# Help! Advice about broken blood feather



## Jemeni143 (Mar 5, 2011)

Hi all, so Zazu did it again, he broke another blood feather on his wing. 3rd time he's done this in the last few months! He has a super large cage but is just very clumsy! Anyhoo, looking at the feather that came off, it looks like the feather broke really close to the skin. I tried to find it but it was bleeding pretty bad and I can't seem to find the broken part, I think it's too close to the skin. I've had to pull out a broken blood feather before, but that one was very easy to spot and grab!

Because I couldn't find it, I put some blood stopper on it (the stuff you use to stop a dog's nails from bleeding) and that seems to have helped. There is no more fresh blood appearing. If I can't find the remaining feather to pull out, should I still take him into the vet or will the blood stopper stuff help enough to allow it to heal on its own?

Thanks!


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## Midwestmary (May 6, 2011)

I took my Chico to the Vet just this past week because he broke a blood feather. I had only had him 3 days so didn't want to try it myself initially. The vet did say it is best to pull the feather completely out - but I can't remember why. I'll be inerested to see what others say. BTW now I'm prepared in case it happens again


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## Jemeni143 (Mar 5, 2011)

MidwestMary, thanks for your input, one thing I've heard is their blood feathers are like straws and blood will just keep draining, that's why it's good to pull it out when it's bleeding, because when it's bleeding from the skin it will be able to clot, but with the blood stopper keeping it from bleeding what I'm not sure about is if it will eventually heal, or if it will stay at risk for opening up and bleeding again.

The problem is I just can't find the darn blood feather left in there, it must be very close to the skin so I don't know how I can pull it out, plus I feel like I keep stressing Zazu out looking for it!!


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## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

i would bring him to the vet. if left in that could get infected


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## Jemeni143 (Mar 5, 2011)

ok, I didn't even think about infection, good point. Would it be important to get him in today to an emergency clinic or could it wait until tomorrow since it's stopped bleeding for now so that I can take him to our normal vet?


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## lperry82 (Aug 2, 2010)

i couldnt find cookies but i put flour on him and kept his wing clean


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## geenz (Apr 4, 2011)

Yeah Fawkes has one on his wing that I cannot for the life of me find, he knocks it sometimes and it bleeds a tiny bit, but yesterday he gave it a good whack when we went walking and bled a bit more than usual, but it stopped shortly after. I went looking for the feather but i couldn't figure out which one it was so I had to just flour him. He isn't too worried though, luckily


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## MicoleS (Feb 11, 2011)

When Ferris first broke a blood feather, I freaked out because it seemed so bloody and she wouldn't let me near her to pulll it out so I packed her up in her carry case and took her to her vet who luckily is only a 5 minute drive away. By the time I got in the car, the bleeding had stopped. 

At the vet, I asked what I should do the next time because I've read everywhere that I should pull it out and I was told that the blood should clot itself and there is no need to pull the feather out and stress the bird even more. The bird will eventually preen out the bad feather. The vet said that it shouldn't start bleeding again but from others' posts it sounds like this CAN somtimes happen... They didn't end up pulling the feather out and Ferris eventually pulled the feather out on her own. All worked out fine for us.

Our avian vet is really good (and the only one in the city) so I tend to trust her but that's just my own experience. I guess we'll have to see how the next one goes


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## Flick (Apr 19, 2011)

This is going to be a judgement call.
It could get infected or could reopen and continue to bleed.
He could preen it out himself naturally.
Personally, with his history of breaking feathers, I would take him to the vet and have the feather pulled. His history of breaking feathers makes me believe that he will hit his wing hard enough to reopen this feather and bleed more.


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## Jemeni143 (Mar 5, 2011)

Thanks everyone for the advice and stories! We did take Zazu into the vet but it turns out the whole feather had been removed, somehow it got pulled out and that was what was bleeding so it wasn't actually a broken blood feather. It was just hard for us to tell since he'd been bleeding quite a bit The vet said we did exactly the right thing by using the blood clotter. Thankfully I had some on hand since I also have a dog and got it in case of accidents while cutting her nails, but it says right on it that it's good for dogs, cats & birds. Anyhoo, vet said everything looked fine, he didn't believe there was risk of infection and just wanted us to give him lettuce and plenty of water so the blood loss didn't result in dehydration. I love shelling out lots of money just for peace of mind lol but I was very relieved that everything was ok!

Thanks again!


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