Need input on post-op crop surgery

[CMV]

Hi everyone-

I just performed crop surgery this AM on my 14-week-old French Copper Maran. She has had a plugged crop for the past week that was not getting better with massage and oil. The surgery was uneventful. She had about 1.5 cups of feed/grass/feathers/grit/shavings that was removed during the surgery. I think I got the plug removed, but I am not positive of this. The incision I made into the crop was so tiny that I couldn't get a finger in there to feel it out. I flushed the crop repeatedly with water, but some of the grit remained in the bottom. I stopped when she seemed to be getting very stressed. A little superglue on both skin layers patched her back together. I also gave her some SQ saline for hydration. She seems much better post-op than she did pre-op. She is obviously hungry and trying to pick at anything that may be edible, but I am withholding feed and water until tomorrow.

Immediately after the surgery she had a large formed poop. I haven't been seeing much evidence of pooping before that. She is now passing lots of loose, nasty stools. This is a good sign, right? I think it is a sign that things are moving through the GI system finally, but I am not sure that this is the case. I was also going to give her a molasses flush as her first fluids tomorrow. I wanted to flush out any nastiness that may have been fermenting in the system. After 4 hours of the flush, I will be letting her have access to regular water and some yogurt. She can start having some soft foods the day after.

Does my plan seem sound? Anything anyone would do differently and why? Thanks for any input.

 

[casportpony]

Your plan sounds great to me. The passing of poop could mean that the fluids got her intestines moving again, so I would keep giving her fluids, too. You seem pretty darn knowledgeable and very capeable (not many people know how to give sub-q fluids or would try to do crop surgery). Did you take any pictures?

 

[ChickensRDinos]

I did a crop surgery at the beginning of the year. The incession stared to feel very hot and was red so I started antibiotics in case of infection. I started feeding loosely scrambled eggs 12 hours after the surgery and supplied water at all times. She was starving, poor thing. I did stitches instead of glue.

Why with-hold water? That is the only thing that concerns me. Going without water is never a good thing - I would be worried about her getting dehydrated while she is already weak.

 

[CMV]

I did a crop surgery at the beginning of the year. The incession stared to feel very hot and was red so I started antibiotics in case of infection. I started feeding loosely scrambled eggs 12 hours after the surgery and supplied water at all times. She was starving, poor thing. I did stitches instead of glue.

Why with-hold water? That is the only thing that concerns me. Going without water is never a good thing - I would be worried about her getting dehydrated while she is already weak.

So, you think I should give water? I am on the fence about this. My first instinct is to give water, but my sources all said that everything was withheld for the first day. I think I shall offer it in small amounts. She's starving, so her first instinct is to gorge herself.

 

[casportpony]

I did a crop surgery at the beginning of the year. The incession stared to feel very hot and was red so I started antibiotics in case of infection. I started feeding loosely scrambled eggs 12 hours after the surgery and supplied water at all times. She was starving, poor thing. I did stitches instead of glue.

Why with-hold water? That is the only thing that concerns me. Going without water is never a good thing - I would be worried about her getting dehydrated while she is already weak.

If she's getting enough sub-q fluids, she won't get dehydrated.

 

[casportpony]

I had another thought... Kaytee baby bird is a powder that you can mix with water. It's what I use when I tube feed, but they will eat it with less water and it's very easy to digest and soft.

 

[CMV]

I had considered getting some of the baby parrot formula, but I think I shall hold off on that until tomorrow. If she is unable to tolerate scrambled eggs, then I will get it. (I have 2 other birds with significant health problems at the moment. Things are getting expensive around the poultry yard.)

She took some water by mouth. As I suspected, she tried to gorge herself on it. I removed it after 10 minutes. I am going to repeat the offer every hour.

Looks like it's going to be a long and eventful day.

 

[NewHobbyForMe]

I would also give her water, just saying. Please also watch that no one is pulling up grass to give the chickens. Some very sweet children came to my house and pulled grass and threw it over the fence. Little did I know at the time that is what clogged her up in the first place. Chickens love grass but they also only pick off what they can handle and not long pieces.

Good luck to you and your girl

 

[CMV]

These young birds just went outside about a month ago. My broody got snatched earlier in the summer, so I had to hand-raise this crew. They are a bunch of pampered princesses. They were put in an un-used run with long grass, but I assumed they would be fine. I guess I should have mowed the area before they went in, but I think the blockage may have been a fairly large piece of stone that I pulled out during the surgery. I was a little surprised when I pulled it out. That had to hurt going down.

She seems to be resting comfortably in my bathtub. She has been drinking like a fiend and pooping pretty well. All in all, she is much better off than she has been. Keeping my fingers crossed that there are no complications.

 

[casportpony]

to a job well done.