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think he may have hit the ceiling fan , landed hard on the floor, holding head a little cocked to the right. is able to grip with both feet. throat appears slightly swollen on the left side. he is preening and able to balance on one foot. what if anything should we do? male lovebird about 18 yrs.
Optional Information: Type of Animal: lovebird Gender: Male Age: 18 Name of Bird: screech Already Tried: just comfort so far
Greetings, I am Dr. Pat. I have worked with birds for many years. I will do my best to help you.Ceiling fans can be lethal even if you do not see abnormalities on the outside. They are some of the most traumatic events a bird can encounter. It can be hit, then flung in an awkward position, then hit a wall or floor with force. Any of the above can cause internal injuries.If the bird is really 18 years old, he will be in even more danger from this incident.The swelling could be air from a ruptured air sac, or even trachea; crop; hematoma; or even fracture. He certainly has a head/neck injury if the head is cocked to one side. Lovebirds are very tough, so he may be quite injured and in a lot of pain, but act more or less normal.First, try not to panic and stay calm. Observe breathing patterns, posture, poop, ability to grab with the beak, move it open and closed, eat drink or swallow. Part the feathers carefully on the head and look for bruises.If you feel comfortable with it, examine the bird thoroughly, using gentle restraint via washcloth or hand towel: do not restrict the chest or hold around the body. Check the mouth and beak if possible, having a good look in there for mucus, redness, masses or anything else unusual. Palpate the tummy for pain, fluid, lumps or anything else. Check all the joints for swelling, pain, and mobility. Move the bird to an aquarium, box or carrier with soft towels in the bottom, no perch, and food and water in low bowls that can be reached easily. Put the whole thing on a heating pad on low or medium. Check it frequently, no overheating allowed! Keep the unit partially covered, warm and quiet. White paper towels or white cloth towels will show the true color of the droppings. Do not try to force food or water. You can offer warm cooked rice, pancakes, cornbread, grapes, melon, greens in addition to normal food. Transport as soon as possible.Pet/feed store medications and home remedies are harmful, ineffective, immuno-suppressive, and make them much worse and may interfere with the veterinarian's diagnosis and treatment. Do not use them.i would consider this an EMERGENCY and he should be examined, placed in ICU, have oxygen and pain medication as well as being evaluated carefully. Do not let your vet use steroids on him, they can be very dangerous, not help trauma, and amy have fatal side effects in an older bird. The best things are warmth, oxygen and any help required for feeding and water intake. You need to to take your bird to see an avian-experienced veterinarian ASAP for complete examination, diagnosis and appropriate treatment. Check http://www.aav.org/association/index.php?content=activeMembersList for members of AAV in your area or call your regular vet and see who they recommend; ask if they really have worked with birds a lot. No more ceiling fan and/or flighted birds. A safe, boxed in floor fan only.Dr. Pat41092.7668462616
put him in his travel cage for transport....seems to be better?! think i may have just assumed he hit the fan. just cleaned and forgot it was on, never let him out with the fans on. has his loud screech. we have no aav's in our area but checked with local pet store and got a name clifford glade in islamorada from him. 3:45 appt
He certainly could have had a stroke, it is very common in elderly lovebirds. Those often cause a head tilt. You can gently stretch the neck out and see if the lump disappears; sometimes if the head is crooked you can see the neck where you could not before.The good news is that they both adapt quickly to the head tilt, and can regain almost normal functionality with time.