Wounded Parakeet

Question
QUESTION:   I am caring for a friend's parakeet, and today, one of our cats attacked her. Her left wing and leg/foot seem to be the only areas hurt, but I am concerned. She can fly but does not want to put weight on her left foot. She was scratched on her foot and leg in several places, and I am wondering if neosporin is safe to put on the scratches or if it is toxic if she ingests it. I have put a heating pad under her cage and am trying to make her more comfortable, but I would appreciate your advice if I need to be doing something else. Thank you very much.

ANSWER: I am sorry to hear that she was hurt, but thankfully the injuries are small.

Before you use an ointment like Neosporin, try to clean it first.  Hydrogen peroxide is a cheap effective antiseptic.  Just take a cotton swab and rub it lightly on the area.  It does sting slightly, but not nearly as bad as many other remedies.  Don't be surprised if she's not too happy afterward.  Neosporin is safe, but you should cover the area after you treat it.  This will keep dirt, poop and seed shells out of the area, keep her from rubbing it off, and help to make sure that it is not getting infected.  Be sure to tape gauze to itself, not feathers.  The tape can damage the feathers or pull at them and cause her pain.

A heating pad is a good idea, but put it under only half of the cage.  That way if she feels like it is too warm, she can move to the other side to cool down, and move back if she gets cold.  Keep the cage covered and dark so that she can rest.

Let me know if there's anything else you need to know!

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION:   Thank you very much. Today, I noticed that Jackie's (name of parakeet) left foot is quite bruised and purple. She still is not putting weight on it, and her balance is not good. I believe the underside of her left wing has been injured also, but I have not checked. She can still fly, so does that fact mean that the wing is not broken? Her appetite is good, but do I need to feed her anything extra? Do you have any idea if her injuries will have life-long consequences? Thank you so much once again. I appreciate your time and care in answering.

Answer
The foot may seem bruised for a little while.  Within about two weeks, the injuries should be healed.  If her balance is not very good though, you may want to lower the height of the perches.  That way if she cannot get a good enough grip and falls, she does not have very high to fall from and will not be as likely to injure herself further.  You may want to place a shallow bowl or saucer of warm water in the cage for her to stand in.  She may not put her sore foot in it until it is less tender, but if she does, the warmth can help with the bruising and keep her feet from getting swollen.

If she can still fly, her wing isn't broken.  Broken wings are very easy to identify.  The bird will hold the wing differently, either holding it awkwardly close, or holding it out to the side, depending on the nature of the injury, and she could not have been able to fly.  If you haven't checked, watch her for a little while.  Budgies will spread out their wings when they preen their feathers, which they do several times a day, and you may be able to get a better look at the wing without bothering or stressing her.  

Even though she can fly, I would keep her in the cage.  Since her leg is sore, she may not be able to land very well, and you don't want her to have a crash landing and hurt herself.

A good appetite is a good sign, especially in injured budgies.  You shouldn't need to feed her anything extra, but you may want to offer her a treat like a slice of apple or some millet spray so that she feels better.  It will not help her to heal much faster, but it may make her feel more comfortable.

These injuries are probably not going to have life-long consequences.  Scratches tent to heal very well if kept clean, and if the injury to her wing isn't serious (which if it were, she couldn't fly), it should heal fine.  

Hopefully she'll be feeling better in no time!