Vet sleep over.

[cml]

Leroy is just home from the vet, we went in with him last night and he had to stay over.

He had hurt his back claw on left foot (dont ask me how, probably got it stuck somewhere and it broke) when he flew out of the cage when I was cleaning. Nothing unusual, sometimes they stay inside when I clean, sometimes they leave the cage. I realized something had happened when Leroy came back to the bird room, and I heard a "drip-drop"-sound, looked over my shoulder towards the perch and saw blood running down over it. There was seriously a lot of blood, and we tried to stop the bleeding with potato powder and pressure but it didnt work. By now there was a lot of blood everywhere, on the cage, on the perches, and even the walls.

Realizing that we couldnt stop the bleeding we zoomed to our vet (which has a 24/7 emergency clinic) and of course upon arriving there the bleeding had stopped. They thought it proper to keep him over night though as he had lost a lot of blood and he was given drip to compensate as well as extra vitamin K to supplement for the blood loss.

Even though styptic powder can be bad, and burn, I urge you, keep it at home at all times. If you cant stop the bleeding with regular powder or potato powder - blood loss can kill your bird. And to be honest, thats a lot worse than a little pain from a blood stopper.

Thankfully Leroy is okay, and is now home! We were worried sick!

[Michael]

Glad everything is ok. Thanks for sharing. Let me just add if you're going to revert to the styptic powder on anywhere but talons such that it may burn, towel the bird so it doesn't see you applying it. The last thing you want to do is let it associate the burning sensation with your face.

[cml]

Glad everything is ok. Thanks for sharing. Let me just add if you're going to revert to the styptic powder on anywhere but talons such that it may burn, towel the bird so it doesn't see you applying it. The last thing you want to do is let it associate the burning sensation with your face.

Thanks =).
Yes I know, we will probably have some work ahead of us as it is, even without the styptic powder.
Its not easy to think clearly in emergencies, so instead of towelling him when applying the pototo powder I used gloves and first caught him, then held him while my wife applied potato powder. He fought a lot and this is the first time he bit me, which is understandable in the circumstances.

I hope that we havent damaged our trust with him too much, he's been taking treats from us already again so hopefully it can be restored fully soon!

I just wanted to share this with you all, as everyone isnt as lucky as I to have such a great vet close by, open 24/7. I didnt have styptic powder at home, and since potato powder didnt work I'd hate to think what could have happened!

We learn and get experience, and I hope mine from this will help someone in the future, should something bad happen =)!