HELP! SHAFT TAIL GRIEVOUSLY INJURED!!!

[lovezebs]

Sally & MiaCarter & delray & wilkifam & David

We are still alive.
Thanks for the moral support. I really appreciate it.
Both Hunter and Holly (my poor little muffin) are in a slightly larger cage, with food, water and a warm light. They are together, and Holly, I think, really appreciates having him near. I haven't seen her eat or drink, but I'm hoping she is. Cage is high, so difficult for me to see what exactly goes on without climbing up on stool. Trying to disturb them as little as possible.

The Cat had a manicure. I trimmed her claws, so she can't really snag anything.

I also made a temporary barrier all around the bottom of the flight. I used some plastic place mats, twist ties and tape for now. My plan is to get some clear plexi glass sheets of some sort and attach them all around the front and sides of flight about 15 inches high. The flight is on a stand.

[MiaCarter]

lovezebs --- Ooh, idea!

Get her some nail caps.
http://www.petco.com/product/114575/Sof ... yCrossSell

They adhere on with superglue. They're like little sleeves.
They eventually fall off. Takes a few weeks.

They leave her nails with a smooth texture. Even trimmed nails can cause damage, but she won't be able to get hold of anyone with these on.
In fact, as I discovered much to my dismay, trimmed nails can do even more damage. Whereas the sharp, intact nails leave a fairly clean cut, the cut nails leave a wider, more jagged wound. Though if you use a nail file, you could achieve a pretty good smoothness. But honestly, it would take less time and be more effective to do the caps.

Source: experience w/ 16 resident cats.

[lovezebs]

MiaCarter
Thanks Mia.
This is definitely something to look into.
She's twelve years old, suffers from the feline version of IBS. Had a stroke a couple of years ago, and just pulled through by the skin of her teeth and my stubborness. She's had birds around all of her life, never anything like this. Sigh~~~

[Angela&Shalamar]

I would be forcing water and electrolytes by tube. with a wound like that even if they are drinking on their own, they are still at high risk of dehydration. I'd try to find a way to cover the wound too, to limit chance of infection and further injury.

[MiaCarter]

Angela&Shalamar -- That's a good point, but she'd need to be comfy with crop tubing, as it's so easy to aspirate them.

Personally, I would do a small subcutaneous injection. Ringer's solution with an insulin syringe. And if I didn't have ringer's solution, I'd do sterile saline. You've got a pretty good area of skin exposed there, so it would be fairly easy.

Hopefully she's drinking on her own. She'll really need the fluids after the blood loss.

I'm sorry to hear your kitty is unwell.
I've seen seemingly trustworthy cats become dangerous. They just need to get into the right mood and it's all fair game. And usually, they don't mean harm. Most cases, they're playing.

[KarenB]

Oh no, I'm away from my computer for a day and a half and all hell has broken loose! I'm so sorry about your shaft tail girl. Golly, things can happen so fast. I got a twist in the pit of my stomach when I saw that first photo, same as I felt when I first saw my owl finch hen with a broken leg. Heart sick for them. Sounds like you are getting good advice and doing everything you can. It sounds like mostly an external flesh wound and some yanked out feathers. I hope that is the case and she will heal up quickly! Keep us posted!

[Rox]

lovezebs

Oh man, I'm so sorry you are having to go through this! It's a big fear of mine that my cats might get a claw through the cage.

If you can get some thick, clear plastic, it works well as a barrier at the bottom level of the cage where the cat could reach through. Just attach with cable ties. It helps as a barrier while not taking away any light or sight from the cage. I found it works better than netting or curtaining as the cats claws just get stuck in that.

[lovezebs]

Angela&Shalamar & MiaCarter
Thanks Girls
If Holly is still with us tomorrow morning, I will try and give tiny amounts of water into the side of the beak. If that is accepted, I will possibly try very thin handfeeding formula. That's only if she's not eating and drinking on her own.

This evening, Holly was resting comfortably beside a little seed dish on the cage floor. Head and tail were up, eyes bright and alert. Hunter was sitting in a perch above her, talking to her. I hope she spends a restful night.

I really want to avoid handling her too much if not absolutely necessary. She looks sore and raw. I'm sure that every touch is excruciating for her.

I think the worse initial danger is shock , from trauma and blood loss. We seem to have gotten over that stage. Now the main concerns are dehydration, infection and possible starvation.

Time will tell. The next couple of days will be the difficult time of not knowing which way it will go. The first hurdle is tonight.
Let's hope for the best.

[lovezebs]

KarenB & Rox
Thanks.
Never considered the cat, until saw the blood smears on outside of flight drawer. ( Must have been watching too many csi shows in past years) . It's interesting, that both Sally and Mia hit on the same idea while I was typing out my thoughts on it.
Yes Roxanne, some thick plastic or plexiglass of some sort is my plan as well. I will have to figure out how to attach securely, but in a way that will not impede the bottom drawer, and that I'll be able to remove for cleaning. I don't really use the little feeder doors on the bottom anyway, so thats not a problem. I will also have to fortify my other flight as well, now that cat has figured out that this is something that might work for her. This is the flight that has the baby Gouldians, that will shortly be out of the nest and toddling around. YIKES!

[KarenB]

I have plexiglas around the perimeter of my Gouldians and parrot finch flight. I cut each piece to fit and drilled holes to secure it to the bars with zip ties. I just used the thin sheets you can get from the home improvement store. I cut mine on my table saw, but if it is thin enough you could score it several times with a blade until you cut completely through it. You would need to use a metal straight edge if doing it by hand, though.

[lovezebs]

KarenB
That's sort of what I was thinking of. I'll have to look aroynd tomorrow and see what I can find.
Thanks.

[lovezebs]

Hello my Friends.
-Just a short note, to let you all know, that our sweet Holly is now flying over the vast grasslands of Australia, where the sky is blue and where Spring is in the air.

~ She is free ♥~


Elana

[delray]

lovezebs oh no....I'm so sorry.

Enjoy Australia holly!

She is better off pain free with all the wild finches of the world.

On a better note, Nice to know your actual name! Hi elana

[Colt]

Oh dear. I'm so sorry. I normally avoid the health section religiously because I don't like seeing the birds or their keepers suffering and as I was scrolling by I caught the words help, shaft-tail, and your name and clicked without thinking.

I believe injuries like that are some of the hardest for our little friends to pull through. Trauma, shock, and loss of blood coupled with all the nasty bacteria cat scratches are full of proved to be to much for her. As I was reading that was my biggest concern. That she was taking in antibiotics.

I'm glad the little terrorists are off the hook for once. Hopefully you get the flights cat-proofed and you won't have anymore issues like this.

I would also advise contacting the breeder who donated the pair to the silent auction that you got them at. Hunter will very much want another lady friend around. My two pairs are practically inseparable. And it would be good for both of you I think to have another hen.

[lovezebs]

Colt
Hi Colt.
We shall see how Hunter gets on for now. Not sure where In the Province that particular breeder was from. We had people from all over the place. It shouldn't be very hard to find out though.
For now though we will give it a bit of time. Hubter is alright with his flight mates, and me.... I'll concentrate on cat proofing my flights.