Good thoughts,please

[sonja]

Im sitting here at the vet waiting for some news about my blue and gold macaw, Murphy. I got home from work to find him puffed up and apparently having difficulty breathing. I called the regular vet only to find that they closed early today of all days. I tried the next closest vet and she's not available. So they referred me to the vet I'm at now who I've never been to before. A frantic hour drive through rush hour got me here. Since they are fitting me in without an appointment I have to wait another hour for X-rays. But at least he is here is anything goes wrong. I'm just sitting here nervously looking at the clock.

So any good wishes you can send Murphy's way would be appreciated.

 

[Adinafloyd]

My thoughts, prayers and good wishes are with you and Murphy. Hugs to you and scritches to Murphy

 

[Conuregirl]

please let us know how murphy is doing! i hope he's ok and gets better soon!

 

[JerseyWendy]

Sending good vibes, good wishes & prayers to you. Hope sincerely all will be well.

 

[Mudkips]

Fingers crossed!
Keep us updated!

 

[azdesertrhino]

Sending super good thoughts your way.

Hope all is well.

 

[plax]

My best hopes and thoughts are with you and Murphy... Hang in there, Murph!

Please keep us updated.

 

[sonja]

Murphy and I just returned home with no real diagnosis. They took xrays and sent out blood work, so maybe something will turn up there. In the meantime, they sent home antibiotics and orders to give him whatever he wants to eat because he hadn't been eating his pellets very well the past 2-3 days, although he continued to eat his fruits and veggies.

So, he is happily munching a peanut butter cracker right now, looking none the worse for wear. I, however, aged about 10 years in the past 5 hours. Now, the wait for the test results with fingers crossed that nothing significant shows up.

Interestingly, the vet thought it possible that Murphy is even older than the 40 years that I had been told when he was given up.

Thanks for the well wishes everyone.

 

[plax]

@sonja, I'm so glad to hear he's eating something. It's a very good sign when they'll eat, even if it's not what we'd prefer they eat. Have you been keeping track of Murphy's weight at all? Just curious.

 

[sonja]

No I hadn't been tracking his weight but you can bet I'll be getting a bird sized scale this weekend!

 

[plax]

No I hadn't been tracking his weight but you can bet I'll be getting a bird sized scale this weekend!

Yeah, it's a very good idea to have one around

 

[JJones1719]

Best of luck to you and your bird. Speedy recovery. Joe

 

[wenz2712]

Praying for his speedy recovery

 

[sonja]

I wanted to give everyone a little update on Murphy. He is still hanging in there! I've been a maniac in trying every different food I can think of to keep him eating. He has been eating enough to help me not panic, but not as much as I'd like. He is noticeably better than he was this time last week, but he's still not back to "normal". Today I even found him sitting on top of his favorite climbing toy---he hadn't climbed it all week before today!

One thing I'd appreciate feedback on from everyone: I STILL have not gotten any results back from the blood work and xrays. A week seems an extremely long time to me. I have more experience with getting dog results back and they generally take about 2 days. Does a week sound normal to anyone? If the tests show something that should be treated, a whole week has been lost when things could have really gone down hill. I called the vet yesterday morning and they said some results were in, but not all. They expected the rest yesterday and they would have the vet call in the afternoon. That was yesterday. I haven't heard a word.

 

[JerseyWendy]

Sonja, thanks for the update. Certainly good to hear that he seems to be recovering.

If your vet is open tomorrow, call again, and insist on getting the "partial" results if that's all they have back for now. If not, call Monday.

My Yellow Nape had some tests done a little while back, and it took 2 full weeks for the results. But that wasn't blood work, it was pathology.

As for the x-rays, they should have been able to tell you on the spot what they saw, no?

 

[Wulfgeist]

That does sound odd to have that long go by without hearing anything. I guess it must depend on the vet on what they are able to do in house. It sounds like they had to send out and I would be getting ahold of them if they don't get back to you when they expect to.

I hope Murph is ok and it turns out to be nothing serious.

 

[meeh]

I'm glad to hear that Murphy is still eating and seems a little better. I hope that he continues to get better. It does sound like they sent out Murphy's samples. Not every clinic has the equipment to run in house tests. It depends on where they have to send the tests and when it gets picked up. If the carrier comes before your samples were collected, it'll have to wait till the next day to be sent out. Some tests may take longer to run then others. Partial results may be inconclusive at the moment. As for x-rays...They should be able to tell you what they have seen so far (if something doesn't look right). However, depending on your vets experience with x-rays they may only be able to say if something obvious is wrong. In this case they may send Murphy's x-rays for a radiologist consultation. You should ask for the x-ray report. If they don't have a report, find out if it was sent to a radiologist. Good Luck! Keep us posted! *hugs* and best wishes

 

[sonja]

I did finally get the results after 11 days. I know the samples got sent out the day I took him in because we were taken in at that time so we could beat the courier's pick up. I actually called on day 7 and day 9 and both times I was told that I would get a call back from the vet that day with info, but he didn't call either day. At 9:30pm on day 11, I got an email with results. This is not the vet I would normally go to, and I don't think I will go to them again.

Anyway, the results, after that long wait, and a lot of money----Murphy has raised white blood cells, he was dehydrated, and quite thin. All organ function was fine. Nothing concerning on the xrays.

So, I'm just continuing what I had been doing---he's on antibiotics, which I'm having a heck of a time getting into him, feeding him everything I can think of, even if it isn't the ideal diet for long term. He is still not eating normal amounts of foods, and almost completely ignoring his pellets, but he is eating a Harrison's seed mix, which is mostly sun flower seeds, blue berries, grapes and pineapple pretty well. He's also taken some scrambled egg, cooked chicken, various other fruits and veggies, almonds and peanuts and walnuts, but all to a lesser extent.

I'm trying to keep up the pineapple and grapes for high-moisture, since he was dehydrated.

As far as how he seems to be feeling: I see signs that he feels better. Poking at his favorite toy. Perching on a perch he has to climb up to. But, then last night he seemed a bit lethargic again. So, I'd still say he has a ways to go.

Thanks for everyone's comments and concern.

 

[JerseyWendy]

Sonja, if at all possible, ask the vet to give you prefilled syringes with antibiotics in them already. You will have to administer the syringes subcutaneously, but believe me, it's a piece of cake, and there are no worries whether he's had the right amount or not.

Wishing and hoping for a continuous recovery.

 

[sonja]

I am heartbroken. Last night Murphy passed away. I had been hanging on to every sign that he might make a recovery, but in the evening yesterday it became apparent that the end was near. I am thankful that I was able to hold him for that last hour, quietly sitting on the sofa, with the lights dimmed and soft music on, while he drifted away from me. His breathing got shallower and shallower as the time passed until I had to hold my breath just to see if I could still detect any breath in him. Eventually, I could not.

RIP Murphy. I will miss you.