Louie. A Budgie. Pipped his egg and squirmed his way out on 2/14/2001. He has been my little green buddy ever since. I have always dreaded the unthinkable if something would ever happen to him.
How far would you go to save a Budgie?
Feb 16, 2009
3:30pm -- Sharon (my wife) calls me at work and says that she let Sami (the hormonal Indian Redneck) out of her cage to stretch her wings. Its that time of year for her (Sami that is). She said she left the bird-room for only a few minutes and when she came back Louie was on the floor covered in blood.
5:00pm
Rush home to find Louie has a very nasty wing injury. He is in a lot of pain and bleeding too much for a little Budgie to handle.
8:16pm
Arrive at the Animal Emergency Clinic in St. Paul. Text of the procedure as follows (spelling is accurate):
Examination and Consultation:
History: Louie is a 8 years old. MI Parakeet. He was attacked by owners Indian Rink Neck and now has a left wing injury.
Physical exam:
Alert and responsive, RR- 60, HR>300, holding left wing abnormally (lower than normal) with blood seen on feathers. Beak appears normal, good overall condition. Does not appear shocky.
Assessment
Problem List Possible fx wing.
Differential Diagnosis Fx or soft tissue injury
Prognosis pending diagnostics/response to therapy
Plan
Diagnostic Recommendations X-rays
Therapeutic Recommendations Sedation for x-rays and more through exam and treatment.
Case Discussion with Owner Discussed PE findings and treatment plan with owner. Advised that he may not survive the injury or txt.
Plan Selected by Owner Owner oapproved estimate.
10:21pm
Isoflurane chamber/mask induction performed
X-rays revealed mid shaft ulna facture.
Plucked and cleaned wound with dilute Nolvasan and irrigated with sterile saline. Despite moderate to severe swelling on the medial aspect of the radius and ulna there was no evidence of an open wound. However, it is an open fx with a very small laceration of the skin on the lateral aspect.
Cleaned and then placed a single suture of 6-0 PDS to close the wound.
Bandage applied: Applied triple antibiotic to laceration site and then wrapped the wing in a figure-8 wrap.
Enrofloxacin 22.7 mg/ml: 3 units Diluted and administered IM
Routine recovery.
Maintenance anesthesia Isoflurane minutes: 18 minutes
11:01pm
Butrophanol 10 mg/ml: Administered 0.08mls im mll
Feb 17, 2009
5:29am
Shift Summary
Narrative Louie presented to AEC last evening after being attacked by owners Indian Ring Neck. He has sedated and x-rays confirmed an open fx of the midshaft ulna. The skin was close with a single 6-0 PDS suture and the wing was immobilized in a bandage. He was given Butorphanol for pain and Baytril. He has done well overnight. He is drinking and eating but the amount is fairly small due to e-collar.
Current treatment plan: Send home with follow-up at rDRM.
6:07am
Enrofloxacin suspension 10 mg/ml: 0.06 mls once daily
8:35am
Louie is home.
$595.18.
Feb 18, 2009
3:07pm Avian Examination / Isoflurane Bird Limited / Bandages and Sterile Dressing (Medium) / Clindamycin Drops
Louie should have access to a low perch only not a high perch. If he wants to climb up high in the cage he should be kept in a small cage or one with smooth sides.
- You must make sure Louie is eating
Medication New medication = Clindamycin give 0.15ml make sure the bird is sitting up not laying on his back when getting the medicine Give the medicine in 3 4 separate swallows Give once a day around 6:00pm stop the old medicine unless you are completely unable to give the new one then call
$139.21
Appointment to recheck the bandage on Feb 25, 2009
$44.50
Appointment to x-ray and evaluate progress on March 11, 2009
$120.60
It has not been a good week but Louie my little buddy is doing as well as can be expected. Sharon should have known better. She forgot the basic rules of the bird-room and got complacent in exiting the bird-room with a hormonal IRN at large. Accidents can happen and this little episode in our parrot keeping is something we all have to think about if the unthinkable suddenly happens.
Brad