Originally Posted by
Beeks
Shortly after coming to my home last August (within days) Cocoa (U2) prolapsed her cloaca. The vet ran cultures to determine if the cause was bacterial and found several types. We administered antibiotics for 2 weeks at which time he re cultured her. She had a clean slate, but was still prolapsed but not constantly. She could pull it back in when I cleaned the vent area, but it would still protrude during moments of excitement, or elimination or sometimes for no reason at all. He put a few stitches in her vent and besides constant vent cleaning, all seemed to be going ok. Six month later she was vet checked again and the vet was surprised to see the stitches still in place but left them in as she was not bothering them. Eventually they either fell out or she pulled them out and I notice a few weeks ago that she was prolapsing again, but only during times of high excitement or elimination, just as before. I called him and he took more cultures only to find her clean and now believes that a more invasive direction needs to be taken. Costly invasivness with no guarantees. Her vent is a mess and she has no control over elimination. I soak her everyother day in the tub and do what I can to keep her clean but it is a loosing battle. She is constantly prolapsed at this point.
I have spent over $2000 in the last several months on vet bills for two of my other animals. My coffers are depleted. Even my care credit is maxed out. This could not have come at a worse time. I fear I may be looking at euthanasia as the minimal cost for what needs to be done is $600-$800 without a very positive prognosis. So...here I am.
It is so hard to tell if a bird is in pain. I look at her and interact with her and, dirty butt not withstanding, she is her normal self for the most part accept that she has resorted to spending short periods of time at the bottom of her cage. She does not deserve this and sometimes I feel I do not deserve her. I have read so many horrible Too stories and none of them apply to her. She withstands her butt soakings and scrubbing without so much as a grumble. No toweling is necessary. Through all she has been through she has never once resorted to plucking screaming or aggression. We do not have a bird rescue in my area aside from the ASPCA where her last days would be amid strangers and chaos.
I am at the point now, that I would let her go to someone who had the money to try everything possible to give her back a normal life. It just sucks so bad when money becomes such an intimidating factor. I had to put two animals down in the last 4 months, but not for lack of vet care. They were old and it was just their time, but Cocoa is only 15 and one of the most well adjusted Toos you will ever come across. If somebody out there wants to take a chance with her, I am at the point where I would let her go to try and save her life.
I feel like such a loser right now, but I don't know what else to do.
If there are those of you out there who would like to come on and berate me for not exhausting all financial possibilities before taking such drastic actions, please save your breath. You could not possibly make me feel worse than I already do. If there was the money to be had, I would spend it in a heartbeat but when there is none...there is none.
My vet will be calling me again tomorrow with hopefully new information. I pray that he has come up with some alternative approach to surgery but I am not holding my breath.
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It sounds like she has a chance though without surgery. We all have our fingers crossed for Cocoa and hope she recovers without having to get the shots.
Spresso
Go Tigers!
Cocoa doesn't seem to be getting worse, does she? 
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