Will Probiotics Help My Lovebird?

[Adri_Chell]

My Lovebird has been on antibiotics for awhile now, I wasn't giving her any probiotics, so now she's very sick. I just gave her probiotics today, but I'm terrified that it's too late. I've been awake all night checking up on her.

 

[bug_n_flock]

In what way is your bird unwell? Does your avian vet know that your bird is not responding to the treatment? Antibiotics without probiotics shouldn't make a bird very sick. I worry the antibiotic selected is not the right one for her condition.

 

[bug_n_flock]

In times of illness, heat is very important. Do you have a way to heat her area up? I would strongly advise contacting your vet ASAP in the morning. Birds are quite delicate at times(and prey animals who hide signs of illness), so often by the time you notice they are unwell, they are quite ill indeed. I'm sorry your little one is unwell. One of mine also seems under the weather and I am very worried about him. Heres hoping both of our birds return to good health swiftly.

 

[SailBoat]

The subject of Probiotics and depending of the product (manufacturer), its usefulness is problematic! Some are good and others are sadly little more than filler. So, depending of the product used, either no benefit or helpful.

Everyone that uses probiotics have their favorite product and strong stories of their benefit.

As a group, probiotic manufacturers have avoided having their products FDA approved. Not saying that FDA is the final and greatest word on the effectiveness of a product, but it does say something about the market place as a whole.

Long story, short, its your choice.

The Avian Medical Professionals are split regarding it being a benefit in place of provided a healthy, varied diet.

NOT providing your Parrot probiotics has not assured that your has become sicker... Likely the underlining illness has become more pronounced.

 

[Adri_Chell]

I found her laying on her side with her leg up in the air while she slept, which is NOT normal avian behavior. Her Avian vet does know, and she insisted that I keep giving her the antibiotics (that obviously made her even sicker), and she said that antibiotics always make an animal unwell, but that they get over it.
She did not inform me that I should start her on Probiotics.
I read up on it and saw that antibiotics make the person/animal lower their immune system and as a result makes them more susceptible to bacterias/viruses/diseases, and that it is recommended to start them on Probiotics to help them.
Now the vet is worried that my Mango might have Avian Gastric Yeast or Avian Bornavirus, and she sent out tests, and I won't get results until Tuesday.
I have no idea where she could've gotten that even if her immune system was bad... Her cage is always with a new liner, and the food/water bowls are washed thoroughly daily before putting food in. Her pellets are air sealed, and her veggies were washed, cut, and stored in the freezer, so there is no way she got bacteria from anything. She spends time outside in a travel cage under my supervision during the warmer days, and I also have her cage power-washed 3 times a year to remove the stuff I couldn't clean or reach on a regular cleaning day. Also, I have an expensive Hepa air filter in the room to keep the atmosphere clean for both her and myself.

She's definitely not doing well, and yes, she has her own parrot heater that she leans all her body against, and I've been keeping her room warm these days for her.

I'm taking her to an Avian Specialist (the only avian specialist in my state) because I feel as if her avian vet isn't as updated with information on parrots as this Doctor is.

 

[Adri_Chell]

In times of illness, heat is very important. Do you have a way to heat her area up? I would strongly advise contacting your vet ASAP in the morning. Birds are quite delicate at times(and prey animals who hide signs of illness), so often by the time you notice they are unwell, they are quite ill indeed. I'm sorry your little one is unwell. One of mine also seems under the weather and I am very worried about him. Heres hoping both of our birds return to good health swiftly.

I hope your baby gets better soon as well.

 

[SailBoat]

Having just completed six weeks of some of mankind's strongest antibiotics, they made me very ill (gastrointestinal) and needed additional medication to still my poor gut. During that time and afterwards, I never had a medical professional recommend adding probiotics to the stew. What they did recommend, and I did follow was a diet, which targeted rebuilding the natural chemistry of my gut. Active (live) food agents, and not dried, powdered probiotics.

Clearly, you already have an opinion regarding the medical care of your Parrot and you should follow it.