Highly concerned :(

Hello, I'm new here and wanted to share my experience to see if anyone had some advice.

About 2.5 weeks ago, GCC whom is 7 months started getting sick. Some of the small feathers between his eyes and beaks fell off exposing some skin and had some flaky skin also. When I noticed this, I immediately took him to the vet and they couldn't tell what was wrong. They did a tape exam and ruled out mites/parasites. They offered me 2 options:

1) Put him on a antibiotics: trimethoprim sulfa 0.02ml every 12 hrs & Apo-meloxicam suspension 0.02ml every 24 hrs
2) get a cytology exam which would add $200 to my bill.

I decided to go with 1 and after 4 days it didn't seem to be working. He developed crust in that area. He has been scratching the sides of his little head constantly. Preening almost all the time. His underarms are really bare. I've had him since beginning of March from a pet store and I understand that birds are often sick. He seemed great at first.

Anyways, ever since this started I've been him spray baths since he hates actual baths even if i put a bowl. He just dips his head in. Sometimes I take him into the shower, not often as I've heard steam helps. I have a humidifier going on all the time now. And make sure the area is well ventilated when I'm cooking.

I am really worried about him since he seems less energized. Doesn't want to use his wings at all. Seems super itchy and uncomfortable. I called the vet to book the cytology but they said I have to wait 10 days after stopping the antibiotics to get him in.

If anyone has seen this condition or know of something that might help, please let me know.

Thanks from Reina & Tommy

Before and after pics below.

Welcome to the Forums Reina and Tommy! He certainly does look like a little sweetie!

It's difficult to tell over an online forum exactly what Tommy's issue might be. Did the vet take blood for testing or perform a fecal exam? And are they fully certified as an avian specialist? It's always a good idea to have a wellness check performed by a certified avian vet (or CAV) on a new bird when he is first brought home to detect any lingering issues he may have picked up from his breeder or the pet shop, and to nip them in the bud. If your vet is not certified you may be able to locate one using the following link...

https://www.aav.org/

Hopefully it turns out to be nothing major for Tommy, but if he is still scratching at those sites then unfortunately a follow up visit at the vet, either the original or a new one, may well be in order. Keep us updated with his progress won't you?

Yeah- get him to an avian vet. There are too many things that this could be, but at least a few would require medication, so definitely get it checked out.
You aren't wearing any lotions or personal care products when you touch him that could be causing irritation are you?
How is his diet?

When you say cytology, did they tell you what they would test for?
A CBC will tell you about his organ function and whether there is an active bacterial infection etc---in most cases...
But then there are specific viruses with their own panels that would have to be run separately (as they are not able to diagnose them on a CBC alone).

Did they swab for yeast/fungus when you took him in?

Maybe a second opinion might be of interest?
If so...
Certified Avian Vets
https://abvp.com/animal-owners/find-an-abvp-specialist/
If none are near you...
Avian Veterinarians
http://www.aav.org/search/custom.asp?id=1803
In my opinion, any of the vets listed here should be better than a regular vet.
International contacts, too.
Or... sometimes I find a place to start just by Googling "avian veterinarian near ((your location))"