Doc Parker, coolest bird in the west

Doc Parker, coolest bird in the west Contact information, map and directions, contact form, opening hours, services, ratings, photos, videos and announcements from Doc Parker, coolest bird in the west, Veterinarian, Columbia, MO.

Doc has been on a su***de mission since the day I brought him home. When I went to pick him up from the breeder, it was ...
10/04/2022

Doc has been on a su***de mission since the day I brought him home.

When I went to pick him up from the breeder, it was the first time he'd ever been out of the nursery, and while the breeder was holding him, he took off flying into a wall and hit his head so hard that it bled. So Day 1 of me meeting him, he tried to give himself a concussion. They clipped his wings after that and sent him home with me.

Upon arriving home, I soon discovered that they were not clipped short enough, as he took off flying off of my shoulder and right into the mouth of the grizzly bear mounted on the wall. 🙄

I wanted to bond with him as much as possible and teach him all the things, so I bought a bird backpack with a perch in it and took him everywhere with me. While I drove, I'd always take him out and let him sit on my shoulder. One day, a month after he came home with me, I pulled into the driveway with Doc sitting on my right shoulder. Hannah walked up to my window to talk to me, and I cracked the window ever so slightly to talk to her. Doc immediately flew up on top of my head, then from there to the window, as if he was going to perch on it, and before I could stop him, he flew away and landed in a tree. I was terrified. I cried-sobbed, actually. I loved this bird so much!! I called to him, and he answered. I followed his voice. He flew from tree to tree, and then took off to the other side of the property. He was in the woods along the edge of a field. When I called to him, he responded. I jumped in my car and drove into the field, calling to him, then he took off again towards the other side of the property, so I turned my car and headed in that direction, and while climbing the hill to get back up onto the driveway, I hit a stump that knocked my bumper off (for a third time, but that's a whole 'nother story) and dented the underneath side of my car. Frustrating, but all I cared about right then was getting my bird back. It was getting dark and I was scared. He flew into a tree by the edge of the property. As darkness was falling, my son Zach arrived and tried to get him with a tall ladder and a net, but he couldn't reach him. If what I read online was correct, a bird will stay put after dark, and to start calling to him again right at dawn. So I got my pillow and blankets and camped out in my hammock below. The next morning, I called to him. He didn't answer and I couldn't see him. I was heartbroken. But then-just as the sun peeked up over the horizon, he answered me... then flew to another tree, and another tree, and another tree...I ran and sat under each one, calling to him, and he'd answer back. I couldn't leave or go anywhere until I got him back. Even if I went inside, I'd lose where he was. My friends Melody and Justin came to help. Melody brought a blanket for us to sit on and brought snacks so we had a little bird watch picnic. I truly have some great friends. I did everything I read to do, left his cage with food in it outside, etc. There were hawks circling him and I was so scared. Then he came down to a branch right over me and looked at me, looked as if he was thinking about coming to me. Then he turned and flew into the woods. He was silent for awhile and I didn't know where he had gone, but saw the hawks circling over the woods, so Melody and I went that way and I kept whistling to him and eventually he responded. We went towards the sound. We climbed this big hill, and Melody spotted him. He was in a tree right at the bottom of the hill, looking at me. I kept calling. I put some of his treats on top of my head. Surely he was getting hungry by now. It had been 24 hours. I walked directly under the tree. He started coming down, and then got on a branch right above me just out of my reach, but he could reach the treat when I outstretched my arm. He took a nibble of it, then I put it back on top of my head. Then he flew down and landed in my head! I grabbed hold of him and walked back to the house. I was so relieved and ecstatic that he came back to me. It is not normal for a bird who has only been with an owner for a month to come back to her! That's the power of prayer and the power of love!

2 days later, someone accidentally let one of our outside cats inside, and he somehow got up on the cage and got his leg through the bars and got ahold of my bird's leg! You can read previous posts for all the details, but I had to take him 5 hours to IL because it was the closest vet hospital that could see him. I had a flat tire on the way and my friend Melody ended up driving me there. He was septic and I was told that he was not expected to live. I had a choice of euthanasia or a $5000-$7000 estimate of costs if we could save him, as would have to amputate the necrotic limb. I could not put him down. So I paid the $5000 on a couple different credit cards. It was an expensive gamble, one I really couldn't afford. They hospitalized him on I.O. antibiotics in his ulna in his wing. The chances were so slim that he would make it. The doctor said she'd be very surprised if I got to take him home with me. Well, you know the rest of the story. A week later, I rented a car and brought Hannah with me to go pick up my beloved one-legged bird.

If I can thwart all his future su***de missions, he could live to be 30. I'd be 75. My plan is for us to grow old together. That would be another miracle. In pic above you can see his favorite place to perch...right in front of the mountain lion. 🤦‍♀️

09/14/2022

Doc is HOME! I wanted to make a long post thanking everyone, but have not gotten around to it yet! He is doing good on his one leg and is my miracle bird! More later!

09/05/2022

9/5 a.m. Update: Dr. Wong called me today as she was getting the meds ready for Doc's surgery. She hopes to have to only remove part of his femur, but if there wasn't enough good skin to close she would have to go up closer to his body wall which would be riskier. Surgery was expected to start at 10 a.m. or a little before and she expected it to take her until around noon. That's all I know. I'm trying to focus on other things but worry about the anesthesia etc. Please pray for Doc!

09/04/2022

9/4 a.m. UPDATE:

Dr. Wong called, said that the overnight staff at the hospital are all completely in love with Doc, that they often offer to hand feed him and give him drinks and that he is the sweetest, most social bird. She said that he is doing very well with eating and drinking, that his vein looks a lot better and more plump today, and that his color is a little better today. She said that she is going to see about staffing tomorrow and see if they are able to move forward with the amputation of his necrotic leg. She thinks that there may be enough good skin to close, but that if not, they may have to remove it at the hip, which is close to his body wall and is riskier. So let's pray for her expertise and for there to be enough skin to close. I didn't ask any questions about prognosis because I don't want to get my hopes up any more than she does, but she mentioned that we could be a little more optimistic about his prognosis at this point. She sounded like she really thought he has a chance now, and as long as he feels love and attention from people in my absence, I know he will keep eating and will fight to come home. He could live 30 years, til I'm 75, and I told him we're supposed to grow old together, so he has to get better so I can take him back home with me.
In other news, I rubbed my eye after holding his infected self and then slept in my contact that night and got a painful eye infection in my right eye. My doctor called meds into IL for me, but if it doesn't work and I lose my eye, you can call me lefty too. The one-eyed girl with the one-legged bird.

09/03/2022

UPDATE:

Yesterday morning I was told by the doctor that Doc's gums were really pale, that they suspected he was bleeding from somewhere and was dehydrated. They thought that perhaps the catheter had come out of place. They said I could visit him at noon. When I went there, they said that the catheter was still in right place but needed adjusted a bit. Relief for me. He ate very well for me. They had him unhooked from his tubes at this visit so I got to hold him. He was very happy, ate very well for me but only out of my hand, and when I offered him water (they had not been because he was on fluids) out of my hand, he went crazy for it, so I requested they offer him water. The doctor said she was happy to see that he was eating out of my hand. Said plan was to let his blood build back up and if he made it was to take his leg off next week. I expected to hear once again that she had new concerns but she said nothing negative. She said I could come back and visit him at 4:30.

4:30 visit, I got him to eat his food, but also brought some frozen veggies for them to heat up in the microwave for him to eat and some dried fruits. He loved the coconut and the banana. I didn't get to visit him long because they had to get him transferred over to their 24 hr hospital for overnight. I was encouraged that his doctor would be there this long Labor Day weekend. I can't see him again until Tuesday, and he's pretty much only been eating his food for me, so showed the the tech how I have been holding him for him to eat, and showed her that when offered water he will go to town drinking it, asked for them to offer him water even though he's on fluids, and gave them the bag of dried fruit and the bag of frozen veggies. I gave him kisses and he did his same little happy "quaking" where he puffs up the feathers on his head, and then shakes his head while he makes happy adorable little squeaks. Please keep praying.

This morning she called and said that his leg looks no better and no worse, that he did good through the night, is eating the fruits and veggies I brought, and that the plan is still to amputate his leg once he builds some blood back up. Hoping he eats and drinks over this long holiday because that is 3 days away from me. I hope he gets lots of love and attention to keep his spirits up. I don't ask any prognosis questions because I feel like she already told me 3 times that she would be verh surprised if I got to take him home with me, and maybe I'm just wishful thinking, but I think she's already a but surprised at how well he is doing. I LOVE THAT BIRD SO MUCH!

BTW, if you read all this, dang, you're a great friend!

09/02/2022

Doctor called a around 8:15 with an update:
he is quieter today when doctor examined him. His gums were pink yesterday and now pale. He was dehydrated. She says she thinks he is bleeding from somewhere but bandage does not look blood-soaked. She said that it could be internal. She also said that the catheter is not pushing the antibiotics like it should be, so she thinks the catheter might not be where it is supposed to be. Says she will see what time she has a chance to address this, will try to make it in the next couple hours. She said they didn't even have to sedate him all night, that he didn't try to pull the catheter out, just quiet. This is not a good sign. She will sedate him, take his leg bandage off, and re-evaluate his leg when she gets a chance and someone will call me to let me know when I can come see him. He needs mama. Birds get depressed just like we do! Please pray bleeding stops and he gets better! I feel a little hopeless after hearing from her because if the catheter hasn't been in place then he hasn't been getting the antibiotics he needs to fight the sepsis! Prayers NEEDED!! ❤️

09/02/2022

Asking for prayers. Not sure if anyone saw my story last night, but Doc has been hospitalized on i.v. antibiotics in a vet hospital in Urbana, IL since yesterday morning following a cat attack that happened on Wed. This is a video that I took last night when they let me come up to see him. He was eating, drinking, talking, making happy sounds, but his blood picture shows sepsis, and per the doctor, there was a real good chance he'd pass in the night. I was told if that happened, she would call me at any hour, and she didn't call, so I hope he's still hanging in there. The chances of his survival are very slim. She gave me the option of euthanasia twice-really does not foresee his survival. I told her to do everything she can to save him. No one could understand how much I love this bird or how much he loves me. He's named after my dad, for goodness' sake. He HAS to make it. I have to believe he will. The doctor wants to prepare me for the worst. But all I hear when she talks about slim chances is that there IS a chance. He is the sweetest bird in the world! Please pray for him to survive! She said, "I'd be very surprised if you got to take him home with you," and I said, "I hope you end up very surprised." PLEASE Pray, pray, pray. TIA!

08/30/2022

Here's a video of the day I came home with my mom, Aug 1. ❤️

08/19/2022

I hatched on 5/24/22. I came to live with my bestie Jennifer on 8/1/22. She read that Quaker parrots don't usually speak until 6 months of age, but I'm already imitating laughter and some other sounds, so my mom is convinced that I am a genius and I need my own page.

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UPDATE: Yesterday morning I was told by the doctor that Doc's gums were really pale, that they suspected he was bleeding from somewhere and was dehydrated. They thought that perhaps the catheter had come out of place. They said I could visit him at noon. When I went there, they said that the catheter was still in right place but needed adjusted a bit. Relief for me. He ate very well for me. They had him unhooked from his tubes at this visit so I got to hold him. He was very happy, ate very well for me but only out of my hand, and when I offered him water (they had not been because he was on fluids) out of my hand, he went crazy for it, so I requested they offer him water. The doctor said she was happy to see that he was eating out of my hand. Said plan was to let his blood build back up and if he made it was to take his leg off next week. I expected to hear once again that she had new concerns but she said nothing negative. She said I could come back and visit him at 4:30. 4:30 visit, I got him to eat his food, but also brought some frozen veggies for them to heat up in the microwave for him to eat and some dried fruits. He loved the coconut and the banana. I didn't get to visit him long because they had to get him transferred over to their 24 hr hospital for overnight. I was encouraged that his doctor would be there this long Labor Day weekend. I can't see him again until Tuesday, and he's pretty much only been eating his food for me, so showed the the tech how I have been holding him for him to eat, and showed her that when offered water he will go to town drinking it, asked for them to offer him water even though he's on fluids, and gave them the bag of dried fruit and the bag of frozen veggies. I gave him kisses and he did his same little happy "quaking" where he puffs up the feathers on his head, and then shakes his head while he makes happy adorable little squeaks. Please keep praying. This morning she called and said that his leg looks no better and no w

Asking for prayers. Not sure if anyone saw my story last night, but Doc has been hospitalized on i.v. antibiotics in a vet hospital in Urbana, IL since yesterday morning following a cat attack that happened on Wed. This is a video that I took last night when they let me come up to see him. He was eating, drinking, talking, making happy sounds, but his blood picture shows sepsis, and per the doctor, there was a real good chance he'd pass in the night. I was told if that happened, she would call me at any hour, and she didn't call, so I hope he's still hanging in there. The chances of his survival are very slim. She gave me the option of euthanasia twice-really does not foresee his survival. I told her to do everything she can to save him. No one could understand how much I love this bird or how much he loves me. He's named after my dad, for goodness' sake. He HAS to make it. I have to believe he will. The doctor wants to prepare me for the worst. But all I hear when she talks about slim chances is that there IS a chance. He is the sweetest bird in the world! Please pray for him to survive! She said, "I'd be very surprised if you got to take him home with you," and I said, "I hope you end up very surprised." PLEASE Pray, pray, pray. TIA!

Here's a video of the day I came home with my mom, Aug 1. ❤️

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