Lathargic Camilla Macaw

[FreedomAndForgiven]

I'm worried, amd scared for our Camilla Macaw Phoenix. The only emergency avian vet in the area is not returning my calls after an hour and a half, amd our normal avian vet doesn't do emergency visits after hours. He started having diarrhea today, and being more lathargic. I had to leave, but when my wife was watching him after I left she said he kept staring up at the cieling. I did buy all our macaws, and cockatoos a nifty foraging toy when I was at the bird store Tuesday it was wire rings with almonds strung around it that jad holes drilled through them. Phoenix went through his pretty quick, and then tried playing with the wire. I removed it from his cage, and after seeing how he is today I'm removing it from all of our birds cages because I'm wonder if he might have got metal poisoning. Any thoughts or anything would be appreciated I'm taking him to our normal vet ad soon as they open if this emergency avian vet doesn't call me back after the second time calling the after hours emergency pager.

 

[FreedomAndForgiven]

Well the emergency avian vet called me 2 hours after the last time I called. He was in the movies. He said from the description he is not feeling good, but it is not life threatening. He said he needs to get into the vet in the morning though. He did seem a bit miffed, and got off the phone rather quickly when I told him that our avian vet had told us to contact him if it was after hours, but I'd still be taking him to our normal avian vet. Our regular vet knows Pheonerdoodle (one of his necknames) very well, and his history. They also know he loves to flirt with ladies, and will be a real charmer to them.

 

[RavensGryf]

I'm glad you were given a call back to rest your fears for the night. He was at the movies lol! Good luck at the vet tomorrow, I wish all the best for Phoenix.

 

[OOwl]

I'd be miffed if my vet or her stand-in for emergencies such as in this case thought a movie was more important than my bird. Geez, what is wrong with vets today? Fewer and fewer of them handle their own practice's emergencies, choosing to send them all to a special, usually over-priced, "emergency clinic," which are often just triage centers where one would be lucky if a true avian vet was on staff at the time of your emergency. I grew up in a world where vets dragged themselves out of beds in the middle of the night to save patients they personally cared about for clients they knew well.

I'm so hoping your bird is going to be okay. I'll be looking for your followup post.

 

[JerseyWendy]

How is Phoenix today???

 

[FreedomAndForgiven]

We are hurrying to get to our vet. His poop is bubbly today, and he is still lathargic. He is normally as loud as can be in the morning talking, amd flock calls especially if you come in the room and don't say high or good morning to him. He just stands there or will move around his cage a little.

 

[JerseyWendy]

Oh man! I'm sorry. Please keep us posted! Warmest wishes, and a super speedy recovery for Phoenix!!

 

[FreedomAndForgiven]

We got a fresh sample of his poop right before we left, and there is partially undigested food in it. He normally gets care sick, and throws up after we drive for about 5 to 10 minutes, but this time he threw up as soon as we got him in the car. He has not been vocal all morning. We're so worried

 

[FreedomAndForgiven]

Well the good news is that he is healthy, and has actually gained weight since his last check up. The vet said it is an infection, and that he'll be okay. He is on an antibiotic we give hi twice a day for now. She said that between having a lowered immune system during breeding season, combined combined with the stress of of getting of getting groomed Tuesday, and me giving him a new kind of dried fruit he hasn't had in a long time he got an infection. She said that the normally only see it in real young birds amd real old birdsand him only being almost almost 4 years years old he is of course a young bird.

 

[FreedomAndForgiven]

The bad news is he had to get a shot, and he was really mad about it.

 

[JerseyWendy]

Whew!!! Breathing a HUGE sigh of relief here! Thank you for the update!! Gentle scritches for Phoenix from me, please.

 

[FreedomAndForgiven]

Yeah it is a big relief. I'm just glad my wife, and I keep a very close eye on our fids.

 

[deque]

So glad all is well. We've all had a few of those nights.

Congrats!

 

[FreedomAndForgiven]

Well got even more good news. We went with the kids to see a movie, and dinner. When we got home we could hear phoenix outside yelling away like he does whenever he hears our truck pull in the driveway. He is playing with toys some, moving around, and his poop is looking normal. He has only had one dose of antibiotics besides the shot they have him. The antibiotics also contain something that will coat his crop while he is getting better so nothing else irritates it, and it won't get more infected. He isn't still as vocal as usual, and he is still quiet made at me for helping g the vet towel him so he could get a shot, but he is acting better which is awesome.

 

[RavensGryf]

Wow great news! I guess they were the right meds for the condition thankfully! Positive vibes for continued improvement .

 

[chris-md]

Was it clostridium?

Glad he's doing much better!

 

[FreedomAndForgiven]

The vet said a bacterial infection most likely in his crop. He is perfectly health, and just the evening before jad really stopped eating. His poop visually was off, but when she tested it there was no irregularities. We know he isn't totally better, but I'm glad he is feeling that much better.