3 toes forward on one foot and need advice after vet visit.

[theboykinlady]

Hadji is 5 months old and has his #1 digit forward on his left foot. I will try to add a pic in a comment below. It is causing balance issues and I am worried about his future foot health. We have had him for one week and are already very attached to him. His toe is intact with no stricture, it is just turned forward and curled upwards a small bit.We saw the vet today(3 hours round trip and I really was not that impressed). He suggested leaving it be, due to his age and risking a skin infection while trying to rehab that digit. The vet said it was likely congenital, as there is no trauma or broken bones. He suggested a different cage that was not a floor model to prevent injury when frequently falling to the bottom, again more $$$$$. I spoke with his breeder and he wants me to see a different vet(5 hours round trip). My problem is that we just plunked down a very sizeable amount of money to buy him a week ago, then today, the avian vet. I feel like I need to make some kind of decision but also feel like I don't know all of the facts. I am unsure of how this will affect him in the future. My experience is in large parrots, mostly U2's and this can become a serious issue with larger birds later in life. The breeder has offered to reimburse an unknown part of what we paid for him if we see the other vet for a 2nd opinion or we can return him for a full refund. The problem with this is Violet IRN's are not common here and it's another 7 months until nesting season and there is no guarantee on another male from that clutch. My questions are many, but I will try to limit how much I ask! So far, we are in for about $1000 on this little sweetheart.....I need help on where to go from here! I feel like we are throwing good money after bad, at this point, not that I mind spending money on my bird but we have only had him a week and are already going in the hole, even though he is otherwise very healthy.

1. In your experience, how likely is this to self correct?
2. If left uncorrected, will it cause undue stress on the other foot, in turn causing issues later in his life? (ie, am I setting myself up for major vet bills?)
3. If I decide to keeep him, what % should the breeder reimburse for the "overlooked" issue or should he cover the vet bills?
4. Other than full/partial reimbursement, is there anything else you would ask the breeder for, or to do ? I want to be fair but not get screwed....
5. Is there any physical therapy I can do to help correct this? He has perches of all sizes available now and is not allowed on flat surfaces.

SOMEONE PLEASE HELP ME

[theboykinlady]

I just figured out why I can't post pics. Sorry, I haven't made 10 posts yet. I will be happy to PM or email them.

[MissK]

Hi. Sympathies for the situation.

Questions 1, 2 & 5 are for the vet you just saw. Call them. I'm not qualified to prognosticate on the future of the toe, though if I were keeping that bird (as opposed to returning him) I would be seeing the second vet and seeking to retrain the toe despite lack of any real confidence in that area. I'm not known for not taking a shot.

I don't think, personally, that I would be keeping that bird, however. If I were buying a shiny new baby bird, I would want him perfect, and perfection would trump colour for me. I can say that I originally wanted a blue bird, but I bought a green one because he was the individual I wanted. In no time at all green became my favourite IRN colour and I couldn't believe I ever preferred blue. (I did since get a blue one, but the colour was purely coincidental, as by that time I was just looking for "not green so I can tell them apart easily"). Cosmetic issues, such as wrong colour, frequently disappear when you look with your heart.

Your bird has a physical issue. I cannot advise on what YOU should do, but I have a few thoughts on how I might reason and proceed. Here they are.....

Why have a bird?
a) to breed? --> return bird for full refund, try again
b) for pet? --> evaluate personal commitment to this particular bird
V
V
V
Must it be this particular individual bird?
a) yes. --> Ask breeder to cover the full cost of the first visit to the vet of his choice and 50% of subsequent medical and equipment costs to rectify this specific condition. Accept that breeder may not agree to share the cost. Accept that the cost to you may be very high. Accept that the problem might never be corrected. Accept that the incorrect posture might negatively impact the other toes, and possibly other parts of the body due to physical compensation. Accept that if the one functional toe is compromised your bird may lose the ability to perch on sticks and may have to live on flat slab perches (possibly custom made) and the floor forever. Accept that foot problems in birds, such as sores, can become quite serious or fatal, depending on the problem.
b) probably. --> evaluate if you can handle all the things you would be having to accept in a), including the financial responsibility
c) no, not really. --> evaluate if you can handle all the things you would be having to accept in a), including the financial responsibility
V
V
V
CAN you handle all those things?
a) I think so. --> evaluate if you would rather do what you have to do to keep the bird or try a different bird
b) I don't think so. --> return bird for full refund, try again
V
V
V
Would you rather do what you have to do to keep the bird or try a different bird?
a) rather keep him. --> Keep him. Ask the breeder to help with costs as described above. Get out your checkbook. Do what you have to do.
b) rather try a different bird. --> return bird for full refund, try again. Inspect new bird more carefully or have a vet do it for you.

Note: If you return the bird, drive home, and realize you should have kept him, you can probably phone the breeder from the car and turn around.

[theboykinlady]

MissK, thank you for your reply. I was in such a state, after the vet yesterday, and did not know where to turn. He is a Violet and I am not opposed to another color, other than white. We have had cocatoos for the last 30 years and I just want some type of color. However, the only males his breeder has left, this time of year, are white. I am sure we could be put on a waiting list for next Spring but my home doesn't feel right without contact calls and talking to someone while doing daily chores. We had to say goodbye to our U2, 2 years ago. I have been on the search for a great breeder and chick since then. It was really by accident I was allowed to purchase Hadji the violet. He was on hold for a breeder far away, who fell ill and could not complete his contract. My only requirements for my INR were good temperament, that he be male, and no shipping. We have become very weary with egg binding and laying with my U2. A new day has shed some objectivity on the situation. A good nights sleep usually helps slow thinking with the heart and allows the brain to engage. He will only be a pet, not a breeder. I will have a converstaion with Hadji's breeder today and see what we can work out. I would like a 2nd opinion, as I am not very confident in the one we saw yesterday. Again, thank you and I will keep you posted.