- Dec 18, 2013
- 22,301
- 4,211
- Parrots
- Maya (Female Solomon Island eclectus parrot), Jolly (Male Solomon Island eclectus parrot), Bixby (Male, red-sided eclectus. RIP), Suzie (Male cockatiel. RIP)
Unfortunately, I know quite a bit about ABV. But just so you know, you really don't need to panic at this stage. First, the test for ABV has often yielded false negatives. And sometimes false positives as well. Which, of course, means that even if you retest and get a negative, you can never truly be sure. Was the first case a false positive? Or was the second a false negative? (ABV can only be detected wen actively 'shedding'.) Yeah, maddening.
Second. What most people don't realize is that roughly 40-45% of the captive parrot population would test positive for ABV. Sounds bleak, right? Well, yeah... until you come to learn that there are somewhere in the realm of 7 or 9 (for some reason I can never remember if it was 7 or 9, but it's definitely one of the two) strains of ABV. Why is this significant? Because only two of said strains are the variants with potential for developing into the dreaded PDD. (PDD is what took the life of my first ekkie, Bixby. He was born with the variant of PDD that attacks the autonomic nervous system, enlarging the proventriculus so that food can no longer be digested and assimilated.)
So understand, while Tucker may have tested positive for ABV, even if we assume this wasn't a false positive, there's still no way to know, in the pre-clinical stage, whether the strain of ABV that he has is either of the two that can lead to PDD.
Further, even if the ABV that he has is one of the two strains that can lead to clinical PDD, that is still no guarantee that it will ever happen. And this is due to the detail that makes PDD such a baffling case to crack. See, one essential ingredient for PDD is the presence of one of the two 'correct' strains of ABV capable of developing into full blown PDD. But the current prevalent theory is that a certain catalyst is needed to jumpstart the process. The problem? No one yet knows what that mystery culprit is. But if that catalyst could be identified, vaccination from the disease would be a simple matter of blocking said mystery element.
But this mystery catalyst is considered to be the reason why some birds have inexplicably developed PDD after even 20 or 30 years without any symptoms... and without any contact with other birds! Almost like a time bomb waiting to happen.
Okay, now that we've touched upon the scientific and the theoretical, let's get down to the nuts and bolts. What does this positive test mean for you, Tucker and, by extension, Baxter?
Well, most vets and scientists who have dedicated themselves to studying this disease and its pathology believe transmission of ABV/PDD to be largely (possibly even exclusively) vertical, which is to say, parent to child. (As was the case with Bixby.) No one will say horizontal transmission between healthy birds is not possible, but throw in words like "virtually" or phrases like "highly unlikely", and you see my point.
But even so, the possibility of transmission via ingestion of an infected bird's feces can't be ignored. Nor can the possibility of transmission vis regurgitated food being fed by one bird to another. So, you'll want to be fastidious about maintaining clean cages, stands and perches. Especially in common/shared areas. And personally, to be on the safe side, I wouldn't let Tucker and Baxter feed one another or even eat from the same bowls.
But so long as you are careful in those regards, I don't think you need to have any worries of Tucker infecting Baxter. (The case would be altogether different if we had been talking about PBFD, which is FAR more contagious.) And again, a lot of this is precautionary. We don't actually know if the ABV Tucker has is even one of the two that can become PDD.
A more telling test for PDD is, believe it or not, an x-ray. A dilated proventriculus would be VERY telling. Of course, not all cases of PDD are focused on the proventriculus, which once again brings us to the difficulty of diagnosis. (PDD variants can focus on the autonomic nervous system, as previously mentioned, the central nervous system, or the peripheral nervous system. Or all three, as was the case with my Bixby.)
Now, all this said, I must point out that early symptoms of a peripheral nervous system manifestation can include toe-tapping. As well as nerve pain/irritation. Cases of stubborn toe-tapping, wherein a causative factor just could not be determined, can sometimes be attributed to undiagnosed cases of ABV. In such cases, the answer to said tapping might actually be a course of anti-inflammatory meds. And if this is the case with Tucker, you are in the fortunate position of being able to treat it early on in the manifestation stages. As mentioned earlier, there is no cure for PDD/ABV. But clinical symptoms can be managed. One of the vets with whom I discussed PDD at length told me that he has been treating a macaw with full blown PDD for over 20 years, now. And he said the key was early diagnosis and the treatment of flare-ups whenever they occur before they can get too bad.
Stressors (such as hormones or sickness) can trigger ABV flare-ups. When this happens, anti-inflammatories are given to bring down any swelling and relieve pain, managing the situation until the bird gets past that particular episode. ABV/PDD is by no means a death sentence. It can be successfully managed.
For now, my friend, be vigilant. The toe-tapping seems to have eased off, which is great. But keep your eyes open for return bouts. Or any sign of nerve irritation, particularly in the foot area. (Gnawing continually at the foot, to the point of abrasion or even cutting, is a definite sign.) Should this occur, take him straight in to the vet and see about getting a prescription for anti-inflammatories. Tucker might be just fine, and Im praying that's the case. But even if he's not, you are pre-warned and you know what to look for. Which means that he has the best possible chance.
If you have any questions not addressed by my waaaaaaaaay too long post, feel free to ask away.
Second. What most people don't realize is that roughly 40-45% of the captive parrot population would test positive for ABV. Sounds bleak, right? Well, yeah... until you come to learn that there are somewhere in the realm of 7 or 9 (for some reason I can never remember if it was 7 or 9, but it's definitely one of the two) strains of ABV. Why is this significant? Because only two of said strains are the variants with potential for developing into the dreaded PDD. (PDD is what took the life of my first ekkie, Bixby. He was born with the variant of PDD that attacks the autonomic nervous system, enlarging the proventriculus so that food can no longer be digested and assimilated.)
So understand, while Tucker may have tested positive for ABV, even if we assume this wasn't a false positive, there's still no way to know, in the pre-clinical stage, whether the strain of ABV that he has is either of the two that can lead to PDD.
Further, even if the ABV that he has is one of the two strains that can lead to clinical PDD, that is still no guarantee that it will ever happen. And this is due to the detail that makes PDD such a baffling case to crack. See, one essential ingredient for PDD is the presence of one of the two 'correct' strains of ABV capable of developing into full blown PDD. But the current prevalent theory is that a certain catalyst is needed to jumpstart the process. The problem? No one yet knows what that mystery culprit is. But if that catalyst could be identified, vaccination from the disease would be a simple matter of blocking said mystery element.
But this mystery catalyst is considered to be the reason why some birds have inexplicably developed PDD after even 20 or 30 years without any symptoms... and without any contact with other birds! Almost like a time bomb waiting to happen.
Okay, now that we've touched upon the scientific and the theoretical, let's get down to the nuts and bolts. What does this positive test mean for you, Tucker and, by extension, Baxter?
Well, most vets and scientists who have dedicated themselves to studying this disease and its pathology believe transmission of ABV/PDD to be largely (possibly even exclusively) vertical, which is to say, parent to child. (As was the case with Bixby.) No one will say horizontal transmission between healthy birds is not possible, but throw in words like "virtually" or phrases like "highly unlikely", and you see my point.
But even so, the possibility of transmission via ingestion of an infected bird's feces can't be ignored. Nor can the possibility of transmission vis regurgitated food being fed by one bird to another. So, you'll want to be fastidious about maintaining clean cages, stands and perches. Especially in common/shared areas. And personally, to be on the safe side, I wouldn't let Tucker and Baxter feed one another or even eat from the same bowls.
But so long as you are careful in those regards, I don't think you need to have any worries of Tucker infecting Baxter. (The case would be altogether different if we had been talking about PBFD, which is FAR more contagious.) And again, a lot of this is precautionary. We don't actually know if the ABV Tucker has is even one of the two that can become PDD.
A more telling test for PDD is, believe it or not, an x-ray. A dilated proventriculus would be VERY telling. Of course, not all cases of PDD are focused on the proventriculus, which once again brings us to the difficulty of diagnosis. (PDD variants can focus on the autonomic nervous system, as previously mentioned, the central nervous system, or the peripheral nervous system. Or all three, as was the case with my Bixby.)
Now, all this said, I must point out that early symptoms of a peripheral nervous system manifestation can include toe-tapping. As well as nerve pain/irritation. Cases of stubborn toe-tapping, wherein a causative factor just could not be determined, can sometimes be attributed to undiagnosed cases of ABV. In such cases, the answer to said tapping might actually be a course of anti-inflammatory meds. And if this is the case with Tucker, you are in the fortunate position of being able to treat it early on in the manifestation stages. As mentioned earlier, there is no cure for PDD/ABV. But clinical symptoms can be managed. One of the vets with whom I discussed PDD at length told me that he has been treating a macaw with full blown PDD for over 20 years, now. And he said the key was early diagnosis and the treatment of flare-ups whenever they occur before they can get too bad.
Stressors (such as hormones or sickness) can trigger ABV flare-ups. When this happens, anti-inflammatories are given to bring down any swelling and relieve pain, managing the situation until the bird gets past that particular episode. ABV/PDD is by no means a death sentence. It can be successfully managed.
For now, my friend, be vigilant. The toe-tapping seems to have eased off, which is great. But keep your eyes open for return bouts. Or any sign of nerve irritation, particularly in the foot area. (Gnawing continually at the foot, to the point of abrasion or even cutting, is a definite sign.) Should this occur, take him straight in to the vet and see about getting a prescription for anti-inflammatories. Tucker might be just fine, and Im praying that's the case. But even if he's not, you are pre-warned and you know what to look for. Which means that he has the best possible chance.
If you have any questions not addressed by my waaaaaaaaay too long post, feel free to ask away.
