Good news or bad?

[birbsRcool]

I called the vet and asked about the price and everything
My dad says he just can't afford that so I told him that we paid for this bird and we aren't taking care of him? He asks if I can pay for it as in, I pay the money and he gives me the price of the bird back, except 106$ get taken out because that's how much the vet costs

I called my aunt and told her about pikachu's condition and even SHE says that it would be best to take pikachu to a vet. I'll talk to my dad about it i would definitely pay for my baby's check up

edit: dad says that its not about the money and he genuinely think he is okay... i don't know how to break it to him, i told him about his symptoms and he says we will see

 

[noodles123]

I called the vet and asked about the price and everything
My dad says he just can't afford that so I told him that we paid for this bird and we aren't taking care of him? He asks if I can pay for it as in, I pay the money and he gives me the price of the bird back, except 106$ get taken out because that's how much the vet costs

I called my aunt and told her about pikachu's condition and even SHE says that it would be best to take pikachu to a vet. I'll talk to my dad about it i would definitely pay for my baby's check up

edit: dad says that its not about the money and he genuinely think he is okay... i don't know how to break it to him, i told him about his symptoms and he says we will see

You could show him your weight chart...Dads can be tough (I have one who is stubborn as can be!)

The thing is, he doesn't KNOW and no one will until a LEGITIMATE avian vet can confirm or deny (given the weights, poops, changes to behavior, appetite, shaking etc). Visual assessment is only half of what can be going on with a bird...Like I have said before, I got mine and she had a secret liver condition that wouldn't have been caught if I hadn't insisted on testing (2 vets--non-avian, but vets that saw parrots, said blood work wasn't needed and I pushed for it-- turns out, she would have died without it-her numbers were very bad and my whole reason for wanting the test was her poop and behavior/appetite). I am not saying that is going on with your bird, but given the weight and changes to behavior that you noticed, it seems like a vet would be a very good idea...Again, it's possible that after testing etc, your dad COULD be right, but he COULD also be wrong. You just will not have any way of knowing without testing-- so everything else is guess-work...a coin toss... you know?

If it's not about the money, have you considered telling him that, while you respect his experience with birds, you would like to get a professional opinion (DO NOT say it the way I just said it--- that will probably make him mad lol---but, in a nicer/less snotty way?) When kids are sick, you take them to the doctor if they keep acting odd...you try some home treatments and if the symptoms continue, you take them in (even if you THINK you know what it is).....As people, we are much better at judging other human symptoms, but we still have doctors for a reason. With birds, who HIDE symptoms, half of the time, we aren't even seeing the full extent of the issue, so even an experienced bird person can't visually evaluate a bird without further testing, as they are not like mammals and they mask their illness for self-protection. Again, the crappy part about this is that if you DO take your bird in, they NEED to do blood etc. A physical exam is not enough. They could end up saying, "well, he's fine" but you have to go on what you have sitting in front of you, which is a bird whose appetite has changed, a bird who has lost over 5% of his body weight in a matter of days and a bird who has appeared fluffed, shaky and shivering...These are signs of illness. They COULD be a coincidence, but I wouldn't gamble if it were my bird.

 

[birbsRcool]

I showed him the chart but I weighed at different times and the fluctuations might be because of that

So by the tests, do you mean they will always ask you to test or sometimes they don't?
And if they don't what test should i ask for?

 

[noodles123]

If your bird has NEVER had a CBC done and you bring him to a true avian vet (and you are clear about his history and what you have seen) I would think they would want to get blood-work..but his weight could impact their decision.

SOMETIMES, if someone downplays the behavior or if a vet doesn't know the bird well enough to say that behavior is strange, you will have to ask your own questions.

That having been said, if you tell them about the weight, diet, behavior, shaking etc and explain that he has never had blood-work, most avian vets would likely suggest bloodwork-- you should also explain that you cannot make a bunch of trips to the vet, because sometimes, they start conservative and then say things like, "if it still is happening in a week, let's get him back". Make sure they understand YOUR situation.

If it is an exotics vet, that is different---but with an avian vet, you still have to mention details because they won't know if you don't tell them.