Potentially Heartbreaking Decision

[Katt]

Hi everyone. I'm a new member. I've been planning on getting a bird for about a year, studying and researching. (My last bird was a cockatiel who died a little over a year ago.)

I finally bought a young kakariki last weekend. He is the smartest and cutest little thing. He's so curious and active, and he's learned so much in the last week in terms of training.

Anyway, when I first got him from a very reputable store, I noticed his right eye was just a little bit watery... it was barely perceptible, like something had just irritated it slightly. Over the course of the week, I've come to realize that it seems like he cannot blink that eye. The eye itself is just a tiny bit bigger than the other normal eye, too. If I had to guess, it appears that he doesn't have a functioning eyelid (or perhaps an eyelid at all???? That's my totally uneducated guess.) In other words, it seems like a deformity and not an infection. There's no pus or crust, or signs of infection.

I have an appointment with an excellent avian vet for Friday. I don't think the bird is in pain or is otherwise sick. He eats well, is active and happy to fly around (and they're incredibly agile flyers!)

I'm hoping the vet will say it's a small problem, but I'm thinking about what I'll have to do if the news isn't good. Has anyone had experience returning a bird to the store? How heartbreaking is it? He's such a happy, well-adjusted bird otherwise, and I've already gotten very attached to him in a week's time. But I don't think I want to take on a bird that has a serious deformity that may shorten his life significantly.

I'd be grateful for any advice on how to handle making this decision. If the vet says it's serious, I will only have until Sunday to choose (as per the store's 14-day return policy).

[marie83]

I would just see what the vet says first.
I ended up with a 'tiel called Jack, he was about 12 weeks old. Someone bought him from a petshop just a few days before but brought him to me cuz he was completely wild (as in throwing himself around the cage in fear), skinny as anything and very weak, in bad feather, really bad wheezing, runny swollen eyes and nose. Despite his weakness the fear he felt gave him the strength to have a full blown panic around his cage at the sight of a human.
The vet told me he was going to die within a few hours and she could either help him on his way or take him back to the shop where they would probably wring his neck (yes she did put it that bluntly). At 16 years old I couldn't make the decision to do either of those things but I also had a gut feeling that it wasn't his time to die, I took him home planning to return to the vets to do what was needed the second he got any worse.
I never took him back to the vet again until a few days before his death 9 years on. I nursed him at home, the best I could as there was very little information about which was available to me back then, feeding him the most nutritious foods I could think of, bathing his eyes and nose 2-3 times a day, keeping him warm etc and somehow he started to get stronger. He never fully recovered, he was always a weaker, skinny bird but I do feel he had a pretty good quality of life up until his last few days of life. I ended up keeping him as a companion for my little budgie Madison.

See what the vet says, there's no point torturing yourself over this until you know the facts, even then the vets aren't always right about things. In the meantime I would get a lukewarm mild saline solution and gently bathe the eye.

Btw, I don't recommend anyone self treats a bird at home particularly with as little experience as I had , perhaps if jack had received the right treatment he would have recovered a lot better, become a lot stronger and lived to a greater age. If your not happy with your vet then find one who will support your birds care.

[Pajarita]

Ay, ay, ay... I don't mean to offend you but I don't think you realize that, to an animal lover, what you posted sounds like a bird, to you, is like a table and that, if after you buy it, you find it to have a small defect, you would return it to the store for an exchange or a refund.

As to your question, no, I've never had a bird that presented those symptoms but I've had four with only one eye (actually, two of them had only one -I still have one of them, the other two had both eyes but one of them had sunken into the head) and I also have a blind one.

Please take the bird to a good rescue. Don't return it to the store - Lord only know what they will do him (do you know how many stores kill small animals? -they put them alive in the freezer).

[paper_lantern]

I agree with Pajarita. The love I feel for my bird is unconditional, even if he were to somehow contract a deformity, or had a genetic disorder, etc. I would love him just the same. He isn't a piece of furniture.

That being said, I'm glad you're taking him to the vet. See what the vet has to say, it may be a simple infection that needs antibiotics, etc. If it is, I hope you will have him treated and not just return him to the pet store... Often times pet stores kill ill animals or just let them suffer in an attempt to make a sale. I'm a strong believer that when we take in an animal we have a responsibility towards them. Keep us updated, I'll keep my fingers crossed for your birdie.

[marie83]

Of course I agree with the others in that a pet is for life but tbh I don't think you would even be questioning it if you actually wanted to take the bird back which is why I didn't say anything other than my story in the initial post I made. How did the vets appointment go? I do hope you will keep us updated.

[Katt]

Hi everyone. It's been a crazy week. The vets were pretty convinced my bird (now named Mr. Hondo) had neurological damage due to infected sinuses (pressing on nearby nerves) as a result of psittacosis.

It all sounded scary but the worst was the idea that I had exposed my children to psittacosis, which apparently can be treated but will always be carried in the liver, even after treatment. So, we've been biting our nails and disinfecting every surface constantly (but bird-safely) for the last week. We just found out that he is NEGATIVE for psittacosis. Hooray!

He still has a sinus infection that seems fairly unresponsive to antibiotics, and it looks like the nerve damage will be permanent.

Of course, there's also a chance it's something far more serious (like a tumor) although that's unlikely because he's so young.

If the nerve damage is permanent we will have to administer artificial tears for his entire life.

Send your good thoughts his way that the sinus infection is resolved and nerve function returns.

Thanks for your responses, everyone.

[Pajarita]

Are you feeding lots and lots of beta-carotene food (all dark leafy greens -not spinach- sweet potatoes, carrots, etc? Because, in my personal experience, those 'resistant' sinus infections do great when the birds are able to process the vit A themselves out of the precursor (beta-carotene).

[Katt]

Thanks, Pajarita, for the useful advice! So far he's experimenting pretty well with unfamiliar foods, but does really love sweet potatoes and carrots. He's not so much of a fan of leafy anything, but we'll keep trying.

We go back for a recheck tomorrow (Tuesday). There's no change in the eye, so perhaps the vet will try another antibiotic.

In the meantime, I will keep adding foods rich in beta-carotene.

Best,
Katt