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 Letter
From Michael Doolen, DVM
Dear Jerry
I stumbled on your site last night while surfing
the thousands of sites that are laden with eye-rolling, anthropomorphic
dribble about avian behavior. WOW!!
I laughed until I cried, then I cried until
I fell asleep. You are the FIRST ONE I have run into in the 30-some years
that I have been preaching exactly the same thing... to HAVE A CLUE!
Thanks for the wonderful opportunity to see that I am not alone in the
world! Please bear with me a bit – I have a EXTREMELY
IMPORTANT message for you, but I feel I
must first tell you a little about myself (you, with your RIGHT ON message
on Mytoos.com and obvious dedication to these incredible, wonderful creatures,
are the first to stimulate me to force my history on a stranger like this):
My name is Michael Doolen, DVM. I am
50-something. I grew up on a horse ranch in Montana where my granddad
introduced me to the realities of “natural horsemanship” (now, I
know this translates to natural animal behavior, in general). I began raising
parrots in the late 60’s, in the
days when most of our large parrots were wild-caught,
with a few parent-raised in captivity. I was
a photographer by profession, and a breeder
by (poor) choice as a “hobby” – perfectly acceptable
to the ignorant masses at the time. As time
went on, I learned a great deal from experience with
them and the people (monsters and kind hearts
alike) that dealt with, kept, and loved them. I obtained most of
my stock from people who had wild, often sick birds that bit them once
too many times or screamed them out of their homes. Garage sales where
I bought the rusty old wrought –
iron cages for 5 dollars and they “threw in”
the poor bird – you probably know the scene. I accumulated over 300
toos, caws, zons, conures, grays, etc., etc., etc. that mostly lived in
several barns and a large farmhouse. I proudly called myself a breeder
and spent from 4AM to 2 or 3 PM feeding, cleaning, etc. every day.
Then came the babies – of course, I started
handfeeding them, rather than allowing the parents to do their job – mostly
because they wouldn’t, but also because I began to see that imprinting
“produced such better pets”. Ted Lafeber, Sr., and Jr. became my
friends and I helped “test” their products as they developed them, and
later consulted for them. I became frustrated that I was losing too many
to disease (almost 100 in a 10 day period to Pacheco’s at one point). There
were almost no vets in the Midwest that had even a half a clue, so,
being a do-it-yourselfer (ranch training), I decided to go back to school
and become an avian veterinarian. This decision was made in the early
80’s and was the choice I made at a time when I had enough resources to
either buy a “proven pair” of hyacinths or go back to school to be a vet.
Thank God I chose the latter. My banker
laughed at me when I told him I intended to go back to school to become
an avian vet. This just gave me more incentive, the rebellious soul that
I was. I attended Iowa State University, studied undergraduate zoology
with a STRONG emphasis in animal behavior and ethology. While in vet school,
I formed the ISU student chapter of the AAV where student members handraised
my (and other breeder’s) babies in a nursery the school allowed us to maintain.
Money raised paid for chapter activities like flying Irene Pepperberg in
to speak to us about Alex, etc. I trained under Dr. Bob Altman, went to
Utrecht University in Holland to study
avian & exotic pathology under Dr. Gerry
Dorrestein, attended all AAV meetings (on student loan money), and then
stayed on at the teaching hospital for 4 years after graduating, working
as an exotics clinician, building an avian & exotics program that thrived,
but didn’t really fit in with the “agricultural land-grant” college’s mission.
As a result, despite the fact that my work brought in cash and was profitable,
funding dried up and I accepted an offer to practice avian & exotic
animal medicine & surgery in New Jersey (on the beautiful shore), where
I live and practice to this day.
My avian practice has evolved from mostly “putting
out the fires of infectious disease” to mostly “putting out and preventing
the fires of the disease known as imprinting” (read behavior consulting.
Read between the lines fighting on the front lines in the war against anthropomorphic
abuse of these animals). I have taught and lectured worldwide, have been
a leader in the AAV and have developed a reputation in the NE as a premier
avian & exotics practitioner and surgeon who people travel for hours
and sometimes wait weeks to see (really, not bragging, simply stating the
facts). I have recently built a (technically modest, compared to Mytoos.com)
website where I hope to help even more people with their birds and the
behavior problems they experience. Please visit it and check out my credentials,
publications, etc. – I want you to see where your link is located and know
first-hand that it will be where it can reach yet more people who need
to see it. This would also be a way for you to learn yet a bit more about
me – I feel it crucial you come to trust me, so I can recruit your support
in the matter I will get to later in this letter. I would love someday
to talk live with you about the behavior modification (the bird’s and the
owners) techniques I have developed that actually work (to some degree)
in a fair percentage of cases, IF the owners are willing and follow the
program. I at least am able to help these people understand why their M2
just chewed OFF his foot and died last night, despite the fact that they
“spend a lot of time with him, and loved him SOOO much – why would he do
that”. Over the years I have gone from a supporter to a producer, to a
fixer, to an advocate, to a sometimes blue-in-the-face opponent of imprinting
who realizes that it may be easier to prevent (talk people out of it) than
“fix”(but there they are, so my life revolves around the attempt to fix
– thank God people like you are helping to prevent). I have added
a link to your site on mine and will tell anyone asking me what bird I
recommend for a pet that they MUST see your site.
You recommend people see their avian veterinarian,
list AAV members, have glowing endorsement from my good friend Greg Harrison,
and, I hope me (I would be absolutely honored for you to
include my endorsement of your informative,
wonderful, loving, caring, dedicated, funny and sad, incredibly invaluable
to the future of and mental health of these animals and the loving people
who think they want one.
OK, here is the main reason I'm
writing. This is a story about euthanasia, something that makes many
people very uncomfortable but at times can't be avoided...
| This is the story of Albert, a 12 year old imprinted, eighth-hand
M2 who had begun to scream,
bite, and pluck feathers at the ripe young age of 2 years. He had
been passed from breeder to
owner to bird store to owner to owner to bird breeder, to rescue
organization, and finally to an absolutely wonderful 30-something woman
named Mary. She loved Albert more than she could express, taking
him everywhere with her, often cuddled under her shirt – in the lap of
luxury.
He had a very bad past history and came to her very abused.
He was a mean nasty bird to two of his previous owners, a lover and mate
to one (who died, leaving him to a bird store in her will, thinking the
owner would follow her wishes to find a good home for him).
He then bounced around, screaming and biting his way into a so-called rescue
organization where he was forced to live in cramped, dirty quarters in
a trailer house crammed full to the ceiling of “rescued” birds. Out of
the frying pan and into the fire. Mary had a good relationship with
Al at first, but he became more and more bent on self-destruction.
She tried everything to convince him to leave his feathers alone
and preen normally. Unfortunately, he had been severely over-wing-clipped
some years before and had not been allowed to ever fledge in the first
place, and his wings were so badly damaged that all the emergency
repair surgery, bandaging, hormone treatments, drugs, and love would never
heal him to a point where he could ever fly again.
Mary spent thousands of dollars, going from dog/cat vet to (sort-of)
avian vet to “self-appointed behavior expert” to holistic dabbler, to nutritional
expert to animal communicator (who ironically informed her that Albert
said he just wanted to die) to the internet (the EARLY internet, where
there was more bad information than good), and finally to her pastor, who
told her that all God’s creatures deserved a place at His side when the
suffering was too great to live with. A wise man.
It seemed that the more Mary looked, all she could find were people
who wanted to be the hero and provide a “silver bullet” to “cure” Albert
of his “obsession”. Nobody had a clue. It got so she could only prevent
him from making himself bloody and doing more damage by focusing her attention
on him EVERY WAKING minute, and allowing him to sleep in her bed at night,
so she would be in physical contact with him nearly 24 hours a day. This
poor woman nearly had a breakdown. The more she paid attention
to him, the worse things got. She finally found me. I stopped the
bleeding of the day, looked at his history and did a top of the line, all
inclusive workup.
I did this mostly to see just how badly his life of stress had affected
his liver function, but also to
help her KNOW for sure that it wasn’t zinc, psittacosis, aspergillus,
psittacine beak and feather disease, polyomavirus, proventricular dilatation
disease, pacheco’s or anything else “fixable or manageable or curable”
with drugs. What I found (indirectly with bloodwork, and confirmed directly
by endoscopic biopsy) was an end-stage liver, ravaged by fat infiltration
after years of stress, high-fat diet with no opportunity to burn all those
calories, and drugs.
We had a long discussion about “what was best for Albert and for
her”. She decided that Albert
could only find peace in heaven, and that it was her responsibility
to help him get there. Then the ball was in my court. I gave him an injection
of valium in his breast muscle. He was not restrained for this – he sat
quietly in Mary’s lap while I gently gave him the shot. He had had many,
many shots of antibiotics in the past – this was nothing new to him and
he acted as though nothing even happened. Actually, he and I had developed
a friendship and he was giving me kisses as I injected him.
After a while, he got very sleepy and leaned into Mary’s loving breast,
nearly asleep. Gently,
quietly, calmly. The lights in the room were dim and there was low
volume music in the background from a CD player Mary had brought along.
Playing was his favorite music. I put a gas anesthetic cone
over his head – a clear one he could see us through. He looked sleepily
at Mary, then at me as he quietly, peacefully went to sleep, breathing
the gas deeply. He had the calmest look on his face that he had ever displayed
and Mary later said she was sure he was telling us thank you with his eyes.
He was soon in a deep plane of surgical anesthesia - feeling, and
knowing nothing of this world or of the painful existence he had endured
so long. With tears in my eyes, I administered a euthanasia solution into
a vein and he silently rose to meet the others who had passed before him
to the rainbow bridge.
Mary and I sat for a while, she holding his limp body in her lap,
and me holding her hand. I left her alone with him for a while until she
was ready to let me take him to the back where I placed him into paper
packaging so she could bury him in her back yard, next to her cat, who
had died the year before. Before she left, she gave me a big hug and thanked
me, saying this was the calmest and most peaceful she had felt in many
weeks.
True story. Not an isolated incident, either. It is our responsibility
to these wonderful creatures to do what is right after we, as humans have
inadvertently enough, innocently enough, and with love in our hearts -
caused them to suffer.
Jerry, please post the relevant parts of this letter. People need
to know that, rule number one is:
All animals die – sooner or later, one way or another. Rule number
two is: If we cannot resolve
their suffering, we must relieve them of it – kindly, painlessly,
HUMANELY.
They MUST KNOW that Gandhi (see note
below) WAS NOT humanely euthanized by anyone’s definition, especially not
the veterinary profession’s. He was brutally tortured to death.
Needlessly. We must not characterize this horrible account as an
example of humane euthanasia. IT IS NOT. I can’t bear the thought
that each person reading this account will probably come away thinking
that euthanasia involves this kind of nightmarish, tragic experience. This
is no way to ask people to make a judgment about this act, the kindest
thing we could ever do for our pets when they are suffering and we cannot
relieve them any other way. This will haunt me forever.
( Editors Note: Gandhi was horribly euthanized
by an incompetent vet and the story appeared on Mytoos.com )
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If you are still reading, please hear my heartfelt
thank you for listening.
Please consider allowing me to appear on yours,
endorsing your valuable work.
Please be well. Anyone considering a too or
other large hookbill needs you and your wonderful dedication. We must prevent
what we cannot fix.
Your very impressed new fan,
Michael Doolen, DVM (Mike to you)
http://www.doolen.com
Professional Experience:
November 8, 1994 to present: Clinician, Avian &
Exotic Animal Hospital of Oakhurst, a division of Oakhurst Veterinary
Hospital, Oakhurst, NJ
June 1996 to present: Adjunct Assistant Professor of
Medicine – University of Pennsylvania College of Veterinary Medicine
June, 1991 to October, 1994: Clinician, Iowa State
University, College of Veterinary Medicine Teaching Hospital
Professional Consultation:
Ellman International, Inc.
Lafeber Company
Silogic Design, Inc.
General Scientific Corporation
Veterinary Specialty Products
Storz Veterinary Endoscopes
Medical Diagnostic Services
NJ Board of Veterinary Examiners
Guest Lecturer:
University of Pennsylvania
Eastern Iowa Veterinary Association
Jersey Shore Veter
Atlantic Coast Veterinary Conference
Iowa State University
Pennsylvania Veterinary Association
Texas A & M University
University of Pretoria, South Africa
Argentina Veterinary Medical Association
Association of Avian Veterinarian Conferences
Mid-Atlantic States AAV Conference
European Chapter AAV Conference
Japan Veterinary Medical Associa
World Small Animal Veterinary Medical Association
Publications:
Doolen, M.D.: Mike Doolen on BIRDS, Intervet 1989.
5:20-22.
Doolen, M.D., Jackson, L.: Anesthesia in Caged Birds.
ISU Veterinarian 1991. 53:76-80.
Doolen, M.D. Ask the Experts, in Bird Talk (Monthly).
1988 - 1991. Fancy Publications
Doolen, M.D., Greve, J.H.: Description of a Microfilaria
from an Umbrella Cockatoo (Cacatua alba) and an Unsuccessful Attempt to
InfectMosquitoes (Culex pipiens pipiens). Avian Diseases 1992. 36:484-487.
Pelelo, C.J., Doolen, M.D.: Proventricular Dilatation
Syndrome in Psittacines. ISU Veterinarian 1993. 55:82-85.
Doolen, M.D.: Determination of blood levels of a new
form of doxycycline after intramuscular injection in the domestic pigeon
(Columba livia). Proceedings of the annual meeting of the European Association
of Avian Veterinarians 1993. Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Doolen, M.D.: The principles of radiosurgery - incision
and coagulation with radio waves. Vet Forum July 1994.
Doolen, M.D.: Radiosurgery - designed specifically
for veterinary medicine. Vet Forum November, 1994.
Doolen, M.D.: Principles of radiosurgery. Proceedings
of the Annual Meeting of the World Small Animal Veterinary Association
1994. Durban, South Africa.
Doolen, M.D.: Adriamycin chemotherapy in a blue-front
Amazon with osteosarcoma. Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the Association
of Avian Veterinarians 1994. Reno, Nevada.
Doolen, M.D.: A case of thirteen deaths associated
with carpet freshener toxicity. Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the
Association of Avian Veterinarians 1994. Reno, Nevada.
Doolen, M.D.: Crop biopsy - a low risk diagnosis for
neuropathic gastric dilatation. Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the
Association of Avian Veterinarians 1994. Reno, Nevada.
Doolen, M.D.: A new oral speculum for large psittacines.
Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the Association of Avian Veterinarians
1994. Reno, Nevada.
Doolen, M.D.: Surgical diagnostics in avian species.
Diagnostics and therapeutics in Cage Birds and Avicultural Medicine 1995.
Texas A&M University.
Doolen, M.D.: Antimicrobial therapy, including a focus
on psittacosis. Diagnostics and therapeutics in Cage Birds and Avicultural
Medicine 1995. Texas A&M University.
Doolen, M.D.: Wisdom, caution, and self-control: purchasing
the new bird. Proceedings of the Symposium on Disease Prevention for Cage
and Aviary Birds 1995. Texas A&M University.
Doolen, M.D.: Advanced avian techniques. Proceedings
of the Annual Meeting of the Mid-Atlantic States Association of Avian Veterinarians
1995. Williamsburg, VA.
Doolen, M.D.: Advanced avian techniques laboratory.
Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the Mid-Atlantic States Association
of Avian Veterinarians 1995. Williamsburg, VA.
Doolen, M.D.: Basic avian techniques. Proceedings of
the Annual Meeting of the Mid-Atlantic States Association of Avian Veterinarians
1995. Williamsburg, VA.
Doolen, M.D.: Basic avian techniques laboratory. Proceedings
of the Annual Meeting of the Mid-Atlantic States Association of Avian Veterinarians
1995. Williamsburg, VA.
Doolen, M.D.: Handfeeding and handfeeders: common problems
. Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the Mid-Atlantic States Association
of Avian Veterinarians 1995. Williamsburg, VA.
Timmerman, A.M., Doolen, M.D.: Common Reptilian Diseases.
ISU Veterinarian 1995. 57:14-21.
Doolen, M.D.: The critical hour. Proceedings of the
First Annual African Avian Management and Medicine Symposium 1995.
University of Pretoria, South Africa.
Doolen, M.D.: Basic avian surgery. Proceedings of the
First Annual African Avian Management and Medicine Symposium
1995. University of Pretoria, South Africa.
Doolen, M.D.: Avian radiology. Proceedings of the First
Annual African Avian Management and Medicine Symposium 1995.
University of Pretoria, South Africa.
Doolen, M.D.: Avian radiosurgery. Proceedings of the
First Annual African Avian Management and Medicine Symposium
1995. University of Pretoria, South Africa.
Doolen, M.D.: Practical laboratory in avian soft tissue
surgery. Proceedings of the First Annual African Avian Management and Medicine
Symposium 1995. University of Pretoria, South Africa.
Doolen, M.D.: Reptile anesthesia. Proceedings of the
Exotic Animal and Reptile Symposium 1995. University of Pretoria, South
Africa.
Doolen, M.D.: Specialized reptile surgery. Proceedings
of the Exotic Animal and Reptile Symposium 1995. University of Pretoria,
South Africa
Doolen, M.D.: Radiocirugia: principios y aplicaciones
en la practica veterinaria. Selecciones Veterinarias 1996. 4:1, p48
Rewert JM, Doolen M. Diagnosing and treating hepatic
lipidosis in exotic pet birds. Vet Med. 1996; 91:648–651
Doolen, M.D.: Contributer, in Self-Assessment Colour
Review Avian Medicine. Eds. Forbes, N.A. and Altman, R.B. Manson Publishing
1998.
Doolen, M.D.: Straining and Reproductive Disorders.
Chapter in Manual of Avian Medicine. Eds. Olsen, G.H., and Orosz, S.E.
Mosby, Inc. 2000
Doolen, M.D.: Staff Training, in Seminars in Avian
and Exotic Pet Medicine. Vol. 9, No. 4, October, 2000. W.B. Saunders
Professional Affiliations:
Member, American Animal Hospital Association
Member, American Veterinary Medical Association
Member, Mid-Atlantic States Association of Avian Veterinarians
Member, Association of Amphibian & Reptilian Veterinarians
Member, Association of Avian Veterinarians, Past member
of the Executive Board of Directors, Past member Editorial Board, Past
Membership Committee Chair
Second Vice-President, Monmouth-Ocean County Bird Fanciers
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