Expert: Chrys Meatyard - 2/6/2007

Question
MY PARAKEET HAD A STRING CUTTING INTO HER TOE AND I HAD TRIED TO TAKE HER TO THE VET BEFORE BUT THEY WOULD NOT TOUCH HER CAUSE SHE WAS TOO SMALL. SO A FRIEND HELPED ME CUT THE STRING OFF OF HER FOOT AND I PUT TRIPPLE ANTIBOTIAC ON IT AND IT STARTED TO HEAL.  BUT NOW A LONG TIME LATER I NOTICE THAT THAT TOE IS ALL SWOLLEN AND HAS A YELLOW-ORANGEISH COLOR TO IT. I NOTICED THAT WHEN SHE MOVES SHE DOESN'T ACT LIKE IT HURTS. BUT I THINK THAT THE PART OF THE TOE NEAR HER NAIL IS DEAD BECAUSE WHEN SHE MOVES HER FOOT YOU CAN SEE THAT THE END OF HER TOE BENDS AL KINDS OF WAYS THAT IT SHOULDN'T.  I HAVE AN APPT FOR HER ON SAT BUT I WANT TO KNOW WHAT I SHOULD DO IN THE MEAN TIME.

Answer
Hi, Jennifer.  Thanks for posting!

The foot/toe isn't dead yet...when/if it turns black, the toe has died and will eventually fall off.  Sounds to me like there's a bad infection, with the possibility of your keet losing that particular toe.  You can't really do much for this bird right now, except try and keep the toe clean.  You can't really wrap the toe/foot because the bird would pick any wrapping off.  If possible, try to move your appointment with the bird vet to sometime earlier than Saturday.

It's very important that you not allow your keet to be exposed to things that can potentially cause problems, such as what you've just experienced.  I don't know how this happened, but if you have any toys, etc., in the bird's cage that have string associated with them, throw those toys away and stick with toys that can't potentially harm your bird.  If this bird got into something while out of it's cage, then you need to supervise the bird better when s/he is outside it's cage and/or not allow the bird out.  

Chrys