I had to leave Sammy at the avian vet and they put him in an incubator overnight to get his strength back up before running some tests tomorrow and giving him a "Baytril" injection.

The vet said she thought it sounded like Pneumonia and was afraid to stress him too much.
I am praying he makes it through whatever stressful proceedures they might do to him tomorrow...including a wing clip for safety while he is there, which I agreed to.

I had so many decissions to make today and I hope I made the right ones for him. I really felt I had no choice though but to give him the best healthcare I could...even if the bill is ranging over $1100.00...To have him back and in good health is priceless though.

He will be staying until Saturday and if things are not better by then, maybe Monday or Tuesday of next week.
I could have stayed with my daughter up there {2-hours away} but decided at the last minute to come home where I could be in my own surroundings. I hope I will not regret that choice also.
I couldn't have stayed at the vet with him of course and I can call as often as I want to check on his {hopeful} progress.

I also signed a "do not resuscitate" paper before I left. That was hard but even if they did he would probably only last an hour or so and I do not want him to suffer for my own benefits if that be the case.

So, that is the update on my Sammy and I am pretty calm for now {I think I'm in denial?} and just waiting till I can call tomorrow morning to see how he is doing.
Please keep my little guy in your thoughts and prayers as he is really in need of them now more than ever! {Thanks!}

This post was last modified: 01-16-2008 11:30 PM by Sammysmama.

oh, no :( we're hoping he turns around and comes home healthy.

Sending you the best wishes/thoughts/prayers/warm fuzzies we can for you and Sammy ...

I know it's tough, but you have done what is best for Sammy, you have left him in the best care you possibly could and he is where he can get the most help now! I really hope that everything is going to be OK for you two!

Thanks guys...I think I made the best decissions too even though it all felt like a bad dream.{and still does}

I am up for the longhaul tonight and not feeling like sleep. Its kind of theraputic to ramble on here and a few other forums I visit. The kindness and caring of several people is so appreciated and comforting!

You know, in the couple years that I've been on this forum {and the older one} I've seen posts from others and often left replies to help console and comfort and to be quite honest, I never imagined that I would be in the same situation anytime soon.
{I hope no one is offended by that...}
This is definitely one of the most sureal things I've been though in a long while!

I had to cover up his empty cage so that I can "pretend" he is in there sleeping...otherwise I am imagining I hear him nibbling in his food dish or fluffing up.
This is going to be a loonngg night! ;-(

ALL GOOD THOUGHTS COMING YOUR WAY!

this will all come to an end soon. your little green pal will be home with you and you'll go on like it never even happened. just these few nights in between, get yourself through day by day. and know that the future shines hope through the most dismal of cloudy days.

you never know when your kindnesses will be repaid. so it's always good to end up in the black when you go to balance your karma checkbook. :) we're here for ya.

Pneumonia if it has not progressed to the critical level is cureable.

If they got it in time, and Sammy doesn't stress too much over the treatment, he should come out of this alive.

I went through this when Papaya got hit by the car. He was less than 50/50 chance of survival, and the vet bills for my little conure were actually even more than that. He was initially paralized on one side for about two months, but he eventually regained most of his functioning. He wasn't supposed to even make it through the night, but the "parrot gods" as Walt would put it, were kind to us.

I know how bonded you and this bird are. I know how hard this must be for you. Hang in there. Zons are hardy. They don't overstress as easily as some species.

There's nothing anyone can say or do at this point to make it better. And I know you probably won't sleep for a week.

All my thoughts are with you.

Let us know. I hope all goes for the well.

Take care and remember we are here for you.

You and Sammy will be in my prayers.

You are in my thoughts and prayers and I hope you got at least a little bit of rest yourself last night. Please keep us posted.

Sammy was doing about the same when I called this morning and again this afternoon. I am still waiting for the main avian vet to call me and give me an update and let me tell you, the lack of no call yet is driving me insane! {I will call soon again if they do not!}

They clipped his wings yesterday which was something I understood they would wait until today when he was more stable. I can't do anything about that now but I wish they would have waited.
They also are tube feeding him since he is not eating on his own.
He began having less of a food intake about 3-days ago and that was one of my biggest concerns other than the breathing and reasons for getting him there as soon as possible. He is also being given oxygen, Baytril and was going to have xrays soon.

I honestly thought he would not survive the night so this is good news. The vet said he looked alert and was watching them to see what was going to happen next. If I know my Sammy {and of course I do!} he is watching their every move and putting great thought to how it might concern him!

I finally went to bed around 5am last night and going to his covered cage to say goodnight was so hard. It smelled like him though so that was comforting. What sleep I did get was filled with nightmares and restlessness but I managed to get up when the alarm went off around 8am so I could call the vet.

Thank you all again for your good wishes and prayers!
And BMan, your post gave me such HOPE last night and I really wanted to thank you for that! {especially for reminding me how hardy our ZONS are!!}
I'll update again soon as I get more news.

Im thinking of you both

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy does wonders for parrots with injuries and infections.

What happens with birds is they tend to go into shock, they stop eating, they get weaker, and then quickly spiral down until the system shuts down.

If you break that cycle early enough, they get nutrition, fight the infection, and spiral back up, until they are back to their old poofy-goofy selves.

Sammy is middle aged for a zon. He's got plenty of more decades left in him. Just like my peckerbird...

There may be short term health issues to deal with, but just like any of us getting sick and going to the hospital...

I've been hospitalized with pneumonia once myself, and been on death's doorstep for a week, including two days in an oxygen tent on inhalation therapy. [That was about six or seven years ago now. Nothing more than a distant memory.]

I'm still kicking...

Sammy will be too.

Wow... I'm so sorry to hear Sammy is in the hospital. I pray he recovers. Any new news?

I finally get the call from the main avian vet today...while I was taking a shower! I kept the dang cellphone practically glued to my side for days and when does he finally call??? ARg!!

Anyways...Things are really beginning to look up for my Sammy and from what the vet says, he is pretty much over the worst part!!! He is still not eating as well as they would like but accepting some peanuts and assorted treats from the vet, drinking and pooping as normal!
The xrays revealed good liver function, still some gunk in his lungs and a questionable amount of what looked like "grit" in his craw. I had to think about that one for awhile but we are almost positive it is shavings from a plastic dog toy he was destroying around Christmas.
{yeah...no more dog toys!!} The vet didn't seem too concerned about that and mentioned something they could give him to hopefully help eliminate it so we'll see.
He was also having blood work done this afternoon so I should get the results from that sometime tomorrow.
If all continues to go well they are hoping to wean him out of the incubator this wknd and he should be able to come home by Monday or Tuesday of next week!

After having a mini-meltdown about 4am last night and hubby telling me that I needed to get my self together or I would be down sick too, I was all ready to leave today and go up to be with my baby...but after hearing the positive news that gives me hope and strength to hold on for a few more days at least! I CAN do this!!
Oh, and BTW...daughter was supposed to drive over to visit him today but she called around noon sick as a dog with Bronchitis so of course she couldn't go...and now I have two babies to worry about!
When it rains, it pours!!

Thank you again for that positive reinforcement BMan!! I plan to change alot of things around here to make it a better environment for my Sammy!! This was my wake-up call to never take him for granted again!! {not that I ever really did, but I do need to change a few things!}

Thanks all!! I'll keep you posted!

This is good news!! If it's any help at all I too, like BMan, have had pneumonia, on my Prom night I was hospitalized ... lost the limo, the dinner, everything (had a temp of 104 and my girlfriend at the time took me to the emergency room) ... so I spent my prom night in a hospital bed with my girlfriend on one side of me, and my best friend (who was also female) on the other side of me ... so I was with two girls, at the same time, on my prom night ... :)

glad to hear sammy is on the road to feeling better :) i bet that's a HUGE relief to you!!

tex... that must be every guy's dream. sorta.

I've had bronchitis for about 3 years on and off so i feel Sammy's pain. Antibiotics,they does a body good.or was that milk?, or milk with antibiotics?

LOL Walt! Sammy has Pneumonia...My daughter has the Bronchitis! {I seem to have a habit of confusing people, LOL!}

Thanks galaxee...Yes!! A HUGE relief!! I just hope he continues to improve so I can get him back home soon!!

Texdot...Oh my! What a way to spend Prom! Two girls though..whoa!!LOL!

Now I am researching types of pellets to try Sammy on although I think the vet will have some ideas for me.
He said his diet would probably need to be changed and asked if I had ever tried pellets before so I assume that's what he'll advise. I did try once and Sam would have no part of them, so I dunno how this will go over but we'll see.
Also checking out air purifiers! Yes, I do plan to quit smoking {again!}and I never do it directly around Sammy but I think it would be a good idea to have one to clear the air of everything and anything that could harm his delicate lungs.

I feel like a mother of a newborn again, fretting over this stuff! LOL!

I got to talk to Sammy on the phone just abit ago!!!!!
The vet said he fluffed up his feathers and started looking around for me!!
He was actually sitting on the guys shoulder which is kinda' amazing because he is totally over-bonded to me but I am soooo happy he has someone there that he feels that comfortable with and is comforting to him!!!

His blood test revealed a high white blood count {his is around 1600 and its usually around 1400 for ZONs if that means anything to anyone}...which is conclusive with the respiratory infection.
He is going off the injectable anti-biotic today and switching to oral, off the oxygen and being moved into a regular cage with heat lamps, and still not eating very well but the vet thinks that still might be the stress from being away from me and home.
Someone was going to the store to pick up a microwavable sweet potatoe to try later so we'll see.
Oh, and they already gave him the medication to try to eliminate whatever it was in his craw...which is kind of like what they give cats with hairball problems.

So, all in all...things are looking good and hopefully I can go get him either Monday nite or Tuesday and bring him home!!
I will be glued to that bird for the next month or so!! Man, I sure missed him this morning cause saturdays are our "stay in bed, preen and watch TV for awhile while MoM has her coffee" days so I just ended up going back to sleep.

BTW...I made a pretty cool painting the other night of...you guessed it! SAMMY!! So I will post a pic of it later!!

Take care all and keep those prayers coming!! I promise to do some catching up and replies as soon as I get this all behind me and my brain returns!! {{Birdy HUGS}}