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Scooter's Story In July of 2005, I wrote a story for Busy Beaks about Scooter, our blue and gold macaw. It was a sad story in that Scooter had been diagnosed with PDD in the fall of 2003 and, although he was doing very well, his future was uncertain. Since then, Scooter has continued to do very well on Prilosec and Tums, with no vomiting and no slime. He has remained a pretty happy, playful bird, with a reasonably good appetite, and his weight has remained constant. But all the while, I knew there was something wrong with him and that continued to cast a shadow on even the best of days. I was always waiting for the other shoe to drop. Friends were afraid to ask about him, fearing the worst. Then on March 29, 2006, something extraordinary happened. Scooter pooped out a 1/2-inch sliver of wood that was attached to a rather large piece of leather strip that he had eaten. No poop came out with the wood and leather, only urates. I probably wouldn't have noticed the wood if leather had not been stuck to it. For 2 months prior to this, Scooter had not been himself.
He was an ornery, mean, and nasty bird who would chase my husband and son all
over the house hoping to get a really nice bite out of them. He had even bitten
me on a few occasions. He would spend his days with his feathers puffed up and
a threatening posture toward anyone who went near him, beak open, ready to
bite. Vets and friends attributed this to the time of year, the breeding
season, and said that this would pass. But this certainly was not the Scooter
we all knew and loved. Looking back, I believe that the sliver of wood was passing through his digestive tract during that time and possibly getting hung up here and there due to the sharp ends it had. No wonder he was miserable. He was very uncomfortable and probably in a lot of pain! Almost immediately after pooping out the wood, Scooter began dancing, swinging from the top of his cage, squawking loudly as only a macaw can, and vocalizing as he had never done before. I have never seen a bird that happy. He spent that evening snuggling his head under my chin as he lay on his side on my chest. He then tried to crawl down the front of my shirt like our small birds do. Of course, he could only fit his head down my shirt, but both Scooter and I had the best time laughing and being silly with this. We had our bird back.
On Saturday, April 8, 2006, Scooter started eating regular food again. And I mean eating! I had never seen him eat like this in the 9 years he's lived with us. He devoured the bean/veggie/rice mix he got for dinner and licked the bowl clean and he also devoured the Beak Appetit and sweet potato mix he got for supper. In addition to this, he ate the rice pellets, fresh fruit, sunflower seeds, nuts, and treats that he got throughout the day with a gusto I hadn't seen before. Because I have not given Scooter wood toys (I know he eats
them) in several years, this sliver of wood had to have been in his digestive
tract for a long time, probably going back to before the fall of 2003. Why it
never showed up on the x-rays or barium swallow is a mystery. Perhaps it was
situated so that it was obscured by a bone. Or maybe it was situated flush
against the side of his digestive tract, making it hard to notice. Because his symptoms immediately after pooping out the sliver of wood were identical to those he had when he was diagnosed with PDD, I believe this was the cause of his problems all along. He is the happiest I've seen him in 9 years and his appetite has never been this good. Is Scooter happy? Just take a look at the expression on his face. I think he's actually grinning! I know I am. Julie Check out Scooter's story July, 2005
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• Willis, TX 77378 • Voice: 936-344-8400 • Fax: 936-344-8406 All Pages Copyright© 2000-2008 Busy Beaks, LLC-Reproduction of any kind without written consent is strictly prohibited |
The following week was hard on Scooter. He vomited some
slime, although only for one day, his appetite was poor, and his poops were
black. I went back to hand feeding him, but his weight dropped from 935 to
865. That sliver of wood probably was very hard on his digestive tract as it
moved through, causing some bleeding and irritation. But his mood had changed
for the better.
