# Possible wing injury?



## lkutz (Feb 26, 2012)

Niko was fine this morning, just mad because we didn't open his cage right away and he kept knocking on his door and screeching. When I did open it, he flew out and right into the end table. He looked fine and tried to fly to his day perch and was mad when I wouldn't let him. He squawked and hissed at me when I set him down.

During the day he kept lifting one wing half way up and squawking. He's not shivering, or sleeping too much, and he's eating, drinking, and voiding fine, but every time he lifts his right wing and preens he squawks and he's being a grumpy old man. We plan on calling tomorrow if he's still grumpy and squawking.

Since outwardly it doesn't appear broken, what other things should we look for?

Thanks!

Leigh
Niko (8 yr old rescue)


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## Cryren8972 (Oct 3, 2007)

It may just be a little bruised. See how he's doing tomorrow, if the injury is worse, then consider a vet. My guess is that he will be feeling better in the morning. =)


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## xoxsarahxox (Dec 13, 2010)

I agree he might have strained it or brusied it or it might even just be a feather thats out of place and bugging him. Or if he is molting it could be a blood feather thats bothering him, when Cupid was molting he would have absolute temper tantrums when preening if he hit a blood feather lol. Keep an eye on it and hopefully its nothing.


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## lkutz (Feb 26, 2012)

*Update on Niko*

Niko is at the vets right now. He seemed better, was squawking less, but he was still just...off. Not his normal self. He still sang and talked, but he would shiver after singing and he wasn't lifting his wings too much, although he did decide he wanted to be beside me so he flew to me without problems -- even though his wings are clipped he can still fly.

So the vet looked at him, examined his wings, and said "I hear a clicking in his keel. I think he fractured it."  They took him back, gave him an injection of pain meds, and took some xrays. She came back in and said she's pretty sure he fractured his keel and he has a dark area she wants to examine better but the big xray wasn't picking it up. She's going to use their brand new digital dental xray to get some better pictures. She thinks the dark area may be from a punctured air sac. The clinic is currently using it on an anesthetized patient so we left and will get him later.

If he did fracture his keel, then she'll give us pain meds for him and we basically have to wait till it heals. If he punctured his air sac and has air in his abdomen, then we'll just monitor it. At least that is what she said before we left. Who knows what they'll find with the smaller precision x-ray machine.

I'll update again once I know for sure. 


Leigh
Niko (8yr old rescue)


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## sunnysmom (Sep 23, 2011)

Aw, poor little guy. I hope everything is okay- keep us posted.


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## lkutz (Feb 26, 2012)

*Niko vet update*

Ok. Niko's keel has a very tiny fracture on the bottom, but his big injury is he broke the last rib on his right side. She took 4 pictures trying to get a good x-ray of the break, and couldn't, but when they wet down his feathers they could feel the broken rib under the bruising and swelling. We looked at the x-rays too and those rib bones are so **** tiny that I don't know how you'd see a break unless it was horrific. His broken rib clicking was what she felt and heard. She believes he was a flighted bird before we got him, and he over-estimates his clipped-wing disability, which is why he has crashed a few times. We would love to keep him natural (flighted) but with kids coming and going all the time, we worry he'll get out. 

No punctured air sacs, thank goodness. The dark area she saw is the broken rib pushing out forming a dark 'tent'. He is on Metacam twice a day for 7 days for the swelling and pain. Absolutely *no* flying for 3 weeks, and she wants us to keep him confined in his travel cage so he doesn't fly around at all. He will not be happy, in fact he's going to be irate.  We have to give the rib time to heal.

We also have to be careful when giving the meds so we don't hurt him while holding him. He was funny because after they gave him a pain shot he was back there singing away in the incubator. She said most birds huddle in the corner, but he was singing away trying to get their attention. She said they all thought he was a sweet little guy and he got head rubs from everyone. 

I'll keep you updated as he heals. 

Leigh


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## Indigobug1987 (Feb 18, 2012)

Poor birdie. That broken rib must have been a terrible pain, good thing he went to the vet. Hope he gets better quickly.


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