This was “Lucky Lady”. Lucky, I called her, because, I had the opportunity to “rescue” her from some very neglectful people, who did not care at all about her health and well-being. It was an owner surrender situation, and my vet, Dr. Liz Clark, reported that it was clearly a case of “abuse and neglect.”  Three cockatiels, two females, Lucky who I named her, was one of them, and a male, were housed in very tight and crowded living quarters, with very inadequate water and food supply. The mother, bird, was very dominating and attacked Lucky, her offspring, and pecked at her head, neck, back and little shoulders.  The male bird, the father, literally was impregnating Lucky frequently everyday. This was all too much for this young bird to take in her weakened physical body.  I tried relentlessly, 3 times taking Lucky to the vet in the 6 days I had cared for her….

Lucky, had “egg binding”, where the egg was inside her body, and she did not have the strength to push it out. Next, another egg came out,and was literally stuck on her “vent” area. This poor little bird was in labor for over 12 hours, and I stayed up with her from  1 am to 6am, trying to help release the bound egg, by lubrication with mineral oil, and  warm water sprayed. Nothing worked. Another intervention by Dr. Clark, freed this bird by aspiration of the egg through the abdomen. However, Lucky did not want to eat, and then could not poop.  This worried me, and with her increased respiratory status, I was off to the vet again. Dr. Clark had reported that this little bird had lost 20% of her weight, at only 80grams, instead of the 100grams she started out. Dr. Clark tried to tube feed her, but she began to regurgitate and still no stool. I had noticed no feces, when I had tried to feed her the day before. There was a blood clot, and now Dr. Clark noticed a stricture, and narrowed rectum, and really no feces at all.  Dr.  Clark commented that she had never seen this before. There was no saving Lucky Lady, and it was time to end her misery, to help her cross the Rainbow Bridge and have a  good death. This was so hard for me, but for the best interest for this little bird, and to stop the suffering, I agreed to euthanize Lucky. Dr. Clark, wanted to learn more and help other birds, and I agreed to an autopsy. I plan to talk to the family and educate the girls, the boy, and the mother, when I am able about the suffering this young bird endured.  K.G.