Help/suggestions..

AmyMyBlueFront

Well-known member
Apr 14, 2015
6,315
Media
4
3,034
Connecticut
Parrots
Amy a Blue Front 'Zon
Jonesy a Goffins 'Too who had to be rehomed :-(

And a Normal Grey Cockatiel named BB who came home with me on 5/20/2016.
...Ok so some of you folk may know that a while back BB had a poo problem. He had a bacterial infection and is droppings were very watery (urine). After giving him meds until the bottle was empty it cleared up..for a bit. Then it came back. another trip to doc Kristen and more meds. A discussion on changing diet etc. So seed was almost totally eliminated from his diet,along with millet except a very small piece on rare occasions.
Giving him his meds was a NIGHTMARE :eek: Twice a day. Holding the poor boy in a towel and squirting the meds in his beak :eek: Luckily for me,he'd get p.o. at the syringe and try to bite the tip,which made it easy to get the meds in him. BUT...he is no dumb bunny! He'd see me coming with the med bottle or syringe or hand towel and would fly off. I'd get him on my finger and he'd stay for a second and soon as he saw my hand come up,off he went. By the time I was able to get him (he'd fly from here to there to here again) he'd be so stressed out and so would I,I just couldn't give him the meds. He really doesn't have a "fav" food either,except millet,but how do you get meds to stay on a hunk of millet?? lol :rolleyes:

Well his condition really hasn't cleared up,so I need to call his doc to make another appointment. I'd like to get a Saturday appt because "uncle david" would like to go too,but the office is only open til twelve-thirty and is always booked up for months at times.
The last time I talked to his doc,she said he may have a kidney issue because he just drinks so much water! I'm very concerned and worried for Fluffboy :eek: He needs to be 100% well and he isn't. It hasn't stopped him from eating good,or his energy and loviness. his poor hinny must be raw!
So..I'm sure he'll be getting more meds..HOW do I go about administering it without getting him terrified of me??


Jim
 

LeaKP

Well-known member
Aug 11, 2014
3,146
Media
4
2,453
South Africa
Parrots
Congo African Grey
Oh boy Jim you’ve got a true conundrum. Maybe the vet would allow for you to bring him in to administer meds? A hassle but maybe a solution?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

charmedbyekkie

New member
May 24, 2018
1,148
82
US/SG
Parrots
Cairo the Ekkie!
Is there any juice or blendable fruit that he likes? Perhaps you can teach him that the syringe sometimes has tasty things he likes! Cairo runs towards syringes - he takes his probiotics but also coconut water and other liquidy treats from syringes.

Or is it possible to soak millet (I've never given any to Cairo, so I don't know how it works)?
 
OP
AmyMyBlueFront

AmyMyBlueFront

Well-known member
Apr 14, 2015
6,315
Media
4
3,034
Connecticut
Parrots
Amy a Blue Front 'Zon
Jonesy a Goffins 'Too who had to be rehomed :-(

And a Normal Grey Cockatiel named BB who came home with me on 5/20/2016.
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #4
Oh boy Jim you’ve got a true conundrum. Maybe the vet would allow for you to bring him in to administer meds? A hassle but maybe a solution?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

that would be impossible Lea....he'd have to get the meds twice a day (every twelve hours) :eek:


Jim
 
OP
AmyMyBlueFront

AmyMyBlueFront

Well-known member
Apr 14, 2015
6,315
Media
4
3,034
Connecticut
Parrots
Amy a Blue Front 'Zon
Jonesy a Goffins 'Too who had to be rehomed :-(

And a Normal Grey Cockatiel named BB who came home with me on 5/20/2016.
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #5
Is there any juice or blendable fruit that he likes? Perhaps you can teach him that the syringe sometimes has tasty things he likes! Cairo runs towards syringes - he takes his probiotics but also coconut water and other liquidy treats from syringes.

Or is it possible to soak millet (I've never given any to Cairo, so I don't know how it works)?

Millet is a seed...its on like a "stick"..I've never given him any type of juice...don't know if he'd even like it.


Jim
 

Laurasea

Well-known member
Aug 2, 2018
12,593
10,702
USA
Parrots
Full house
Sometimes the medicine actually tastes good to the bird...for my Ta-dah I took a tiny piece of soft bread and l let it soak up the meds, she really took it like a yummy treats that way...
 

bill_e

Supporting Member
Parrot of the Month 🏆
Dec 24, 2015
1,225
414
New Hampshire
Parrots
Nike a Hawk Head Parrot (Deroptyus accipitrinus)
Jim, I thought I read a while back that you were giving him the meds in sweet potato or the like? I don't know what I'd do if I had to give meds to Nike.
 

GaleriaGila

Well-known member
Parrot of the Month 🏆
May 14, 2016
15,045
8,742
Cleveland area
Parrots
The Rickeybird, 38-year-old Patagonian Conure
Nut butter (I use almond butter) is irresistable to just about any animal... bear, ant, bird... it's what I use for the Rb's meds, and it has never failed. I get the 'organic' stuff that has the oil on top, but instead of mixing it in, I drain it off, making the butter quite dry and receptive to the meds. I mix the .2 CCs into about a half teaspoon of butter and the Rb cleans the spoon! Twice a day. For reference, he weighs about 240-something grams.

Good luck, Jim... if it weren't for this strategy, I don't know what I'd do.
 

SailBoat

Supporting Member
Jul 10, 2015
17,646
10,008
Western, Michigan
Parrots
DYH Amazon
Jim, look at an evening appointment time.

When you are at the CAV's clinic ask your Vet to show you how to hold BB without a towel. When providing medication, the towel can in many cases only add to the overall problem.

FYI: Consider a deep cleaning of the water dishes and add a couple so that they can be deep cleaned and allowed to dried for 24 hours (upside down). If you are using misting water bottles apply the same attention. And with the hand pump, removed it from the bottle, hold it upside down and pump until all water has left it and it is dry. Let them dry for 48+ hours.

Bacterial infections that repeat commonly have a water or common surface source and deep cleaning is a clear way to reduce reinfection.
 
OP
AmyMyBlueFront

AmyMyBlueFront

Well-known member
Apr 14, 2015
6,315
Media
4
3,034
Connecticut
Parrots
Amy a Blue Front 'Zon
Jonesy a Goffins 'Too who had to be rehomed :-(

And a Normal Grey Cockatiel named BB who came home with me on 5/20/2016.
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #10
Jim, I thought I read a while back that you were giving him the meds in sweet potato or the like? I don't know what I'd do if I had to give meds to Nike.

He does eat mashed tater or sweet tater off MY plate..but sometimes its just a pick here and there..I doubt very much he'd eat enough to get the full dosage into him. He has an appointment for the 24th at 9:30. I have some time to experiment to see what he'll eat before then :eek:




Jim
 
OP
AmyMyBlueFront

AmyMyBlueFront

Well-known member
Apr 14, 2015
6,315
Media
4
3,034
Connecticut
Parrots
Amy a Blue Front 'Zon
Jonesy a Goffins 'Too who had to be rehomed :-(

And a Normal Grey Cockatiel named BB who came home with me on 5/20/2016.
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #11
Nut butter (I use almond butter) is irresistable to just about any animal... bear, ant, bird... it's what I use for the Rb's meds, and it has never failed. I get the 'organic' stuff that has the oil on top, but instead of mixing it in, I drain it off, making the butter quite dry and receptive to the meds. I mix the .2 CCs into about a half teaspoon of butter and the Rb cleans the spoon! Twice a day. For reference, he weighs about 240-something grams.

Good luck, Jim... if it weren't for this strategy, I don't know what I'd do.

Thanks for the idea Ms Gail..I know Amy loves a dab of peanut butter and eagerly chows down on a tiny bit of toast. I'll see how Beebs goes for PB.


Jim
 
OP
AmyMyBlueFront

AmyMyBlueFront

Well-known member
Apr 14, 2015
6,315
Media
4
3,034
Connecticut
Parrots
Amy a Blue Front 'Zon
Jonesy a Goffins 'Too who had to be rehomed :-(

And a Normal Grey Cockatiel named BB who came home with me on 5/20/2016.
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #12
Jim, look at an evening appointment time.

When you are at the CAV's clinic ask your Vet to show you how to hold BB without a towel. When providing medication, the towel can in many cases only add to the overall problem.

FYI: Consider a deep cleaning of the water dishes and add a couple so that they can be deep cleaned and allowed to dried for 24 hours (upside down). If you are using misting water bottles apply the same attention. And with the hand pump, removed it from the bottle, hold it upside down and pump until all water has left it and it is dry. Let them dry for 48+ hours.

Bacterial infections that repeat commonly have a water or common surface source and deep cleaning is a clear way to reduce reinfection.

Steven they have no evening appointments on Saturdays...they close up at 12:30pm.
I have held BB fine without a towel,but he HATES being held..period. If he has to take meds twice a day for twenty-one days or so,he will NEVER trust me again,thinking I'm going to grab him and murder him..All trust will go out the window! I'm sure Doc Kristen will do blood work and a poo exam. I'm just going to have to wait for the appointment,and experiment with other ways for him to take his meds....sighhh..


Jim
 

smbrds

Well-known member
May 17, 2016
1,202
Media
1
59
Central Florida
Parrots
Normal (or not so!) Grey Cockatiel
Oh no, BB! Not again. The 24th can come soon enough!! I agree about a good deep cleaning.


Try putting the meds in the sweet potato again. Buy some pre-made potatoes and mix it with that. It seems like the potatoes are hit or miss but he dabbles in them. See about pre-made mixes and even make a small chop with a grain and grated carrots minced enough to get his tongue on it (that's the trick I use with Baby)
 

LordTriggs

New member
May 11, 2017
3,427
24
Surrey, UK
Parrots
Rio (Yellow sided conure) sadly no longer with us
I'd try working now on getting BB used to taking a food you can mix the meds in as a treat now

then hopefully a bit of association can happen with the meds and when you need to give him a dose you can get him to do a trick then give him a treat with the meds in
 

Most Reactions

Latest posts

Top