I'd read Pimobendan was used in dogs, and I imagine that, or something similar, is what our little chihuahua will be on in a couple of years (she has mitral valve disease). Water belly definitely seems to be a huge problem when it comes to heart disease in birds. I'm sorry your kiddie didn't do as well as the grey. Given how this is such a huge problem with chickens (the poor broiler chickens are bred to grow so large, so freakishly fast that their hearts give out, their legs shatter under their own weight, and their organs shut down), you'd think we'd know a bit more on treating heart disease.
It's frustrating when I take my birds to the vet. With Morris, at least I know he's doing what he can. He's not "quite" as experienced as "actual" avian vets, as he doesn't constantly work with birds. He works with cats, dogs, ferrets, rats, mice, hamsters, guinea pigs, rabbits, fish, snakes, lizards, birds, etc. He's no Dr. Ross Perry (he's the only avian vet I know about
), but he's like the Swiss Army knife of vets. He's the guy who notices something that a dozen other vets have missed...I might be exaggerating slightly.
Anyways, can you believe it? I don't know a whole lot about avian medicine (although I probably know a bit more than the average parront), so I didn't know what to say when that avian vet I took Charlie to was talking about how he was "old" and "weak" and stuff. Like, I'd had Charlie for at least 9 years, so I had a bit of an idea that he "might" be a senior, given the fact that he was 9! It's like saying a 70 year old human doesn't need medical care because they're "probably dying" because they're "old".
I wanted to say something, but she was the so-called expert. I don't do well in those sorts of situations, but I was confident he wouldn't have a heart attack from being x-rayed. Also, abdomens don't just fill up with fluid for no reason. Yes, the elderly aren't the healthiest and their bodies are breaking down, but all their health problems happen for a reason. If I brought an elderly bird to the vet because their lungs were crackly (that's not why I brought him), I EXPECT the use of a stethoscope, x-rays, and a physical exam, and NOT to just be told that the bird would probably have a heart attack from being examined. Then, I expect them to give me antibiotics (or whatever). The next time someone points out that one of my birds is small or old, I'm going to throw a fit.
Tsk, seriously, nobody has the right to discourage or deny my "small" birds the same care that a "large" parrot would get. It's also annoying, because apparently they "can't" run the same blood tests because my birds are too small. Probably because they waste half the blood. Seriously, when a human has blood taken, they take at least 4 tubes. But when you take a tiny chihuahua to the vet, they only need a fraction of that to run the same tests! From what I've been reading, apparently they CAN do most of the same tests that large birds have. I'm so ticked off...
Heck, do birds even have heart attacks from being handled? If that were true, then at least 80% of birds at wildlife rehabilitation centres would die before they even receive medical treatment! There wouldn't even be any avian rehabilitation centres! Obviously, if a sick/injured wild bird can survive being caught, driven to the vet, examined, and cared for daily for at least a month in a completely alien environment, then there's no reason a budgie can't be poked at. Just don't set off fireworks or carry him around by his wing, and he should be fine.
