medicating a fussy cockatoo

Hi everyone
After many visits to our vet my galah cockatoo Cookie has been diagnosed with an enlarged heart. We've been on diuretics for just over a week which hasn't been a problems as it's a liquid medication. Yesterday the vet prescribed benefortin which, unfortunately, is in tablet form. I have to give 1/4 of a tablet twice a day. Cookie has other ideas. No matter what I put the crushed tablet in she seems to detect it and refuses whatever it's offered in. We've tried porridge, yoghurt, baby food, cottage cheese.... so now what? I did make the vet aware that getting tablets into her was going to be an issue but he wanted us to try for a week and see how we go. Does anyone have any ideas how I can do this? Can I dissolve it and give via a syringe? Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks.

Chala86 said:

Hi everyone
After many visits to our vet my galah cockatoo Cookie has been diagnosed with an enlarged heart. We've been on diuretics for just over a week which hasn't been a problems as it's a liquid medication. Yesterday the vet prescribed benefortin which, unfortunately, is in tablet form. I have to give 1/4 of a tablet twice a day. Cookie has other ideas. No matter what I put the crushed tablet in she seems to detect it and refuses whatever it's offered in. We've tried porridge, yoghurt, baby food, cottage cheese.... so now what? I did make the vet aware that getting tablets into her was going to be an issue but he wanted us to try for a week and see how we go. Does anyone have any ideas how I can do this? Can I dissolve it and give via a syringe? Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks.

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Depending on where one is in this huge World, there are opportunities to change the form in which the medication is offered. The time in which your Thread was entered could indicate that you are East of North America or that you are an early riser on its East coast, either way if you live in a town or village that has a Pharmacy they 'may' have a trained individual that can alter the medication form from a pill to a liquid, adjust the thickness of the liquid and possible add either flavoring or coloring.

You can powder the medication and set it into a liquid form, but some medication can be effected by chemicals /minerials in one's fresh water.

Heart problems are quickly become a common problem with in our Companion Parrot population. Assure your Vet is or has access to a Certified Avian Vet that is up today on the most recent treatment and medications available for the various Heart Illnesses that are rapidly surfacing.

Very sorry to hear that your Parrot has an enlarged heart. Please have a long honest and frank discussion regarding diet (moving to Human Grade Fresh Natural Foods (veggies, etc...) and fully away from Peanuts, Sunflower Seeds, etc...

NOTE: If a specific form of medication is not being accepted by your Parrot within the first 2 and at most 3 days, you should be back to your Vet regarding this issue. I know that my Amazon, will not take any powder /pill form medications and I never walk out of the Vets office with a medication in such a form!

Thank you for the advice SailBoat. We are in the UK. Cookie is on a low fat diet so no sunflowers or peanuts. I offer fresh fruit and vegetables everyday and she will accept handfed kale, broccoli, green beans, cabbage etc but won't eat them out of the bowl provided. I am trying to get her to eat healthier as I'm very aware that a poor diet is probably what has caused the problems we are no experiencing with her health.
Our vet is a very good and verified avian vet. Unfortunately being in the UK we're somewhat behind the US when it comes to avian medicine. For now I'll be dissolving the tablets in water having managed to get hold of the vet to check that this medication is safe to do so. I just wish there were a less stressful way to administer it but this way will have to do for now. Thank you again.

Chala86 said:

Thank you for the advice SailBoat. We are in the UK. Cookie is on a low fat diet so no sunflowers or peanuts. I offer fresh fruit and vegetables everyday and she will accept handfed kale, broccoli, green beans, cabbage etc but won't eat them out of the bowl provided. I am trying to get her to eat healthier as I'm very aware that a poor diet is probably what has caused the problems we are no experiencing with her health.
Our vet is a very good and verified avian vet. Unfortunately being in the UK we're somewhat behind the US when it comes to avian medicine. For now I'll be dissolving the tablets in water having managed to get hold of the vet to check that this medication is safe to do so. I just wish there were a less stressful way to administer it but this way will have to do for now. Thank you again.

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There is a very good possibility that your Avian Vet is a member of the Association of Avian Vets and if so, has full access to all the the documents on the Vet side of their Website!. One of our Super Moderator's Parrot also suffered from a Heart problem, but sadly, I do not recall what medication (imported from Japan I believe (???)). You can PM (Personal Message) any of the Super Moderators and they can connect you to either that SM or recall the Thread.

Just my two cents, and please know that there is no obligation on your part do this, you may want to add "UK" as your location. Yes, that steal your location away, but it also better time stamps your Thread. This helps on two levels: One is that individuals in the UK and further East of you can respond if you have a time sensitive question or second, there are several members in the UK that can chime in for a like reason. Once again, there is no requirement to do so!!!!

Consider switching away or limiting fruits, especially high sugar fruits from your Parrots diet.

Once your Too has stabilized, talk to your CAV about having your Too become more active! If you can hold your Too's chest to you ear, you may be able to hear her Heart! If so, this will allow you to monitor your girls heart rate! NOTE: If you have never heard a Parrots Heart Rate, you will find it very rapid!!! With time and guidance from your CAV you will be able to tell a 'racing' rate from an 'at-rest' rate!

Hearing you're Too's heart rate and understanding it, is a very important tool to have prior to any effort in tracking your Too's Heart rate and providing that back to her CAV and if approved, what comfortable level of activity you can add.

For some background, see the Amazon Forum and the Sticky Thread at the top of the page Titled: I Love Amazons - ... Highlighted in light blue. See the Segment Titled: Restarting a Shutdown Amazon! The vast majority of Segments in that Thread are written for 'General Parrot' use!

NOTE: Do Not Start or make any changes without the approval of your CAV!

I have been where you are and my heart goes out to you!!!

I am sorry your Galah has a diagnosed heart condition. Please read my thread about a similar illness with my Eclectus. http://www.parrotforums.com/general-health-care/63907-heart-disease-cautionary-tale.html

My avian vet diagnosed Angel with moderate heart failure and prescribed two drugs: Pimobendan to strengthen the heartbeat and Furesomide to rid the body of fluids. He believes Pimobendan to be a game-changer with parrots. Long used in mammals, and humans in Japan, it is generally available in tablet form. However, capsules are produced but not for sale in the U.S. During my search it was apparent the capsules are available in the U.K and Canada! Rather than mail-order, I had capsules custom-made in a compounding pharmacy. Eight capsules are opened and the powder mixed with 20ml of water. This provides sufficient dosage for about 20 days. I mix her meds in room-temperature oatmeal and give orally twice daily. Some days she absolutely resists, so I must slowly dispense via syringe into her mouth. (no needle!)

I would encourage you to ask your vet if this therapy may be helpful.

Pills might not be very dissolvable depending on the drug in them. We have made liquid meds out of pills before, but it's a process. MrC is a Ph.D. biophysicist and his career was in pharmaceutical research, so this was something easy for him to do, however, it still involves figuring out what substance will dissolve the active ingredient (a lot of stuff isn't soluble in water), figuring out if those are safe for birds, and then mixing in correct proportions.

That said, can you do something like crush it and put it in a small amount of unsweetened apple sauce? You could potentially even put that in a syringe if you have one that's big enough not to get clogged.

BeatriceC said:

Pills might not be very dissolvable depending on the drug in them. We have made liquid meds out of pills before, but it's a process. MrC is a Ph.D. biophysicist and his career was in pharmaceutical research, so this was something easy for him to do, however, it still involves figuring out what substance will dissolve the active ingredient (a lot of stuff isn't soluble in water), figuring out if those are safe for birds, and then mixing in correct proportions.

That said, can you do something like crush it and put it in a small amount of unsweetened apple sauce? You could potentially even put that in a syringe if you have one that's big enough not to get clogged.

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Great points, Beatrice! The compounding pharmacy did some research to determine what medium is best for creating a solution, and determined water is acceptable, with a liquid shelf-life of 30 days max. My AV mixes some meds such as Furesomide in a cherry-flavored solution to overcome the foul taste. Some drugs are apparently mixed in an oil-based solution for reasons that must be rooted in chemical composition?

I managed to get hold of our AV yesterday and have been told its safe to dissolve 1/4 tablet in 2.5me of water. Cookie isn't enjoying the additional syringe but I can at least put the other dose on her dinner food (quinoa, pasta, rice etc) which she'll eat without a problem. I have to go to work for a couple of hours now but will read and respond to all of your messages when I get home. Thank you all for taking the time to give me advice.

Chala86 said:

I managed to get hold of our AV yesterday and have been told its safe to dissolve 1/4 tablet in 2.5me of water. Cookie isn't enjoying the additional syringe but I can at least put the other dose on her dinner food (quinoa, pasta, rice etc) which she'll eat without a problem. I have to go to work for a couple of hours now but will read and respond to all of your messages when I get home. Thank you all for taking the time to give me advice.

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You are very welcome! Whether Pimobendan is best for Cookie is a matter of discussion with your vet. May or may not be applicable for her issue.

Medical issues are an unfortunate reality and we wish the best for Cookie!

Today we've managed the full dosage of both the benefortin and frusol (diuretic). One dose of the benefortin I had to dissolve into water and syringe it into her beak. Cookie really doesn't enjoy accepting syringe administered medication but we got by without too much difficulty. We've also started doing some light exercise - walking about on the floor through the house. Cookie has never enjoyed flying particularly but doesn't seem to mind walking a few minutes at a time.
Scott - I gave you're previous thread a read and will raise the idea of the Pimobendan. Cookie is also something of a perch potato, preferring cuddles to movement. Our AV thinks this may be due to a lack of energy because of her heart. We're very lucky to have an excellent AV within a 40 minute drive - somewhat rare in the UK.
I'm not sure Cookie will let me put my head on her chest without me being severely punished for overstepping her boundaries. I suppose I can gradually train her to accept it although I may get a few new piercings for my efforts.