Vet visit update for abandoned Lucy

[shosh]

So, I got Lucy ( one of the two abandoned lovebirds) into the vet today and was just shocked at what was found. Turns out that although lovebirds aren't prone to plucking, when they do, it is often very bad. Lucy, it seems, has done quite the number on herself. She has plucked not only her chest and upper back and wing, but under the wing as well, tearing away at the skin. The lesions are so bad that she is actually eating away at herself and destroying the area under the wing and the skin that connects the wing to her back . My vet has put her on flamazine which is supposed to do wonders but it is the first time he has personally had cause to try it...he used to have little success with this type of self-mutilation and it can be terminal. Flamazine is an anti-bacterial topical drug which is also supposed to promote skin production. The vet also said that this has been going on for quite some time given the progression of the lesions.

POOR LITTLE LUCY!!! I can only imagine the psychological distress that she must have endured in order to have driven the usually devil-may-care lovebird to, essentially, pluck herself to death.
AND THIS BITCH WANTED HER CAGE BACK AND THE COCONUT AND THE STORE OWNER BACKED HER UP!!! And I've got this poor little sweetheart who may not survive and now the vet bills ( which I gladly pay but GOD FORBID the creature that had Lucy before me wouldn't have thought of getting some help for this poor little soul SHE helped hurt)!!!.

Ok....I ranted. I needed that. I am SO angry and so concerned about her.

[jenseits]

This is just amazing. I love my little guy sooooooo much, I can't imagine how that woman could be so indifferent to the obvious physical pain the bird was in, if nothing else.

[red192]

Poor Lucy, birdie prayers are with her.

[ROYJOY]

poor lucy....

[svolk]

Thank you for helping her - I think she'll do wonders in your care.

[Valo's Moirana]

i hope lucy will be fine.... as sarah said, your care and love can potentially do wonders

[brilliantfeathers]

Thats really sucks! Im so glad you gave her a good home and are getting her the help she needs and deserves! Good for you!

[ROYJOY]

How is lucy now?

[shosh]

Hi Royjoy...Well, we're managing to give Lucy the flamazine and we're waiting. She's certainly a happy bird and is very good at letting me put the ointment on her. I'm scared about opening my mouth to the devil, but I think I see a bit of an improvement on her upper back area. It's hard to tell under her wing and that was certainly where it was the worse.
Unfortunately, the plucking goes on....I've seen her pull the pin feather out and a couple cute little fluffy feather on her chest. Our hope is that once we get the lesions healed up and the skin growing back, the change of environment, the better food, abudance of toys and attention will help her stop plucking.
She looks horrible, especially because the ointment is making her goopy, but I'm misting her with warm water in the afternoon once I know for sure the ointment is all absorbed so that her skin isn't so itchy from the pin feathers. Maybe that'll also help keep her away from the bad places.
I did notice her start to go after her left leg...it's missing some feathers now but I can only take this one step at a time. First we'll deal with the worst of it and then work on the rest.
Poor little girl....our little feathered friends deserve better than to be mistreated.

[ROYJOY]

good! keep in touch.