Adopted cockatiel with squinting eyes

[Zfelis]

I recently adopted a hand-raised albino cockatiel. He is only a few months old. I was told that he was sick before, the tiel was wheezing, and have squinting eyes. His previous owner told me that the vet instructed him to give the tiel amoxicillin 20%. The previous owner said the tiel shouldn't have any problems any more except the squinting eye, but that should go away eventually. I am still a little concerned because the tiel keeps his eyes closed most of the time, even when he is walking around and playing with toys.

 

[Laurasea]

You are right to be worried. I see redness around the nares nose and eyes.

One of the most common infections that causes this is chlamydia. And that would need the antibiotics doxycycline, because amoxicillin wouldn't work against this bacteria.


If you have other parrots yiu should treat them all, tell vet if yiu have other parrots. Highly infections and aerosol will spread through the house.

https://www.thesprucepets.com/parrot-fever-psittacosis-symptoms-treatment-4148338
Regardless of what is causing the infection, yiu are going to need to get him to a veterinarian right away.

Provide xctra warmth, critical fir sick burds. Get a digital kitchen scale so yiu csn start tracking weights.

 

[Laurasea]

What Is Psittacosis?
Psittacosis is a disease that affects over 400 species of birds and some mammals. It is caused by the bacterium Chlamydophila psittaci, Chlamydophila avium, or Chlamydophila gallinacea (but other bacterium are thought to also cause this disease) and is transmitted from bird to bird or bird to some mammals (including humans) by infected birds. C. psittaci is the bacterium that is typically seen in pet psittacines like parrots and is most commonly diagnosed.1

How Do Birds Get Psittacosis?
A bird does not have to have contact with another bird that has been infected with one of the types of bacterium that causes psittacosis in order to get it, but this is an easy way for them to get it. They can also come in contact with a person or item that has been in contact with an infected bird. Fomites on food and water bowls, airborne particles, feathers, feces, and other items that have been in contact with a bird with psittacosis can all infect healthy birds. Being in the same room with poor ventilation as an infected bird can also cause your pet bird to get it.

What Are the Symptoms of Psittacosis in Birds?
In birds, psittacosis causes a variety of symptoms but it can also go unnoticed and lay dormant inside a bird. Psittacosis infected birds are asymptomatic (show no symptoms) until they are stressed and then it causes puffy and swollen eyes (conjunctivitis), lethargy, anorexia, and weight loss, fluffed feathers, nasal discharge, and an enlarged liver.1 It can also cause diarrhea and respiratory issues in some species of birds. Birds that are acutely infected from exposure to the bacterium (come in contact with an infected bird or item) will show symptoms after about three days.

Carriers of the bacterium can become sick at any time.

What Are the Symptoms of Psittacosis in Mammals?
In mammals, psittacosis typically causes reproductive problems such as miscarriages and inflamed placentas and respiratory problems such as pneumonia, coughing, and an increased respiratory rate.2 It has also been reported to cause similar eye issues as it does in birds, lameness, fever, and nasal discharge.

Psittacosis can be fatal in untreated animals that show symptoms but many are asymptomatic. A variety of the symptoms can also indicate other kinds of diseases, so it is hard to diagnose psittacosis by looking at symptoms alone.

How Can You Diagnose Psittacosis in Your Bird?
Since psittacosis symptoms can look like an array of other diseases in pet birds, special tests are needed to diagnose the presence of C. psittaci. Histology (looking at tissues under the microscope), the detection of nucleic acids and antigens, various serological tests, and cultures may be recommended by an avian vet to diagnose your bird with psittacosis. Sometimes more than one test is needed.

The bacterium can be detected in a number of places in your bird including the feces, liver, lungs, kidneys, spleen, excretions from the eyes, the choana, cloaca, and even the tissue that covers the heart called the pericardium. Birds that are experiencing symptoms of psittacosis are easier to diagnose than birds that are not showing any signs of the disease.1 Sometimes multiple fecal samples must be tested in order to find the bacterium, especially in birds that are just carriers and not acutely ill.


What Bird Species Are Commonly Infected With Psittacosis?
The most commonly infected kinds of pet birds are those in the psittacine family (often referred to as parrots). These include macaws, budgerigars (parakeets), cockatiels, Amazon parrots, cockatoos, lories, African greys, lovebirds, and conures. Pet pigeons are also often infected with psittacosis as are pet ducks.3 Hundreds of other species of birds are also susceptible to this disease including wild birds.


Is There a Treatment for Psittacosis?
Thankfully there is a treatment for psittacosis. About 50% of birds are said to die from this infection if left untreated, but antibiotics are usually successful in treating it. Since birds cannot safely take all the same kinds of antibiotics as other animals, they are typically prescribed doxycycline, an antibiotic in the tetracycline class of drugs, for 45 days to treat the disease. If your bird does not have C. psittaci, another type of antibiotic in the sulfonamide class may be successful as well, but this drug class does not have any effect on the most commonly diagnosed type of bacterium to cause psittacosis.

How Can You Prevent Psittacosis in Your Bird?
Certain kinds of disinfectants can kill the kinds of bacteria that cause psittacosis so cleanliness is important in preventing this disease.4 If you attend a bird show make sure you wash your hands thoroughly between handling birds and before handling your own bird. Even items for sale at the bird show, like food dishes, cages, and toys, can harbor fomites from infected birds and should be washed before brought home to your bird.

Wild birds can also carry psittacosis. Baby birds that fall out of the nest, dead birds, and injured birds are all commonly handled by people and can carry psittacosis. If you handle any wild birds (especially seabirds) be sure to wash your hands prior to handling your pet bird.

If you plan on adopting or purchasing a new pet bird, be sure to quarantine the bird prior to introducing them to another pet bird. This will allow time for you to monitor them for any signs of psittacosis. Be sure to practice good hygiene during this quarantine period or wear disposable gloves and a mask, especially if the source of the bird is skeptical.


If you have multiple birds and one is diagnosed with psittacosis, you should isolate that bird from the others to minimize the risk of spreading the infection. Good ventilation, clean environments, and hand washing are all crucial to spreading the transmission of psittacosis at home.



Article Sources

 

[Laurasea]

Please get him to an avain veterinarian.
https://www.littlecrittersvet.com/sick-birds.pml

https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/chlamydophilosis-in-birds
General Information
Chlamydophilosis, also called "psittacosis", "chlamydiosis" or "Parrot Fever", is a reasonably common disease of birds. It can occur in any bird but is especially common in cockatiels, Amazon parrots and budgerigars (often referred to incorrectly as parakeets.) The disease can cause chronic infections, asymptomatic infections or sudden death. The disease can also be transmitted to people. It is not associated with the venereal form of Chlamydophila that affects people.

https://www.thesprucepets.com/parro...rds are asymptomatic,in some species of birds.

 

[Zfelis]

Please get him to an avain veterinarian.
https://www.littlecrittersvet.com/sick-birds.pml

https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/chlamydophilosis-in-birds
General Information
Chlamydophilosis, also called "psittacosis", "chlamydiosis" or "Parrot Fever", is a reasonably common disease of birds. It can occur in any bird but is especially common in cockatiels, Amazon parrots and budgerigars (often referred to incorrectly as parakeets.) The disease can cause chronic infections, asymptomatic infections or sudden death. The disease can also be transmitted to people. It is not associated with the venereal form of Chlamydophila that affects people.

https://www.thesprucepets.com/parro...rds are asymptomatic,in some species of birds.

Hi, thank you for all this information! I saw your DM and because I haven't made 20 posts so far so I can't really reply directly.. is there any way that I can reach out to you for more info?

 

[Laurasea]

ask a mod they have purple names tgey can forward messages to me.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20496604/

 

[Zfelis]

Wait that was so weird, i sent 3 messages to a mod but it's not showing up in my "sent" folder?? did it get lost?

 

[Laurasea]

I got them no worries.
Doxycycline is a very cheap medicine. And many vets will do a video consultation because of the pandemic. He is so classic for chlamydia i think they will easily make tge diagnosis.

Please know while this is treatable, with great outcome when treated. With out treatment its deadly.

Also you can catch this from you're parrot. In people its called parrot fever, and is also treatable with Doxycycline. Any symptoms in you, flu symptoms, respiratory symptoms, gastrointestinal symptoms, conjunctivitis, ir fever. Then yiu hsve to see a doctor and tell them your parrot has psittacosis . Not always will you catch this from them, but you can. I didn't catch from mine, and we have others who didn't, but we have had people who did. And so you must know this and talk with yiur doctor, as people can develop pneumonia, snd untreated people before antibiotics died from it. But tgst was before antibiotics were invented. Its treatable, its not uncommon in parrots. So don't freak

 

[Laurasea]

This parrot will probably need treatment for eyes to save his site as well.
I know this sounds harsh, but I gotta say it. If you can't get medical care for this bird, then you aren't rescuing him. Thus is treatable.
If nit please call a parrot rescue organization and see if they will take him.
I see yiu have other burds. They will ALL have to be treated, or you could loose them ALL!!!!

This is a life moment, you have got to make it happen. For the love of your parrots, and their depending on YOU.
It sucks I know! I saved a budgie that had escaped. It brought this very infection to my whole flock of 7 burds!!! 2 almost died, tgey have just finished treatment
http://www.parrotforums.com/general...ick-i-ve-been-holding-back-making-thread.html


This us another thread wre tge person had to go to extraordinary steps to save his bird
http://www.parrotforums.com/cockatiels/77796-psittacosis-doxycycline-azithromycin.html

 

[wrench13]

Thank you Laura, for the effort you put into responses to these medical questions. It sucks that your talking from a working knowledge of the issues, but we are lucky you have the resources at your fingertips.

 

[Scott]

ask a mod they have purple names tgey can forward messages to me.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20496604/

Wait that was so weird, i sent 3 messages to a mod but it's not showing up in my "sent" folder?? did it get lost?

Even messages to mods won't show as "sent" until 20 posts. You can resend to me or another mod as others may not be on in your timeframe. Laura has given so much helpful information!

I would add for emphasis your bird does not look well and may have been sick for a long while. Best thing you can do is visit an avian vet if possible, if not via video appointment.

 

[Laurasea]

I hope this little sick one got treatment, and we hear an update!! Abd the rest of the burds in the house! Abd I hope no humans get sick...