Two weeks ago on a Sunday (my animals only ever get sick on Sunday) my parrot started having difficulty walking and perching. I thought she might have had a stroke, because she didn't seem to be in pain, she just couldn't use one leg properly. I took her to the vet on Monday (she wasn't in pain, and the emergency vet clinic here doesn't know squat about birds) and found that she had either a growth on her kidney or an abscess (this was determined via xray). We put her on antibiotics for 10 days, but there has been no improvement, so it probably isn't an abscess. That means it's probably a growth. (By the way, the kidney in a bird is right next to the nerve bundle that goes to the left leg, so having a growth on the kidney pinches the nerve bundle so the leg doesn't work right.) The bird is not in pain physically, but she is very uncomfortable psychologically. I put her in a smaller cage so that she wouldn't hurt herself if she fell since she keeps wanting to climb to the top. (Birds are more secure the higher they are and the highest perching bird in a flock is the most dominant bird.) She is very unhappy that she can't use her leg to perch properly. Her condition has not changed in 2 weeks. I don't think she will improve, but she is not in any apparent pain. The vet seems to think she will get used to her condition in time, but I'm not sure how to guage her quality of life. She doesn't make her normal sounds anymore or ask for attention. She struggles to get around and sleeps much more of the time, since doing normal everyday things takes so much more energy. I'm considering having her put down, but that's a very difficult decision. You see, this bird chose me as an owner, not vice versa. I used to own a pet shop and she was put on consignment sale at my shop. I sold her once to an experienced bird owner and the bird hated it. The woman brought the bird back a week later and although she didn't show me the wound on her arm, she described it in vivid detail and I saw the bandages!!! This same bird will lie in the palm of my hand and beg to have her head rubbed. She has always been this way with me. When the bird came back, I kept her as a store bird and when I closed the shop she came home with me. She is an incoragible brat. She is noisy and messy and I have tried several times to sell her or give her away but I always back out at the last minute because the thought of being without her is worse than the trouble she causes. She and my husband have a mutual dislike for each other, although they tolerate each other (badly, I might add). However, when she lies down in my hand and rubs her head on my fingers and begs me to cuddle her, I melt. I have spent 2 weeks waffling, but I need to make a decision because truthfully, doing nothing is a sort of decision in and of itself. I have set Thursday as the day for a concrete decision....should I put her down now, when she is in no apparent pain or should I give her as many days as she can live without pain. By the way, my only further diagnostic veterinary tools are either very invasive (exploratory surgery) or very stressful (taking her to a hospital several hours away for an endoscopy, biopsy, then surgery anyway) and I don't want her last days to be like that. Quality of life is a major issue to me.

-- Sheryl in Me (radams@sacoriver.net), September 25, 2001

Answers

Is she just sleeping more and not getting around, or has she not been eating as much also? If she has started losing weight or not eating as much it could be that the growth is cancer. I would take into account her age, ability to enjoy life,etc when making a decision. Did the vet give any indication as to how long he thought it would take for her to get used to it? From what you have said, it doesn't seem she is enjoying herself, if she can't get to where she wants to go, talk to you, etc. Each animal is different in what they enjoy. We don't have birds, but I do have dogs. We have had to put several down in the past 2 years, one was content to be helped for several weeks and enjoyed laying around. The other it was beyond his dignity to ask for help or receive it - 2 different dogs, 2 different decisions as to how long was best for them. I wish you the best with your decision, it is a hard one to make.

-- Leslie in Western WA (sundaycreek@gnrac.net), September 26, 2001.

I had the sweetest Golden Retriever who was stricken with cancer. The couple who lived behind me were wonderful helping me give her a good quality of life and extending it longer than anyone, including the vet, would have believed. They were Dr. and nurse and got me meds and even some late night oncology treatments in 'the people hospital.' It gave her three very good years which astonished the vet.

When the end finally neared it was the toughest decision I ever faced. She'd have a good day and then hardly be able to get around the next. I told myself when she had two days like that in a row I'd take her in. I ended up home with the flu and it happened. She had two days when she barely moved most of the day. It broke my heart because I knew it was time.

I called the vet late the second afternnon to tell them I was coming the following day and not to have me wait or I wouldn't be able to do it. I got up the next morning and got her leash to take her.

She tried to be her normally excited self at the sight of the leash but just couldn't. There was fresh snow on the ground and she always loved that. She tried to prance in it like always but could barely walk. I had to lift her into the car.

The vet took us right in and asked me if I wanted to stay with her. As difficult as it was to stay with her, I couldn't just leave her there like that. I held her in my arms and felt the life leave her body. I remember walking out to my car carrying her leash and collar crying. The only thing that sustained me was knowing I had done the absolute best thing for her in life and on that day.

Tsking her day sooner would have been too soon. Waiting a day longer would have been cruel. I still miss her and always will.

-- Gary in Indiana (gk6854@aol.com), September 26, 2001.

I always seem to put a critter down weeks after it should be done. I keep expecting the miracle that doesn't come. I will give you the advice I don't follow very well ~ when the quality of life deteriorates, when they can no longer eat/drink/potty like normal, when you've tried all you know how to do yet they start suffering, that's when they should be put down.

-- ~Rogo (rogo2020@yahoo.com), September 26, 2001.

You have my sympathies. I have had to deal with a kidney tumor causing leg paralysis in one of my birds in the past, and it is not an easy decision as to when is the best time for euthanasia.

My experience is that this condition is not painful to the bird, but you should closely observe your bird for any changes. If it is a kidney tumor, the bird will become progressively weaker as time passes, and very well may injure herself without realizing it. Mine chewed her own toes off without feeling it, and was further weakened then by blood loss and I then elected euthanasia the next morning. Up until that time, she had been eating and drinking, but was withdrawn from the other birds (probably realizing her own weakness and vulnerability). I let her go too long, but I had not ever thought that she might self mutilate herself because of lack of feeling in her foot.

I do not think that there is any surgical proceedure available for this, however, if you would like, I can search for the phone number of Dr. Branson Ritchie for you -- he is the foremost avian specialist in the country and works on phone consultation. He may have information on any updates in treatment.

-- julie f. (rumplefrogskin@excite.com), September 26, 2001.

I agree with Leslie. If the bird is in no pain and continues to eat, and is not deteriorating, I wouldn't be in a hurry to put her down. If it's a case of her having to get used to using only one leg, this is certainly possible for her to do. If she's getting worse and you have decided surgery is not an option, then that would be different. You didn't say how old she was, and I know some parrots can live to be quite old, so her age might come into it, too. If she has a lot of years left and could learn to use one leg, vs. few years left to learn to use one leg, etc. I'm sure you are running all of these things through your mind. Remember one more thing, the bird will not know that you are going to put her down, and it's over in a moment.

I sure hope you can get a happy ending, though, because it sure is anguishing making these kinds of decisions. Good luck.

-- Jennifer L. (Northern NYS) (jlance@nospammail.com), September 26, 2001.

As a lover of animals and having had to put down several well-loved dogs (I currently own eight), I have absolutely promised myself that I will not let my animals linger because of my own inability to let go. I make the choice based on their quality of life. Whether or not an animal is in pain is not the only determination on how they may feel about their condition. First of all, some animals are very stoic about pain and you have no idea they are suffering. I look at how the dog acts and what is the impact of the illness or injury and what is the prognosis. If the prognosis is not good and the animal will just continue to go downhill, I look at the kind of life they are leading to help make the decision. If their natural life functions are greatly changed and they seem very depressed, i.e. not eating much, sleeping alot, not active, etc. and there is no hope of recovery, partifcularly if the animal is of advanced age, as much as it tears me up to euthanize them, it would pain me more to allow them to go on with a life which they clearly are miserable living. It is always a hard decision to make but I try to not let my own emotional inability to let go, influence my decision to keep the animal going way past the time they should be put down. The advice of a vet can usually help you make that decision because they have less of an emotional involvement although some vets, like doctors, want to keep doing treatments way beyond what they should just for the money, so yo have to weigh that as well. I know this is a hard thing to do and my prayers are with you.

-- Colleen (pyramidgreatdanes@erols.com), September 26, 2001.

I’m guessing that this isn’t an aged bird because they have such long life spans and you didn’t mention age. So, given that she is probably middle-aged or younger, as I am, I have to think how I would want to be treated. (As you know, parrots are way smarter than we can possibly give them credit for, so I have to think of them more like humans, for perspective.) If I suddenly got a disease which kept me from getting around like I used to but didn’t cause me any real pain, I would be pretty depressed. Probably for quite a while. But with lots of support and love from my family, I’d probably pull out of it and make something out of what was left of my life. If it were cancer, with all of the same conditions otherwise, I’d be more worried and depressed, but only because I actually knew it was cancer. Your bird can’t know that. I think that, unless she’s in pain, you should give her plenty of time to adjust, physically and psychologically, to her new disability and give her plenty of love and support in the meantime. I know I sure wouldn’t want someone to kill me just because I had become permanently unable to walk as well as I had before. Maybe she’s more depressed because she has less freedom and possibly fewer toys in the smaller cage. Just a thought.

-- Laura Jensen (lauraj@seedlaw.com), September 26, 2001.

Hi, Sheryl. Let me know if I can help. I know that the local laws (Sheryl and I are in the same town!) say you cannot put your pet down without the blessings of the local Pet Nazi. Maybe she has been put down by now, since I haven't seen her sorry ass for some years. Nonetheless, it's a hard decision, but one that must be made occassionally. Let me know if you need my help. I remain your buddy, and wish you GL!

-- Brad (homefixer@SacoRiver.net), September 27, 2001.

Well, it's Thursday, and I just saw this post, so maybe I'm too late. I tend to keep my animals while they are still getting SOME enjoyment out of life. Is the bird STILL cuddling up to you? If she's still getting enjoyment out of being petted, perhaps it is too soon.

I suggest that you try to connect with your bird on a telepathic or intuitive level. If you don't know how to do that, I suggest you sit next to the bird's cage, close your eyes, breathe deeply and slowly until you feel calm, then send your thoughts out to your pet with the intention of finding out how she feels about sticking around awhile.

Good luck and blessings to you and your buddy bird.

-- Anonymous (no.one.here@nowhere.net), September 27, 2001.