There are many reasons why a Bird will become sick, but those who have been neglected are at a much higher risk of becoming unwell. Medically complex Birds are those who have a single, or group of, medical conditions or illness that require a high level of management & care. In this article, we will cover Marjoram’s story to help give people an insight into caring for a Bird who is medically complex. Every case is unique, so if you are concerned about your Bird & think they may have any of the conditions mentioned, please seek advice from your avian vet. This article is to raise awareness & shouldn’t replace vet care.
MARJORAM’S CONDITIONS- Marjoram was neglected before her arrival to me. Poor cage setup & diet have led to all or her health conditions. She has a large lipoma on her chest, severe bumblefoot (caused by standing on dowel perches), fatty liver, respiratory difficulties (a combination of respiratory toxins, lipoma & possible atherosclerosis). This makes Marjoram fall under the category of ‘medically complex’.
READ EVERYTHING- This is the best piece of advice I can give on dealing with a medically complex Bird. Read every single vet paper & peer reviewed scientific study you can find about the condition(s) your Bird has. Google scholar, avian medicine books & avian veterinary training material all offer a rich treasure of information about a wide array of topics. You can never know too much, but make sure you learn from the right places, there are many sources of persistent misinformation online & amongst Bird communities, make sure that you only take in things from the sources mentioned above to ensure you (& your Bird) don’t fall victim to myth. It doesn’t matter how many years somebody has owned Birds, they can be wrong.
WHAT I HAVE LEARNED– I already care for lots of medically complex Birds with the same health conditions as Marjoram, but that hasn’t stopped me researching in depth. This has enabled me to learn some new things that will not only benefit Marjoram, but any angels I rescue with the same conditions in future. You can never finish learning, so always allow that spark of curiosity to inspire you to do the best for your Bird. Below are some new things that I learned.
Lipoma- whilst reading an avian medicine book, the further reading section at the end of a focus on obesity & lipoma in Budgerigars offered an interesting nugget of information. It referred readers to a scientific study showing that supplementing a Budgie’s diet with L- carnitine reduced lipoma size. I then found the study online & was very interested in its findings. We are now going to talk this over with our avian vet & see what kind of L- carnitine supplement to choose & weather it would help Marjoram’s individual case.
Fatty liver- I have found lots of interesting information about fatty liver disease from reliable sources. As well as reducing the level of fat in the diet & introducing healthy fresh foods, I now know that the addition of milk thistle & Organic celery juice can help clean the liver & aid its recovery.
Bumblefoot- When reading an avian medicine book, I read that bumblefoot cases in Birds are often significantly helped by using F10 barrier cream. We already use F10 products with amazing results, so I have started to use this cream to aid the healing of her bumblefoot sores. After first use she has been more active than I have ever seen her & I am so delighted that I found this cream!
TREATMENT– when applying treatment to Marjoram’s feet, great care needs to be taken during handling. Her lipoma, coupled with breathing difficulties, means that she needs an entirely untouched chest. Even the slightest restriction or piece of towel touching her chest can cause big problems for her. When treating a medically complex Bird, you often have to consider a variety of different conditions at once to ensure that treatment of one doesn’t have a negative impact on the other. She also has very low stress tolerance & poor stamina, this means that she needs to be comforted throughout & handling kept to a minimum.
CONCLUSION– With a cage now full of natural branches (with the bark intact), natural wood to chew & a gradually improving variety of foods, Marjoram is exceeding all expectations. People are often put off caring for Birds with complex medical needs & many end up being destroyed (even when a wonderful quality of life could have been achieved) but these Birds are amazing. Nothing fills my heart more than little breakthrough moments, the way she looks at me with utter love & unwavering trust.
The bond with a medically complex Bird is a bond like no other, you go through so much together & they completely change who you are, in the most precious of ways. The vet care, time & treatment is only a tiny part of their life. There is the joy, the tasty food, the dancing, the laughter. Hard moments will be there, but just as you think that you can’t carry on, they wrap their little toes around your finger, they scream with joy because they see you coming, they want to live for the first time. They are so much more than a diagnosis, oh they are so much more.