Please pray for my canary; thank you, Sunny has passed <3

[Spryte]

Oh, I’m so sorry to read this. You’re all in my heart. Thinking of Sunny, and you and DD, and sending hugs. 

[Corraleno]

Oh no, I'm so very sorry, Mercy. (((hugs)))

[MercyA]

Thank you all. Sunny is happy to be home. She stayed on the floor of the travel cage during the drive home, but as soon as she was back in DD's room, she immediately hopped up on a perch in the travel cage and started eating her seed. 

She was very happy to see my DD and gave head shakes, tongue waggles, and a "puff," all signs of pleasure. 

She did not attempt to go up to her sleeping branch, but is perched on a low branch, which should be much more comfortable than the bottom of the cage. 

Bringing her home was definitely the right decision. The vet sent me home with antibiotics and milk thistle, which apparently is helpful for liver recovery in birds.

DD was very, very distraught earlier this evening, but is calmer now. Me too. I am all cried out.

Hoping for the best even now.

[Mom_to3]

Oh no!! I checked in on Sunny to hear some of her sweet stories and get updates on her recovery. Hoping for a little miracle!

[Lady Florida.]

Oh, I stopped reading updates because I thought she was doing well. Thank you @Catwoman for the separate thread. I'm keeping Sunny in my thoughts. ❤️

[Catwoman]

Thank you for the update -- I'm so glad you were able to bring Sunny home. I'm not giving up hope and I will keep saying prayers all night tonight (one small benefit of being an insomniac!)

 

[Spy Car]

2 hours ago, MercyA said:

Thank you all. Sunny is happy to be home. She stayed on the floor of the travel cage during the drive home, but as soon as she was back in DD's room, she immediately hopped up on a perch in the travel cage and started eating her seed. 

She was very happy to see my DD and gave head shakes, tongue waggles, and a "puff," all signs of pleasure. 

She did not attempt to go up to her sleeping branch, but is perched on a low branch, which should be much more comfortable than the bottom of the cage. 

Bringing her home was definitely the right decision. The vet sent me home with antibiotics and milk thistle, which apparently is helpful for liver recovery in birds.

DD was very, very distraught earlier this evening, but is calmer now. Me too. I am all cried out.

Hoping for the best even now.

I'm not sure how dire the prognosis is at this point, but if there is some hope of recovery you might want to speak with your vet (or look at other resources) for dietary alternatives to seeds to at least reduce the amount in the diet (assuming they form a substantial portion now).

A high seed diet is unfortunately a contributor to fatty liver disease. I know that most birds love eating them.

The toughest loss of a pet we have ever experienced was losing our dearly beloved lovebird, Majnoon. He was tiny in size, but huge in spirit and he meant the world to us. 

Pulling for you.

Bill

 

 

 

 

 

[Shoeless]

3 hours ago, MercyA said:

Thank you all. Sunny is happy to be home. She stayed on the floor of the travel cage during the drive home, but as soon as she was back in DD's room, she immediately hopped up on a perch in the travel cage and started eating her seed. 

She was very happy to see my DD and gave head shakes, tongue waggles, and a "puff," all signs of pleasure. 

She did not attempt to go up to her sleeping branch, but is perched on a low branch, which should be much more comfortable than the bottom of the cage. 

Bringing her home was definitely the right decision. The vet sent me home with antibiotics and milk thistle, which apparently is helpful for liver recovery in birds.

DD was very, very distraught earlier this evening, but is calmer now. Me too. I am all cried out.

Hoping for the best even now.

Yes, milk thistle is good for liver support in birds.  

I used to work at a veterinary ER that saw quite a few birds, and milk thistle was often prescribed. 

You did the right thing in bringing her home. There really isn't much that can be done for her overnight. If she was at my old hospital, she'd be on supplemental oxygen support, (mostly because it won't hurt her, so why not?), get her meds, and hang out with someone like me all night.  🙂 She's probably far happier at home. 

Hoping that she pulls through! ❤️ 

[I talk to the trees]

Giving this thread a bump. I woke up thinking about wee Sunny! 

[ktgrok]

2 minutes ago, I talk to the trees said:

Giving this thread a bump. I woke up thinking about wee Sunny! 

me too!

[mommyoffive]

I am still thinking of Sunny today.  I am so glad she was able to come home.  Sending lots of prayers for her.

[Catwoman]

49 minutes ago, I talk to the trees said:

Giving this thread a bump. I woke up thinking about wee Sunny! 

 

45 minutes ago, ktgrok said:

me too!

I did, too! I keep saying prayers for her. 

[MercyA]

I appreciate all your prayers, good thoughts, and advice SO MUCH. You have no idea. ❤️

Sunny was cheerful when we took off the cage cover this morning. Gave us some head shakes and went immediately to her feed dish. She was perching and walking okay.

Trying to get the oral meds inside of her little beak was very difficult for all three of us! She was not having it. Very feisty. With a dog I'd have no problem because they are so much less fragile. I'd just pry open their mouth and do it. With Sunny, she is so tiny I was afraid of hurting her little head or her eyes or her neck. We got it done but now she is understandably stressed. I covered her cage to give her a break.

Please pray I get better at giving the meds! The vets on YouTube make it look easy.

I appreciate your continued prayers.

@Spy Car, the vet could not tell if she has fatty liver disease (very common), a liver tumor, or a liver infection. She said some birds do recover from fatty liver disease, but it is usually the bigger birds. The little ones have a hard time. She does eat a lot of seeds, but also greens, fruit, and egg food. She was already four years old when we adopted and she would not eat pellets. 

@ktgrok, the vet did not mention euthanasia.

@MissLemon, if you have any advice on giving oral meds to birds, I surely would appreciate it! 

Edited April 5, 2022 by MercyA

[happi duck]

Many (hugs)

[Jenny in Florida]

@Mercy - I've been following along and thinking of Sunny and her/your family. It's so hard with these little, more delicate beings. 

I'm so sorry Sunny is struggling, but glad she has you in her corner.

Continuing to think of you and wish for the best!

[MercyA]

Sunny is doing okay. Eating and perching. I am most concerned about her rapid breathing. Please pray that it slows. The vet said to send a video if it worsens. It could be from stress or could be from her enlarged liver.

The vet gave me a hint for giving the oral meds. They said put something like the edge of a little rubber spatula or a popsicle stick in front of her mouth. When she bites on it, I am supposed to drip in the medication. IDK, I was hoping she would bite on the syringe or even my finger earlier, but when she did, she let go quickly. Will give it a try, though!

❤️ you guys.

[Catwoman]

Praying here!

[MercyA]

DD reports that Sunny took two baths today! I gave her a shallower water dish / bathtub in case she had trouble perching on her regular one. She took a bath in the new one, then hopped over and took a bath in her old one for good measure. 🙂 

She's had happy body language for DD today, too. 

Definitely getting around better than she was yesterday evening.

[chocolate-chip chooky]

@MercyA

Canary beaks are a whole lot smaller than chicken beaks, but when I need to give something orally to a chicken, I pry open the beak and then put my finger across. When they try to close their beak, my finger is in the way and keeps it open. I have my finger as close to the end of the beak as possible. I then syringe into the beak behind my finger.

For a canary, I imagine you'd need something way smaller than a finger!

I hope this helps. Good luck 🌼

[Kassia]

what a wonderful update @MercyA!  Fingers crossed she's over the worst of it.  

[MercyA]

Today was a good day! Sunny is no longer falling over and is able to fly. She is eating and drinking. She exhibited a lot of pleased / interactive body language today (fluffs, head shakes, tail shakes, tongue waggles). 

A few things that made her happy: seeing my daughter. Being told "all done!" and put back in her cage after getting her medication. Us moving her favorite comfort toy down to the low branch where she has been sleeping. (She watched that with great interest!)

I had noticed yesterday that her poo was bright green. At the time I thought, good, she's been eating broccoli, but it was really green, much more than usual. After getting home from the vet last night, I read that bright green poo is a sign of liver problems in birds. Her poo was normal colored today. Sorry if TMI but it made me happy.

Items for prayer: she is still sleepier and less active than usual. She stays on low branches. She is breathing more rapidly than I would like. And it's really hard to get the oral meds in her. She fights it but DD and I have been able to accomplish it and I'm thankful! 

I know that things are still serious for her, but I am just so so thankful that she was comfortable and happy today!

Thank you again to all her Hive aunties (and at least one uncle!) for the prayers and good thoughts. 💛

Edited April 6, 2022 by MercyA

[Catwoman]

Thank you for the update — I’ll keep praying for her!!!

[Shoeless]

15 hours ago, MercyA said:

@MissLemon, if you have any advice on giving oral meds to birds, I surely would appreciate it! 

Hi Mercy! It sounds like you're doing ok! Like you said, birds can be tricky to medicate. They are delicate but often feisty! Your vet suggested what I was going to suggest: try to get her to bite down on a popsicle stick, chopstick, the edge of a syringe, etc, (really, any object will do, so long as it isn't sharp and she can't break it with her beak), so you can get a little space to drip the meds into her mouth. It sometimes takes 2 people to make this happen: one to hold the bird and the other to get the meds in. 

It's a "do your best" situation. Just make sure she stays upright after you give the meds, so she doesn't regurgitate them. If she gets really stressed for meds, give her a break and try again later when she's calm.  When you are done, reward her with love, her bird videos, toys, anything she really values.  

She sounds like such a sweet little girl. ❤️ I hope she starts cooperating a little more! 

Edited April 6, 2022 by MissLemon

[MercyA]

Thanks, @MissLemon! The meds were very difficult this AM. Even when we can get her to bite down on something, she quickly lets go before I can slip the syringe in her mouth. I end up just having to pry open her mouth (which takes many tries). DD holds her for me but is (understandably) afraid of holding her too tightly. The good news is that Sunny quickly forgives and forgets and is just happy to get back into her cage. 

She ate and drank some this morning and it looks like she took a little bath. She is very sleepy and her breathing is still more rapid than it should be. I've been trying to find out what she likes best and I think it is this: dim lights, space heater on, her favorite bird video (Vögel im Wunderland) playing, and lots of company. She loves to see us and have us talk to her. 

Continued prayers are appreciated! 

[Arcadia]

37 minutes ago, MercyA said:

. I've been trying to find out what she likes best and I think it is this: dim lights, space heater on, her favorite bird video (Vögel im Wunderland) playing, and lots of company. 

I am surprised Sunny’s favorite bird video is in German.

[stephanier.1765]

I have been putting off getting on the internet today because I was so worried that I would read bad news here today. Happily and thankfully that is not the case! What a great update. I truly hope she pulls off a full recovery. What a sweet little soul she is. 

[livetoread]

Could she bite and then someone hold her beak closed around whatever she bit on using the syringe in the space left by the object? It might be easier than trying to hold the beak open. Just trying to brainstorm possibilities here.

[MercyA]

1 hour ago, livetoread said:

Could she bite and then someone hold her beak closed around whatever she bit on using the syringe in the space left by the object? It might be easier than trying to hold the beak open. Just trying to brainstorm possibilities here.

This is a great idea and we have tried it, but she won't bite on to anything. She just holds her little beak closed. This is the bird who kept *trying* to bite the eye dropper. She is on to us!

The meds went much better tonight! I have to kind of stick my fingernail in her mouth until I can open it enough to see her tongue, and then I put her tiny drop of medication in. The vet tech told me she used her fingernail too. I know it doesn't sound pleasant, but I feel like I have more control over my finger than another foreign object. 

She seems perkier tonight. Happier and less sleepy. 🙂 

[Jean in Newcastle]

2 minutes ago, MercyA said:

This is a great idea and we have tried it, but she won't bite on to anything. She just holds her little beak closed. This is the bird who kept *trying* to bite the eye dropper. She is on to us!

The meds went much better tonight! I have to kind of stick my fingernail in her mouth until I can open it enough to see her tongue, and then I put her tiny drop of medication in. The vet tech told me she used her fingernail too. I know it doesn't sound pleasant, but I feel like I have more control over my finger than another foreign object. 

She seems perkier tonight. Happier and less sleepy. 🙂 

This is what I have to do with my elderly bunny with the syringe (but not my finger - bunnies have extremely strong sharp teeth!).  He clamps his mouth shut when he sees the syringe with yummy fruit flavored medicine.  I have asked that his next batch be banana flavor (his favorite in the entire world) in hopes that it will make him less recalcitrant. 

[mominco]

Mercy I am sorry to read that Sunny is still sick.(((hugs)))Hope she makes a complete recovery.

[MercyA]

Praise the Lord, it took DD and me under a minute to give Sunny her oral meds this morning. DD is getting better at holding her still and I'm getting better at popping in the meds. It's so much better for Sunny when it is a less stressful process.

Sunny is perhaps the most cheerful I've seen her in the past few days! She is giving us head shakes and lots of silent chattering. 

Please pray that she will eat well today and put on some needed weight, and that her breathing will slow. 

Thank you all so much! I know I keep saying this, but I appreciate all your sweet comments and support so much. Just about all my friends in my local area think it's very odd that I would take a bird to the vet and that I would care so much (all though most are too polite to say so).

She's my baby and a loved member of the family! 

Edited April 7, 2022 by MercyA

[chocolate-chip chooky]

🌻🌻🌻

Sunflowers of hope for you, your DD and dear sweet Sunny.

It completely baffles me that people would consider non-furry pets unworthy of this level of love, concern, care and treatment. 

Thinking of you all and wishing you all the best.

[MercyA]

On 4/7/2022 at 3:59 PM, chocolate-chip chooky said:

🌻🌻🌻

Sunflowers of hope for you, your DD and dear sweet Sunny.

It completely baffles me that people would consider non-furry pets unworthy of this level of love, concern, care and treatment. 

Thinking of you all and wishing you all the best.

Thank you so much.

[.]

Edited April 9, 2022 by MercyA

[ktgrok]

I got it. I once looked up the medicine needed and drove to a pond supply store to euthanize a beta fish that was dying and suffering. Every one thought I was crazy. 

[KSera]

10 hours ago, MercyA said:

Thank you all so much! I know I keep saying this, but I appreciate all your sweet comments and support so much. Just about all my friends in my local area think it's very odd that I would take a bird to the vet and that I would care so much (all though most are too polite to say so).

Have you ever watched the Dr. K exotic vet show on Disney+? I think you would enjoy because she regularly talks about the value of any and all kinds of pets and is always reassuring owners of mice or lizards or birds or whatever else that she understands how important they are as members of the family. I think of that show when I read your posts about Sunny. 
 

I’m really glad to hear giving the meds is getting less stressful and hope Sunny continues to do well.

[MercyA]

I gained a gram today!

I flew up to my highest perch and then flew down again to see my dad. 🙂 

I wasn't so sleepy today and sat up taller on my perches! 

I gave happy head shakes several times today.

I flew up to my highest perch at bedtime and was ENORMOUSLY pleased with myself. 

Thank you, Hive aunties, for all your love and prayers! 💛

Edited April 8, 2022 by MercyA

[Selkie]

Yay, Sunny! You are the cutest thing ever!

[I talk to the trees]

Ok, forget what's her name the dog! I think Sunny needs to be the official Cadbury Easter Bunny! What says the Hive? 

[Spy Car]

37 minutes ago, I talk to the trees said:

Ok, forget what's her name the dog! I think Sunny needs to be the official Cadbury Easter Bunny! What says the Hive? 

If you call this a "bunny," I'm in.

 

Bill

[MercyA]

3 hours ago, KSera said:

Have you ever watched the Dr. K exotic vet show on Disney+? I think you would enjoy because she regularly talks about the value of any and all kinds of pets and is always reassuring owners of mice or lizards or birds or whatever else that she understands how important they are as members of the family. I think of that show when I read your posts about Sunny. 

I have not! It sounds like fun! And we just started a trial of Disney+. 🙂 

[Arcadia]

49 minutes ago, I talk to the trees said:

Ok, forget what's her name the dog! I think Sunny needs to be the official Cadbury Easter Bunny! What says the Hive? 

Lindt https://explore.lindtusa.com/gold-bunny/

[MercyA]

Sunny ate MUCH more produce today! She ate almost a whole leaf of baby spinach and some bites of apple. She hadn't eaten apple in a couple weeks and had been eating very few greens. I am so excited. 🙂

This was such an answer to prayer because she was a little constipated this morning (sorry) and I thought it was probably because she hadn't been eating as much fiber.

I can always tell for sure what she has eaten because she leaves neat little triangle cutouts in the food. It looks like someone has taken pinking shears to it!

She is also perkier and happier! 

She is still keeping her eye shut quite a bit but I washed it with a warm washcloth today and that seemed to help some. 

Thank you for your continued prayers and good thoughts! 

ETA: When I told her "time for bed" tonight, she went right up to her sleeping branch. 🙂 Such a good girl.

Edited April 9, 2022 by MercyA

[MercyA]

Sunny is doing great! Cheerful and eating spinach this AM. Her turnaround has been nothing short of miraculous!

Please continue to pray for her healing for her eye and for her liver. Love you all.. ❤️

[mommyoffive]

Aww, Mercy I am so happy to see your updates.  I lost track of this thread for a few days.  Yay, Sunny.  She is the cutest thing!!

[stephanier.1765]

4 hours ago, mommyoffive said:

Aww, Mercy I am so happy to see your updates.  I lost track of this thread for a few days.  Yay, Sunny.  She is the cutest thing!!

Me too! It's such a relief that every time I open this thread little Miss Sunny is doing a bit better. Since she's so tiny, baby steps are probably the right kind for her. 🙂 Get well, sweet girl!

[Kassia]

4 hours ago, mommyoffive said:

Aww, Mercy I am so happy to see your updates. 

Me too.  This little bird has touched so many hearts! 

[MercyA]

Quick update on Miss Sunny Bun! Her eye looks much better. She actually peeped today when my parents went in to say hi to her! She's eating lots of spinach and some apple and (I admit) lots of her honey treat sticks. I need to get weight back on that girl. 

She is just getting better and better and I am beyond thankful! Plus with all this medicating she is actually getting used to being handled, a rare thing for a canary.

Prayer request: I need to try to transition her to a lower fat diet for her liver health. That means basically an extruded or pelleted diet rather than a seed diet. I haven't had luck with that in the past. However, I found a tiny "granule" diet for finches that I think she might try. Hoping she will accept and do well on the diet. I will of course continue to provide seeds for now.

I will try to weigh her again tomorrow and get another pic. 🙂 

Love and thanks to all.

[MercyA]

Please continue to pray for Miss Sunny. Her appetite is not good and she has lost a gram again (back down to 27 grams; she should be at least 30). She is subsisting mainly on treat sticks (seed mixed with honey), apple, and spinach. I have ordered a new food that I hope will tempt her, and it is appropriate for birds with liver disease as well (low-fat and nutritionally complete). Please pray she will eat it with gusto. 🙂 

In better news, her eye is looking the best it's been and she is still displaying happy body language. She even gave a peep today when I put a fresh treat stick in her cage. She's still able to fly up to her highest branch for bed. 

We now have a fairly easy time giving the meds, which is a blessing!

We love her so much and are doing our best for her. The vet said some birds can come back from liver disease (if that's what it is) so we are hopeful. I also do wonder if the antibiotics could be affecting her appetite. She's been on them about a week, so I need to contact the vet tomorrow and ask when she can come off of them. There was no end date on the prescription. 

Thanks so much all. 

[Catwoman]

I’ll keep praying for Sunny every day.

[MercyA]

Thank you so much, @Catwoman and everyone else.

I am really worried about Sunny tonight. She's just not eating enough, and her energy is low. She has displayed some cheerfulness but overall she just seems very tired. 😞

I texted with the vet and she wants me to keep Sunny on the eye drops until her eye is totally better (it's getting there) and keep her on the oral antibiotics for another week. She said she usually treats liver infections for 2-3 weeks with antibiotics. She thinks a check-up would be detrimental stress-wise right now and advised that I bring her at the end of April. 

My hope is that Sunny's enlarged liver is the result of infection, not disease, and that she will regain her appetite after finishing the antibiotics.

I received her new food which is low-fat and good for birds with liver disease (and also something I thought she'd like) but she is completely ignoring it. 

Plus one of her tail feathers was damaged tonight at some point while we were taking her in and out of her cage, and I feel awful about that. I know it was unintentional and we are doing the best we can...but it's hard to know we caused her any additional distress.

Poor babe. Continued prayers are appreciated.