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It's a mystery.

Our green wing macaw has had a STRANGE ... eye ... eye lid (skin) (???) problem for YEARS. We've been to 4 vets (even an animal opthamologist)! No one can diagnos it. One vet said they could take a piece of the eye lid and send it to the lab. Puppy (my macaw) would have to go under anethesia and I'm terrified about it.

I'm hoping someone ... somewhere ... can at least identify her problem by looking at her. I have many close up photos. If anyone knows a TOP vet in the country who would possibly be able to help, I'd appreciate any advise.

Susan (Puppy & Einstein)

greygirl wrote:would have to go under anethesia and I'm terrified about it.

I wouldn't worry about that in the least!

The benefits would outnumber the risks.

This is really a minor procedure and is not as risky as one would think. Your bird's weight and size is taken into consideration and the proper amount of gas is administered. This is not as involved as with a human. There will be no ventilator or the like used. I'd like to say it's like getting gas when at the dentist, except your bird will sleep like a baby and not feel a thing. He/she will wake up with a whiff of air and look around like nothing happened.

Believe me, you can feel confident about this procedure, and the hope that your bird's primary health is being taken care of.

As for the referral of a specialist we have no idea where you live or the specialist that would be involved. But you could try Dr. Scott McDonald DrSEMcD@aol.com with those pictures and see what he says.

Dutch

I'm in NyC, but I'll travel via RV across country with my bird if I have to. Where is this doc?

Thanks so much. I should know anethesia is ok. I've been under it about 4 times in the past 2 years. I just worry for my little girly-bird.

I highly recommend Dr Kelley Corcoran, the veterinary ophthalmologist I and friends have used for years: http://www.vetvisionofva.com/staff.html

If it's an excellent avian vet you want for consultation, I recommend:

Dr. Donald W. Zantop
Fallston Veterinary Clinic
Fallston, MD 21047
(410) 877-1727

He's north of Baltimore, off I-95 toward Newark.

While I agree that avian anesthesia gets safer by the day, if Puppy has had this condition for years and it's not causing any problem other than your concern, I might be tempted to become less concerned rather than subject him to further vetting. What have the 4 vets suggested with regard to additional testing? Years ago one of my tiels had a growth on his eye lid that my vet excised. The recovery was sad to see and surely very painful for my poor baby. I would never make a bird endure that w/o good reason.

Good luck!

Oh my. I just wrote an entire reply and I hit "save" instead and lost it.

Basically, I don't want Puppy (macaw) to suffer. I think it could also be a dermitology problem as it's the eyelid that looks very crusty and flakey and dry. The little dots that are supposed to be around her eye on her eye lid or pushed down because of the dry skin.

One opthamologist said it didn't look "remarkable" if I recall the term correctly. The other vets are scratching their heads.

We did have a piece of the crust analyzed. It's just skin if I remember (it's been years and I'm going to call them), but there was bacteria, but they think it was from her scratching it so much as it's itchy. Sometimes she allows me to soften it with AquaTears (from one of the vets) and pull off the pieces that bother her.

Very strange.

Well, the vet in Maryland is not far and a one day drive back and forth. We might be able to do that.

THANK YOU ALL! i'LL KEEP you posted.

Susan ... and Pups!!!

Zinc?

(I have red palm oil, they HATE it. I have coconut oil. How much can they have? I can sneak it in things. Can I add aloe juice to foods? How much? Oh darn! I'm sorry to bug you with so many questions. I can ask the feedingfeathers group too. )

BTW, is it ok to let your bird go hungry in order for them to eat healthier? For instance, right this minute they don't like the food in their cage, but it's healthy. They won't eat it. Instead of giving them their seeds or nuts (their addicted!) can I just leave that food in their and then maybe offer them another healthy meal or snack later that they don't like? How cruel is it to let your bird go hungry ... when actually they have food in their cage? Sigh....

Could be a type of blepharitis. That's usually from staph. Antibiotic ointment for the eye would be worth trying. You'll need a prescription for it if your vet doesn't carry it. Staph infections of the eyelids can be stubborn to treat so it may take some time to see improvement. Ask your vet about this. Be careful to get an antibiotic ointment without a steroid in it.

It's also possible a tiny foreign body is stuck in the lid.

Update on Puppy's (greenwing macaw) eye:

Went back to our usual and caring vet and they took cultures of both eyes. It's staff infection.

We've been applying an anti-biotic ointment on the eye 3 times a day. Not easy, but I try to make it a game and any attention for Puppy is good attention ... and she trusts me so!

The vet suggested Puppy stay overnight at the hospital for antibiotic injections and eye drops. Upon seeing our reluctance (for several reasons, one being, we'd have to have them board the grey too as they have never been apart from eachother), the vet did research and found there is an injectable antibiotic that can be taken WEEKLY about 3 times! Perfect. Well, it's still drama for poor Puppy, but we trust she will get better. Already her eye is less crust and doing better. she's bright eyed again!

What I love about our vet is that if they don't have the answers, they will seek the help of nation-wide or worldwide known vets for advice and tell us so. There are a great community of vets and professionals out there.