Trained Parrot BlogParrot Wizard Online Parrot Toy StoreThe Parrot Forum

PLEASE - Advice for Old Incident with Vet

Talk about bird illnesses and other bird health related issues. Seeds, pellets, fruits, vegetables and more. Discuss what to feed your birds and in what quantity. Share your recipe ideas.

PLEASE - Advice for Old Incident with Vet

Postby lizarosco » Thu Feb 01, 2018 1:54 pm

I believe I wrote about this long ago about my Sun Conure named Fawkes who had her wing broken during an X-ray for a checkup by her vet. This happened in 2015 and yeah, just now is anything being done about it...

I left reviews for the vet talking about my experience in how Fawkes had her wing broken there and after two courtesy exams (which were just to put on a bandage/splint on her wing) nothing else was done. I felt this was really unjust since her life is forever changed and will never fly again. Her wing will always droop and you can feel her elbow joints out of place where they were dislocated and sometimes she flinches with pain when touched on that wing.

The clinic recently reached out to me in reply to my reviews and after a meeting with the director of the clinic, the same vet that took care of Fawkes back then, has agreed to compensate me somehow.

The options were to either be compensated for the exam in which her wing had been broken. Or to have the clinic pay for a second opinion with another vet and pay for any exams and medications she might need. The thing is though, the vet said he felt sure that any other vet would agree with him that nothing can be done for Fawkes. Her wing is just broken and will forever remain so. Now I feel that if I get the second opinion, the vet at fault will only have to pay for that visit which would end up being less than what I had paid for the initial visit where her wing was broken.

I'm at a loss at what to do. He stated that bringing lawyers into this would not be advisable and in the end not worth it cost-wise.

And with getting a second opinion, there's two options there too! Take her to a vet here that works with birds or travel more than 2 hours to get to an actual certified avian specialist but the travel costs will not be reimbursed.

I don't know what to do...for two years or so I have felt guilt-ridden and horrible thinking about how this vet broke her wing and I was never given an apology or compensation of any kind. I had wanted to take her to get a second opinion but didn't feel it was fair for me to pay for it so it's great to have the option of the first vet reimburse me for that but if that vet is correct that nothing can be done for her, then I feel that the second opinion being compensated for isn't worth what we do deserve... :(

I feel lost, stressed and anxious to the point I can barely breathe...

What would you do in this situation?

I should probably also add that at the moment I am in a very very very tight budget...it's been really difficult these last few months money wise and just having enough to buy food for myself and my birds is possible...
lizarosco
Lovebird
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 34
Number of Birds Owned: 4
Types of Birds Owned: Parakeets, cockatiel, sun conure
Flight: Yes

Re: PLEASE - Advice for Old Incident with Vet

Postby Pajarita » Fri Feb 02, 2018 11:06 am

First of all, my dear, if you feel 'lost, stressed and anxious to the point you can barely breathe' you are definitely over-reacting. Accidents happen. It's part of life. The vet or vet tech that took the XRay messed up big time and it's unfortunate that your poor bird was left handicapped for life but the vets are right, there is nothing that can be done now. The only way a broken wing can be fixed is when it's a greenstick [the bone bends too much and suffer 'breakage' on one side but doesn't quite break] or a hairline fracture [a line that runs with the length of the bone and so thin that doctors can't even see on XRays for small birds so it's usually not even known when the bird gets them] or, in very lucky cases, when it's a complete fracture [meaning the bone is split into two parts] but not displaced [meaning the two ends of the bone are still aligned as they should be]. Any other type of fracture cannot be fixed. And the only thing that is done when wings break is the 8 bandage so it's not as if they did not do what it's supposed to be done with a broken wing. Wings are VERY delicate, so much so that even soft tissue damage [like when they get bit or suffer some sort of trauma that bruises tissue and severs tendons but doesn't really break a bone] can mean a useless wing and a bird that was rendered flightless forever more.

In your case, I would take the money they are offering and leave it at that because going to another vet is not going to benefit the bird in any way.

And, please, stop feeling guilty! There is no way on this green earth that you would have known or even suspected that this was going to happen so why do you feel guilty? They are the ones that messed up and should feel guilty, not you! Yes, she is handicapped but I've had several handicapped birds and they can live good lives, too. I have an old finch that has only one foot and no toes on the other one, a cardinal with only one leg, a peachfront conure that has half a wing, half a bottom beak and hardly any toes at all, and a GCC that has only one good eye and they are all very happy birdies. Animals don't dwell on their handicaps, they don't get depressed or feel hopeless about them... they adapt their behaviors and actions to their handicaps and just go on as if they were whole.
Pajarita
Norwegian Blue
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 18701
Location: NW Pa
Number of Birds Owned: 30
Types of Birds Owned: RoseBreasted too, CAG, DoubleYellowHead Amazon, BlueFront Amazon, YellowNape Amazon, Senegal, African Redbelly, Quaker, Sun Conure, Nanday, BlackCap Caique, WhiteBelly Caique, PeachFace lovebird, budgies,
Flight: Yes

Re: PLEASE - Advice for Old Incident with Vet

Postby DanaandPod » Sun Feb 25, 2018 12:41 pm

WOW. WHAT AN INCREDIBLE WRONG RESPONSE. BOTH OF THE VET TO ADVISE YOU NOT TO SUE THEM. AND OF PARJARITA TO SAY YOU ARE OVER REACTING. I cannot imagine the force to make such a horrid incident or "accident" to happen. I would be devistated. And, i would NOT BACK DOWN TILL I FOUND JUSTICE ON SOME LEVEL. I TAKE MY PARROT CARE VERY SERIOUS. IT IS A PERSONAL DECISION OF PURPOSEFUL 7 DAY A WEEK CONSCIENCIOUS ACTION TO MAINTAIN A PARROT. MENTALLY AND PHYSICALLY. THEY ARE NOT PETS. THEY ARE NOT SOMETHING OF WHICH CAN BE REHOMED AND THROWN AWAY ANY MORE THAN SOMEONE WOULD NOT DO, with their own child!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Any attitude that counters this, is one in which i would advise to keep an open mind to!!!! Listen, but believe what you yourself have decided to of. I cannot imagine the hurt and pain i would feel for my precious love. And the unfairness of this animal to have to live without flight!!!!!???? The rest of its life? Are you kidding me? Some people simply have lost their consciencious attitude based on the fact that they care for soooo many animals! Too many. This doesnt just go for a vet that does not have your animals interest to heart. But i say this in regards to people in this forum that not just have a room full of parrots, but have dogs and cats. Notice the plurals! !!! Without any true abilility to humanly provide the type of individual care to each one. Let alone sit online on this forum....soooooooooo much....responding to everyones questions. In a nutshell, YOU BE THE ULTIMATE DECIDER. I HOPE FOR YOUR PARROT, that you will be a good one. ALSO, the best vet care is preventative care!!!! So you can stay healthy and away from vets as much as possible! I wish you luck in finding the best lawyer! Do not stop posting your story. Nor shedding the word about this vet. Nor looking for a lawyer. Id make a go fund me page! Put it in all animal advocate sources!
Piccolo and Pod
User avatar
DanaandPod
Poicephalus
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 359
Location: Connecticut
Number of Birds Owned: 3
Types of Birds Owned: male Jardines parrot, a female meyers parrot, and two budgies
Flight: Yes

Re: PLEASE - Advice for Old Incident with Vet

Postby DanaandPod » Sun Feb 25, 2018 12:51 pm

I think you can and should gain A LOT OF RESPONSES INCLUDING DONATIONS when you present your bird continually and in multi animal advocate forums...AS A BIRD THAT HAS BEEN HANDICAPPED BY A VETRINARIAN.
Piccolo and Pod
User avatar
DanaandPod
Poicephalus
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 359
Location: Connecticut
Number of Birds Owned: 3
Types of Birds Owned: male Jardines parrot, a female meyers parrot, and two budgies
Flight: Yes

Re: PLEASE - Advice for Old Incident with Vet

Postby Pajarita » Sun Feb 25, 2018 2:47 pm

I am not going to reply to your very transparent personal attack against "people that have lost their conscientious attitude based on the fact that they care for too many animals" because it doesn't deserve it. As we say in Spanish: To electric words, unplugged ears :lol: But you do need to read the posting more carefully and put things in a real world perspective. This happened years ago and there is nothing that can be done for the wing - not now and not then. They offered to reimburse her or pay for a second opinion but the second opinion was going to be exactly what the vet told her, namely, that nothing can be done, so that would have been wasted time and money. The OP states that she doesn't have the money to sue the vet but, even if she did, all she would get is exactly what they are offering her: to refund her the money she paid for the service. If she had a real good lawyer [which, again, she doesn't have the money for], she might get enough money to buy another bird but that is not going to do anything for the handicapped bird and she states that her finances are so bad that she struggles feeding it now so getting another one is not going to make things better. And it doesn't matter how WE feel about our birds - not to the law, it doesn't. They are property and, as such, the only value they have [again, LEGALLY speaking] is what they are 'worth' in the market. Veterinarians cannot be sued for malpractice, either, because, again, animals are property, just like a chair - and if the upholsterer messes up your good chair, all you are going to get is your money back -which is what theY offered to give her. So, exactly what do you recommend she does given these parameters? Because saying: "I WOULD NOT BACK DOWN!" and bad-talking about people you know nothing about might sound great to you but how does that help the OP or the bird, exactly? You tell her to share what happened - She did! Complain to the clinic? She did! Then you suggest she asks for donations... but what would those donations cover? Because the wing cannot be fixed and caring for a flightless bird is no more expensive than caring for a 'whole' one so what would she be asking the money for? To pay a lawyer who is not going to get her more money than what she is being offered? That would make no sense.
Pajarita
Norwegian Blue
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 18701
Location: NW Pa
Number of Birds Owned: 30
Types of Birds Owned: RoseBreasted too, CAG, DoubleYellowHead Amazon, BlueFront Amazon, YellowNape Amazon, Senegal, African Redbelly, Quaker, Sun Conure, Nanday, BlackCap Caique, WhiteBelly Caique, PeachFace lovebird, budgies,
Flight: Yes

Re: PLEASE - Advice for Old Incident with Vet

Postby liz » Tue Feb 27, 2018 11:19 am

I would find a better vet and have the first one pay for it. Her quality of life was taken away. If you can feel a joint disconnected a good vet may be able to clean it up the way it healed and put it together right.
User avatar
liz
Macaw
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 7234
Location: Hernando FL
Number of Birds Owned: 12
Types of Birds Owned: DYH Amazon Rambo
BF Amazon Myrtle
Cockatiels: Shadow Tammy Flutter Phoenix Jackie
Andy Impy Louise Twila Leroy
Flight: Yes

Re: PLEASE - Advice for Old Incident with Vet

Postby Pajarita » Wed Feb 28, 2018 11:12 am

The first vet did offer to pay for a second opinion but the wing was broken two years ago, Liz, and there is nothing that can be done now, that's why I recommended she takes the money they offer. Because going for a second opinion will leave her and her bird exactly where they are now and without any extra money that the OP needs right now.
Pajarita
Norwegian Blue
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 18701
Location: NW Pa
Number of Birds Owned: 30
Types of Birds Owned: RoseBreasted too, CAG, DoubleYellowHead Amazon, BlueFront Amazon, YellowNape Amazon, Senegal, African Redbelly, Quaker, Sun Conure, Nanday, BlackCap Caique, WhiteBelly Caique, PeachFace lovebird, budgies,
Flight: Yes


Return to Health, Nutrition & Diet

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 14 guests

Parrot ForumArticles IndexTraining Step UpParrot Training BlogPoicephalus Parrot InformationParrot Wizard Store