Romeo has a cold

[Grumpee53]

Does conure get colds? My Romeo has a runny nose and is sneezing in my face.

 

[Scott]

What we presume to be a "cold" can be a serious infection or worse in a bird. If Romeo has a runny nose and/or a "wet" sneeze, he needs attention from an avian vet. Depending on diagnosis, effective drugs can be prescribed to effectively cure.

While Romeo may seem otherwise normal, birds tend to mask outwards symptoms of distress as long as possible. By the time you observe something awry, it may be very advanced.

Please keep us advised!

 

[wrench13]

A runny nose means Avian Vet visit ASAP.
Salty had a runny nose that required antibiotics administered for 2 weeks , orally.
Seriously get Romeo checked out as soon as you can. As Scott is saying above, by the time birds show symtoms like this, the illness is pretty well advanced.

Alos begin checking his weight daily, because if he is also loosing weight he is really sick.

Poor Romeo

 

[GaleriaGila]

Good luck, Romeo... get well fast, please!

 

[EllenD]

Yes, please don't think this is just a cold that Romeo will get over. Birds hide their illnesses and injuries to protect themselves in the wild, they don't want to seem weak. I cannot tell you how many people I've seen not take their bird to the avian vet when they started sneezing with a discharge, and that's really the key, that he has a runny nose. That's an indication that he has an upper respiratory infection or a sinus infection. Every person I know that has ignored these symptoms in their bird or tried "home remedies" because they either couldn't afford an avian vet or just didn't want to take them has regretted it dearly. Either their bird died or almost died and ended up in the animal hospital in an incubator getting oxygen and antibiotics injections. This will cost you much, much, much more if you let it go and it gets to that than just an avian vet visit and oral antibiotics. Please take Romeo to an avian vet ASAP.

I wish him the best, please keep us updated!

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[SailBoat]

Fully agree with everyone above!!!

AFTER, you have visited your Avian Vet!!!

Double check the humidity level in your home and assure that you target 45 to 55 at a temperature of 70 degrees! Low humidity level will cause a sneeze from time to time.

If you are reading this and not sitting in your AV's waiting room, you should at least be on your way!!! Sick Parrots are always Seen!

 

[EllenD]

Fully agree with everyone above!!!

AFTER, you have visited your Avian Vet!!!

Double check the humidity level in your home and assure that you target 45 to 55 at a temperature of 70 degrees! Low humidity level will cause a sneeze from time to time.

If you are reading this and not sitting in your AV's waiting room, you should at least be on your way!!! Sick Parrots are always Seen!

Well said SailBoat, well said! I try my best to stress the urgency of getting a bird with "a cold" to the avian vet immediately, and if an avian vet is not available immediately then go right to the closest emergency/24 hour vet or animal hospital that will treat birds. Unfortunately a lot of people do not take a bird with a runny nose that is sneezing seriously, until they wait for a couple of days and suddenly the bird stops eating and drinking, stops playing, starts sleeping all the time, and ends up at the bottom of their cage. By this time it's either too late to save the bird or the bird must be hospitalized for many days or longer at a huge cost.

I know a visit to my certified avian vet for a respiratory infection diagnosis (History, weight, temp, physical exam, fecal smears, crop smears) and the oral antibiotics given to me for 10 days or more costs me less than $100, I think I paid around $84 total the last time I took one in for this exact issue. If you let it go too long (too long can be only a single day) this visit may also then need to include blood work and x-rays or other diagnostic testing, and that $84 quickly turns into $300+. If the bird has to stay at the vet's overnight or for multiple nights in an incubator getting oxygen and multiple injections per day, plus other testing, treatments, feedings, etc. that $84 turns into $1,000+ quickly...

My point here is it is not only easier to treat your bird and get him well quickly but it's also much, much, much less expensive. I had to rush my green cheek conure to the 24-hour animal hospital on a Saturday night for a sprained wing and a concussion last summer. (They have an avian qualified vet there at all times and an avian certified vet on call at all times, same with reptile and small animal vets, great hospital) I also took my elderly pug there about 3 years ago when he suddenly went into kidney failure on a Saturday night/early Sunday morning (they saved his life, worked with me, giving me all the IV supplies I needed to give SubQ fluids and antibiotic injections at home to save money; he lived another 2 years). Just to be seen at this hospital is $92, which is just the exam, no testing or treatment. So if it's an emergency, like an accident or sudden illness then this is great to have access to and I'm very blessed to have this hospital 10 minutes from my house. But it is not a replacement for my bird's avian vet when they first become ill.

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[wrench13]

Grumpee.......and?

 

[greytness]

He's super sick. Plz go to your nearest avian vet first thing tomorrow if you haven't taken him in already.

 

[Grumpee53]

Thanks for the info. He doesnt seem bad, just is sneasing once in a while.

 

[plumsmum2005]

Thanks for the info. He doesnt seem bad, just is sneasing once in a while.

What does this mean? Shall we wait till it gets worse? Please don't nip it in the bud and GO, like now!

 

[EllenD]

Thanks for the info. He doesnt seem bad, just is sneasing once in a while.

What does this mean? Shall we wait till it gets worse? Please don't nip it in the bud and GO, like now!

Exactly what I was trying to stress in my post! It's like people just don't get it or they don't want to get it, and it's very, very frustrating! When I read the OP's response of "He doesn't seem bad, just sneezing once in a while" I had to grit my teeth and bite my tongue, though biting my tongue won't save his bird's life...

Once again, IF YOUR BIRD IS SNEEZING THIS MEANS HE IS BAD AND NEEDS TO SEE AN AVIAN VET IMMEDIATELY! NOT TOMORROW, RIGHT NOW! Birds will keep themselves from sneezing or showing any symptoms at all for as long as they can instinctively, as to not appear sick or weak. By the time they are showing ANY SYMPTOMS, LIKE SNEEZING, THEY ARE USUALLY VERY SICK AND HAVE BEEN FOR WEEKS! By the time people get their already sneezing birds to the avian vet it's very often too late, and either their birds die after trying to give them high doses of several different medications, or their owners end up spending $500-$1,000 to save their lives rather than spending $100 or less if they take them as soon as they hear that first sneeze...

THERE IS NO "WAIT AND SEE" WHEN DEALING WITH AN ALREADY SYMPTOMATIC BIRD, THIS IS A DEATH SENTENCE 50+% OF THE TIME!

If you think I'm exaggerating or being harsh, you need to go through past posts in this forum of people that totally regret not listening to people giving them the exact same advice. But it's your bird, not mine (though I care deeply about every pet bird or animal that needs immediate medical treatment and doesn't get it).

Why do people come on to forums for the first and usually only time seeking advice from experienced bird owners and medical professionals, only to ignore that advice when they are told something they don't want to hear? It's frustrating to me and all the others on this community, as it has been said many times before in many posts, this is a very helpful, supportive community that is willing to do whatever they can to help birds in need. So we do tend to be very passionate when someone seeks our advice and then ignores it, and at that point we know that their bird will most likely die or suffer further problems, and this can all be avoided.

I apologize if I'm being harsh, it's not my intention to offend anyone or attack anyone, but please heed our advice and get your bird to an avian vet immediately.

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[SailBoat]

Well at this point, the Parrot is very ill or it was a low humidity problem with a 'few' sneezes.

The reality of responding to Threads is that we can only base our responses on the information provided! For the health of the Parrot, we should always error on the safe side.

Based on the information provided, the Posts, IMHO, did provide the correct path for the safe care of the Parrot!