We are in Texas and it is warm. Actually in the last week she has been sick it has been hot hot hot. Last night was our cold front, which in some places may be a joke. It was in the 60's. It's in the low 90's now, being a cold front and all. Now she is walking around gently scratching for food I suppose. I have offered her live grub worms, banana, strawberry, a seed mix and water. She looked interested, she kinda swallows (barely) as though she wishes she could eat it and then chooses otherwise to not eat it. So I am confused about scratching around. So far every early evening she actually livens up a little bit and walks around like she is looking for food. This is the first I see her scratching around. Thanks to any who have listening as I have been pouring my heart here. This little honey has to make, but I don't know how.
One of my Doctor friends says I.V. have to go in a vein. ???? Besides, I have no fluids for that. I'm gonna look on Craig's list for chicken vet since I haven't had luck with google..
Please keep the suggestions coming on how I can get some form of hydration into her system along with nutrients.
thanks!
Sounds like maybe she's taken a small turn for the better? Fingers crossed for you.
If she were mine, I'd have her in an enclosure, out of the wind, with a heat lamp, but that's just me.
That said, I had a peachick that acted in a similar way as yours... He seemed a little interested in food, but acted like eating hurt. Long story short, took him to an avian vet and she said he had a throat infection. We put him on antibiotics and I hand fed him stuff like scrambled eggs and Pasta-Roni Shells in White Cheddar Sauce until he felt better.
As for a chicken vet, try this link:
http://www.localvets.com/services/bird/tx/
I found it by doing a a google search for
avian vet texas:
https://www.google.com/search?sourc...s&gs_upl=0l0l0l11560lllllllllll0&aqi=g4&pbx=1
Your Doctor friend is confused, I think... Yes, IV means in the vein (intravenous) and fluids are given to humans and animals this way. If you take a pet to the vet, the exact same fluid, LRS (
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lactated_Ringer's_solution) or some varient, is given one of four ways. Three of them are: IV (intravenously), sub-q (subcutaneosly) or orally with a feeding tube . Sub-q fluids are given under the skin and are very easy to do if you aren't afraid of poking your animals with needles.
Giving fluids orally is probably the easiest way to hydrate birds, and you can give Pedialyte or water if you don't have LRS on hand. However, although it's easy to give, you can give it the wrong way and cause your bird to aspirate. Any vet should be able to show you how to do this safely.
This is an interesting article about emergency medicine for birds:
http://veterinarycalendar.dvm360.com/avhc/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=557934&sk=&date=&pageID=3
-Kathy
