Close Call, letter I sent to dog owners -UPDATE -Ellie just attacked

[Robin'sBrood]

Quote:

No wonder everyone is moving to NC.



Glad to hear that Ellie is home and BJ is happy!

 

[chilling in muscadine]

Judy, I am so happy Ellie is home. These birds can really be strong. Look at what my Sadie made it through and that alone was a miracle. You have to have some kind of rights to protect your babies. Get that pellet gun and screw the law. I think you should hit them in there pocket book and hit them hard. File in small claims court and do it quick. Do what you have to do law or not. If anything comes of it, it would have to be proved. Just make sure there aren't any witnesses. Now for your cat, is the cat eating. If not your cat is in bad trouble. Please take care and remember we are all here for you.

SARA

 

[jjthink]

Good morning everyone,

Ellie is still with us. I gave her her antibiotics last night and this morning - she hates hates hates this and she ensured that my eyeballs also got medicated with her cagey flick of the beak at just the right moment. Last night I found another injury on her wing - surficial for the most part - and got that with Neosporin. Right now I am keeping she and BJ in their little coop with heat on, so that she has to rest and does not have to expend energy keeping warm. It's 30 out, nearly 60 in. I will ease down the heat in the coming days to reacclimate them. She seems very tired (I guess as we might imagine). She just ate a little treat of grape and blueberry. Wil be giving her yogurt daily to put the friendly bacteria back.

I feel so badly for her - and for him - because this is going to be a long haul. And she'd be far too vulnerable being at all free till completely healed and with me standing right over them - this is increbibly confining for all of us. Did I mention I have had my fill of irresponsible people??!!!

Now I'm off to the vets to get antibiotic for kitty Teddy - I found a festering abscess on his head this morning and unplugged it - ugh - it developed while I was dealing with poor Ellie. He was attacked the other day by something. He is a lover, not a fighter, so he did not fare well.

You are all super and I'm going to reread carefully your thoughtful posts as soon as everybody is stable! And I will also then put bills and a note together for the dog's people.
JJ

 

[birdlover]

Ask your vet if the medicine she is taking comes in pill form. I find it to be much easier popping a pill down their throats. I know baytril comes in pill form but don't know about others. I hate having to fight with them to get the liquid down. They don't like being forced to take a pill either but, at least, it's over in one second. Good luck and best wishes to all of you.

Ellen

 

[Zookeeper9000]

Glad to hear that Ellie is doing better, she sure is strong. BJ will stand by her he is such a nice guy.

Hope your kitty will start feeling better soon.


Now here is your reminder of the day.

TAKE CARE OF YOU THROUGH ALL OF THIS

There that is the Mom in me coming out LOL

 

[jjthink]

So sorry to take so long to update - it's been mayhem on so many levels. I had hoped to post when I was sure Ellie was stable but as it turns out I am bringing her back to the vets this morning. Yesterday afternoon I noticed that when she tries to walk, her right side sinks to the ground (this was the side where the dog got most of her wing feathers), She was even walking sideways, very gingerly and she seems hesitant, like it hurts. It's all very bizarre - don't know what to make of it - don't know what to do. So back to the vets we go - long ride. If I still had my job, I'd lose it to these endless crises brought on by irresponsible humans.

Hope all of you - and your feathered friends - are well.

JJ

 

[horsejody]

Oh No. I hope she recovers. Keep us posted. Any update onthe neighbors? Are they keeping their dogs in? Are they going to pay the vet bills?

 

[chilling in muscadine]

Yes please do keep us updated and heres a cyber

for you. Thought you might need it will all the extra stress going on. Prayers

SARA

 

[SpottedCrow]

Oh NO!!!!
Hugs and kisses to all 4 of you!

 

[jjthink]

Thank you

The vet couldn't find what was wrong. He felt her legs and feet and checked for an egg while he was at it (she hasn't laid any in many weeks but has not seemed eggbound to me). He said no problem was evident. The wounds from the dog seem to be healing, on the surface anyway.

Naturally Ellie did not collapse in front of him - she stood before him defiantly - but has done so consistently since arriving back home. When she attempts to walk her right leg appears to give out beneath her and toward her left leg and her body drops sometimes all the way to the ground. She is uncomfortable enough that she prefers to be immobile. At this point, she is able to jump up onto things - walking is the problem - seems kind of odd that she can jump.

He gave her a cortisone shot and sent me home with Metacam, also an anti-inflammatory, to give her each day. It's been several hours since the shot and she seems worse if anything.

I just put a baby aspirin in a bowl of water for her.

I find myself thinking of Cyn's Zane and wondering whether there might be a deep infection (in Ellie's case, from the blasted dog). The vet said he would have expected signs sooner if that was the case. The dog attack was 9 days ago I think, so not really all that long ago. And so I'm not sure I agree. This is a bird that was dust bathing just a few days ago. Another thought that comes to mind is nerve damage from the dog - what on earth to do about that?
BJ stands by her side and so essentially they've both been immobile for days - the weather has been so bad that it was hard to judge the meaning of that - yesterday afternoon was the first time I saw her leg/foot give out.

JJ