Very sick little budgie

[Jean20057]

Hello everyone! I wish I was posting about something a little more light hearted. One of my 7 budgies is very sick. He's lethargic, blind, disoriented, appetite seems to have slowed, using wings to help balance, droopy wings, not vocal at all anymore. His poop is light green, and sometimes a very light brown color, with a grey/white film. There's no undigested food, he's not vomiting. He also has a head tilt to his right.

We're at a loss and so is his vet. We're desperate for help.

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[ParrotLover2001]

I don't think there is anything else you can do for him, since his vet can't help. Try to make him comfortable.

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[Jean20057]

I just don't want to give up on him yet. I have hope still that there's something I can do, but I just can't figure it out. I just need some help. I need some objective eyes on the situation.

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[Kiwibird]

How old is your budgie? Are you sure it's a male? Is the vet an avian vet or a regular vet? What tests has the vet run?

General care for an ill bird would be to separate him as far away from you others as possible (to minimize risk they'd be infected if he has an infectious disease). Place perches low in the sick cage and line it with soft towels. Keep it warmer than normal for him (use a heat lamp if necessary). Keep him as hydrated as possible, use a CLEAN eyedropper to offer water if he is unable to drink from a dish. Try offering moisture and sugar rich fruits too such as apple, grapes, melon etc... The moisture would keep him hydrated and natural sugar would provide energy.

 

[Scott]

Wondering if this is an age-related illness or an aberration for a young bird? Did this happen suddenly as one syndrome or occur piecemeal over time? Are you seeing a certified avian vet? Perhaps it is time for a second opinion?

I don't lightly ask so many questions, just trying to establish background for members to more accurately relate opinions and past similar circumstance.

 

[Jean20057]

How old is your budgie? Are you sure it's a male? Is the vet an avian vet or a regular vet? What tests has the vet run?

General care for an ill bird would be to separate him as far away from you others as possible (to minimize risk they'd be infected if he has an infectious disease). Place perches low in the sick cage and line it with soft towels. Keep it warmer than normal for him (use a heat lamp if necessary). Keep him as hydrated as possible, use a CLEAN eyedropper to offer water if he is unable to drink from a dish. Try offering moisture and sugar rich fruits too such as apple, grapes, melon etc... The moisture would keep him hydrated and natural sugar would provide energy.

He is definitely male, and he's a little over 4 years old. She is a vet that practices avian medicine, but I don't know if she's a specialist. She's run his poop a couple times, but otherwise none. We did a blood test on his cage mate for heavy metal poisoning, which came back negative. They are incredibly close and are always getting into the same things. His cage mate, Pepper was stronger so we did the draw on him. He is eating ok, but we sometimes have to encourage it, and he is drinking ok too, again sometimes needing some encouragement. We've been giving him Pedialyte instead of water on and off, and he takes that just fine.

Thank you for taking the time to try to help us!

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[Jean20057]

Wondering if this is an age-related illness or an aberration for a young bird? Did this happen suddenly as one syndrome or occur piecemeal over time? Are you seeing a certified avian vet? Perhaps it is time for a second opinion?

I don't lightly ask so many questions, just trying to establish background for members to more accurately relate opinions and past similar circumstance.

We believe at the initial vet visit for a much smaller problem, after being handled, he may have had a stroke. He has never had a problem being handled in the past. He is a little over 4 years old, so I do realize this could be age related, but I wanted to give him as much of a chance as possible.

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[Scott]

My guess is there are two approaches for your budgie. One is to provide comfort and not risk further handling-induced issues. The other is to seek a second opinion from a certified avian vet with extensive experience. Being blind may mitigate some of the angst of handling.

There are enough symptoms to make possible a diagnose of varied issues including stroke. None of us are qualified to go much further, only brainstorming and sharing similar circumstances.

Kudos for caring enough to seek answers to a difficult situation.

 

[Jean20057]

Brainstorming is really all we're after, just needed to have objective and fresh eyes to help us maybe figure out what's wrong with him.

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[BoomBoom]

Sorry I can't help much in determining his illness. The best I could offer are things to make him stronger / more comfortable while you and your vet work on his case.

My 2 year old parakeet was not being as active 2 weeks ago. He was not as sick as your bird but he wasn't his old self. Direct sunlight seemed to improve his mood immediately (careful he doesn't get exposed too long if the weather is above 85F). A bunch of wet kale skewered with a BBQ stick and hung in his cage gave him something to munch on, play with and bathe in. More servings of greens like broccoli. I added more toys. Talked to him a lot more. If he is unable to see, obviously some are not applicable. I wish I could think of something else you could do besides what's already been suggested in earlier posts.

These probably won't cure your bird but my hope is that it improves his mood and brightens his day enough so he keeps on fighting. My thoughts are with you and your flock.

 

[Jean20057]

Thank you BoomBoom. Moving him right now, because of his blindness, really stresses him out. We do have a full spectrum light though, so we can put that on for him. We tried his favorite veggies, but no dice. He's only eating millet right now. I know it's not great, but it's all he's eating right now. We appreciate the positive thoughts, thank you!

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[Kentuckienne]

I'm not a vet so, Grain of Salt. I'm giving you some links about Avian Bornavirus / PDD/ macaw wasting syndrome. It's an autoimmune disorder caused by a virus, can give rise to symptoms like the ones you describe, and there is no cure at present. I hope it isn't that, it see if this sounds familiar:

https://lafeber.com/vet/avian-bornavirus-primer/

Avian Bornavirus - Macaw Wasting Disease

 

[Teddscau]

From my experience, there's really only two types of budgies: healthy budgies and unhealthy budgies. Unfortunately, most of my budgies fall into the latter category. We've definitely had our fair share of health problems. I know this is a hassle, but could you try posting some videos? Seeing the little guy in action might help. Also, could you get some photos of his eyes, beak, feet, bum, etc? Try to get decent photos.

In the meantime, I'd buy him some food-grade (i.e., kept in the edible herb section) lavender from a health food store, and put it in a dish for him to eat. He will self-medicate with it, and it should greatly reduce any stress or anxiety he may be experiencing. I'd also cook some quinoa for him, and mix in some good quality avian vitamins.

Have you noticed any other behavioural differences? I don't just mean is he acting sleepy, I'm asking if he seems unusually affectionate, docile, etc. It definitely sounds like he's had a stroke. Does his friend preen or feed him? If so, I'd consider keeping the two together. If he's bullying the lad, then don't keep them together.

Rumi's had multiple neurological episodes, and she's no longer able to fly as a result. She can take care of herself, but after a bad episode, she becomes disoriented, extremely affectionate, and has trouble looking after herself. She also starts falling repeatedly, so I have to lock her in the cage. I rely on Pollo and Noah to look after her until she returns to normal (this usually takes 2–4 days).

What are some of your boy's favourite activities? Rumi often becomes depressed after suffering one of her episodes, so I like to tie mahogany pods near her favourite perch to cheer her up. She loves shredding stuff, so even when she doesn't feel too good, she'll often still shred balsa and mahogany pods.

 

[Jean20057]

Teddscau,

Yes, it would seem that those are the only two options there, huh. I can definitely get a video, but there's not much to watch. Just kinda sits there. I'll try to get a few pictures, but I'm working right now, so it will have to wait until I get home.

Also, as he is blind, he's not really moving about the cage very much. He's pretty scared at this point, so we have seed and water and millet basically surrounding him.

Behavior wise, he's basically a while other bird. Polar opposite of what he is healthy. We have his cage mate in a different cage now because he would get too excited and try to play with Peatri. Trying to beak him and whatnot, Peatri didn't appreciate it.

He's so poorly right now, and it kills me seeing him like this because I remember how full of life he was. Seeing him like this breaks my heart.

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[Teddscau]

Is he still able to stay warm by himself (you'll want to still use a heat lamp or something)? If he's at the point where he can barely move, and he's cold to the touch, then it's time to put him to sleep. If he's still able to move and stay warm, then he might still have some fight left in him.

I think one of the most important things to do right now is to improve his move. If he's scared and feels down, it's not good for him. Do you have a small Kleenex box? One of those cube-shaped ones. He might like it if you emptied one of those, then set it on it's side in the cage so he can hide in it. If he has a toy or something that he likes squeezing his body against, it will help relax him. Look up "deep pressure". Animals and the autistic (as well as neuro-typical humans) find comfort in deep pressure. Look up "Temple Grandin" and what she says about deep pressure. You could try to rig up some sort of "squeeze" machine/chute for him.

I'd definitely try to get him to the point where he feels confident and realizes that he's safe, despite his blindness. Vision is such an important thing for birds, so he might have trouble getting used to being blind. Right now, he'll be relying heavily on his hearing. Hopefully he'll cheer up enough to see Pepper. If Pepper isn't trying to hurt him or be mean, then it'll be important to try to reintroduce them. Pepper will be really important in the little guy's recovery, as he'll help take care of him, cheer him up, and give him a sense of safety. He might like it if you put a bell in for him to play with.

Here's a thing on special needs birds: http://www.birdtricks.com/blog/making-the-cage-suitable-for-your-special-needs-parrot/

 

[Lacewing]

I am so sorry your little man is not doing well. You could set up a hospital cage with a source of warmth. You can also set up oxygen on your own for comfort. You do not need a RX from a vet for this. If you want further I information I will get it for you.

Home Oxygen is not a cure it is a comfort measure and may help the vital organs so they do not have to work as hard.

For a hospital unit you just need an oxygen concentrator, the water unit for it and either a heating pad or heat lamp. That is basically what a hospital unit is.
Here are examples of used Oxygen Concentrators; Used, Refurbished & Rebuilt Home Oxygen Concentrators http://www.oxygenplusconcentrators.com/concentrators/home-oxygen/rebuilt-home-units.html
Plastic tub from Walmart or Home Depot.
Heat pad: Be sure it has an automatic shut off
and/or a ceramic heat lamp Infrared Radiant Heat Elements by Avitech - Low Price - FREE Shipping
and a light bulb holder; Fluker's Ceramic Repta-Clamp Lamp with Switch, 5.5-inch - Chewy.com
Humidity Bottle (for oxygen concentrator - be sure it is the one for the oxygen concentrator you buy); Oxygen Concentrator Humidifier Bottles
Oxygen tubing: Oxygen Tubing - 50 Feet - Oxygen Tubing - Oxygen Supplies - Parts-Accessories - get the 50 feet so you can move the box around without moving the oxygen concentrator

Once you have a hospital cage set up it is good for whenever you need it. I know a few birds that are living with O2 support because of heart disease.

With budgies so much of what happens to them health wise is genetics, from the parents to the chicks. Good breeders are aware of this and strive to produce healthy chick in many ways. Thanks so much for caring for him.

 

[Jean20057]

Here's a few pictures from today after I got home from work. I'll try to get some later of his bum, but he's nervous about being held right now because he hasn't gotten used to not being able to see. He's rarely fluffed up, but he was pretty content here. He's usually slim, but using his wings to balance sometimes. He's eating an ok seed mix now, and is eating that and drinking ok. He really likes being fed though, just when we hold millet for him, but that might be because he doesn't have to bend down so far. Not such a problem now with the way we have the food and water/Pedialyte set up. He's still preening, so that's a plus.

Anyway, here's the pictures:

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[AmyMyBlueFront]

Awww geez the poor little guy What a cute little boy too...blue is my favorite color! Had a blue budgie when I was about 14.
Thank you for taking care of him! I hope he recovers quickly!


Jim

 

[Teddscau]

Aww, poor little baby. Such a handsome boy. He doesn't look as bad as I was picturing. Do his eyelids look swollen? They look kind of swollen to me.

Since the vet has no clue about what's going on, maybe a system detox might help? I'd get the Liver Detox formula from Avian Rx, and maybe Lily of the Desert Stomach Formula or their Liver Detox formula.

 

[Scott]

What a beautiful boy! Hope you are able to find answers and nurse him back to health if possible.