Posted: Mon Mar 27, 2006 3:17 pm Post subject: One of my boys has Glaucoma
He has had a swollen eye for the past 2 weeks which I have been treating with anitbiotics. It wasn't getting any better so took him today.
He is blind in his right eye - he has glaucoma probably caused from a 'stabbing'.
The vet said I could attempt to treat it with glaucoma medication but there is no pupil reaction at all - the eye has 'blown'. I could have the eye removed but it won't really make any difference to the boy.
He isn't suffering & the vet said he'll live a normal life - except for being blindsided by other birds.
I was watching him, he seems happy so I don't want to put him through the stress of an operation so I'll put him back with his girlfriend and we'll see how he goes. Fingers crossed she will still love him.
If his eye was 'stabbed' the only thing I can put it down to would be a gum tree branch I put in his cage a few weeks ago. He might have stabbed it on a bit of bark or maybe a leaf.
Hi Karen,
We have a hen in our collection who is also blind in one eye. She was scratched in the nest by her mum when only a few weeks old. It was an accident. It has made no difference at all to the hen who has since bred and raised several healthy clutches. Kakariki can have very sharp claws and a poke in the eye can be all that it takes to lose the sight in that eye. I dont think it will have any long term effects for your little guy. Just be aware that he might be more easily spooked if you are in the cage and blind side him. We always whistle before going near this particular hens aviary to let her know we are near.
That's a good idea, will brush up on my tuneless whistles
I guess that was why he'd thrash about when I had him in an isolation cage and would 'suddenly' open the door to feed him - I have (I'm told) a bad habit of walking silently and 'sneaking up behind people'.
I got him out for a cuddle & some scratches which he actually readily allowed, he even allowed my sister and mother to scratch him too.
When I let go of him back in his cage he looked paralyzed except for the occasional flap of the wings & arching his back.
When I first got him out I did notice he was leaning heavily against the wall & didn't move when I reached in but took no notice - just thought it was his blindness making him more accepting.
I think he may have had a stroke as his legs were cold & curled up under him. He kept arching his back but did not utter a sound.
He looked in alot of pain so I thought I'd do the right thing & take him to the vet to be put down. This proved unnecessary and he died around noon today.
Nature often takes its coarse over and above anything we can do.
Sad but true, and something we all have to deal with every now and again, then move on.
I do notice with larger numbers...25 to 50 Kakariki, the incidence of loosing a bird gets greatly reduced. _________________ My Spelling is Not Incorrect...It's 'Creative'
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