I had to deal with avian Chlamydia in my whole flock of 7 at the same time because I took in an escaped budgie who was attacked by a cat at the time we were trying to catch it.. because I had to treat from cat bite to his face , and near starvation when In 2 weeks he had recovered and gain backed weight and was so feisty....I let him out of quarantine early.....he started some sneezing later that same day ..shortly all my birds were sick . I came so very close to loosing one , and 2 others were also very sick, the rest more mild.
everyone who is a regular here has heard me speak on this many times , I'm fairly certain I have real PTSD from this . But maybe it also helps some folks , because avian Chlamydia is actually a pretty common cause of respiratory infection, tho by no means the only one.
It's a weird bacteria, and many birds can be carrier,silent shedders , or break with it when stressed from something else because it's been hidden ( in liver most common hiding spot) Also it's not able to be cultured, require a blood test but false negatives are common. The thing is , only doxycycline will get rid of it , and because of how it goes dormant and hides , it takes 45 days of doxycycline to clear. And a relapse is common requiring a second round of 45 days of doxy. Because it's a real stinker, it can respond a little to other antibiotics, but because those aren't affective then worsens again. It is completely treatable tho! The antibiotic doxycycline is cheap, mostly done by making up and, and providing as their sole medicated water source. Well tolerated by the birds.
it actually took 3 rounds for me to clear my flock . If I didn't understand this and trust my veterinarian, it would seem like they were just getting sick over and over again. My birds are fully recovered and living happy lives.
this might be something you could discuss with your veterinarian. After spending so much money and being such a dedicated owner . They might be willing to give the doxy a try , if they felt it's in the realm of possibility.
your bird has provided a lot of love and support to you. While the anxiety is aweful, you might very well be suffering it anyway only with a different focus. It is something you are going to have to find a way or help with to lessen. Some anxiety comes with love. At least myself and many other here have confessed times of this.
This isn't said to cure you, fix you, or diminish what you are going through in any way . But a tool I use , and see mentioned so many times..get up and move , go for a walk outside, when able , when you are stuck in this mental loop. Be conscious of the smells, the sounds , the feel of the air , look, look for as many shades of color as possible, notice something different, even the same walk you will notice something new that has always been there.
I'm dealing with greif, and some other stressors. In reading tips of dealing with greif , the same as above was mentioned as a tool. Giving yourself a certain amount of time to be in those swirling thoughts, then making the effort to stop and give yourself a break , an effort to redirect your focus. It's not as easy as saying it .
These are just tools that can help , maybe if only a little. Even when you are able to receive more personalized help from a professional, it's likely something they would share in addition to possible medication or therapy.
Yoga is also so good at centering our mind in our body . I had no idea , until I did. At a extremely stressful time in my career , when mass layoffs were happening, people who id worked with ten years or longer would walk in be layed off and gone ... anyway a coworker convinced a few of us to all join this yoga class. It was an intense hot yoga class !!! Don't remember what it's called. Our instructor talked about how we all live in our head , or like a bubble outside of our body , how yoga would help us be more centered and connected back into our bodies. For me it sure did ! And for my coworkers too! It was so much help to us. One time we did this certain position and the instructor talked about how we store " energy/emotion/ trauma???" In parts of our bodies, or one side is all hitched up .. anyway all sorts of stuff. By the end of the 3 weeks I was a believer , I never slept so well it has so much flexibility returning to my body .
Ok after written that, I'm making an effort to get yoga back into my life !
Much warmth to you . You aren't alone