Therapy Bird Regains Sight Thanks to NC State Veterinary Ophthalmologists and Exotic Medicine Experts

“Can you see, Boo?” Amy Hurst asks her umbrella cockatoo in a video posted to the bird’s social media accounts in late March.

Boo, facing the camera and wearing a cone to protect his right eye as it heals from surgery, warbles back happily, “Yeah! I love you!”

That clip captured the first time that the 40-year-old cockatoo was able to clearly see in about 10 years, Hurst says. It was also Boo’s first opportunity to visualize Hurst since she adopted him earlier this year from a previous owner, who acquired him as a rescue.

After living a quarter of his life seeing only shadows, Boo — a therapy bird for children with autism and the elderly — could finally step into the light, thanks to the proficiency and collaboration of the NC State Veterinary Hospital’s exotic animal medicine and ophthalmology services.

In mid-March, Boo underwent phacoemulsification surgery at NC State to remove a cataract from his right eye. The surgery involves using specialized ultrasound equipment to break up clumps of protein that cloud the eye’s lens, and then a trained ophthalmologist gently suctions these pieces out of the eye using a handheld tool specifically designed for the procedure.

Avian eye surgery is relatively uncommon. By nature of Boo being a cockatoo, and one of advanced age at that, his procedure required more involvement than the average cataract removal. The veterinarians and registered veterinary technicians in NC State’s exotic animal medicine service worked closely with the ophthalmology team on Boo’s care, lending their expertise in avian physiology and anesthesia and monitoring Boo for any complications.

So far, so great. Boo’s surgery was such a resounding success that Hurst is considering repeating the procedure on his left eye, which is obscured by a partially resorbing cataract.

“It was a very positive experience,” Hurst says. “I felt very comfortable with the team. Everyone seemed to care for Boo as more than just an animal.”

The NC State Veterinary Hospital’s excellent reputation stood out to Hurst, of Smithfield, Virginia, as she sought surgeons skilled at working with birds. Hurst says she was particularly concerned by how Boo would tolerate anesthesia, but she felt at ease with NC State’s avian-experienced anesthesiologists and exotics specialists.

“We can do a lot of amazing things here that, in general, a lot of other practices can’t,” says Dr. Amanda Day, an NC State clinical intern in zoological and exotic animal medicine. “Boo’s case also shows that the best care is possible for animals of any age. He has an owner that was willing to advocate for him, a care team that was comfortable anesthetizing him and an ophthalmology team that was comfortable doing his surgery.

“We’re extremely lucky to be able to offer this level of care to every one of our patients we see,” she adds. “It also helps that Boo is such a sweet bird!”

Now that Boo has passed his rechecks at NC State with flying colors, Hurst is looking forward to returning with him to the animal-assisted interventional therapy programs he enjoys so much.

“He’s a once-in-a-lifetime bird, and he so deserved this life change,” Hurst says.