PLEASE HELP If you can! My resources are all gone. I don't want to give up on Shankar.
 
Also the video we posted of Avian and Exotic Animal Clinic of Illinois has been removed from Facebook so please share this YouTube link and get the word out because I don't want any other animal to suffer the way my Shankar has.

https://youtu.be/i8olw6n2fJQ



We have a 39 year old (Shankar) Amazon parrot who has been experiencing ruptured air sacs since 2016. We used to take him to a doctor in Niles IL. (Passed away) and I have a wonderful local doctor but he is not an avian specialist.
Recently, I noticed Shankar wasn't feeling well again. I am extremely connected with him and have been in his life since the beginning he was my mom's bird but he took to me. I was five years old.
Shankar started fluffing up a lot and his air sacs completely filled.. I could tell he was lethargic and he wasn't eating well. He was almost laying down on the top of his cage.. So I called our local vet and they recommended an avian specialist in Indianapolis. We called on Friday and the clinic said it sounds like an emergency and told us to come down the next morning on Saturday and to be there by 10 am. We made the two and a half hour trip and when we arrived we're told there was not an avian specialist there today. They said he didn't appear to have anything wrong with him. (He puts up a good front.) I told them we have chickens and would they to a test for gape worm. Explained his medical history, what I had noticed and pleading there was something wrong. They said they didn't think gape worm was the issue. That they took a panel and a white blood cell count and everything seemed fine but they wanted to hospitalize him until Monday so he could see the avian specialist who could do radiographs. They would be leaving at 5 a.m. and he would be alone Saturday night and they did not work on Sunday but someone would check on him a few times.
Something didn't feel right about that to me so I asked if we could pick him up and bring him back Monday morning they said that would be fine and told us to be there at 8 am. billed us an ER visit 300, and we left. On the ride home he acted like he was choking not just readjusting his crop. I was worried. He was stressed and to me obviously sick.

We brought Shankar home. He got worse. His eyes are the window and I could just tell I thought it was going to lose him. He had completely stopped eating and was not well. It was obvious, He needed that specialist! He struggled thru Easter Sunday. Practically laying down on his cage. I could hear clicking when he would breath. It was scary I didn't sleep. We left at 3:30 am to take Shankar there is an hour time difference so we lose an hour. We were there at 8am as they requested. Shankar was taken back approximately 8:30am. We had already agreed that he should have radiographs. We didn't hear anything till approximately 1pm. (We hadn't inquired yet because we could see they were very busy and we didn't want to bother them.) When I answered the phone the doctor on the other end was very flustered and frantic. She stated that she had "glanced" at the radiograph and didn't see anything to significant but did not have any more time because he had to teach a class in a half hour at Purdue. That Shankar "seemed fine" and was "growling" at them and "fighting" with them. She said that she was at her "breaking point" and that she was losing two people, and said, "I'm ready to have a nervous breakdown." She stated that because they took on Shankar they had to "turn away five emergencies" and that she would need more time to figure out what was wrong with Shankar and wanted to hospitalize him for the night and get back with him in the morning to reevaluate. I explained to her that it was a two and a half hour drive and it we had already been there on Saturday. That I knew him very well and that something was wrong. She said had to teach this class and he would just have to wait. She wanted to take his blood pressure and do a fecal matter but did not have time to get to that for Shankar today. She reiterated he seemed fine. Normal CBC etc... after we got off the phone my husband and I talked about it. We decided to find a hotel that would accommodate Shankar. We called back and let them know we would pick him up and monitor him throughout the night since no one would be there. The staff said he had not eaten and they would to feed him and give him water. They wanted us to pay the 371.72 in charges before they could release him.. We said no problem and picked him up.

As soon as I saw Shankar I knew he wasn't well. I sat down on the chair and held him. He didn't want to go on his cage. He was yawning really hard like when he just his crap but overextending like he was choking. He kept fluffing his feathers and shaking his head. At one point I really thought he was going to die in my arms. He was fighting it. It got to the point where I felt him let go and he just laid down in my hands as I pet him and talk to him for an hour and a half. I even thought he had passed away at one point. Then suddenly he perked up I kept shaking his head. He just kept fluffing his feathers and shaking like when he dusts his self off. I called the emergency hotline for the vet at 4 am. She said she would come in and observe him until 8 am when they opened if I would pay her 250 I told her that was fine no problem. We went back to the hotel 4am. I cried myself to sleep it was the first time I had slept since the 2 hours I got Sunday night. At 8:30 am the Doctor called. Again she was very flustered and said that the only thing she could come up with was there was something in Shankar's secondary stomach and she didn't know what it was maybe it was metal toxicity. She was very upset with me and said these things take time and that I couldn't be expected for her to make a diagnosis in the 20 minutes she had was Shankar. She said these things need lots of time. That I was being unreasonable. At this point I just heard crying I told her I was so sorry I was just worried about Shankar and I apologized. (I didn't mention how we had made the trip on Saturday or how she had all day on Monday.) I ate as much Crow as I had to because at this point this doctor is my only hope and I need her to be good to my soul mate. I told her how much I love him and what he meant to me. He is the best friend I've ever had and through every moment I've had in this life he's been my constant companion. My school days my first marriage the good times the bad. He always greets me first thing with a beautiful good morning. He has never once forgotten to tell me goodnight and that he loves me. We are bonded.. I begged her forgiveness. She said, that she "really needed to hear that". She said she had referred to a colleague in California and they were going to start treatments and take a test for metal toxicity. I asked her if she could please continue the antibiotic they started Monday night just in case as a precautionary measure. She also stated that they would have to tube feed him and give him fluids because he was not eating. She stated that she was not sent the radiographs just the medical records were sent by Niles. She need them so that she could compare the x-rays to see how long those particulars had been there. She asked if I could work on it for her. That it was very important. She gathered up an estimate of what she thought it would cost another 1000 or more,
and I signed it for them. She said they would send pictures of Shankar and updates to ease my mind about leavinghim ..etc...

We made the journey home without Shankar. In the car I called Niles hospital and ask them if they could please resend the X-ray. They said they absolutely would immediately that was at 11am. I came home and cried for 5 hours straight. And then periodically throughout the night because I couldn't sleep. I could not believe absolutely empty the house feels without his presence. How quiet and still everything is. How lonely I was.
I text them first thing in the morning asking how he was. They text, it said they thought he tried to eat a pellet. They sent a picture. He looked stressed and different. I waited a while before communicating back at approximately 1 p.m. I asked them. "Were you able to retrieve the Radiographs Niles Illinois emailed yesterday and compare it with the X-ray of the secondary stomach yet? Niles did say they emailed it"
The staff responded, "We did receive it, but I am not sure that Dr. Lennox has had a moment to compare it yet."
About an hour later they text.
"Dr. Lennox tried to look at the radiographs we got, and unfortunately she cannot read them at all in the format they have been sent in. Are you able to see if they can send them in a different format?"

I could not believe it.. I went down to our local vet and grab the actual copies of the discs from 2016 brought them home to my computer made copies and sent them myself to the avian specialist. I text them to let them know. They never responded. I waited.... Finally at 4:30 I asked.
"Any update on eating? I greatly appreciate it." My response was.
Shankar is doing about the same! "Dr. Lennox is working on a blood transfusion on another bird patient currently, but will send you an update as soon as she can! Thank you so much for being patient"
At approximately 7 p.m. the doctor called us and send that the metal toxicity head come back negative. Then I could come pick up Shankar if I would like to. That they would teach us how to give him the injections for the treatment and that if he got worse when we brought him home that we could talk about that scary surgery to remove the particles from his second stomach.. I told her I was nervous and she said to take the night to think it over. But I could pick him up at 9 a.m. if I'd like to. She said that she would be off tomorrow so she wouldn't be able to see me but the staff was there to help, I was confused. I'm still confused. She stated that he still wasn't eating. But she didn't know if that's just because he was there or what.
So I did a lot of praying didn't get a very good night sleep again. Did a lot of crying and somehow woke up at the exact time I need to text them for an update which was 7am. I am going to just copy and paste our conversation this morning. The staff seems to be backtracking or unaware of what the doctor recommended? They say Shankar has lost weight. Shankar still isn't eating.
This is our correspondence starting 8am (Indy timezone) today...
Thursday April 8th.

8am How is Shankar this morning?
Also the doctor mentioned someone would show us how to give Shankar his medication and such. What time should we be picking up Shankar?

Response 8:40am
Shankar is doing ok so far today. Weight is down a little bit as expected since his appetite is not very robust just yet.

8:41am We have a video we can send over for you to watch how to give the injections to him as well (also good for a reference when he is home).

8:42am Usually we like to send birds home once we know they are eating well on their own, so if you were ok at least to have him stay with us into the afternoon so we can track that, we feel that would be best

Me 8:44 am Ok thank you.. and is there a way for us to give him water and food if he will not?

Thier response 8:47 am You are welcome! I am hoping we can convince him here this morning and have you continue at home later today. Sometimes we have owners syringe feed but that is less ideal due to stress/handling (can do if needed though).
Here is the video in the meantime: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ggyL0pe0_V4

My response 8:29 am.
It was Doctor Lennox that suggested we bring him home this morning. We are completely fine with waiting and thank you for all you're doing for Shankar! Blessings.

They responded, You are welcome. 8:41 am

Just a moment ago the text this.

Shankar is doing much the same - no interest in the wide variety of things we have offered. Will continue to try and keep you updated! 10:53am.

Can someone please give me advice please! We have almost extended all of our resources and I don't want to lose my best friend. I live in northwest Indiana in a town called Chesterton does anybody know what I we could do? What would you do? Please send love and lots of prayers our way. Thank you.

FRIDAY 4/09/2021 UPDATE SHANKAR.

7 pm Niles Animal Hospital called and they stated that they were not sure where the white and red blood cells were coming from in Shankar's crop. But that he had some thickening that showed up in the barium x-rays, in the front part of the stomach that caused a thinning and that could be an issue. It could be an old injury, it could be irritable bowel syndrome or it could be stomach cancer. They said there was also some partial thickening of the heart and she thought it could potentially be heart problems. She said she could hear not a real murmur but there was a slight not so robust beat. They said they really did not have the capabilities there and they recommended a University of Wisconsin and a biopsy. She said he needs a CAT scan. They're going to start him on anti-inflammatory and heart medicine and see if that makes a difference. He needed water and food because he's still not eating. She recommended keeping him there until at least Monday to see if he would be safe for transfer. She said if Shankar does not respond to treatment we need to have the conversation about quality of life. I asked her where the blood would have come from in his crop and white blood cells and she said that she thinks it could have just been from the swab she doesn't know.
Next, she stated that Dr Lennox called their office today and stated that I had called the clinic and said all these different findings. I only sent the text message that I shared online. She said that she feels Dr. Lennox's office is still practicing good medicine. There was a little bit more to the conversation but this is the gist of it.
Heartbroken and not quite sure what to think can anyone lend some advice?
At this point we have ran out of money and options. Niles bill is already over 1700.
Please pray for us all.
Very somber and quite tonight. This was the last picture we took of Shankar at 4 am before or drive. And then the flowers I placed there so the space didn't feel so empty.
Thank you all so lovingly much for your support these past few days. Blessings to you.