Comfort for Dying Old Cockatiel

[Jaybay]

Petey, my 22 year and 5-month old cockatiel is dying.  It started over two months ago when he go sick.  He looked like the wild birds I've seen with West Nile virus.  Just when we were certain it was the end, Petey rallied but hasn't been the same since.  He's had loose stools off and on and has lost a lot of weight.  I've used moulting and conditioning vitamins as a supplement for several years, but it's not making any difference now obviously.  He does eat his regular seed, but not as much, and has trouble with his old favorite sunflower seeds.  A spray of fresh millet gets the biggest reaction out of him these days.  

He sleeps most of the time, keeps his feathers puffed up like he's cold, and seems to need his wings for balance more often than not.  There's certainly a loss of coordination.   Petey never would use a Happy Hut, so I have a small towel on the bottom of one corner of his cage that he likes to snug with.  Better than nothing.  During the worst of his illness, he wanted nothing to do with us.  In the past few days, he wants nothing more than to sit under my chin and sleep.

I want to do right by my little companion, so any hints you can offer for comfort measures will be greatly appreciated.  Petey was the first companion "child" that my husband I had. Life will be so strange without him, but I'm grateful for all the years we've had with.  He's never had one single health problem in all this time, so it's difficult to see him like this.  All I can think of is to keep him as warm and comfortable as possible until he's gone.  :-(

[tielbob]

These little ones can't tell us they don't feel well - it's also not in their nature - if they show any weakness or illness, predators select them in the wild.  So if they don't feel well, they don't show it, and other times they might even feel ok but not be.  It's not practical in day-to-day life to think that we can spot every problem a bird might develop, or that we can do something about it to 'fix' it even if we find something wrong. You are right about several things you said:  Your vet probably would have euthanized her. Also, Kelly was greatly loved and she knew it.  On the other hand, you assume it was an impaction but you don't know if there was something internally wrong that caused it or if it was a tumor or something - things beyond anyone's control. In the end, no matter how long our beloved pets live, it's never going to be long enough. I'm really sorry you lost Kelly :(.

[Larkwind]

I'm really glad I found this thread.  My lutino boy, Cheri, started looking pretty worse for wear on Sunday night.  He's 18 years old and has had your problems typical of the over-bread lutinos.  He's always been a little "slow" and went blind early in life, but otherwise has always been very happy and loving.  He sings me such sweet little songs.  I'm leaving work early today to take him to the vet, and hopefully they'll be able to tell me what's happening.  I don't want to hear that his time is near and that his body is failing... but if that's what they tell me, then I'll do whatever I can to make him comfortable until he's gone.  Who knows, maybe he just needs to change of diet or some vitamin supplements.  But he is quite old and frail, so I feel like I just need to prepare myself to say goodbye.  I'm just absolutely dreading it.

[marypar]

My darling Kelly, who was a loving angel, is gone. I got her in 1986 and she was my first cockatiel. About six years ago she had some strokes that caused some disability but she thrived with love from two males and me constantly petting and loving her. This morning, my husband said she drank her water and looked fine. I went to the cage soonafter and she was on her back. I picked her up and noticed she had some big hard thing under her - Now I feel guilty she was impacted but I know the vet would have said she lived a long life and would have put her down. Should I feel guilty? I loved her so much and she knew sit. Now her two males are just looking and preening her (and they will probably start yelling for her unless they understand she is gone.

Please help me with my guilt. She really looked fine and I didn't notice if she wasn't pooping at all, because she ate a lot and yesterday was fine.

Thank you all. I am a 69 yr old and I have her since I was 41. I am leaving her on the floor until tonight.

Thank you all. The two males left are brothers and they are 27 this year.

MaryAnn

[Tracycoetzer]

So sorry to hear about Zuni, my cockatiel is 27 years old, his name is Twinky, He has been my beloved companion and has also gone all over the place with me, he was looking quite healthy and chirpy, talks and sings a lot, undertands what people say. Put your hat on he puts his bell on his head, was a little bit slower than usual but started showing a bit of anger by flinging himself against the cage and flapping his wings but enjoys a walkabout when I am at home, he hasn't been able to fly very well for the past few years but still looked young and spirited. So happy to see me when I return home. But at few days there has been a sudden change, he falls of his perch at least a couple of times, he has got weak and finds climbing difficult with his beak and his feet. He looks very weak, then suddenly regains his sprightlyness but not for long, he puffs himself up and  when I talk to him, he takes time to respond to me. He seems to get more upset with me, as if the things he used to do make him a bit annoyed.This morning I left him it nearly broke my heart, I know he does not like me going out a sometimes he comes with me but he was desparate that I should not leave him. They said I could bring him to the office (he is used to travelling and enjoys it and enjoys new surroundings-advised not too because of stress not sure on this one) Not sure how to handle this

[lharg]

My bird is20 something years old and I had him for 18 .I been taking him to the vet for his tube feeding to keep his strength. It s breaking my heart not hearing his voice. I know he will be leaving me any day now. Does it get any better not having them around?they saidvthey would have to take xrays and blood work on him to find out what's wrong but I just choose the meds and feed tubing but I think it's just his age.

[Murdochsroomate]

I'm so sorry to hear about Zuni and the other birds that have passed.  My Murdoch left me on August 22nd, only about five weeks after I posted here when he was sick.  He was only 6 weeks away from his 25th birthday.  Once I knew his heart was failing I put a web cam in his cage and watched him from work.  Because of this, I could see that he would spend all day on the floor of his cage, then come and sit on his perch by the window around the time he was expecting me home.  The day before he died, he greeted me by singing to me -- for the first time in a long time -- and we had lots of cuddles.  The next day, I came home from work, and he was again on his perch, but he didn't want to come out of his cage or eat or anything.  As I was falling asleep around 11pm, I heard him throw up.  I got up and uncovered his cage, and he was continuing to throw up.  I lifted him out of his cage onto his cage top, where he threw up for about 10 minutes.  Then he just started breathing really heavily and came over toward me.  So I picked him up and brought him to the sofa with me.  He breathed heavily for another 10 minutes or so, then his body started to collapse into the sofa...so I picked him up and held him against my chest and repeated that I loved him.  Then he stretched his wings forward and died in my hands.  This fall, I took his body back to the West Coast, buried him on a cliff with a beautiful view of the water, and placed a bird house in a tree there in his honour.  I consider myself fortunately that I had nearly two months' warning that I was going to lose Murdoch.  I was able to spend lots of special times with him, and to do some of my grieving of his eventual loss while he was still with me...after he'd gone to bed at night.  But it was still a shock when it happened.  Mercifully, he had quality of life right to the end and suffered for little more than a half hour before passing.  But I still miss him dearly.  I can't imagine getting another bird right now.  Our relationships with our birds develop deeply over years. They just can't be easily replaced.  Sending my love to everyone who's loved and lost a bird.