Rescue budgie "Puff" has improved!!

[crimson]

GOD THIS IS FRUSTRATING!...so this morning Puffs seemed ok, not great but ok, but sleepy, which was a warning sign for me but I wanted to see what happened thru out the day.
now that all the adult air sac mites are dead(or should be close to it by now) they are clogging her trachea and airways. she is having a really hard time breathing. she is taking two breaths per second.

her beak is opening and closing like she is trying to chew something but nothing is there.
this is what happens with air sac mites. If the bird is relatively healthy and comes down with them and are treated in time, they will eventually cough up the dead ones....(I know gross!!).

I gave her a product I have here which contains slippery elm & Ivermectin. I gave her some of it with a syringe....waited 5 minutes then decided to hand feed her.
I don't think she's eaten today. she's better off with me administering hand feeding formula, it's much better for her right now than budgie seed.
she was very hungry and seem to want quite a bit. I made it more on the watery side, due to her being so clogged, and didn't want to aspirate her.
I have a heat lamp on her and the cage is partially covered, and it's right by a window.

There really is nothing else I can do for her but wait. I think tomorrow will be the deciding factor whether she makes it or not. I HATE seeing her suffer, or any bird for that matter.

I also contacted my vet to see if there was anything else I can do for her, and they said it is a wait and see, and only time will tell, I just hate seeing her suffer!!

 

[crimson]

I wish I could load a you tube video of puffs and what she is doing. when I load the file it keeps saying 'there was an error while uploading", I have no idea why.

 

[crimson]

I just checked on Puffs again, she was at her seed cup and had ( I assume) eating.
I sat in the room for a full two minutes, and not once did her beak open or close, and her breathing has slowed to a more normal rate.....I think the slippery elm is helping!
slippery elm coats the trachea and moves the dead mites into their crop to digest, and then they poop it out.
the good thing about this product is I can give it to her 3 days in a row.
gosh I hope this works....such an emotional roller coaster....she is holding her own.
Just wanted to update everyone with some better news.

 

[Mayden]

Aw I really hope she pulls through. Poor baby. Is it just a case of her coughing up/digesting the mites then?

 

[crimson]

Aw I really hope she pulls through. Poor baby. Is it just a case of her coughing up/digesting the mites then?

pretty much, it's the same when we have a cold and are congested, and need to cough it up.
the slippery elm just soothes and coats her trachea, and forces the dead ones into her crop, then they get digested and pooped out.

 

[Mayden]

Aw I really hope she pulls through. Poor baby. Is it just a case of her coughing up/digesting the mites then?

pretty much, it's the same when we have a cold and are congested, and need to cough it up.
the slippery elm just soothes and coats her trachea, and forces the dead ones into her crop, then they get digested and pooped out.

Glad to hear the elm stuff seems to be working. Hang in tight Puff!

 

[Echo]

Poor Puffs! If it wasn't for you, she would be dead. You're doing all the right things it seems, to help her. I feel she's going to pull through in your care!

 

[crimson]

Poor Puffs! If it wasn't for you, she would be dead. You're doing all the right things it seems, to help her. I feel she's going to pull through in your care!

thanks Echo, your right she would be dead.....,thanks so much for the vote of confidence!
I hope she gets a good sleep tonight

 

[MikeyTN]

I hope Puff pulls through! We're thinking of you Puff!

 

[Betrisher]

You're a brave little girl, Puff! Everyone's hanging on the next day or two and sending best healing thoughts your way. Get well soon!

 

[faeryphoebe1]

Oh, that's great news. What a cute, little girl.

Edit: Sorry, I hadn't read all the thread 'til now. Hopefully the slippery elm will keep working. Poor little girl. Crimson, you're an angel for trying to save this wee one. Crossing my fingers that she gets better and better.

 

[crimson]

Puffs seems to be holding her own,and doing not too badly.
I hand fed her this morning, then checked on her seed dish and she is eating again, whew!! I gave her meds again, and have to give her more slippery elm/ivermectin
.....so far so good!
she improves daily (with the exception of yesterday) I think she got a good nights sleep, I turned the lights off around 5 pm last night, and didn't go in the room until 8:30 this morning. she sure does put up a fight when we try and catch her!...lots of energy there!!

 

[getwozzy]

Aww poor puffs! Glad to hear she's improving though!!!

 

[Blancaej]

You are doing such a great job with her. I think she will be fine with all the great care you are giving her! Keep doing the great job you are and she will be 100% healthy in no time!

 

[crimson]

Here are some updated pictures of Puff.

I still hear wheezing, I am trying to figure out if it's from her clogged nostrils or her lungs.

all in all she is doing much much better!

 

[JerseyWendy]

OMG Beth, that looks like a BRAND new bird!!!

WAY to go Beth & Puff!!!!

Could the wheezing be from some dead mites lodged in him??

 

[crimson]

thanks Wendy, she sure does look different, she's pretty good too, when we catch her in the cage to treat her, she flies around like crazy, but when we hold her she doesn't bite.

....could be a combination of things, dead air sac mites, clogged nostrils, or something else I don't know about.
gosh I am no vet, but you would think between the Baytril, Ivermectin, and the slippery elm that wheezing would have stopped.
it's only been 4 days, and she's improved tremendously.

 

[Mayden]

Glad to hear and see she's doing so well. Hopefully given time she'll be fine. 4 days isn't a long time to clear everything up, so hoping it goes soon

 

[crimson]

since yesterday, she's been doing great! I am so thrilled!!

her wheezing/clicking has subsided but is still doing it. I can't wait to administer her second treatment of Ivermectin, and keep up with the slippery elm next week.
when Sarah catches her she puts up a huge fight, flying frantically around the cage,

tonight when I caught her, I talked to her before I stuck my black scary glove in the cage for a minute, she sat there listening to me and watching my every move. I slowly put my hand in the cage and she didn't fly away, but she wasn't comfortable with the black thing in front of her either, ha ha.
she got one foot on my glove and I was ecstatic!, that was enough for me.you could see she wanted to step up, but still doesn't trust us. I certainly don't blame her, after grabbing her to medicate her for the past 4 days,

what I have noticed is she doesn't fly around the cage in a state of panic, even when I stand in front of it, or when I open the door, I think that is great. It would be nice if I can try and tame her, and would be the best ending!!

my husband worked from home today, and he was in the computer room where Puff is, he came out and told me she has been chirping a little bit today on and off.

THAT IS THE FIRST TIME SHE HAS CHIRPED!! (as far as I know)....I know she looks and feels better but it is music to my ears to hear it from her!

 

[Betrisher]

Oh, chirping is the best thing! It was the first sign Dommie gave us that he was feeling like a bird again. I'm so glad for little Puff and especially for you, Beth!