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Conference 7.286::pet_birds

Title:Captive Breeding for Conservation--and FUN!
Notice:INTROS 6.X / FOR SALE 13.X / Buying a Bird 900.*
Moderator:VIDEO::PULSIFER
Created:Mon Oct 10 1988
Last Modified:Tue Jun 03 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:942
Total number of notes:6016

84.0. "Bleeding.. What to do?" by LITE::K_WORKMAN (Hand picked by Juan Valdez) Tue Jan 03 1989 10:42

    Hi,
    
    I had a minor emergency this weekend I thought I would share with
    all of you.
    
    I have a playpen for my Quakers.  They both play pretty intensly
    on it.  Well Odie was pushing Chip around while Chip was swinging
    on the swing.  Chip tried to crawl up the swing and got his toe
    nail snagged and ripped off at the end due to the motion of the
    swing.  It began to bleed.  As I tried to grab Chip to get a look 
    at the toe, it started to bleed more because his little heart rate 
    went up.  He hates being wrapped up in a towel!
    
    In Short, being prepared for these types of situations is very
    important!  Birds bones are hollow and therefor they can't readily
    replace lost blood.  Through a Toe nail or a Beak, a bird can
    loose enough blood to be fatal.
    
    - Always keep STEPTIC POWDER handy if you keep birds.  The powder
      is usually AMMONIUM ALUM or ALUMINUM SULFATE.  You can get the
      powder at a drug store or in pencil form where they sell shaving
      supplies.  A Bird Store should also sell some form of a STEPTIC.
      I have seen a cream type called STAY.  This powder or cream
      aids in stopping blood flow.  If you don't have any STEPTIC
      available, you can use flour or baking powder in an emergency.
      Some people will mix neosporin with flour to provide the anti-
      septic action as well.
    
    - You can also apply heat (cauderize sp?) to the beak or nail
      but this is considerably more risky if you are unfamiliar
      with what you are doing.  Without the proper veterinary
      instrument, a pin heated with a match will work.  DON'T use
      anything else such as a weld gun etc... (which looks alot
      like what the vet uses!)
    
    - Keeping Beaks and Nails trimmed will also prevent injury that
      can lead to bleeding.
    
    - Watch for playpens with swings on them.  Where the swing attaches
      is some kind of hook or link attachment.  When the swing is in 
      motion toe nails can easily get caught in them.
    
    I hope this will help prepare you for the likely event that your
    bird will injure his/her beak or nails.
    
    Karen_whos_Quaker_baby_"Chip"_thought_his_little_life_was_over_and
    _now_just_pretends_his_toe_hurts_to_get_attention!
    
    Ps...
    
    If anyone else has more information on this add it please!
    
    
    
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84.1*This is only a test* 8^)SMURF::HORNERTue Jan 03 1989 13:3528
    Karen, you were lucky!  Now it's time for a test....do you know
    why birds bleed so easily?  Why are most of the bones are hollow?
    Why blood is not replenished as readily as with other species of
    life forms??????
    
    OK Histology gurus!  Let it shine!  8^}
    
    Since I have already written a paper on this topic, I am going to
    wait this out!  Someone else must know about this too!  Like Laura
    and Mad Max...Laura...didn't you go to vet school before???
    
    Jean
    (who_has_chosen_to_be_a_brat!!!!!  8^}   )
    
    BTW Karen!  Excellent suggestions for stopping the bleeding!  You
    can purchase a cautery tool thru the vets office..  But, be sure
    to get some training before using it!  I have one, and would not
    be without now!
    
    If you have nothing to stop bleeding, even simple talcum powder
    and pressure will help.  Hold the site, tightly, for a period of
    10 minutes and it should stop the bleeding.
    
    If using the Neosporin, be sure to use the cream not the ointment!
    But the neosporin and flour is a superb preparation for an injury
    site (wound)!
    
    J
84.2This is only a test...CSC32::K_WORKMANHand picked by Juan ValdezTue Jan 03 1989 14:5624
    Is this a test!!!  Can I cheat!  Well I would wait to answer
    you after I looked at some of my books, but I'll give it 
    a shot!
    
    Their bones are hollow so they don't weigh so much?  You know
    so they can fly with little effort....
    
    Blood is made in Bone marrow and that is found inside the bone so...
    since theirs are hollow they have little marrow and can't make
    blood?
    
    Why do they bleed so easily???  Not sure on this one.
    
    Well how did I do... I really am not sure about these answers,
    am I right or wrong?
    
                           **************
    
    One thing I forgot to add to the previous note, however...  
    
    If your bird does get to bleeding and it takes you a while
    to stop the blood, you should watch him for a few hours
    after the bleeding stops.  If he gets listless, TAKE HIM TO
    THE VET!
84.3If this was a real emergency...you would have....SMURF::HORNERTue Jan 03 1989 15:3931
    Not bad Karen!!!  Geez, I'm glad it was a pop quiz, and you had
    no books!  Ha!  My cube mates think I'm nutsy over here...all alone
    and laughing like a little loon!  8^}
    
    The birds do have some marrow, but definitely, the wing bones are
    hollow!  For effortless flight!
    
    The biggest reason for fear of bleeding is because there are no
    platelets in the blood.  Platelets are the little cells that
    cause clotting.  These are little, older red cells with a lipase
    coating around them...they stick together, and form a clot.
    Birds, however, have no platelets, but do have Thrombocytes. 
    I am being tutored now on avian histology.  It is SOOO confusing.
    Thrombocytes are also called giant cells ... which also relate back
    to the platelet, but are unrelated in avian specimens.
    
    So, since there is no marrow to replenish white cells, and the red
    cells just keep going round and round, it is very necessary to have
    fresh drinking water all the time.  The water flushes out the old
    cells which forces new cells to mature quicker.  See, it is very
    very confusing!  The book I'm supposed to get is $125!  so, for
    now, I am borrowing one from the vet...
    
    This is as much as I understand now, but also need to know more!!!
    So, iffen anyone else knows...please, share your input with us!
    
    Human blood, cats, dogs and horses all have different blood chemistries
    and do not apply to avian blood.  They are in a field all to themselves!
                                        
    Jean  (who_is_still_studying_too!)   8^}

84.4nose-bleedingCOLA1::KOTTMANNHeinz Kottmann @CEN CAS-CTSThu Jan 05 1989 11:1111
    Our Amazone has sometimes nose-bleeding (once per month).
    The blood comes either from the left or right. Our vet
    has no idea. The vet's here in germany are normaly have less
    experience in bird treatment. We are non-smokers, and the 
    bird lives with us in our living room.
    Has anybody seen this ?
    
    Any inputs are welcome.
    
    Heinz
    
84.5Dryness or Sharp Toenails?CSC32::K_WORKMANHand picked by Juan ValdezThu Jan 05 1989 14:2717
    Hi Heinz!
    
    Welcome to PET_BIRDS.  We are so glad to have someone from
    so far away join our file!
    
    On the nose bleeding...  I have heard that real dry environments,
    areosol type sprays etc can cause this type of problem.  Also,
    this is kinda gross, but my bird will stick his toenail directly
    into his nose to itch it.  I wonder if your bird maybe experiencing
    some itchyness and scratching it with a too sharp toe nail or just
    scratching enough to cause it to bleed....
    
    Just some thoughts...
    
    Again welcome!
    
    Karen
84.6BROKEN BLOOD FEATHERSSVCRUS::BUCCIERIThu Jan 05 1989 21:2910
    I had a similar incident with my amazon.  He had been preening himself
    and he broke a blood feather.  I only became curious when his mood
    suddenly changed.  He was bleeding badly.  Not having any "Quick
    Stop" in the house I reached for the corn starch.  That worked well
    but should not be considered a substitue for proper medications.
    The next trip out was to the feed store to pick up first aid supplies
    for the birds.  Bleeding can certainly be fatal and we may not notice
    a problem until it is too late.
    
    Jim Buccieri
84.7Remove the broken feather..CSC32::K_WORKMANHand picked by Juan ValdezFri Jan 06 1989 09:569
    Hi Jim,
    
    I also heard/read (can't remember) that if a Bird does break a blood 
    feather, you are supposed to remove what ever part of the feather
    is still attached from the bird or it will get infected and also
    not allow a new feather to grow properly.  Any body have more
    information on this?
    
    Karen
84.8I'm flattered!GLDOA::LROMANIKFri Jan 06 1989 12:2026
    re .1
    
    Vet school?  Oh Jean, I'm flattered, I really am!  Does that mean
    that I don't sound like a complete idiot when making comments in
    this conference?
    
    Actually my only college experience is in Computer Science, although
    I do find pet health and care an extremely interesting topic, and
    am always trying to learn as much about it as I can.  Karen's answer
    about summed up the extent of my knowledge about bird blood before
    I read your later reply.
    
    re . last
    I had heard that the reason for pulling the remaining blood feather
    is that because the shaft is hollow, it can act as a nice shunt
    for bleeding to continue or start again. 
    
    I have a question. I bought a Quick Stop like product (don't remember
    the exact name, but it's a styptic - sp? - powder) for dog's nails.
    If the need arose, would this be OK to use for Max too?  I have
    never had a blood feather with him yet, but I want to be prepared.
    Also, I sometimes worry what would happen if he got a blood feather
    while we were not home.  Would it be bye bye birdie?
    
    Laura and Mad Max
   
84.9More Blood FeathersZONULE::MACONERound Up the Usual SuspectsFri Jan 06 1989 13:3219
    Hansel, my male cockatiel, breaks blood feathers on a semi-regular
    basis.  However, he always does it in the middle of the night, and
    I wake up to a pool of blood on the bottom of the cage, and a bird
    who is no longer bleeding, though you can see dried blood o his
    feathers.
    
    The first time it happened, it was recommended to me to feed him
    moulting food for a week because of the added iron, and I was given
    some type of medicine to put in the water that weould help to prevent
    any infections.
    
    I have the styptic powder, but have yet not had the chance to try
    it, since I have never seen Hansel bleeding.  But, I keep these
    antibiotics on hand as well as the moulting food, since I never
    know when I will look in the cage in the morning and see the blood.
    
    I just hop I don't wake up some morning and have a dead birdie.
    
    	-Nancy
84.10^Z'd too quick and missed decspell! 8^{SMURF::HORNERFri Jan 06 1989 13:4931
    (Laura, I thought when we first *met* you mentioned vet school...It
    must be the drugs I'm on...8^)..)
    
    Anyway, yes, feather shafts ARE shunts!  You need to get some pliers,
    and take a deep breath and yank the feather out.  It may give you
    a very sick feeling in the pit of your stomach...but it's gotta
    be done!
    
    I had a brain damaged cockatiel named Mikey.  Mikey was prone to
    "Night Frights" even with a night light right beside his fight...and
    he constantly beat himself up...then he got the quaker into it!
     The two of them had such raw wing caps it was awful.  We ended
    up figure 8 taping the wings over the bodies and placing them in
    cages with no perches for 3 or 4 weeks.  There are still blood stains
    from Mikey in that flight that I cannot remove.  Which by the way
    is allt that's left of poor Mikey.  He bled heavily, went into shock
    and we lost him.
    
    I heard the fluttering...I can't ignore it!  (One nite there was
    a mouse in a flight, another nite a beetle was on the wire and most
    often 9 out of 10 times it's the night frights.) Found Mikey covered
    head to toe and tried very hard to save him!  He died in my hands!
    
    Poor Baby bird!
    
    Kwik-Stop is the same for cats, dogs, birds and Jean when she shaves
    her legs!!!  It's OK to use.  I prefer it over styptic pencils.
    But flour, cornstarch and powder are alright to use too!  My favorite
    is a silver nitrate stick -- but they can be messy!!
    
    Jean
84.11DRIP...DRIP....DRIPSALEM::VTOWLEMAGNUM FORCE,261-2467,NIO/P10Fri Jan 13 1989 13:106
    I'll tell you one thing...it really gets the ole' heart pumping
    when you are trimming toe nails and the blood starts dripping!!!!
    It happened only once since I have had Squiggy, our Sun Conure.
    I got the steptic pencil out and applied it as quickly as I could!
    The next time will definately *be too soon*!
    Vern
84.12styptic confusionFSTTOO::WIMMERMon Feb 06 1989 16:2819
    Question about styptic powders........
    
    I stopped at New England Serum today and picked up a bottle of styptic
    powder to keep on hand in case of accidents or nail trimming.  They
    had several kinds.  One was Kwik stop (I think) which said it was
    for dogs, cats, and birds.  Unfortunately, they nly had it in a
    6 or 8 ounce container which was $33.00 and looked like it would
    last for 50 years.  They had a couple of other kinds in small 1/2
    ounce containers.  I bought one called Top Performance MediStyp
    Styptic Powder.  I chose this one because it had exactly the same
    ingredients in the same order as the one that said it was for birds.
    
    When I got it home, I peeled off the price tag, and found that it
    said "for dogs and cats, not for use on birds".  Should I take it
    back.  Is it possible that the proportions of ingredients are
    different?  None of the varieties said "for birds" except the big
    one.  I didn't choose any of the others because the ingredient list
    didn't match the one that said "for birds".  
    
84.13WITNES::HANNULACat Tails & Bike Wheels Don't MixTue Feb 07 1989 10:329
    If the lable says not for use on birds, I would probably take it
    back.  There's probablly a reason that theyput the warning on the
    can.
    
    I have also have cats, and one day I bought flea soap for dogs instead
    - My vet said don't use stuff for dogs on cats since it would be
    too strong, and potentially dangerous.  If stuff for dogs is too
    strong for cats, I wouldn't want to risk using stuff for dogs and
    cats on birds.