Ollie is sick

[GivemeSeedsorgivemeFlesh]

I took him to the birdie ER today and he pretended like he was fine. They didn't see anything when they examined him. But twice today he was gagging and vomiting and had bubbles coming out of his mouth. Then he eats and preens and acts normal. At first I thought it was a feather. But it seems more than that. He looks awful.

 

[LaManuka]

I took him to the birdie ER today and he pretended like he was fine. They didn't see anything when they examined him. But twice today he was gagging and vomiting and had bubbles coming out of his mouth. Then he eats and preens and acts normal. At first I thought it was a feather. But it seems more than that. He looks awful.

I'm so sorry to hear Ollie is sick, but I'm glad you got him to the vet. Did they perform any tests on him at all, or just a physical exam? I hope your little sweetheart will be ok!!!

 

[Corkscr.ew]

If the vet didn't find anything and he's in bad condition, I would recommend looking for a second opinion. An obviously sick bird will need a vet that can diagnose them. Also, it's generally a good idea to keep his area warm (85F is ideal) and to give him a comfortable place to rest if he becomes too weak to perch comfortably. I hope he'll be okay.

 

[GivemeSeedsorgivemeFlesh]

No they said it was iffy and really expensive... especially because he wasn't doing the gagging there. They gave him some oxygen.

 

[GivemeSeedsorgivemeFlesh]

I can't pay for expensive tests.

 

[LaManuka]

I can't pay for expensive tests.

I'm very sorry to hear that. Testing can be stressful on a little bird and also very expensive and not always 100% guaranteed to give you a result or a successful outcome, it has happened to me. Just try to make sure he is hydrated and give him all his favourite foods to eat to keep his energy up. And give him lots of love from me, and keep some for yourself too - I'm so sorry you're going through this!!

 

[AprilRobin]

I hope that Ollie will be better soon. I understand why you didn't have the tests done. As LaManuka said, sometimes they are expensive and you don't always get a definite answer anyway.

 

[Jcas]

I just want to double check as I don’t know how much experience you have with birds, but is he visibly ill all the time? I ask because male budgies can be pretty notorious for regurgitating seeds. Looks like they’re vomiting and sick but then a few minutes later they’re totally fine. They will regurgitate to mirrors, favorite toys, humans etc. I’m not saying this is what’s happening I just wanted to put that idea out there in case it sounds like what’s going on with Ollie. Whatever is going on with your little guy, I really hope he feels better soon. I hate it when our happy little budgies don’t feel well

 

[GivemeSeedsorgivemeFlesh]

He is visibly ill and distressed. He was fine yesterday. I am afraid he had some sort of blockage but I am no expert. The vet felt his abdomen and crop and said it felt okay.

 

[DonnaBudgie]

Is he pooping? How often, approximately?
I'm so sorry he's sick. I have a sick budgie right now too but she's been in questionable health for a long time, like many months.
As for tests, they often don't reveal anything you can do anything about. Imaging is very expensive. Li
Tumors on imaging which are very common and the bird seems okay for a awhile then goes downhill fast. I would think antibiotics would be a good thing to try with GI distress and aren't expensive. Blood tests can reveal kidney or liver disease but there isn't much you can do once a budgie starts looking very ill.

 

[TiredOldMan]

Prayers inbound
I'm sorry Ollie and you are going through this

 

[GivemeSeedsorgivemeFlesh]

He didn't poop much today, but did tonight and it looked really weird. It had black bits kind of like coffee grounds. He seemed better so I am wondering if he had a blockage and maybe it passed. I hope so. The pattern seemed to be eat, be okay for a bit, gag, foam at the mouth, eat , be okay, gag, and each time he was more exhausted to the point where he just sat there this afternoon as a half asleep ball of fluff His poor little face is still all sticky and he has feathers going every direction. But I don't want to distress him more by holding him like a banana to clean his face because he is very much distressed by being force held. He seemed calm when I put him to bed, and not as fluffed out. Hopefully he makes it through the night okay.

 

[DonnaBudgie]

How's Ollie this morning?

 

[GivemeSeedsorgivemeFlesh]

He made it through the night and looks much better this morning. He seemed feisty enough to handle the stress of being banana held for a clean up so I wiped him down as he had poop all over his back end. He hollered through the whole thing but wasn't too mad to stop screaming for a nibble of millet. He's on top of his cage watching all the morning proceedings and took a lap around the room. Thank you for all your love and support! It seems like once he passed that black coffee ground poop last night things started to turn around. He had a nice pile of regular poops from overnight. Hopefully this will never happen again.
I just had a thought and maybe this wasn't it, but he chews on his wooden mangrove perch all the time. I wonder if he ate the wood bits...

 

[DonnaBudgie]

I'm so happy Ollie is better! I find it hard to belive that a budgie would swallow wood bits. They are born wood chewers. My budgies chew wood and paper products all the time and I've never had that happen and I don't worry about it either.

 

[Corkscr.ew]

I'm so happy Ollie is better! I find it hard to belive that a budgie would swallow wood bits. They are born wood chewers. My budgies chew wood and paper products all the time and I've never had that happen and I don't worry about it either.

I agree, but I think it's definitely likely that Ollie swallowed a non-food item if his symptoms aren't lingering. It might not have been wood though.

 

[Jcas]

So glad to hear that little Ollie is doing better!

 

[DonnaBudgie]

Coffee ground in vomit are an indicator of upper GI bleeding. Not sure of coffee grounds like stuff in birdie poop. Their digestive system is so much faster than humans that it may indicate upper gi bleeding in them too. Doesn't mean it can't heal itself however. You might want to have the vet do a blood count for anemia. If his red blood cell count is low it may be why.

 

[Corkscr.ew]

Coffee ground in vomit are an indicator of upper GI bleeding. Not sure of coffee grounds like stuff in birdie poop. Their digestive system is so much faster than humans that it may indicate upper gi bleeding in them too. Doesn't mean it can't heal itself however. You might want to have the vet do a blood count for anemia. If his red blood cell count is low it may be why.

I don’t think a blood count is feasible if they can’t pay for disease testing. Since Ollie seems much better I recommend monitoring him but not taking him for more tests unless he seems to get worse.

 

[LaManuka]

He made it through the night and looks much better this morning. He seemed feisty enough to handle the stress of being banana held for a clean up so I wiped him down as he had poop all over his back end. He hollered through the whole thing but wasn't too mad to stop screaming for a nibble of millet. He's on top of his cage watching all the morning proceedings and took a lap around the room. Thank you for all your love and support! It seems like once he passed that black coffee ground poop last night things started to turn around. He had a nice pile of regular poops from overnight. Hopefully this will never happen again.
I just had a thought and maybe this wasn't it, but he chews on his wooden mangrove perch all the time. I wonder if he ate the wood bits...

So happy to hear Ollie is doing better!!