HARRY

This letter is just as it was wrote;

I am writing this in the hope it may forewarn loving Parrot owners about some Avian Vets and Pet Parrot Consultants who advertise their skilled services through the Media.

I will begin my story at the beginning. I had aways longed for a parrot companion, as birds are my love in life. I was working part-time for a private breeder when I was shown Harry, a 26 week old Greenwing Macaw. I fell in love with him, he was very loving and 'fluffy' and I worked and spent every penny I had to get him. All was well, or so I thought, the first thing I noticed was his constant baby parrot behaviour, he didn't seem to do much except sit with a fluffy head and beg, this I thought was normal for a baby parrot. I also thought his feathers were rather tatty and brittle so I telephoned the Bird Care Company who have knowledgeable people ready to advise you over the phone. They recommended I gave him some extra vitamins and minerals in the form of "Feather Up", "Potent Brew" and "Calcivet" as he may have a dietry deficiency. This I did, but 6 months on, Harry was still the same, but to my horror he had started when preening, to chewing a bit of his feathers here and there. My immediate reaction was of dismay because I thought chewing feathers was a symptom of an unhappy or some way stressed parrot. I thought I was doing something wrong or not doing enough, but what ? I had given him everything, toys, the best diet, he wasn't caged, and he was able to free fly in my rural village. I only worked part-time so he was never alone for long.

Through Harry doing this, I was very upset and stopped working for fear of Harry doing this chewing of his feathers because he was missing me. I telephoned the Bird Care Company again who recommended I should take him to an Avian Vet who could take blood samples from Harry and tell if his vitamin, mineral and calcium levels were okay and also if he had any diseases or parasites, they also suggested contacting a behaviourist. In November last year (1999) I took Harry to an Avian Vet recommended in a parrot magazine. When he saw Harry, he suspected mites, which I was relieved to hear, as I knew it could be treated and it would explain why Harry was chewing his feathers close to his skin. However, after taking feather samples, and the all important blood test, he could find no parasite evidence and his vitamin, mineral and calcium levels were normal., he was also tested for "Beak & Feather Disease" which thankfully came back negative.

I took Harry back again and the vet took a feather follicle test from which he said he had found evidence of a burrowing mite which surprised me as I was told the first initial blood test would tell us of anything like that. Harry was treated with "Frontline". Time passed some more with still no improvement, bearing in mind the vet had assured me everything would be alright and he was confident we could sort Harry out, and , his condition was not behavioural. Again I took him back to the vet, this time he took a skin biopsy which showed his skin was slightly inflamed. I was told he probably had picked up the habit of chewing his feathers through being irritated from the mites and his condition was now behavioural and he was going to have to take "calming" drugs. The vet prescribed Metacam which I gave Harry for 4 weeks, still no improvement. Harry was then prescribed Haldol which I was told was the last resort and was what they gave to "human mentally ill patients".

During this time, I was put in contact with an advertised 'Pet Parrot Consultant' who sent me a 'training' leaflet for a price. He told me to tell Harry 'NO' when he chewed his feathers, not to cuddle him as this could provoke sexual feelings, not to allow him on my shoulder, and to lower all perches because he may be dominant. All these things I didn't feel were relevant to Harry as he was very well behaved, well trained and never showed any signs of dominance or aggression, the opposite in fact as he was always wanting cuddles and tickles. However, I did all these things which I hated as I was assured once these techniques were in place things would improve with Harry , they didn't. I telephoned the 'Pet Parrot Consultant' again for advice as Harry seemed to be chewing even more. He suggested a 'home visit' which we arranged. He arrived and basically told me everything he had already said or what was in the leaflet. He added it maybe a good idea for Harry to go away to a place that had other Macaws for 3 weeks to see if he would stop chewing in the company of other birds, OR, to remove myself from his environment for 3 weeks. I wasn't willing to do this but I carried on with the other 'techniques' and 'training' . I tried this for months but Harry got worse, obviously in retrospect, because he was denied cuddles, and his favourite spot on my shoulder. The situation was terrible, Harry was chewing his feathers much more, desperate, I telephoned him again and was amazed and dismayed to be told he couldn't help anymore and didn't know what I should do!

The vet after 10 months of treating Harry with drugs like Valium, Steroids, Metacam and eventually Haldol had failed to help despite his reassurances. For the past 10 months I have put all my faith in this vet and this Pet Parrot Consultant not to mention the worry of finding the money to pay the vet, which can be very expensive. After all this I was left with the prospect of Harry being on a doping medication for the rest of his life, or, finding somewhere for him to go to for 3 weeks and all the heartache that would go with it.

On giving Harry his first dose of this Haldol, his reaction of stress to being very sleepy made me think what the hell am I giving him. At this time, I did not know what this drug was and so I thought I must find out more and speak to somebody who knew Macaws. I had serious doubts as to what medication Harry was receiving and what advice I was being given by the Pet Parrot Consultant. Following the advice of Julie Lewis (Pet Parrot Appreciation Club South Wales), it was then I found Christine Forman who runs Safehaven Parrot Refuge. I told her all about Harry and what had happened. She told me she thought Haldol needn't be prescribed in Harry's case, and the Pet Parrot Consultant, could have made the situation worse by treating Harry as if he was dominant, by advising no touching (only on head) and lowering of perches. As Christine lives with Macaws, she was able to tell me that Harry's behaviour was not normal, and that he wasn't dominant, but she thought his symptoms sounded like a sick bird. She recommended I take him to Neil Forbes in Stroud for a second opinion who was a very good Avian Vet. It was wonderful to finally connect with someone who understands and genuinely cares, as I was at the end of my tether. After speaking to Christine, I made an appointment with Neil Forbes in Stroud. It took me 3 1/2 hrs to get there but I am so glad I did. Mr Forbes saw Harry and took some blood and said he would have the results by the time we arrived back home that evening. On the way home he phoned and told me Harry's blood test had revealed PSITTACOSIS which could cause him to chew his feathers. When I heard this my heart thumped but Mr Forbes assured me it can be treated nowadays with weekly injections, and to save travelling I could find a local avian vet who could give him the injections.

And so I contacted an avian vet in my area, again through a parrot brochure, and was happy in the knowledge that Harry had finally been diagnosed and we could now treat him. I took him to the vet who injected him in his leg with a small amount of a drug which surprised me as I was told Harry would be taking quite a large amount of a drug injected into his chest muscle. Because I have had cause to question previous veterinary practice on Harry, I just wasn't happy that everything was quite right. I telephoned Neil Forbes practice for peace of mind really, thinking I was probably being paranoid, but to my disbelief, I found that this vet had been giving Harry a different drug but more importantly, he had only given Harry a fraction of the correct dose. I could hardly believe it, after everything Harry had been through, yet another mistake was made. Luckily, Neil Forbes was able to recommend another Avian Vet close to my area and I took Harry there.

At the moment, Harry is on the course of injections for Psittacosis and none too soon. Prior to the injections he was visibly looking worse, his appetite decreased, he became more lethargic and his head and wings hung. We still have a long way to go yet. It has been such a struggle to get to this stage, but already Harry is showing signs of improvement, he seems brighter, is starting to play and he is chewing less, everything crossed I will have a happy healthy parrot for the future to enjoy. It makes me very angry to think how easily things may have been, reality being Harry may have died.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank Christine Forman and Neil Forbes. If it weren't for Chrstine's help, understanding and generosity of spirit, Harry's future would have been very grim. I could have ended up with Harry on a mental illness drug for the rest of his life (however long that may have been), or, gone through the heartache of losing him somewhere for 3 weeks and the implications that would mean with Harry possibly spreading the Psittacosis to the other birds. And the worst thing is I may have lost him needlessly.

I hope this can be a lesson to parrot lovers, my message to you is BE AWARE, money is all too important to people these days.

HARRY & ME
26 September 2000