Ltygress
New member
- Jan 6, 2015
- 49
- 0
- Parrots
- Blue and Gold Macaw named Stewie, Blue and Gold Macaw named Bazinga, Male Eclectus named Nicholas, Unknown Severe Macaw named Zander
I received a cockatoo recently with some issues. The previous owner said that 12 years ago, his then-6-year-old daughter stabbed the bird, in the head. Yikes! He took the bird to the vet, although not an avian specialist, and a skin graft was recommended. He couldn't afford it, so it was never done.
12 years later, she can't shut her right eye completely. It has scabbed over from being dry. Every morning, the goop around her eyelids grows and has to be loosened and picked off. I know for a fact she can not see out of that eye. We've had her for about three weeks now, and she shows NO reaction to anything on that side at all unless and until it actually TOUCHES her. I'm not sure the vet can repair this eye at all.
The other side has the normal thick skin around the eye, with feathers. But it was never sewn to anything and healed as a sagging mass that pinches her left eyelids to fold sideways, and the feathers grow into the way as well. She probably only has about 1/4 of her normal range of vision on that side.
The previous owner said the initial skin graft was going to cost $1800. I'm about to get a large sum, and figured I might dump a lot of money on her to get her fixed PROPERLY.
But I have questions! I've never had a bird needing a skin graft. The original thick skin all has normal feather growth. But everywhere that was probably left uncovered grew a very thin layer of skin, and no feathers. I know I probably need to get a skin graft done anyway, because the healed skin is so thin, I can actually make out each muscle and ligament in her head - by COLOR, not shape. But will that let her feathers grow back? Or will she actually need a feather transplant for that? It looks like a simple facelift-type procedure could fix the sagging skin on her left eye. I have used my fingers to pull it back away from her eye, and it straightens out the eyelid, as well as opening the eye further.
I'm hearing skin grafts can be done using skin from other animals, such as a pig. I assume that automatically rules out feather growth. But then I am thinking she may always be bald there, since she has gone 12+ years without anything growing.
My main concern is to get full sight range in her left eye and HOPEFULLY the right eye can be saved enough to let her see some. I don't care about the feather growth as much as her eyesight of course, but I'd like to know if it's possible at least. With the sum I'm willing to spend on her, I'd love to see her look as close to normal as she can, once again! I just want to know how possible it would be!
12 years later, she can't shut her right eye completely. It has scabbed over from being dry. Every morning, the goop around her eyelids grows and has to be loosened and picked off. I know for a fact she can not see out of that eye. We've had her for about three weeks now, and she shows NO reaction to anything on that side at all unless and until it actually TOUCHES her. I'm not sure the vet can repair this eye at all.
The other side has the normal thick skin around the eye, with feathers. But it was never sewn to anything and healed as a sagging mass that pinches her left eyelids to fold sideways, and the feathers grow into the way as well. She probably only has about 1/4 of her normal range of vision on that side.
The previous owner said the initial skin graft was going to cost $1800. I'm about to get a large sum, and figured I might dump a lot of money on her to get her fixed PROPERLY.
But I have questions! I've never had a bird needing a skin graft. The original thick skin all has normal feather growth. But everywhere that was probably left uncovered grew a very thin layer of skin, and no feathers. I know I probably need to get a skin graft done anyway, because the healed skin is so thin, I can actually make out each muscle and ligament in her head - by COLOR, not shape. But will that let her feathers grow back? Or will she actually need a feather transplant for that? It looks like a simple facelift-type procedure could fix the sagging skin on her left eye. I have used my fingers to pull it back away from her eye, and it straightens out the eyelid, as well as opening the eye further.
I'm hearing skin grafts can be done using skin from other animals, such as a pig. I assume that automatically rules out feather growth. But then I am thinking she may always be bald there, since she has gone 12+ years without anything growing.
My main concern is to get full sight range in her left eye and HOPEFULLY the right eye can be saved enough to let her see some. I don't care about the feather growth as much as her eyesight of course, but I'd like to know if it's possible at least. With the sum I'm willing to spend on her, I'd love to see her look as close to normal as she can, once again! I just want to know how possible it would be!
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