colorado4bjh
03-06-2010, 02:46 AM
So I rescued a sweet male cockatiel, Korki, who loved scritches from the Gabriel Foundation over a year ago. They thought he was 3 years old but he was a found bird so they weren't sure. Well, one day he started throwing up but otherwise seemed healthy. To be safe I took him to one of the best avian vets here in Denver and he injected him with some meds and fluids to help him because by that time he was also looking lethargic. He swabbed his throat, weighed him, felt his keel bone and said everything looked good and to take him back the next day if things weren't better. He also asked about my feeding habits and routines and said I was doing everything right. (i.e. fresh veggies, fruits, sprouts and pellets) Well just an hour of getting him home he was on the bottom the cage so I pulled him out to comfort him. Ten minutes later he started convulsing and stretching out his wings and seemed to be breathing very hard. I started to call the emergency vet but before I could even finish dialing he stopped breathing altogther and passed away in my hand. I just couldn't believe what was happening and started screaming no and sobbing. My husband had to take him. I then started immediately thinking of my other 2 cockatles and my Senegal fearing something viral or bacterial killed my sweet baby. The very first thing I did was take Korki back to the vet who offered a necropsy for free, I was completely fragile and unable to speak with out crying as I handed over my sweet baby.
He called me later in the evening to let me know he died of fatty liver disease. The liver was very hard and yellowish orange instead of pink and supple. I asked what I could have done differently for him and he said that it was a disease that takes place over a very long period of time and that I most likely extended his life just a little longer. He stated that the medicines he injected were just too much for the already damaged liver to handle which is why he went so fast after the visit. He also stated the a previous owner must have only fed him the commercial seeds, etc. I notified the Gabriel Foundation of what happened and they said because he was a found bird it was likely a previous owner didn't treat him right. How heart breaking. He was finally to a point that he wanted to be with me more than his mirror. It was such an honor and priviledge to have loved him.
This is my final memorial to you Korki, who brought so much love to my life with your sweet chirps, bowed head for scritches and stretched wings for baths! You will have a place in heart forever and ever! I love you... :angel:
He called me later in the evening to let me know he died of fatty liver disease. The liver was very hard and yellowish orange instead of pink and supple. I asked what I could have done differently for him and he said that it was a disease that takes place over a very long period of time and that I most likely extended his life just a little longer. He stated that the medicines he injected were just too much for the already damaged liver to handle which is why he went so fast after the visit. He also stated the a previous owner must have only fed him the commercial seeds, etc. I notified the Gabriel Foundation of what happened and they said because he was a found bird it was likely a previous owner didn't treat him right. How heart breaking. He was finally to a point that he wanted to be with me more than his mirror. It was such an honor and priviledge to have loved him.
This is my final memorial to you Korki, who brought so much love to my life with your sweet chirps, bowed head for scritches and stretched wings for baths! You will have a place in heart forever and ever! I love you... :angel: