September 6, 2009 [LINK / comment]
The left foot of our canary Princess became badly infected last week, and her lethargy was an indication that her life was at risk. Another worrisome symptom was her strong thirst for water, something we had never seen before. So, we had to make a tough decision, and on Friday we went to the veterinarian who amputated the infected foot. The operation was a success, but they kept Princess overnight for observation, just in case.
On Saturday morning, we brought Princess home from the vet. She has been rather subdued since her surgery, but her appetite remains healthy, and there is a very good chance that she will return to her old spunky self before long. Without the use of either foot, it will be even more difficult than before for her to get around, but she'll probably find a way to manage. For a nine-year old bird (with us for nearly eight and a half years), she is amazingly energetic. We have to give her antibiotics twice a day for the next several days.
Princess is getting thorough post-operative care.