Avian vet by email???? Help!!

[doc47]

Hi all! I'm brand new on this Board. I'm a doctor doing medical charity work in The Gambia, West Africa. I've become "father" to a juvenile Senegal parrot, named Leema by my Guinean wife. (She says the name doesn't mean anything. She just liked the sound.)

I bought him from a boy at the roadside a few months ago. He cost the grand sum of 150 dalasis, which is about $5.50. It is illegal to capture parrots here but there is little enforcement. I've obtained the permission of the government wildlife department to keep him for the time being but will likely release him (her?) back to the wild some time in the future if possible. Senegals are not an endangered species but their population is decreasing as more and more land is put into agriculture.

Suffice it to say, many of the discussions here are marginally relevant here in Africa. Different pellets, types of cages, etc. These things are simply not available here. People who own parrots here feed groundnuts (peanuts) as the bulk of the bird's diet with millet, fruits and veggies to supplement. My bird shares my oatmeal porridge with me every morning, with banana or mango mixed in. His favorite is a local fruit that's small, almond-shaped, black and fuzzy that's called liman liman in the local language.

I read recently that exposure to cats can be dangerous because of [i]Pasteurella[i]. The bird was exposed to a cat today. (Attacked by one....my fault!! is more like it.) I don't think he was injured badly but he has been quite subdued and unusually quiet for the past two hours since the attack. This is a feral cat, not a domestic pussy. I can't see any obvious trauma but I'd like to communicate with an avian vet and there are none here.
Does anyone know an avian vet who would be willing to "talk" via email? There is an association of avian vets and I wrote to them in March but have received no reply.

Please help me here. I'm concerned for this delightful (and sometimes enfuriating!) little bird.
doc
What I need to know is

[lzver]

Sorry to hear that your little Senegal came in contact with a cat. I think you already know that Pasteurella can be fatal to birds, so I won't waste time with those details.

I did find the following site called BirdVet Online: http://www.birdcareco.com/BirdVet/Sympt ... ptoms.html

I've never used this service, so I cannot comment on whether they actually reply in a timely manner or not.

Good luck with Leema and I hope that he is alright.

[doc47]

Izver, thanks. I've emailed them. We'll see what they reply. Do you know what antibiotics are used for Pasteurella and the dose?

doc

PS: Do they still have the Farmer's Market in Guelph?

[lzver]

I found this, but would never consider recommending a dose nor would I recommend administering yourself. I'm simply a parrot owner. Hopefully that online vet service gets back to you. Maybe they would be able to advise how much to administer.

CAT BITES

Wash out with hydrogen peroxide. Apply antibiotic ointment. Take to vet for shot of injectable ampicillin. (Cats transmit a bacterium called pasteurella with their bites or scratches. In birds, this causes Pasteurella septicemia, which means death within 24 hours if not treated).

[lzver]

PS: Do they still have the Farmer's Market in Guelph?

Yes they do. It's a great farmers market We've been several times.

[pchela]

I've used this service before and they were very helpful.

http://www.justanswer.com/?r=ppc|ga|1|G ... DQod5DajHw