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cockatiel beak injury

22 17:50:42

Question
First, thank you for such a quick response.  We live in south Georgia.  Near Valdosta.  We were told that the nearest avian vet is in Tallahassee, FL.  Today the bird's nostril is no longer running, but it still appears red. And as before, no change in fecal matter, or eating habits.  
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The text above is a follow-up to ...

-----Question-----
My Mom owns a cockatiel that has become injured and I'm worried for the bird.  We don't know how old it is or the sex although we believe it's a male.  The bird (Woodstock) rarely gets any type of attention, except from me and for the most part I don't believe it receives enough interaction.  There are several factors that worry me for its overall health such as both my parents smoke in the house and the bird is located in the livingroom, right in the middle of the worst of it.  Also the house is very dusty and allergies also concern me.  However, my main concern is the bird's beak and nostrils.  I think he may have what is called scissor beak b/c he's upper and lower mandibles (?) don't align correctly.  When I first noticed it's condition it looked quite severe.  My Mom always FED the bird honeysticks and I tried to tell her that it was like feeding him fast food and that it would make him sick. With the discovery of the scissor beak I recommended that she cover all perches with a sandpaper roll, take out the honeystick and replace it with a premium cockatiel blend along with fresh fruits and veggies, add a new toy, and to get a cuttle bone.  Almost immediately the bird became preoccupied with the cuttlebone (it's first ever under her supervision), and within 2 weeks we've seen a drastic improvement.  The bird has managed to wear down both top and bottom mandibles to what looks like almost normal, but is still not quite able to re-align them.  Today I noticed that the right nostril appears red and it seems to be running, but only the right one, not both.  When I noticed this it occured to me this could be an injury stemming from about a month ago when he flew into a window.  I've done some research and seen that impact injuries can cause scissor beak but what should be done to correct it.  My mother is on a fixed income, and our closest avian vet is 2 hours away.  Is it okay to use an antibiotic cream or ointment on him?  Is he in pain?  He seems to be eating and drinking fine and there are no obvious changes in fecal consistency.  Please help.
-----Answer-----
Hello Lauren and thank you for your post.
Your concerns are very valid.  First of all, the bird needs to be away from the room where the smoke is.  This is killing him faster than it's killing your Mom.  The runny nostril could be due to several factors, including the room that he is in.
Scissor Beak is really something that a Certified Avian Vet should take care of, as is the runny nose.
The runny nose is telling me that there is a respiratory infection going on, and without the PROPER antibiotics, will eventually kill the bird.  
I take in unwanted/abused/neglected birds and I pay for everything myself, and I am disables and unemployed.  My first concern is to get my birds the medical attention that they need.
Please forgive me for sounding so harsh, but I am a believer that if you are not willing to, or have the means to do what it takes to take proper care of a pet, then you should not have one.
This baby needs to be seen by a Certified Avian Vet to have it's health restored.
The flight into the window may have caused the scissor beak, but I don't think that after this long it would cause a runny nose.
Again, especially without my being able to see the bird for myself, an Avian Vet is the way to go for the problems that this bird has.

Please keep me informed on how he's doing.

BTW...where are you located?  I might be able to find a closer vet for you, and many vets will work out payment arrangements, and there are also different organizations that can help.

Good luck and God Bless.
Dianna

Answer
I have looked up a page of vets.  I don't know if any of them are closer to you, but it's worth checking into.


VCA Animal Hospitals
(866) 302-7042

     


Small Animal (160)
Complete Medical & Surgical Services (100)
Full Service Veterinary Hospital (99)

Emergency Care (55)

Exotics (53)

Pet Supplies (22)

Avain (5)

Discounts/Free Services (3)

Animal Hospitals
Veterinarians & Clinics
Veterinarians Emergency Services
Animal Specialties
Pet Stores
Miscellaneous Retail Stores
.
Animal Health Products (Wholesale)

Animal Protection Organizations


Veterinarian Directory at PetsUnlimited (petsunlimited.com)
PetsUnlimited.com maintains a complete directory of every veterinarian in the United States with links to their Web sites and more. (Sponsored Ad)

Veterinarian (www.Dealtime.com)
Veterinarian (www.Shopping.com)


VCA Animal Hospitals (local advertiser)  
(866) 302-7042
$30 off your First Veterinarian Visit at VCA

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Business Categories: Veterinarians, Animal Hospitals, Veterinarians & Clinics
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A Daryl Rickard DVM  
(770) 487-1144  |  1237 Robinson Rd Peachtree City, GAzip code


A L Tripp DVM  
(770) 386-2362  |  124 S Morningside Dr Cartersville, GAzip code

Veterinarians
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Adrienne Welch DVM  
(770) 962-5112  |  3010 Sugarloaf Pkwy Lawrenceville, GAzip code

Veterinarians
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Albany Vette & Classic's LLC  
(229) 889-1967  |  1745 Philema Rd S Albany, GAzip code

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Allabout Animals Veterinary  
(770) 834-5006  |  210 Salesbarn Rd Carrollton, GAzip code

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Andrew J Morrow DVM  
(706) 561-3341  |  6374 Schomburg Rd Columbus, GAzip code

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Animal Care Center of Suwanee  
(770) 271-8222  |  750 Peachtree Industrial Blvd Suwanee, GAzip code

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Animal Care Clinic-Tallapoosa  
(770) 574-8232  |  126 Head Ave Tallapoosa, GAzip code

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Animal Fur1st Medical Center  
(404) 627-7879  |  468 Boulevard SE Atlanta, GAzip code

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I hope this helps.  You can also ask at your local pet shop about Avian Vets/Exotic Animal Vets in your area.

I am glad that the bird's nose is no longer runny.  Do keep a watch on him to make sure that it doesn't start up again.

God Bless.
Dianna