Blue's vet visit

[lovezebs]

tam

It's a possibility , however most of these Vets, are interested in hook bills. Sadly, very few have any real knowledge of finches.

[Spreckles]

Thank you. The vet I saw does see birds, just not finches. I think the nearest finch specialist is in LA.
A friend convinced me to just support him and continue isolating from any pluckers. He is a light. He has a smorgasbord of delightful eats, vitamins in his water, a few drops of apple cider vinegar in his bath water, & I did get the abx cream to see if it would help. He had scratched himself bloody again today so did use it. Whatever is bothering him he is going to scratch even if I have never SEEN him SCRATCH. I caught him and wiped it on gently with a q tip, he was very cooperative. when I returned him to his cage he cussed me good! He gave me the what to and where for

If it helps I'lldo it again if no difference I'll leave him alone.

I do not know how to tell if he has mites of any kind or lice. If he does it isn't visible to the naked eye. I have looked him over good with my glasses off I can see close up very well.

I am still a bit part of me thinks he is just getting....but he isn't scrawny he still has a little flesh on him. So I can only hope for a little more time with my very responsive little Blue. I have never been so happy to get cussed out.

Karen

[lovezebs]

Spreckles

Ahhh....sigh....
As I will say to anyone with an older loved one in their life (or any loved one, period ), be it human or animal. Enjoy each day, treasure every moment. We never know, if we have a day, a year, or longer.... all we have is now .

[Spreckles]

Elana

I was hoping you would weigh in. .The nurse in me wants to DO something for him. I could treat him for mites if you think I should get something, but spraying sound dangerous.

I just love that little singer. I like holding him. He doesn't really object too much. I think if I would have tried to tame him younger he probably would have gone for it. They are all different these little ones. Nellie is hiding...

Thanking God for my clown car something has to be good in this bird room!

Do you keep your dogs separate from your birds?

karen

[lovezebs]

Spreckles

Hi Karen,

I know, that we want to fix things and make things better, it's our nature, but at times, we need to take a step back, and just offer comfort. Sometimes, the treatment is worse than the illness, and stress with these little guys can be more detrimental than just allowing them to continue on their journey (be it long or short).

Now (before someone jumps down my throat here), I am not saying, that we shouldn't try to help our birds if they're sick, and do our best to help them however we can.

What I am saying, is that each situation is different, and should be assessed individually.

What I am saying, is what I would personally do under similar circumstance.

P.S. No, my dogs have the run of the house and are not kept separate. Of course if my birds were free flying, the dogs, would not be in the same room.

[debbie276]

I'm a little confused. Do you think he is scratching from old age, or he can't be helped? It makes no sense to me not to try a mite spray and/or cream to sooth his skin. I can't see how a mite spray or cream will cause harm.
Of course quiet heat and comfort should also be offered that goes without saying, but I would try to make him more comfortable from scratching also.
Whatever you decide is your choice and I wish you all the best

[lovezebs]

debbie276

Definitely use some cream on his cheeks, I think I was the first to suggest that.

What I was referring to, was offering warmth and comfort, and getting used to the idea, that he is an older bird, and that at times putting an older bird through a barrage of Vet trips and all sorts of different treatments (and I am not referring to a bit of cream and mite spray), might do more harm than good.

[Spreckles]

Debbie276

I think people are figuring in that he is 8. What kind of mite spray? Where do I buy it? I have never treated a Bird for this. How do I protect his eyes? Would the other birds be itching? I really know nothing about mites. Just recently cleaned all the cages. It seems reasonable since he is losing feathers. Mostly head and neck. His sweetheart was preening him too much. If it's a benign treatment to do I am more than willing. So spell it out ABC. LITERALLY. How is this assessed and done?
I honestly don't know what the problem is. The vets 1st reaction was mites.

Karen

[debbie276]

Oh, guess I read that wrong. Thought it was being said to do nothing but make him comfortable.
Have to agree about the vet visits, very stressful for the birds.
Sorry about the misunderstanding

[Spreckles]

To me itching is torture. I want to make him feel better. It's more a case of not knowing what to do.I read about mites they are different. If I was going to pick some kind of generic approach would it work? What do you suggest? @ Debbie276

[debbie276]

All mite sprays have directions on the bottle. You basically just spray towards the bird, it's a avian product and very safe to use. You could look up avian insect liquidator online and see what kinds of directions it gives for an idea. In the pet stores it will probably be a different brand but basically the same thing.
In my mind it can't hurt to try simple fixes and at least rule out the common causes with bug spray and/or cream to moisturize the skin

[Spreckles]

No one's offended. I am really wanting direction to help him. He is still spunky. If he has some kind of parasite then goodness gracious yes TREAT it. But heaven help me if I can make heads or tails of the different types of skin issues without pictures. The diseases section of the Finch info site is under construction.
The vet suggested ivermectin but didnt know the dose. I don't know what to get.

Just saw your post about spray. Do you TREAT the whole flock?

[Spreckles]

Debbie276

Thanks went to Lady Gouldian website & placed the order. Help on the way.

Karen

[Spreckles]

Debbie276 Elana Babs and ALL

I couldn't sleep last night so my cure for insomnia was to read articles from the Forum...and look up S76 on line. I went to Lady Gouldian finch website and ordered a bunch of stuff, my emergency supplies and some Thrive.....read up on mites. Maybe he has the kind that cause deplumage. Anyway that website is very informative.

THEN trying to get sleepy read all kinds of stuff on here like a thread about BEDDING and find a link from Elana to someone ELSE that corn litter for birds can kill them..... Seems like we had this conversation but I don't remember any link about this being bad for birds.... so after doing some work this am came home and went to work on the bird room. There isn't one corn pellet left, or for that matter piece of hay.

I AM OVER IT!!!!!!! No more free flight or at least not all they want which is ALL the time!

As soon as I can catch these buggers they are going to jail forever!

Once I got all the corn litter, hay, and poop cleaned up...you do remember me saying they hit the walls with poop??????
UNDERSTATEMENT.

I spent hours scrubbing everything and really cleaning the cages. If someone has mites I did germ warfare on everything. The whole room is sanitized with diluted bleach water and RINSED.

I had to toss eggs. Haven't isolated Romeo with Sadie yet and we don't want inbreeding and we don't want babies while moving. It is a hard thing to do tossing eggs I felt like a murderer. They weren't even partly ready so that isn't so bad. BIG CLUTCH no I didn't count I didn't want to know.

Blue is spunky he gave me the business for messing with things but he is eating and he took a bath. Have mercy between the cream around his neck and cheeks, the loss of feathers, and being wet!!!!!!!!POOR PITIFUL PEARL The order of products should be here tomorrow.

I moved his cage in front of the glass doors so he could bask in the sun it's really beautiful today. I am sure the sun will warm him up. And I read to leave the heat lamp on him around the clock, RIGHT?????

After totally destroying/CLEANING the birds habitats I rearranged everything completely, hopefully that will ease their loss with the eggs. It was probably Sadie haven't seen her much but can't be sure.

I didn't even line the cage bottoms with anything. I will get some butcher paper but for now I'll just wash them daily. If we have bugs that will make ME feel better. I hate bugs, lice, fleas, vermin...

So when the S76 get's here do I treat everyone? Seems obvious but want to be sure. Does it have directions for how many applications and when to repeat? I assume that mites lay eggs and have to do a repeat application sometime after the 1st one.

I will not have any trouble sleeping tonight that is for sure. Unless it's Babs head spinning around backwards and Elana on a toilet perch...

Karen

[Babs _Owner]

Spreckles

Karen, I had insomia too last night. I ended up watching gardening videos all night. I had to work today and still havent gotten sleep. I will be nodding off in a few hours for sure.

I'm rereading your posts and they way his wounds magically appear does sound to me like he is scratching. I'm thinking mites too. I do believe you would need to treat the whole flock. Oh boy catching all those suckers is going to be fun.

PS.

I tried spinning my head around and I hurt myself **chuckle**