Obviously a vet appointment is being made--I'm calling first thing in the morning -- but I figured it couldn't hurt to see if I could get some ideas here in the meantime!
Malley is a 17 year old U2. Always been pretty healthy, save for an issue when he was a bit younger with a prolapsed cloaca. He had surgery to repair it and has been good ever since.
However, recently I've noticed that he seems to have "dry" droppings, for a lack of a better word. His vent area is often dirty, and occasionally I will see a little bit of fecal matter stuck to a nearby feather. I always clean him up if I see this. Other than the messy vent area, everything else appears to be normal looking.
He was at the vet in December (2011) and while we were there, he of course was nervous and pooped as soon as he was taken out of the travel carrier (which is good since they can take a fresh sample for the Gram stain). The poop, to my shock, had a bit of blood in it. I was concerned as was the vet, but this was the first, and only, time I'd ever seen that. I'm always checking the poop in his cage for problems and have never seen blood, and the droppings always look pretty normal. He hasn't had any blood in the stool since then, either. Still not sure what caused that?
The vet also noted the dirty vent area (which is fairly recent, started noticing it just before the vet appointment) but didn't seem all that concerned. He said that the Gram stain showed a mild E.coli (I think) infection and we were sent home with antibiotics, to be given in the water every day for 10 days.
He still appears to have "dry" droppings at times and the vent is still dirty. He is not losing weight, and his appetite is good. Drinking is good. His behavior is the same also.
Just tonight when I was cleaning the cages, he pooped while he was out on top of it, and I noticed that the urates part seemed yellowish. I know this isn't normal, and I looked at the rest of the poop in his cage and for the most part it looked fine, except for just a few droppings with the yellowish tinged urates. The poop itself looked fine, and the urine seemed fine too (clear) and no bubbles.
I am making the appointment first thing tomorrow and actually, if I can, I'll take him tomorrow too. I don't know that it's an emergency since he seems totally normal otherwise. I know birds can hide their illnesses but really, I'd think that if nothing else he'd be losing weight, but he's good.
I'm perplexed. I've been googling to see what I can find, and see things like liver disease...I hope that's not what it is. Of course, I hope it's not anything serious but I know something is wrong because this isn't normal.
Malley is a 17 year old U2. Always been pretty healthy, save for an issue when he was a bit younger with a prolapsed cloaca. He had surgery to repair it and has been good ever since.
However, recently I've noticed that he seems to have "dry" droppings, for a lack of a better word. His vent area is often dirty, and occasionally I will see a little bit of fecal matter stuck to a nearby feather. I always clean him up if I see this. Other than the messy vent area, everything else appears to be normal looking.
He was at the vet in December (2011) and while we were there, he of course was nervous and pooped as soon as he was taken out of the travel carrier (which is good since they can take a fresh sample for the Gram stain). The poop, to my shock, had a bit of blood in it. I was concerned as was the vet, but this was the first, and only, time I'd ever seen that. I'm always checking the poop in his cage for problems and have never seen blood, and the droppings always look pretty normal. He hasn't had any blood in the stool since then, either. Still not sure what caused that?
The vet also noted the dirty vent area (which is fairly recent, started noticing it just before the vet appointment) but didn't seem all that concerned. He said that the Gram stain showed a mild E.coli (I think) infection and we were sent home with antibiotics, to be given in the water every day for 10 days.
He still appears to have "dry" droppings at times and the vent is still dirty. He is not losing weight, and his appetite is good. Drinking is good. His behavior is the same also.
Just tonight when I was cleaning the cages, he pooped while he was out on top of it, and I noticed that the urates part seemed yellowish. I know this isn't normal, and I looked at the rest of the poop in his cage and for the most part it looked fine, except for just a few droppings with the yellowish tinged urates. The poop itself looked fine, and the urine seemed fine too (clear) and no bubbles.
I am making the appointment first thing tomorrow and actually, if I can, I'll take him tomorrow too. I don't know that it's an emergency since he seems totally normal otherwise. I know birds can hide their illnesses but really, I'd think that if nothing else he'd be losing weight, but he's good.
I'm perplexed. I've been googling to see what I can find, and see things like liver disease...I hope that's not what it is. Of course, I hope it's not anything serious but I know something is wrong because this isn't normal.
