Skyla's continuing saga

[Budgiekin]

So I had to bring Skyla to the vet on Saturday because she was bleeding from her rump area. For those of you who don't already know, Skyla has an infected preen gland and is on antibiotics. She also has to wear an acrylic collar to prevent her from picking at the scab.

I don't know how it happened, but she lost quite a lot of blood on Friday night. There were a couple of rather large blood splotches on her paper on the bottom of her cage. Fortunately, the bleeding had stopped but we brought her to the vet the next morning just to make sure it wasn't the gland itself that was bleeding. The vet suspects that she just opened one of the scabs somehow (banging it on something perhaps)....

Anyway, my poor sweety has no feathers on her rump area and her tail feathers (the ones that are left!) are all splayed out. I feel so bad for her...she is looking like quite the ratty little budgie...

Here are some pictures I took of her yesterday:

http://i13.tinypic.com/3ziddee.jpg

http://i13.tinypic.com/2j0ia6a.jpg

http://i13.tinypic.com/491ghti.jpg

http://i13.tinypic.com/33w768k.jpg

http://i14.tinypic.com/34njhio.jpg

http://i13.tinypic.com/4dbrxv6.jpg

http://i14.tinypic.com/4059q2e.jpg

[Tiki<3Polly]

aww poor skyla! i hope that she does recover soon!
tell her i will pray for her tonight and that i hope she feels better!;)

[Bea]

Aww, poor baby! I hope she recovers quickly.

[redgirl]

Budgkiekin I hope shes better soon the poor little sweetie xxx

[Mickie]

Budgiekin, is that your litthe budgie that only has one wing? Poor little guy i hope he gets better soon!!!

[BirdieBabi]

Oh gosh those pictures make my eyes water!!! poor skyla! I really do hope she gets better! I am keeping my fingers cossed that she doesn't get any worse.

If she didn't have the neck brace she wouldn't look so terrible. But she is the cutest budgie ever

[budgiesmum1953]

Oh Budgiekin, I was only thinking about Skyla yesterday and wondering how she was getting on. She is reaching quite a way down near her preening gland (in the last photo) do you think she could have pecked at the gland herself? Or does she spend time with her little friends and maybe one of them just might have pecked at it? Only a couple of ideas just in case it might help. I pray that she gets better soon, she still looks beautiful to me, her face is so alert and her colour is the prettiest shade of light aqua that I have ever seen :loveeyes: She's such a brave little lady, bless her.
I'll be thinking of you both and still keeping everything crossed that she gets better soon,
Love, Jan. XXX.

[Budgiekin]

Thanks for all the nice comments everyone! It really means a lot!

budgiesmum1953, we did think that the collar wasn't helping to keep her from pecking at her rump...you're right, she can reach quite far down. When we watch her preen that area, she tends not to pick at the skin or scab, but rather preens the shafts of the feathers that are starting to grow in. For a little while, our vet had put a second collar type thing on her neck (made from cotton balls and adhesive) but it chaffed her neck so they had to take it off. Now we're left with just the acrylic collar on again.

And yes Mickie, this is my little sweety who has only one wing. She sure has had a tough life, but she seems happy! (Although, I know she would be MUCH happier if she could take the acrylic collar off!!) ;)

[redgirl]

When can you take her collar off Budgiekin.xxx

[clifff123]

Those pictures make us all feel real sorry for Skyla, I bet she itches under that collar too. We are all praying that she gets better. You have done a great job taking care of her, she may look ratty but still gorgeous. We all care about her very much, lets hope she gets better real soon!!

[Amy]

Poor Skyla! She's been through rough times! I hope she continues to recover!

[Budgiekin]

Thanks guys. I am hoping to be able to take the collar off in a week or so (but that may be too ambitious). We shall have to see how well her gland heals over the next several days and the vet will let us know if it's healed enough to take off. The good news is that she is getting her feathers back in that area. She lost all of her long tail feathers but I saw a new one growing in! Yea! :D

[redgirl]

Glad her feathers are growing back, hope shes well soon xxxx

[Donna]

Hi Budgiekin,

Seeing photos of poor baby Skyla makes me cry. She looks so miserable, yet she just keeps on going. That first photo is a tear jerker as your other Budgie stands in the background watching Skyla. It's as though she knows Skyla is having a very tough time.

Skyla should win a medal for being so brave and having to fight so many battles in her lifetime. I have never seen such a fighter in my life. You must be very proud of her! ;)

I too, have been wondering how Skyla has been doing. I was just thinking about her the other day (like budgiesmum1953) and was wondering if she ever got her collar off. I was surprised when I read that she still had it on. The poor thing! :(

I have missed seeing you on the forum lately, Budgiekin. I hope that things are going well with you. I know that you are a very busy person.

Take care and have a great day . . . And give Skyla a kiss for me! :D

Donna

[Budgiekin]

Thanks for your kind message Donna! It really means a lot. Skyla really is a trooper. She's certainly got a strong will and you're right, I am very proud of her. She actually doesn't seem to mind so much being captured so we can administer her medication and put the aloe vera on her gland. She'll even step up onto our fingers after she's had a treatment. (She was always very skittish so this is a huge accomplishment for her!)

You're right about me not having been on the forum so much lately...things have been so hectic lately! But don't worry, I'm not going anywhere!:p