OMG! How could THAT happen?!? Still in shock!

[ruffledfeathers]

I'm so sorry...this must be so stressful. I had a situation with one of my budgies who had a tumor causing lameness. She began to chew off her own toe. It was gruesome when I came home and saw blood all over, and also on her best friend. (I blamed the friend, but the vet suspected she had done it to herself.) I moved her to a small 'hospital cage' with a fluffly hut to rest in, but she did chew it more. Once I realized it wasn't the healthy bird chewing the sick one, I put them back together for comfort.
But it was very difficult to keep her from chewing. In my case, she was dying anyhow. But my vet gave her some injection, I believe cortisone, as pain management, to keep her from chewing it as much. We just tried to manage her pain/symptoms so she could die more peacefully.

 

[JellyBean]

Any update on little Parry??

 

[veimar]

Thank you for asking… Well, Dr. McDonald called me back and gave about 10 min of priceless instructions (completely free). He is out in TN until September 30 unfortunately. He told me to put a bandage on his foot and instructed how to do that. I didn't find any tape in the pet stores so I just used the Johnson and Johnson ½'' first aid tape which worked great. I also bought a package of gauzes that stop blood (for humans) and Neosporin for kids. And I got "zelenka" from a Russian store (it's a great harmless green antiseptic for wounds which can be used even on newborns). I kept Parry in a box without a bandage while I wasn't around and let him out with the bandage for a few hours. I also put mustard on the bandage in order for him not to chew on it so bad. Parry wasn't bleeding for 3 days, and I began relaxing. Yesterday he somehow managed to get out of the box while I wasn't home, but he didn't bleed and was not picking on his wound. It looked to much much better and not irritated. I was happy!
It all worked great until this morning… I did a mistake of putting him into his own cage for this night because he absolutely hated being in the box. I woke up to see blood all over his cage again!!!!! I just don't know what to do!! I was so mad! I put a bandage and a collar on him today, but he still manages to chew on both. The bandage is still there, but I'll have to change it soon. I had to cut the collar a bit so he would be able to eat, but he can reach some of his foot this way too.
I'm running out of ideas now… I need to work and although I work at home I cannot be distracted every few minutes.
Here are some picks from flickr that I made yesterday and today:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/81155678@N02/15136626548/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/81155678@N02/15136604728/in/photostream/ this is how I have to give him his medication
https://www.flickr.com/photos/81155678@N02/15136616078/in/photostream/

WHY, WHY on Earth is he picking on that wound?!?! It was already fine and not bothering him, but he screwed everything up again. A bird must have a natural instinct to let the wound heal instead of making it bleed all the time. I'm clueless.. I don't know what to do.

 

[DallyTsuka]

It may seem drastic, but you may need to consider full amputation of that toe. He wouldn't have a stump to pick at. It'd likely heal faster.

 

[veimar]

It may seem drastic, but you may need to consider full amputation of that toe. He wouldn't have a stump to pick at. It'd likely heal faster.

We are seeing the vet on Wed, and I'll ask about that. But this vet seems to not know anything! I try to make an appointment with Dr. McDonald when he is back and let him decide.

 

[Kiwibird]

I know it's a little different, but when Lucy broke her foot she had it in a cast for over 8 weeks. As soon as the anesthetic wore off after the vet set it, the collar had to go (you could see in her eyes the stress of that thing was going to kill her). To discourage chewing the cast, we sprayed it with bitter apple and removed all perches from her regular cage so she could be where she was most comfortable. She got lots of wood and cardboard to chew up to deter her from the cast as well. Probably the BIGGEST thing was her "mate" sticking with her in the cage. He rarely left her side the whole time. And she did need a lot of watching over. It was a major pain, but her foot did heal.

I would look into the bitter apple spray, and perhaps put it on a top layer of extra bandages so it doesn't touch the wound and sting. I hope Perry starts getting better! Lucy and Alfie both have a missing talon each, and neither chewed their toes after the talon was gone. It's actually not an uncommon injury, but I've never heard of a bird continuing to bother the wound. I wonder what is bothering poor Perry so much Hopefully his regular vet can help!

 

[MikeyTN]

Yes Dr Scott McDonald is down here for the bird fair. Try corn starch for bleeding, use flour if no corn starch. Just put it in a small dish and dip the toe into it. It will stop the bleeding but you need to hold it in the dish for about a min. Birds can be kinda crazy when they have a damaged body part they will keep on picking at it.... I had to remove a nail along with part of the toe on a parakeet this past Friday as the toe died off already. My neighbor rescued this parakeet in a horrendous condition and this is part of the outcome. Be sure to keep them in a cage unless they can be supervised. It's not wise to let them roam freely alone.

 

[veimar]

Yes Dr Scott McDonald is down here for the bird fair. Try corn starch for bleeding, use flour if no corn starch. Just put it in a small dish and dip the toe into it. It will stop the bleeding but you need to hold it in the dish for about a min. Birds can be kinda crazy when they have a damaged body part they will keep on picking at it.... I had to remove a nail along with part of the toe on a parakeet this past Friday as the toe died off already. My neighbor rescued this parakeet in a horrendous condition and this is part of the outcome. Be sure to keep them in a cage unless they can be supervised. It's not wise to let them roam freely alone.

Please sai HI to Dr. McDonald if you see him! The advice he gave me was priceless. I left a message for him asking for appointment, but haven't heard back yet. Nothing helped me with bleeding when it was really bad (today was not that bad) and I bought a very expensive "blood stop" gauzes for humans which worked perfectly - today it took about 2 min to stop the blood.
I cannot keep Parry even in his cage - that's where he injured his toe again. I got a large cardboard box and have to keep him there with his little budgie friend. He chews on the box a lot. The collar didn't work for me too - he was totally miserable in it and refused to eat or drink (although he could). But I have to let him out because he is a very active bird and he just goes nuts if he cannot fly around at least a little bit. I try to let him out in the evening so I can catch him after dark because he doesn't trust me and won't step up. Poor thing - this whole ordeal is such a mental trauma for him (and for me too!). Please keep us in your prayers.
Oh my - as I was typing this he managed to escape the box again and flew right to his play stand. It's okay, but I have to get another box. At least he is not bleeding right now.

 

[weco]

A bird must have a natural instinct to let the wound heal instead of making it bleed all the time. I'm clueless.. I don't know what to do.

He's trying to get rid of the irritation, whether it be a nerve twitch or some type of pain and where the blood has dried and a scab has formed, they often will worry with that, because as a scab dries further, the continued drying pulls the skin slightly and that bothers a bird.....I have some pics of a little brown headed parrot that apparently had an irritation to one of its feet, started chewing & by the time he was found & gotten to a vet, he'd chewed off both feet.....the vets were able to save him, sans feet, but they decided that he was having an endorphin rush (cheap high) and just continued to the second foot after finishing with the first.....

I had a GCC that's toe got bit by another bird, it went necrotic, my vet amputated the toe, pulled some skin over the stump, put a stitch in it & when I got him home, he was out flying & climbing like nothing happened.....I had an antibiotic to give him, but after the third day he refused to take anymore and I didn't have a feeding tube...I called my vet & he said to take the bandage off & look at the wound, did that, looked OK & healing, so was told to leave the bandage off & use Neosporin cream, did that for two more days, the toe scab dropped off & Little Bit never messed with the toe.....

 

[veimar]

I had a GCC that's toe got bit by another bird, it went necrotic, my vet amputated the toe, pulled some skin over the stump, put a stitch in it & when I got him home, he was out flying & climbing like nothing happened.....I had an antibiotic to give him, but after the third day he refused to take anymore and I didn't have a feeding tube...I called my vet & he said to take the bandage off & look at the wound, did that, looked OK & healing, so was told to leave the bandage off & use Neosporin cream, did that for two more days, the toe scab dropped off & Little Bit never messed with the toe.....

He was flying around with a BANDAGE??
Parry gets rid of any bandage I try to apply and he is getting better and better at that. The ONLY place he doesn't pick on his wound is the dark cardboard box where I have to keep him most of the time. But I cannot keep him there the whole day - he just goes nuts!
The fact that he is fully flighted makes the things worse - now when he doesn't trust me I just cannot catch him if he flies off! He is extremely uncooperative through this whole process - I have to wrap him to a towel to give him his medicine, he refuses to eat or drink when his collar is on, he stopped stepping up whatsoever… He just shows with his whole attitude how offended he is at me! I know it's bad, but I get so frustrated and mad at him, and he senses that of course. I really, really don't want to clip his wings (he just had his first molt), but maybe it's necessary now if his life is at stake?
I'm a total nerve wreck myself - I cannot stop crying and I cannot work on my paintings and icons due on the art fair this weekend (thanks God I made some previously). I have a storm of thoughts in my head.. I even had a shot of Cognac this night to calm myself down although I almost never drink…
I hate the situations when I don't know what to do or how to help someone who suffers!

 

[MikeyTN]

Yes Dr Scott McDonald is down here for the bird fair. Try corn starch for bleeding, use flour if no corn starch. Just put it in a small dish and dip the toe into it. It will stop the bleeding but you need to hold it in the dish for about a min. Birds can be kinda crazy when they have a damaged body part they will keep on picking at it.... I had to remove a nail along with part of the toe on a parakeet this past Friday as the toe died off already. My neighbor rescued this parakeet in a horrendous condition and this is part of the outcome. Be sure to keep them in a cage unless they can be supervised. It's not wise to let them roam freely alone.

Please sai HI to Dr. McDonald if you see him! The advice he gave me was priceless. I left a message for him asking for appointment, but haven't heard back yet. Nothing helped me with bleeding when it was really bad (today was not that bad) and I bought a very expensive "blood stop" gauzes for humans which worked perfectly - today it took about 2 min to stop the blood.
I cannot keep Parry even in his cage - that's where he injured his toe again. I got a large cardboard box and have to keep him there with his little budgie friend. He chews on the box a lot. The collar didn't work for me too - he was totally miserable in it and refused to eat or drink (although he could). But I have to let him out because he is a very active bird and he just goes nuts if he cannot fly around at least a little bit. I try to let him out in the evening so I can catch him after dark because he doesn't trust me and won't step up. Poor thing - this whole ordeal is such a mental trauma for him (and for me too!). Please keep us in your prayers.
Oh my - as I was typing this he managed to escape the box again and flew right to his play stand. It's okay, but I have to get another box. At least he is not bleeding right now.

Unfortunately I wasn't able to attend to the bird fair this time around. IF I had gone there this time, I wouldn't be so nice to the people with the parakeets.....We both had to work extra lately.....

With the collar part, you can remove it when drinking or eating, but put it back on when he's done. My ex was an EMT so I had all the stuffs to wrap toes with when I had to bandage a budgie's leg after a foot amputation. I had to change the dressing on a daily basis and I used neosporin on it as well. She healed just fine and never bothered with it. I think I taped it and I dap some super glue on both end of the tape so she couldn't rip it.....It's been long ago.....

 

[veimar]

Sorry for bothering everyone here so much, but I have a question again. After Parry was bleeding again yesterday and today (not very badly) I decided that collar is still the only possible option for him to stop hurting his toe (he has chewed off more than a half of it already). Since he was able to reach his toe bending the e-collar, I had to make a tube collar for him to prevent that. Oddly enough it seems to bother him less when he has two on him - he runs and even flies around - not too happy, but not as miserable as he was in the e-collar alone. But he cannot eat or drink in the collar - so I have to take the e-collar off in order form him to eat. I wonder how often should I do that?
I saw him trying to eat from his dish and took it off, but after 3-4 min of eating he went to his perch and started chewing his toe right away, so I had to put the collar back immediately. I also wonder if there are some vitamins I could give him through syringe to keep him stronger? So far I gave him pomegranate and orange juice. Thank you!

 

[DallyTsuka]

try giving him a flat dish for his food and see if that helps better with the collar on.

id get some handfeeding formula, or do what i do and take some of his pellets (i save my harrisons superfine for this) and soak it in coconut water or a favourite fruit juice until its a liquefied mush the consistency of apple sauce, then i syringe feed it. it would help give him a boost

and not too much questions, no worries! better ask than have something go wrong, right?

 

[EnglishMuffin]

OI think a good guide point is water every half hour, food every two hours

 

[veimar]

That's about what I did… I have to give him water and juice through syringe because I cannot wait until he starts drinking. After he ate last time tonight in less than a minute he manage to make his foot to bleed again! Now he has two collars and a bandage in case he starts picking on it after he eats he at least wouldn't get to it right away.
The bad thing is that I'm not at home all the time and there will be periods up to 5-6 hours - then I probably have to take his collar off and leave him in the box. But them he will rip his toe apart again. And this Saturday and Sunday there is a big art fair where I'm selling my artwork (I make it for extra income, not for fun), and we both will be gone for the whole day.
Parry was so restless in his box at night that I had to take him out - he is sitting on my finger trying to get rid of the collar. His toe probably itches terribly. I also wonder if there is maybe some anti-itch cream I could use on him?
I'm seeing the vet tomorrow, but I don't hope for anything - she doest seem to know anything or to care. I feel like I'm at total loss.
I also wonder if there are some feeders that the bird could reach in the collar? I have several different ones, but he cannot reach food from any of them. It's really traumatic for him to take the collar off and on so often. Or maybe there is some liquid formula I can feed through a syringe? I really don't want to loose him, but if I let nature run it's course he will probably bleed to death or die from infection.

 

[Kiwibird]

Just get through today before he sees the vet. She probably hears from so many panicked pet owners who's animals are not in as bad of shape as the owner feels they are, she may be (wrongly) assuming your exaggerating a little. I know doctors and nurses sometimes get a bit jaded, and I would assume vets do too. I'm sure when she sees the extent of the damage and gets the full story, she will be able to prescribe some preventative antibiotics and possibly cauterize the wound.

What's happening with Parry is kind of an unusual reaction. Most birds don't bother the wound when they loose a talon in the way Parry is. There may also be some underlying cause too. Perhaps a splinter or small bit of whatever he caught the talon on is still stuck in the wound and thats why he's chewing it? Or the onset of infection? Some other underlying cause? The vet probably doesn't deal with many birds reacting so badly to such a (relatively) common injury. I hoping Parry feels better soon though and that once the vet gets a better grasp of the situation, she can help him!

 

[veimar]

There may also be some underlying cause too. Perhaps a splinter or small bit of whatever he caught the talon on is still stuck in the wound and thats why he's chewing it? Or the onset of infection? Some other underlying cause? The vet probably doesn't deal with many birds reacting so badly to such a (relatively) common injury. I hoping Parry feels better soon though and that once the vet gets a better grasp of the situation, she can help him!

I examined the wound very closely and he really had the root of the nail at first which he chewed off, but now there is just tissue! There is no infection so far since she is on antibiotics and meloxicam. I think it's just the itch of the healing wound. It was painful to watch how he tried to reach it through the collar yesterday. The vet put another bandage (which he would rip off in 3 min without a collar) and charged $18 for that… She also fixed the collar with some tape and made it a bit smaller so he cannot chew himself out of it.
The worst thing is that Parry lost almost 20 (!!!!) grams in this single week - he went from 76 to 58!!! :11: He is like skin and bones although he eats okay - I assume it's just the stress… The vet said that it's not a disaster and he will gain his weight after he will heal. It's still amazing how active he is - he flies and runs around as usual. I got Pedialyte and some protein sports drink for him to keep him nourished. He loves pomegranate juice!
I'm not taking off the collar - I found the way fro him to be able to eat and drink, and he also is starting to getting used to it.

Anyway, just wanted to say a heartfelt THANK YOU!!! to all of you who are supporting me here! I don't know what would I've done without this forum...

 

[JellyBean]

OMG - what stress you are going through - Parry is such a lucky bird to have such a wonderful and caring owner.

 

[veimar]

OMG - what stress you are going through - Parry is such a lucky bird to have such a wonderful and caring owner.

Thank you JellyBean! I think we all here are very caring owners - otherwise we wouldn't be on this forum every day. Thankfully he is better - wearing a collar and a bandage helps his to leave that toe alone. I'm seeing vet on Monday again - so hopefully things will take a better turn for poor Parry… I have to take him to the art fair with me - luckily it's gonna be warm, and I can just keep him in his box under the table and feed his once in a while.

 

[Allee]

I'm so sorry Parry has been through so much since his accident. I'm glad he's starting to feel better and it sounds like the vet expects him to fully recover and gain his weight back. Hopefully Parry won't have to wear his hated collar for too long.