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.
Becky...it is so sad to read such a story. Is your relationship with your vet such that he would let you work out some kind of payment schedule that you could handle? It would heartbreaking to have to give her up to someone who just happens to have money, when it is very obvious that she is so important to you...
For payments my avian vet takes "Care Credit" which is maxed out due to some life threatening issues I had with my 25 year old horse. Thankfully, he is thriving but there is nothing left on care credit. I am hoping he will come around, but he has so many clients that I can understand he not wanting to start something like that. BUT...I am not too proud to beg...obviously
I was wondering if there was a harness available that would hold that part of her body up for her?
Sometimes you just have to let go.
Sorry Peter-
That answer was somewhat confusing. The vets in my area will only take payments with "Care Credit". I was approved for $1500 and had to use it all on my horse and still owe the equine vet around $200. I also owe my small animal vet about $100 on a $500 vet bill incurred on my two aged dogs who ended up both having to be put down in the end. My Avian vet is yet, one more vet I have, and while I do not owe him anything, he will only take payments through "Care Credit" which for equine reasons, is maxed out. I am constantly receiving "checks" in the mail from financial companies encouraging me to use their money. The interest rates are ridiculous, but I may have to take one of them up on their offer and then just pay it off when my income tax money comes in. I just wish there were a better prognosis, but since this appears to be a re-occuring thing that get worse with each episode, he is not giving me a whole lot of hope.
Thanks for caring though-it means alot.
I recall you saying in a post somewhere that you are a black belt...although I don't recall you saying in which martial art...make him an offer her can't refuse..
Becky, if I were not a poor college kid, I would send you all the money I had. Maybe the rescues in your area will help pay for the surgery or they will pay for it and let you pay them back? It doesn't hurt to ask. I know this may be a long shot too, but there is another forum (www.upatsix.com) that is full of people that are probably willing to help out (not saying that this forum is full of people who are not willing, it's just that I have seen that forum support many causes, of complete strangers too). When I asked for help with a horder, I had a ton of responses willing to send money, cages, toys, food and foster homes my way. Thankfully the situation got resolved without any need from outside help. Maybe this is an option?
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Becky, I am so sorry that you are going through this. I knoweveryone here knows that you are doing your best for this fid. I do have a question though that is related...and I hope you (or someone) knows the answer.
I heard that birds can develop this problem from being potty trained? Where they know that they will be rewarded by pushing out...could this be the reason for Cocoa's prolapsing? I don't know how true this is (I only remember pieces of the story). And I guess I am just curious, because if this is the result, maybe we shouldn't be trying to potty train our fids?
Barb-
As far as I know she is not potty trained. But as I mentioned, she prolapsed very soon after coming to me from what the vet said were several bacterial infections. She has never laid an egg in my household either, but I was told she has laid them in the past. The more I inform myself on parrot care and keeping, the more I believe that while her previous owners loved her very much, the care they gave her was less than adequate probably due to lack of knowledge.
Also, there are no rescues in my area. Only the ASPCA who does not bother with pets of the avian nature unless they are confiscated in a drug bust. Then they are sold to local pet stores.
I have just put in a call to a second Avian vet who is about 30 minutes from me. I gave his tech the basic info and she said she would have him call me back. I just cannot give up on this loving little girl. I don't have much to sell, but I just recently aquired a used saddle for free that I have cleaned up and I may be able to get about $300 for it. Please keep your fingers crossed for Cocoa. (I just realized how close the words Cocoa and Cloaca are....creepy)
While I may be rather new on this forum and just a passing stranger, I am extremely sad watching someone go through this. I hope you can find a solution that will allow the bird to get better and continue its happy life in your care.
I am so sorry to hear of your situation, I wish I could help. I will keep fingers and toes crossed that your vet will help you and bend the rules and make some sort of arrangement for a payment plan.
I am just poking around the internet, here is another site http://www.avianweb.com/Prolapse.htm However, by now you probably have read them all many times over searching for the answer.
I want to understand this, Beeks, can Cocoa be cured with the right amount of money? Or has the vet done everything he could? How optimistic is your vet that something can be done for Cocoa that would significantly increase her (and your) quality of life?
Wow, Becky, I had no idea there was anything wrong with Cocoa!! Oh man, if I wasn't in so far over my head right now with my deaf crazy OCD aggressive dog I would have seriously considered it...
Well, crap, yet ANOTHER reason I shouldn't have adopted Millie. Great. Hindsight is 20/20.
I'm so sorry!! Poor cocoa. But, it doesn't really sound like she's in pain. What's the danger of just leaving her the way she is, besides the clean up? Sorry, I don't know much about this.
The second vet called me back and was little help. Basically he just reiterated everything my own vet has covered. I did find out that that neither one of them are "certified" avian vets and that there are only four in the whole state, My vet is going to look at her again today and we are going to come to a decision. She is eating well which I guess is a good sign, and still wants cuddles but man is she a stinky mess. My heart just goes out to her.
The fact that the prolapsed part has not yet become necrotic is a good sign I guess. I will have more info later today after the vet has seen her.
Joanna- Prolapse if not treated is fatal. Re-occuring prolapse like hers has a very poor prognosis. Both vets have not given me much hope of a permanent recovery. Both actually have been somewhat fatalistic. I am not going to give up on her yet but wish that darn elusive money tree would grow in my backyard. The next step is a farly invasive surgery where they stitch the innards (sorry. not up on my internal avian anatomy) to the abdominal wall. At this point though. Her sphincter muscle will probably never have normal function, but I can deal with that.
Thanks everyone for your support. Keep your fingers crossed for us.
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