Vomiting and lethargic Budgie

[PacMan]

My 6yo budgie has been vomiting and lethargic since yesterday, and not eating, but she drinks a lot of water when i offer it to her, is it a good idea to give her pellet mixed with water, Similar to a hand feeding formula? Im already giving her a bit of apple cider vinegar (it already helped her when she had similar issues 2 years ago)

I went to the vet today and she prescribed dexamethasone, and this detox:

Each 100 mL contains:

• Acetylmethionine: 7 g
• Choline (chloride): 4 g
• Riboflavin (phosphate): 0.05 g
• Lysine (hydrochloride): 0.50 g
• Pyridoxine (hydrochloride): 0.25 g
• Nicotinamide: 1 g
• Vehicle: q.s.p. 100 mL

And said to give 1 drop of it and 1/4 of dexamethasone for 4 days, but im honestly not sure about the dexamethasone since i heard bad things about it, and 1 drop of this detox seems too much.

And i already collected her poop to make exams, but it will take a while because the lab is far from here

 

[Corkscr.ew]

If she's not eating you should crush pellets and soak the crumbs. That's the easiest way to get food into weak I hope she gets well soon

 

[DonnaBudgie]

Why would you question the vet's recommendation on the dexamethasone and the detox? Is this a trusted avian vet or at least a regular vet that frequently treats birds? If so, I wouldn't question either recommendation. I googled "dexamethasone for birds" and AI had a pretty detailed list of uses in avian medicine. They must have some good reason for prescribing it. It's a powerful steroid anti-inflammatory and as with all corticosteroids, any adverse effects, and there are many, would only be a concern when used long term. Four days is unlikely to do any harm. As for the detox, I would think the vet knows how to dose it better than any of us would, so I wouldn't hesitate. My concern is how you're measuring the dose. A "drop" isn't a very precise measurement as drops can vary in size a lot, and what's 1/4 "drop"? . Don't you have a 1 cc syringe (like an insulin syringe without the needle) to measure and administer it? Vets usually provide the dosing syringe or you can get one at the pharmacy.
Anything nutritious and calorie dense (not veggies) that you can get your budgie to eat would be great, including moistened pellets. The most important thing is that she's drinking because dehydration is a huge problem with vomiting. Not eating much for a few days is okay for a previously healthy budgie.
I hope your budgie feels better quickly. It's so hard to watch our birds suffer.

 

[AprilRobin]

I think it's best for you to follow this particular vet's instructions, unless you want to see a different vet and get a second opinion. I understand being worried because nothing is guaranteed. And I've had a couple of bad experiences with vets - involving dogs, though, not birds. But this is a tricky situation. What if you don't follow the vet's directions, then something happens to your bird, and you wish you had listened to the vet?

I don't mean for this to sound harsh. I know we all have bad/uneasy feelings at times, and we want to feel certain that we are really doing the best thing for our pets.

 

[PacMan]

If she's not eating you should crush pellets and soak the crumbs. That's the easiest way to get food into weak I hope she gets well soon

Yes this is what im doing! Today it has worked well, hopefully she will be better tomorrow
Thanks!

 

[PacMan]

Why would you question the vet's recommendation on the dexamethasone and the detox? Is this a trusted avian vet or at least a regular vet that frequently treats birds? If so, I wouldn't question either recommendation. I googled "dexamethasone for birds" and AI had a pretty detailed list of uses in avian medicine. They must have some good reason for prescribing it. It's a powerful steroid anti-inflammatory and as with all corticosteroids, any adverse effects, and there are many, would only be a concern when used long term. Four days is unlikely to do any harm. As for the detox, I would think the vet knows how to dose it better than any of us would, so I wouldn't hesitate. My concern is how you're measuring the dose. A "drop" isn't a very precise measurement as drops can vary in size a lot, and what's 1/4 "drop"? . Don't you have a 1 cc syringe (like an insulin syringe without the needle) to measure and administer it? Vets usually provide the dosing syringe or you can get one at the pharmacy.
Anything nutritious and calorie dense (not veggies) that you can get your budgie to eat would be great, including moistened pellets. The most important thing is that she's drinking because dehydration is a huge problem with vomiting. Not eating much for a few days is okay for a previously healthy budgie.
I hope your budgie feels better quickly. It's so hard to watch our birds suffer.

This vet isnt an avian vet (there isnt one where i live sadly) but she has been treating my parrots since 2023, and she has constant contact with a friend of hers that is an avian vet (and send exams for him) i know its a bad idea to have parrots without a avian vet nearby, but all the birds i have now have been with me since i was a kid, back then i didnt tought about it otherwise i wouldn't have any pets.

As for the measurements of the dexamethasone, its a pill (the same one used by humans) and break it into 4 pieces and then dilute in the water. The detox already has a dropper, i will look into that syringe!

Today i gave her the pellet in a liquid form (i put warm water with the pellets in a blender) and also beet juice, she really liked the beet juice. A few minutes before sleep she also ate normal pellets! Vomited just a bit after. She is not her usual self but at least she is not sleeping all the time and is a bit active and can fly without trouble.

And thanks! Its really hard when we have a sick bird, 2 months ago i lost another female budgie of the same age (they came here just 2 days apart) so im very worried about losing another one

 

[PacMan]

I think it's best for you to follow this particular vet's instructions, unless you want to see a different vet and get a second opinion. I understand being worried because nothing is guaranteed. And I've had a couple of bad experiences with vets - involving dogs, though, not birds. But this is a tricky situation. What if you don't follow the vet's directions, then something happens to your bird, and you wish you had listened to the vet?

I don't mean for this to sound harsh. I know we all have bad/uneasy feelings at times, and we want to feel certain that we are really doing the best thing for our pets.

Yeah thank you! I gave the treatment just as the vet said, hopefully she gets better!

 

[DonnaBudgie]

The idea that someone shouldn't have a pet bird if there are no avian vets "nearby" is something I've thought about and I can't say I agree with it. If a local pet store in an area with no avian vets sells birds, those birds are probably going to be purchased by someone local.

 

[DonnaBudgie]

(Cont'd)
I would agree that if an avian vet is within a reasonable traveling distance, say a two hour drive, a person should be willing and able to make that trip if necessary, or not get a bird. Same with the expense of avian vet care- unless someone is willing and able to i7 or otherwise.

 

[DonnaBudgie]

Someone must be willing and able to pay for vet care or not get animals. If specialty care like a CAV is not within a two hour drive, don't go outside that distance to bring a bird into your home, but telling people they must have a CAV within that distance or not get a pet bird at all would deprive too many people of the joy of having birds. Does that make sense?
Here's a question for members in rural areas who have chickens or other farm type birds- how does a chicken farmer get vet care for their chickens? Are there farm vets that see and treat avian livestock? If so, why couldn't they treat a parrot?

 

[AprilRobin]

I second what DonnaBudgie said. Many bird owners don't live close to an avian vet. I don't think we should all be required to live very close to one. There are dog and cat owners who live in small towns/rural areas - but nobody ever says "Don't get a dog/cat if you don't live near a vet."

People cry when so many pets die in shelters, but some of those same people are nit-picky about who "should" own a pet. They think your vet should be five minutes away, and you should always be ready to spend $800 if your cat didn't yawn at 4:08 PM like they normally do. I realize that being able to pay for a vet is a more complicated issue...but there are some "elitist" people who act this way.

 

[AprilRobin]

Someone must be willing and able to pay for vet care or not get animals. If specialty care like a CAV is not within a two hour drive, don't go outside that distance to bring a bird into your home, but telling people they must have a CAV within that distance or not get a pet bird at all would deprive too many people of the joy of having birds. Does that make sense?
Here's a question for members in rural areas who have chickens or other farm type birds- how does a chicken farmer get vet care for their chickens? Are there farm vets that see and treat avian livestock? If so, why couldn't they treat a parrot?

This is where it gets a little complicated. There are many loving owners who can keep their pets happy and healthy 99% of the time, but they can't spend $400+ every time their pet does the slightest unusual thing. The sad alternative is that more unwanted pets die in shelters and pet stores.

Several years ago, my husband lost his job. We had some money saved, but we had to delay getting one of our dogs spayed (other dog was a female, who had been spayed before we adopted her). After he got another job and I also got a better job, and everything improved, we took her to the vet. A staff member openly rolled her eyes at us for not having her spayed sooner. I wonder what she thought we should have done instead? Ditch our family members at a shelter because we were going through a bad time?

Three years later, when our older dog (the adopted one I mentioned above) began to vomit water almost immediately after drinking, and kept falling over randomly, we took her to the nearest vet the next morning. She was already old when we adopted her. The vet, a very nice woman, said it was kidney failure and strongly recommended that we euthanize her, which we did.

So there have been times when we hurried to the vet ASAP. I am not saying that nobody should ever consider these situations. I just think the "don't get a pet if you can't afford the vet" rule is not always as clear-cut as it seems.

 

[GivemeSeedsorgivemeFlesh]

Unfortunately it seems much more complicated to adopt than to buy. The local rescue aviary (55 minutes away) requires three references, a landlord note, and three separate visits in order to adopt. To buy I just have to drive 20 minutes and pick one out. It's really a shame because it discourages people from even applying.

 

[AprilRobin]

Unfortunately it seems much more complicated to adopt than to buy. The local rescue aviary (55 minutes away) requires three references, a landlord note, and three separate visits in order to adopt. To buy I just have to drive 20 minutes and pick one out. It's really a shame because it discourages people from even applying.

Oh I agree. I know they probably have their reasons for a few of their rules, but other rules are ridiculous. I read about one dog shelter that requires four home checks per year after you adopt a dog. Another that wants ten references, and one must be a supervisor/manager from your job.

 

[GivemeSeedsorgivemeFlesh]

I would only have one reference. He's blue and occasionally bites.

 

[DonnaBudgie]

It's not clear cut. People need to be prepared to pay for vaccines, spaying and neutering, regular preventive care, parasite treatments, minor injuries. I don't think low income people should spend money on heroic efforts to keep pets alive by treating things like cancer and serious injuries as though they were human children or adults when they can't afford it.

 

[PacMan]

Why would you question the vet's recommendation on the dexamethasone and the detox? Is this a trusted avian vet or at least a regular vet that frequently treats birds? If so, I wouldn't question either recommendation. I googled "dexamethasone for birds" and AI had a pretty detailed list of uses in avian medicine. They must have some good reason for prescribing it. It's a powerful steroid anti-inflammatory and as with all corticosteroids, any adverse effects, and there are many, would only be a concern when used long term. Four days is unlikely to do any harm. As for the detox, I would think the vet knows how to dose it better than any of us would, so I wouldn't hesitate. My concern is how you're measuring the dose. A "drop" isn't a very precise measurement as drops can vary in size a lot, and what's 1/4 "drop"? . Don't you have a 1 cc syringe (like an insulin syringe without the needle) to measure and administer it? Vets usually provide the dosing syringe or you can get one at the pharmacy.
Anything nutritious and calorie dense (not veggies) that you can get your budgie to eat would be great, including moistened pellets. The most important thing is that she's drinking because dehydration is a huge problem with vomiting. Not eating much for a few days is okay for a previously healthy budgie.
I hope your budgie feels better quickly. It's so hard to watch our birds suffer.

I think it's best for you to follow this particular vet's instructions, unless you want to see a different vet and get a second opinion. I understand being worried because nothing is guaranteed. And I've had a couple of bad experiences with vets - involving dogs, though, not birds. But this is a tricky situation. What if you don't follow the vet's directions, then something happens to your bird, and you wish you had listened to the vet?

I don't mean for this to sound harsh. I know we all have bad/uneasy feelings at times, and we want to feel certain that we are really doing the best thing for our pets.

Unfortunately my Budgie just passed away around a hour ago (02:38) she fell on the cage floor and had vomit on her beak, all my other birds panicked and started flying like crazy. Im so devastated, i lost another one of the same age 2 monts ago and now this. Never happened before in such a short time span, the others that passed away before usually died more than a year later before.

Unfortunaly most budgies here have a short life span (around 3y-6y) probably because of the breeders bring bad, i mentioned that i shouldn't have any birds also because of this, and the closest avian vet is 3h away, and every other people that ive met here that have birds, have them in poor conditions, inside a small cage and eating seeds, its sad to see

This particular budgie had multiple health problems during her life, problems with being overweight, had cured from 2 lipomas (one on her belly and another on her foot)also a respiratory a few years ago that i tought she was going to pass away at that time.

She was a strong bird, i feel so lost right now, so shocking that i couldnt even cry, will be hard to sleep now

 

[TiredOldMan]

I'm so very sorry for your loss.
I know and feel your pain.

 

[AprilRobin]

I am so sorry to read this. You did the best you could.

 

[DonnaBudgie]

I'm so sorry. You did everything you could for her. When a budgie gets as sick as yours was there generally isn't much that even a CAV can do to save him. I've lost many budgies over the years, and I cry every single time. I've brought them to CAVs and had the best possible care, x-rays, ultrasounds, blood tests, etc. And they still die. Usually the day after the vet appointment after spending $400+. I really don't care about the money, that's how much I love my budgies, but the point is your budgie would have probably died anyway if you made the trip to the CAV so stop torturing yourself about that.

Polease keep getting budgies and giving them loving home despite their short lifespan. Every budgie you adopt is one less budgie that will live in substandard conditions.