escaped and was attacked badly. By nothing short of a miracle I got her back, but very different, she cant walk straight her claw is curling up... but she wants to move but stil mostly crawling, but manages to climb a lil bit, I took her to the vet today, and she told me she must of had an enlarged heart from before ( seen on xray) and that the attack brought on the stroke . So here goes..

For anyone thats been through something similar. can this improve? the doctor told me the drugs will help a lot over time, and even though I need it I dont want wrong hopes. If you been through this please share, if you have helpful info. I will probably take her for another opinion but I think this site might be helpful too.

Thank you for reading.

 

[Scott]

Welcome to you and your grey, so glad she returned home. Never hurts to get a second opinion if you have any doubts. Please ensure it is with certified avian vet or equivalent. Many causes of an enlarged heart, some can be verified by observing other organs such as the liver. If indeed a stroke, unsure what medicinal therapies are available.

Respect for seeking opinions, hopefully other members have stories to share.

 

[Laurasea]

Hello,
I'm so sorry to hear if all of this happening to your African grey! I'm so glad you git her back.

Can you describe what attacked her? Because to me what you describes is neurological damage and nerve damage from crushing injuries. Is she on antibiotics if this was an animal attack she needs antibiotics right away. As animals carry bacteria that causes life threatening illness in parrots.

Some of this can improve as swelling goes down. You need to keep the bird calm abd quiet in a small cafe so nit moving around to much. With easy access to good and water. Be careful with ways as she can drown in it. Offer high calories foods, it takes twice rge normal calories to heal. You may need to get baby bird formula and feed, very carefully so she doesn’t the aspirate. Adult's can not take very much at a time, not like babies at all. You just want to use a spoon or drip a little in the front of the beak at a time. Do not tube, or try and put in crop, as crop will rip or aspiration. Adult's aren't like babies. I hope she can snd will eat enough on her own, that she doesn’t need support feeding. But with 2 of my sick birds I've had to do this. It takes a lot if calories more than double what tgey normally eat to heal. First feeding a little running ( careful about choking), because they often aren't drinking enough, then by 3rd you thinking up to yogurt like thickness.

Support by warmth us also very important. Keeping their environment 80-85 f helps thrm burn less calories. And promotes healing.

How long ago fid this happen? I've seen creatures that have recovered a lot with time and support.

Special nutritional requirements for debilitated birds

Extra nutritional support for debilitated and diseased birds is vital and plays an essential role in ensuring recovery of the avian patient after disease or debility. Enteral nutrition is currently the most usual method of supporting the debilitated patient, with parenteral (intravenous) nutrition still being in its infancy in avian therapeutics.

First, fluid requirements should be assessed, as any animal will succumb to dehydration long before starvation. The reader is referred to chapter 14 for a more detailed discussion of this topic.

Second, energy requirements should be estimated. These can be calculated roughly from the MER by multiplication as follows:

Starvation = 0.5 × MER

Trauma = 1.5 × MER

Sepsis = 2.5 × MER

Burns = 3–4 × MER

From these crude estimations, a rough idea of the levels of nutrition demanded and the energy concentration of the diet can be derived.

Third, protein requirements should be evaluated, as debilitation will increase amino acid and protein turnover. This may be through the increased use of proteins in the immune system response, or for repair of damaged tissue or simply after using tissue proteins as an energy source."
https://veteriankey.com/avian-nutrition

 

[CyrusLUVSGemma]

It was a Hawk, we get her antibiotic asap sat night thru monday, used neosporin on the wounds too, yesterday ( monday) the vet saw her and gave better antibiotic, and started heart meds.

Im feeding her apple baby food, she eats that willingly and drinks water.

we forced her to eat a little formula at 1st but I cant see her starving as shes never hungry and wasn't gone overnight .

Trauma is a given, the hawk dropped her from the tree and i can tell they fought since shes even alive. Its a miracle I got her back , Im just trying everything I can while keeping her safe and comfortable.

Should I add particular protein powder to the apple?


Thank you very much

 

[Laurasea]

just wow. Poor girl!!! I'm so glad you got her back and can try and see her through this.

Your nursing care, keeping her warm , keeping wounds clean, keeping her eating nutritional foods
emotional support if her is going to matter.

Apple food just isn't enough. Will she take the formula like she takes the Apple food? If nit can you mix it together? How about other warm foods like boiled egg or scrambled egg, warm mashed sweet potatoes. Cooked legume, lentils, quinoa,
You need to weigh her every day during this. It takes a lot of calories to recover.
Warmth is critical , yiu want to keep her st 80 f

I like cleaning wounds with dilute betadine, I use a q tip . Yiu can leave the betadine on and apply your ointment over. If needed cleaning with peroxide on q tip, then betadine. Helped my cat fang to the face of budgie recover. I have something somewhere on would care if you want or need

 

[SailBoat]

Fully agree with my good friend above!!!

Clearly your Grey was hit by a young Hawk as she survived the impact and was still fighting. Likely your girl bit the Hawk, which resulted in the release. An Adult Hawk would have killed your Parrot upon impact commonly resulting in extensive trauma to the organs with death driven by failure of those organs, most commonly the cardiovascular system. Damage to legs and wings could be the result of the fall.

As stated, trauma places heavy drains of the immune system and the energy stores of the body. Diet is clearly important to support your Parrot's recovery.

So, what's next: Complete a web search for: Handicap Birds, Handicap Parrots. You will find extensive information regarding individuals caring for their Parrots with limitations.

Enlarged Heart is becoming far more common in Companion Parrots and if your Parrot has an enlarged heart it was a condition prior to this event.

Stroke driven by the attack: Very possible, especially when one factors in the existing enlarged heart.

How much your Parrot recovers from this attack will depend heavily on your efforts to help her recover. That said, she will recover what she is able to...

You have a Grey that survived an attack by a Hawk! The fact that she survived the attack speaks volumes for her strength and will to live! Love every breath she takes!

 

[CyrusLUVSGemma]

this is what im working with right now

 

[CyrusLUVSGemma]

i'm unsure if i can use this since its chocolate but it is organic, and Im wondering if i can give her normal peanut butter as well, please advise.

I mixed all meds into her apple juice and gave it to her today ,since shes willingly eating that.


thanks all !

 

[Laurasea]

Do not give her that protein stuff no.
Scrambled eggs, boiled eggs, oatmeal, cooked pasta and cook ad add some veggies chopped up , cooked quinoa, cooked lentils , cooked legume from dry not canned, fresh cooked rice... a beak full of peanut butter is ok.
Is she not willing or able to her normal foods?
If she has pellets you can grind up and add a little apple juice and warm slightly see if she will take. Some boiled chicken..

If she isn't eating it can certainly be from pain, soft warm foods help a lot with that.
Mine lived warmed up peas...
Since recovery is going to take a while I'd get some baby bird formula to have on hand.
Millet is higher in calories, if she willing eat that along with other stuff.

 

[SailBoat]

i'm unsure if i can use this since its chocolate but it is organic, and Im wondering if i can give her normal peanut butter as well, please advise.

I mixed all meds into her apple juice and gave it to her today ,since shes willingly eating that.

thanks all !

Just because it says organic does not mean that it is and just because it says it's organic, does not mean that chocolate becomes healthy.

 

[CyrusLUVSGemma]

She not eating whole foods yet, i'm trying to go with something i can mix in easily with the apple sauce she is accepting. I did give her a mix of the sauce and that protein and she eat it, but I will stop. the peanut butter I have says its got salt so I think ill get non salt and try, also the other suggestions i can work with.

Thank you for helping so much with my emergency

 

[Laurasea]

they sell emeraid for sick burds and baby burd formula are really the best way to go. My quakers love the stuff....

Cooked mashed sweet potatoes yiu xsn add cinnamon, a sprinkle of sugar...

She won't take eggs?

 

[CyrusLUVSGemma]

I plan on trying everything one by one im getting pellets, will try mashed potatoes later and eggs,i called and ordered the emerald for some reason they need a script however the person I called there said he would contact the vet for me and send ASAP. im shocked a pet food needs a script however It seems good stuff.

 

[Laurasea]

read this has tips and info . Hopefully vet will guide you as well.
https://emeraid.com/vet/emeraid-intensive-care-basic-use-guide/

 

[CyrusLUVSGemma]

its already shipped, emeraid intensive care omnivore, to be exact. You say you have used this product before? and or know folks that trust this stuff? they have great customer service on the phone.

Thank you again for the information

 

[Laurasea]

i used exact baby bird formula. Fir my 100 gram quaker I started out at 3ml a feeding, worked up to 5-7ml at a time with daily total of 20ml. I fed every 2 hours or so. I weighed her before each feeding and after each feeding. The weight of my formula when made up was a gram a ml. So she would weigh 3-7 grams more after feeding. By next feeding should would have dropped a couple if grams before the next feeding. Your first weight each morning is your true weight.

Weight to check % lost
Amount lost ÷ normal weight × 100 = % lost
More than 3% is a concern more than 5% you would see the vet. But you have seen the vet sbd weight loss will be because nit getting enough calories. Or a sign an infection has developed.

 

[CyrusLUVSGemma]

The only thing she is eating readily is the peanut butter and apple, blueberry sauce, and water. I haven't allowed her peanuts in years so maybe Peanut butter is not that harmful since this is an emergency? its protein that's for sure (some low sea salt). I got some egg in her too this AM. trying potatoes later on, she's too hyper to weigh.

 

[Scott]

Peanut butter not without risk but I've never had an issue with sick bird consumption. Best type is pure peanut butter, no added fat, sugar, or sodium. Often marketed as "natural," but reading the label will clarify.

 

[Laurasea]

I think you are focused to much on the protein. They only need a small bump in protein. Mostly the need extra calories. Less sugary food.
Have you tried cooked warm oatmeal? Most birds like that.
Noodles always recommend human baby food, but you have to be careful it isn't fortified .
Sweet potatoes have vitamin A so rgey are good. Cooked fresh pumpkin that you mash or puree. A little cooked pasta, even better if you add some veggies.
How is she doing today? Is she a little stronger? Wounds healing well?
We are rooting for you

 

[wrench13]

Never heard of Emerald. Exact Baby Bird formula is what I would use, very available.
Good Lord, this one escaped a hawk! She's a fighter for sure!