Nasal discharge cockatiel

Our cockatiel is about 16 years old and has always sneezed occasionally. About three months ago she started having a nasal discharge, particularly on the right side. She was treated by a specialist avian vet who took samples and diagnosed a yeast overgrowth and this was treated (medistatin 10 days) and acidulated water. She also removed a cyst from the tongue (this has now completely cleared up). The discharge continued at a lower level, so we called in the vet again. She said the crop was okay and treated the bird with antibiotics (Enrobactin) for seven days. Again there seemed to be a slight improvement. We called the vet back and she prescribed another 10 day course of Enrobactin, just to be sure the problem wouldn't return.

You will see from the picture that Budge is still having problems. The discharge builds up, then she rubs it off and it builds up again. Her weight is fine and she seems generally well but with a few ruffled feathers. She is a strong flyer, sleeps well and is quite a cheerful, companionable bird.

Budge is on a seed diet supplemented with peas, carrots, a little cooked potato, the odd slice of apple and a very occasional nut, such as an almond or peanut. Budge is stubborn and attempts to get her on a healthier diet have failed. We are adding a vitamin supplement to her drinking water.

Have any of the forum users had a similar problem? Have you got any ideas on how to sort the problem out?

Hello, and welcome to the Parrot Forums family! Though I wish it could be under better circumstances.

I think you might want to get a second opinion from a certified avian vet to be sure that nothing has been missed. Might just be a particularly stubborn infection, but I wonder if the problem might not have been a multi-faceted one. If there remains a fungal component as well as a bacterial one, antibiotics alone wouldn't be enough to completely take care of things.

The Medistatin is an anti-fungal.

Has anyone else had a similar problem?

My Cockatiel had blood on both nostrils.
My CAV gave me antibiotics for gram negative bacteria.
gave him his med for 10 days. went back for a re-check and he still had wrong bacteria.
was told to give him slightly larger dose for 2 weeks.
He has not had any further blood coming from his nose.
There is a post on the Cockatiel thread that has a picture of Lucky with the bloody nose.

Glad to hear Lucky is now well.

Has anyone else any suggestions.

Ourbudge said:

The Medistatin is an anti-fungal...

Click to expand...

I know, but the impression that I got was that the 10 day course had been completed. My thought was that if there was still a fungal component to his infection, antibiotics wouldn't be enough to treat it.