Penny is sick, I've been holding back making a thread

[Laurasea]

Laura, you're a Florence Nightingale to your flock. C'mon Ta-dah, gain some weight please!!

That is high praise indeed! I'm not even close lol
But we know weigh your bird every week, every day when sick
Quick veterinarian care
Provide warmth 80-85f
Supporting foods
Adjust to changes in health or lack of response to medications
Dont be afraid to talk to your veterinarian team
Be a poop watcher
Any symptoms indicate a serious illness usually
Weight loss can be your only symptom of a serious illness
I have 7 birds with the same disease, but different symptoms, ranging from only weight-loss, to sinus swelling no draining, to draining but no swelling, green urine, fluffed and not eating , to eating fine but loosing wright due to illness requirements double calories needed, normal behavior. To taking more naps. But the absolute key indicator was Weight-loss, every single bird lost weight!! 4%-12.5% in a week!!!

I just Google her, what an astonishing nurse she was. She is attributed to reduction of deaths by more than two thirds at the hospitals she took over. That is a statistical miracle!!!! A remarkable woman, and incredible nurse, and a force if change.
https://www.history.com/topics/womens-history/florence-nightingale-1

 

[Lisa999]

How is Ta-dah otherwise? Playful? I hope she will be over the sickness soon. I can’t even imagine having a flock of sick birds. It’s so difficult to get them to take medicine - it’s almost a full time job. You are doing great.

 

[LaManuka]

Laura I'm just wondering how much of Ta-dah's weight loss may be due to some muscular atrophy? She may be experiencing some if she hasn't been as active or flying as much as usual?

 

[Laurasea]

Prior to her getting her medication increased , and after being sick for several days she went really down hill, with several bouts if diarrhea, then neurological symptoms, weaving, odd behavior, not really there vacant... Then after increased dose she bounced back Ta-dah was active and normal...only a few days here and there when napping. Her behavior is no clue at all!!! Tricking her mommy!! Its the green urine here and there and the weight loss.. She is eating a lot, way more than normal....and when her eyes turned dark. Her behavior mostly has been no clue at all to how sick she is and has been!! Really driving home that birds hide being sick. But she is noticeably bony and thin.... ugh!

This is another link on chlamydia, 50% of birds who break with active infection die, if not treated.
https://www.thesprucepets.com/parrot-fever-psittacosis-symptoms-treatment-4148338

 

[Lisa999]

Glad that you were able to recognise that she is sick even with her hiding it. Sweet little birds hiding their sickness - I wish they would tell us how they feel. Thank you for posting the link to the article - I might have seen it before but re-read it again.

 

[Laurasea]

Lisa i couldn't agree more!!! I very much wish parrots didn't hide being sick. Really hits home that checking weight is so important!! I learned that here from other members!!

Yippee!!!!! Ta-dah went up 2 grams! 67now!! Come on 74!!!

My veterinarian called it!!! She has very detailed notes, and reviews them, and knew the other parrots had a bad spell midway through treatment!! And she was pretty confident id see weight gain by tomorrow!!

And it was her review of notes and rechecking calculations and dosages thst caught and willingness to admit to low dose in Ta-dah. So we could adjust and get Ta-dah back on track. O can't thank my vet enough! She is so brilliant, so dedicated, and listens and trusts, and makes an effort to find out why.

This is day 20 for the flock on Azithromyacin!!! Last dose!!!!!! Soooo happy!!!!! Ta-dah will continue an extra ten days as she had the low dose at first . Its back being a loud household!! Lots if quaker squawking and screeching, budgies chitters trills..

Penny abd Pikachu

Penny with her admirer Cloudy, he us singing to her.

Celebration of last day of medicine and happy flock! So had to include little baby Obi, he was preening my hair...such a baby face still

Ta-dah is sooo smart, she has been hiding from me since she saw the syringe and medicine. Like she ducks down flat behind a toy!! Moves to keep out of my sight line. But she has finally relented and come for a snuggle. Of course the syringe is across the room from me. Here is my Ta-dah just now, i can tell she doesn't feel her best. But definitely getting better i hope
She may not have flashy colors but to me she is so beautiful ! I fell for her as soon as I saw her at the pet store 7 years ago. She was marked down half price, when I asked why , I was told because she was so drab and no one wanted her!!!!! Grrrrrr!! Still makes me mad!! But yet I won I got a great deal on my sweetheart, and she has become a great talker, not common for green cheeks

 

[Scott]

Simply amazing, Laura! So kind of your vet to take personal interest and provide guidance and encouragement. Documentation extremely important and allowed prediction of Ta-dah's low point and pinpointed time of weight gain. Most impressive team effort!!

 

[SailBoat]

Congratulations dear friend! So happy to hear that things are getting better! Continued Hugs and Prayers from Michigan!

 

[LaManuka]

Woop woop!! That's my girl Ta-dah!! The whole flock is looking great Laura, you've done such an awesome job and there's nothing better than the joyous sound of happy birdie chatter in the house Fantastic news all round!

 

[Laurasea]

Thank you! So thrilled . Just git get Ta-dah sll the way well now!
Free opinion from my avian veterinarian
Amoxicillin is a very poor choice in parrots. Mods let me know if I can't say that. But she would like the word out that it sucks as a choice for parrots. Showed me an avain medicine text book that says amoxicillin has minimal to no effect on diseases in parrots.
If it's a no no no share that just delete

Don't know if I added this before
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20496604/

 

[SailBoat]

Thank you! So thrilled . Just git get Ta-dah sll the way well now!
Free opinion from my avian veterinarian
Amoxicillin is a very poor choice in parrots. Mods let me know if I can't say that. But she would like the word out that it sucks as a choice for parrots. Showed me an avain medicine text book that says amoxicillin has minimal to no effect on diseases in parrots.
If it's a no no no share that just delete

Don't know if I added this before
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20496604/

Fully agree, per our CAV...
Maybe you can pass the unused to a cat owner, word is it kind of works for them.

 

[clark_conure]

I'm so happy things are getting better!!!

 

[Laurasea]

Ta-dah held at 67 yippie, come on 74

Today i served cooked butternut squash, with a side of oatmeal, lentils, quinoa, and pea mix. Pikachu pushed Ta-dah away , but she will get some too .

Ta-dah decided to see whats in the foraging cups, it's pumpkin seeds and popcorn today, she chooses popcorn!

This is what I used on both Penny and Ta-dah. I've stopped with Ta-dah per vet because of the big fight to get it in her. All the other birds loved it.

I just read the label comes with 2 cultures eho knew? Sure that helped their bellies after the antibiotics!!

Ta-dah took a bath later in the day....man is she thin!!! Like 20 pounds off a thin person...she also got weak after bath.. but eating great hope more weight gain soon . Vet said give her sunflower seeds so I git a mix that had them and she us loving this rare treat!

 

[Lisa999]

Laura, so glad to hear the good news. We are enjoying the pictures - my kids took time to learn your bird's names, they were happy to hear the good news too.

 

[Laurasea]

Laura, so glad to hear the good news. We are enjoying the pictures - my kids took time to learn your bird's names, they were happy to hear the good news too.

wow!!! Thst is so sweet!! Thank you! My vet shows her son the pictures abd video conference calls, he is under 2, and the budgies are his favorite.

I'm sticking this one in again because I think its so darn cute! Cloudy is very devoted to Penny, but sneaks off to Ta-dah now and then. He is a real charmer to the ladies, myself included as I get kisses now!

 

[Laurasea]

Celebration!!!!! Ta-dah gained 2 more grams!! Up to 69!!!! Keep on till 74 Ta-dah!!!!

She spends all her time eating, way more than normal. So she is putting in the effort!!!
Going to be a sunflower junkie now!! ( nope these are just for weight gain will be pulled snd used as treats again when recovered!)
Allow me to present my chow hound! Exhibit A

Ta-dah is on extended treatment for Chlamydia out break in my flock if you are just catching up. She is on Azithromyacin, normal a 20 day treatment to clear chlamydia. But her dose was low end in the dose range, and needed to be bummed to the higher end of dose range to work in her. The rest of the flock finished the 20 day treatment and seem fully recovered.
Weight checks so important, Ta-dah had not gained and lost more during the first part Of treatment. So her dose was increased. She has only just turned tge corner and started gaining that weight back!! Her loss was over 12% of her body mass, that's the same as a fit athletic 150 pound person loosing 20 pounds!!! Also noticeable with bony keel and muscle wasting. A bird that is sick burns 2 and half times more calories!! Thats why weight loss is you first symptom of a problem usually, and helps you catch it early. More than 3% weight-loss seek veterinarian care.

 

[Saash]

I am so relieved that your babies are doing well and both recovering - what a nasty scare! Not all the way out the woods, but doing so well <3

 

[Laurasea]

Yes git to go get my azithromyacin refill for Ta-dah today. She is halfway with 10 more days to go.

Today mixed lettuces, sugar snap peas, cucumber, and some more cooked butternut squash. This is the rarely seen by you all my budgie Clear Skies, he's shy, and I swear was just eating the lettuces! All my budgies even the new rescue Blue Boy love and eat all veggies I offer, tho leafy greens are their favorite

And Blue Boy, the free flying escapee i was called in to try and catch. Cat caught him before I could and nursed through that. But picked up wild bird chlamydia and brought to my flock,.......He is a joyous one tho, loves all toys, and sings like an angel .

All the budgies had to get treated for 20 days with the rest of the flock. They all lost weight except Blue Boy the carrier who . Cloudy went from 44 grams to 37!!! A 16% weight-loss in a week!!! His was the highest % loss, he also had feathers over his nostrils that showed brown stains ( sign of respiratory infection) He is back at 40 last time I caught, stains gone.
. Clear Skies went from 45 to 39 and last check was 41.

Orbit or Obi as I call him/her was only mildly sick , here is the Cutie, some may remember took me a couple of months to get him over being terrified of hands. And to stop screaming 8 hours a day non stop....ugh.. Quakers are loud but that was awful, still makes plenty of loud noise and like to hollor..but normal and 90% better than at first.

 

[noodles123]

This has been such a labor of love and although it's been hell for you, it's kind of like watching an emotional Lifetime movie or something lol!
You did the right thing for BlueBoy but then there was more...chlamydia for all!..but if you could go back, it's not like you would have been able to leave the little guy anyway..The beautiful thing is that after all of this, you guys are together and getting healthier. I DO NOT envy you for this crazy, emotional-roller-coaster you have been on, but it seems like it was fate (now that everybody is doing better).



You are awesome and impressive and devoted and I was so worried. I am very glad everything seems to be working out.

 

[Laurasea]

Its nasty wild bird chlamydia strain.. but any parrot can bring this in to your flock , as in dormant phase they won't test postive for it, I've sure learned a lot more. My vet says even with sick ones she gets less than 5% positive...iv read taking 3 differnt fecal samples for culture spread out over several days in an active infection increases your chance of culturing it. But with a sick bird you may not have 3 days!

No I'm fine with what happened. Blue Boy needed saving...I feel he knows he got a second chance at life, and rejoices.

With Penny, I still can't believe I saved her, I weigh her several times a day and keep my eyes on her, as I m still freaked , even though she is fully recovered!

At the end if this long......saga...I'll try and sum it all up, so if people just read that page they get the info I learned.

It has been a month , and I posted a lot I know...its the only way I could deal with it...