A little worried... Need some thoughts!

[EllenD]

Yeah, I'd get Chessie, pay the bill, and leave. Then make an appointment at the University...I had no idea it was this bad...

Their ears are connected to their eyes, their sinuses, and their throat...I mean this is medicine/anatomy/physiology 101...And whenever their is a loss of coordination/disorientation, the very first thing you should think is a middle/inner ear infection, which birds get just as often as any other animal because of what they are connected to...A sinus, eye, or throat infection can easily spread to the ears...And i won't even comment on "not doing Fecals anymore because they have been debunked", that's just this vet patronizing you Yumgrinder, he knows that this isn't true, but he thinks you don't know it...He is probably planning on sending Chessie home with some Baytril...Just get her out of there, don't leave her...If they can't or won't do the blood-draw in front of you while you're there, then just leave and call the University and get an appointment. This guy is scaring me too, and I don't usually get scared with Vets, I might not agree with them, but they don't scare me...This guy scares me. And besides, the best you're going to get out of this visit is Chessie's weight...Telling you that "They can't test for PDD" is a lie, obviously...So if you ask yourself why he's directly lying to you about not being able to test for PDD when he knows that your last bird that was there DIED of PDD...something isn't right here...

Either this guy is in a hurry and just doesn't want to deal with your bird or a bird today, or he's patronizing you and being a dick on purpose, either way he's lied to your face and said things that are just flat-out false. So I'd not trust him at all. I don't know if he really doesn't know what he's doing or he just doesn't care and can't be bothered with a bird today, either way I'd get her out of there and get her to a real Vet, because this guy is scary..

 

[ParrotGenie]

He's not worried about her but we are doing wellness bloodwork. She's 117 grams so she's a fatty. He said birds don't get ear infections except on rare cases and they don't do fecal smears cause they've been debunked. He also said he can't test for pdd. I feel like I got no answers other than she's a piggy. I had to leave her with him and I gotta say I'm so nervous I can't shake the feeling she will die ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh

He did say if she was sick she would be losing weight like crazy and I tend to agree with that...

That vet doesn't know what he doing? A fecal smear tells a lot. My Umbrella Cockatoo Cooper had upper respiratory infection, a Yeast infection, also in blood work showed on one value very high PPM on liver values when I first got him, which been resolved and beside chewing feathers every so often which is likely habit at this point As he has been tested for everything multiply times, he finally got a clean bill of health. A good vet will do all tests. I won't trust this vet and go elsewhere that more qualified a real avian vet. Yes birds can get middle/inner ear infection, which could be causing a loss of coordination/disorientation. a good avian vet can test for PDD.

 

[EllenD]

Aww, I would get your bird, and go to the vet school when you can. Or if he has already drawn blood wait for the results and see what shows up.
In my experience , I would not feel comfortable with this vet....

Apparently they can't even run a simple CBD or blood-chemistry in their office, they have to send it out and he has to wait for the results...At the University I'm sure they can do normal blood-work on the spot, and they haven't stopped doing Fecals, lol...I'm not at all comfortable with this vet either...Something is very wrong with him, and I don't know what, but he's not going to get anywhere or tell you anything because he doesn't want to look for anything...Like I said, he'll probably just send you home with some Baytril...Just get her out of there...

 

[LaManuka]

Ok there IS one thing worse than having a sick baby and that’s having an unsatisfactory visit to the vet! If you are able to get Chessie to that university you mentioned you’re both probably much better off going there!

 

[YUMgrinder]

Chessie is safe at home! They did pull blood, they are sending it to the lab. I think once I get the results back I'll call the University and see what they think.


Maybe she's just gotten too fat to fly?

 

[Laurasea]

You need to track all your birds weights, kitchen gram scales work great. Excessive fat can lead to liver disease. If I had a scale before Ta-dah got sick I could have spotted it easier. As her symptoms were very very subtle, except for the yeasty smell.

 

[AmyMyBlueFront]

Ellen tis so right!
Fecal gram stain can show the following pathology, yeast infection, mega bacteria, clostridium bacteria, cysts from giardia , a shift in gram positive or gram negative bacteria, bacterial over growth on more! Go get your bird don't leave for blood work, I don't trust this vet, should have drawn blood in front of you. And he should listen to your concerns, and tell you after blood work comes back we will have more ideas what's going on....

I agree 100% with Laura!! BB is seeing Doc Kristen tomorrow about his watery poo problem and that's the first thing she does!
Sorry your Chessie is having this problem YUM :52: I think her doc is a QUACK!



Jim

 

[AmyMyBlueFront]

You need to track all your birds weights, kitchen gram scales work great. Excessive fat can lead to liver disease. If I had a scale before Ta-dah got sick I could have spotted it easier. As her symptoms were very very subtle, except for the yeasty smell.

Little Fluffboy is a midget to Chessie..being 92g's!



Jim

 

[EllenD]

I'm sorry that happened yesterday, but I would definitely get her to the University ASAP, because if it is something like an ear infection it's getting worse and worse...I don't know what that guy was trying to do, but that isn't where I'd ever go back...

Chessie isn't "too fat to fly", lol...That's not quite how that works with birds. Something is very wrong, especially since it's gradually gotten worse over time. That's what makes it very scary...

 

[Laurasea]

I hope Chessie is resting comfortably with you tonight.
And I still suggest the vet school. As if blood work isn't run correctly it's meaningless. I just don't feel that vet was very good , sorry. If the ratio of blood to anticoagulation was incorrect, or if was stored wrong, or if it was hemolized....
I think your better off having everything redone at the vet school.
She could be fat from fat, or she could be fat from fluid built up in her belly....and rarely from a bunch of eggs in the belly, that aren't actually trying to pass. I'm not trying to scare you, the most likely thing is she is just over weight. ...
Birds are just to tricky for non avain specialist vets to treat.

 

[YUMgrinder]

So I got her results back, doc says she's completely normal. Healthy but fat. He thinks it's strange she can't fly but to start with losing the weight and see...

 

[noodles123]

What did they end up testing her for? I am glad everything looks normal! Maybe she is just really heavy LOL!

 

[YUMgrinder]

I'll need to go pick up the written results, I forgot what they tested for but they said its a typical wellness check.

How am I going to help her lose weight when her cagemate is appropriate weight? If I feed her less that means he's being fed less too, and I only want chessie to diet.... I don't really think separating them is a good idea? But I'm sure it wouldn't hurt. I just don't want to.

What do you think?

 

[noodles123]

That is a good point...You could pull one out and give the other an hour or so with food/seed during a tine you know he/she eats (while you take the other out of eye-shot and someone else sits in the room with the eating one?)...That could cause jealously I suppose...Tough call...
I guess separation would be an option if they will tolerate it.
There is no way that the big one is carrying an egg, is there?
Assuming that check that and/or he is a male bird lol.

 

[ChristaNL]

Since my greys are frequently (oke, daily or worse) snacking for the macawbowl... I need to come up with a way of not letting the greys get overweight.
So they all eat grey-acceptable food, and the higher calorie Sunny needs she get fed by hand.
(She still gets her special oatmeal- suplements and meds-, and for every treat the grey gets, she receives 2x or 3x that amount -- so they all get to earn their treats, it just relative to size and nutritional needs.)

 

[EllenD]

I'd still be taking her to the University Yumgrinder...Regular blood-work for a "wellness check" doesn't test for any Avian Viral Diseases at all, it's just a basic CBC, Liver and Kidney panels, and maybe a Chem7 test...No testing for PBFD, PDD, ABV, etc...

I'm still very concerned because I saw the photo of Chessie, there's no way that the reason her ability to fly has progressively regressed over the span of weeks is due to her being too fat...That's just not how birds work, and she's not anywhere near large enough that it would ever effect her flying ability...And here's the other thing, even if she was so obese that she couldn't fly, which she's not even close to that, it wouldn't have happened the way it did..First she lost her ability to control her flight and started crashing into things and couldn't land, and then she lost the ability to gain altitude..This is a Neurological issue, and I would not trust a word that this Vet said to you anyway...This is the Vet who told you "We no longer do Fecal Smears because they've been debunked", and also "Birds don't get ear infections", and "We can't test for PDD"...This is the Vet who's telling you "I don't know what's wrong with your Cockatiel, I don't know why she can't fly, probably because she's too fat"?????

I can't believe this Vet never even mentioned to you that this is progressing like a Neurological condition, like the ones caused by Avian Viruses, but it is...I worry about Chessie, but even more so I worry about your other, what, 6 or 7 birds? Especially since we know Cheddar was positive for at least PDD when he came to you. You need to get the specific tests done for PBFD, PDD, ABV, etc., whatever the University Avian Vet suggests, not only to help Chessie, but to make sure that the rest of your flock isn't also infected...If they are ALL infected then you need to start treatment, if it's just Chessie then she's needs help...Something is really very wrong with her, and it has nothing at all to do with her being "too fat"...

 

[ParrotGenie]

I would not take this vet word for it, that she just fat? They don't lose the ability to fly and likely due to getting disoriented. Something up? Take her to the University, as blood work and basic exam is not enough.

I look at it like you had one bird die from PDD, the others might have it as well. I would get specific test done for PDD, PBFD, ABV and others. You have 7 other birds you have to worry about?

 

[YUMgrinder]

That is a good point...You could pull one out and give the other an hour or so with food/seed during a tine you know he/she eats (while you take the other out of eye-shot and someone else sits in the room with the eating one?)...That could cause jealously I suppose...Tough call...
I guess separation would be an option if they will tolerate it.
There is no way that the big one is carrying an egg, is there?
Assuming that check that and/or he is a male bird lol.

The doc checked for an egg and didn't feel one. she is a girl. I'd love her to lay a clutch if my male is interested enough to make them viable. If shes healthy anyways. I still haven't decided whether to go to the university or not though.

 

[YUMgrinder]

I'd still be taking her to the University Yumgrinder...Regular blood-work for a "wellness check" doesn't test for any Avian Viral Diseases at all, it's just a basic CBC, Liver and Kidney panels, and maybe a Chem7 test...No testing for PBFD, PDD, ABV, etc...

I'm still very concerned because I saw the photo of Chessie, there's no way that the reason her ability to fly has progressively regressed over the span of weeks is due to her being too fat...That's just not how birds work, and she's not anywhere near large enough that it would ever effect her flying ability...And here's the other thing, even if she was so obese that she couldn't fly, which she's not even close to that, it wouldn't have happened the way it did..First she lost her ability to control her flight and started crashing into things and couldn't land, and then she lost the ability to gain altitude..This is a Neurological issue, and I would not trust a word that this Vet said to you anyway...This is the Vet who told you "We no longer do Fecal Smears because they've been debunked", and also "Birds don't get ear infections", and "We can't test for PDD"...This is the Vet who's telling you "I don't know what's wrong with your Cockatiel, I don't know why she can't fly, probably because she's too fat"?????

I can't believe this Vet never even mentioned to you that this is progressing like a Neurological condition, like the ones caused by Avian Viruses, but it is...I worry about Chessie, but even more so I worry about your other, what, 6 or 7 birds? Especially since we know Cheddar was positive for at least PDD when he came to you. You need to get the specific tests done for PBFD, PDD, ABV, etc., whatever the University Avian Vet suggests, not only to help Chessie, but to make sure that the rest of your flock isn't also infected...If they are ALL infected then you need to start treatment, if it's just Chessie then she's needs help...Something is really very wrong with her, and it has nothing at all to do with her being "too fat"...

You make good points, and I think I shall talk to the university. I don't see any neurological symptoms other than flight, like, she perches and climbs and everything just fine. I think shes frustrated she cant fly, she keeps getting on the floor and putting her hat up like shes upset she wasn't able to get to where she wanted. Poor girl

 

[YUMgrinder]

I would not take this vet word for it, that she just fat? They don't lose the ability to fly and likely due to getting disoriented. Something up? Take her to the University, as blood work and basic exam is not enough.

I look at it like you had one bird die from PDD, the others might have it as well. I would get specific test done for PDD, PBFD, ABV and others. You have 7 other birds you have to worry about?

1 pineapple GCC
1 black capped conure
2 tiels
3 budgies.

ya! seven!

we also have a rat, 2 rabbits, 2 ferrets (one albino), 2 turtles, 2 cats, and an albino hedgehog in our house. I spend a small fortune on feed lol.