Apollo is sick

[JapanBirdLover]

Since around Thursday my Linnie Apollo has been lethargic, not wanting to come out of the cage, not eating, not moving, not making a sound, not preening feathers... very worrying. Took him to the vet on Saturday morning, vet says he has respiratory tract infection, and is quite underweight. Got some antibiotics, which haven’t worked so far.
Also going back to hand feeding with softer food, trying to get some nourishment in the poor boy. That worked well yesterday but this morning he’s not opening his mouth, refusing the food.
Anyone got any advice? At this rate we’re going to lose him... he’s only 32grams right now. He was so bouncy and adventurous, now he’s just sitting with his eyes closed almost all day. Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[Love My Zons]

If you can get some pedialyte into him that will help as far as replenishing some electrolytes. Dehydration is not good if he isn't taking on any water. If you have any pet stores around where you can get some handfeeding formula?

Antibiotics can take 24 hours to kick in. Keep giving him the medication. If you can put him near a warm lamp, maybe a heating pad into a hospital cage as in old fish tank or something similar?

 

[JapanBirdLover]

Thank you for the reply. I don’t know if he is drinking at all. I’m not sure if he is strong enough to climb to his regular perch to drink, so I put another water bowl at the bottom of the cage where he sits.
I took your advice and put a heating pad under his cage. I do have an old plastic fish tank I use for a hospital cage, you think I should put him in there? He’s already in the hottest room of the house, which is really quite warm for humans in summer. How hot does he need to be?
I’ll go to the pet store today for some pedialyte.

 

[Love My Zons]

Pedialyte is more for babies, humans. Pet store may have hand feeding food you can try. You will need to use a dropper and make it very watery so you can get more fluids into him.

@Hankmacaw @Monica @finchly Any words of advice?

 

[Dona]

Oh no, I'm so sorry. I would just follow the vet's advice. I wish I knew of something you could do, but I have no experience. I hope others chime in with ideas.

 

[Karen]

Please take him back to the vet as soon as possible for supportive care. They’ll be able to give him SubQ fluids and give some feedings. He may need a few days of supportive care at the vet until the antibiotics kick in for him.

Wishing him the best.

 

[Dona]

Any ideas @Matto ?

 

[Hankmacaw]

Pedialite is fine for birds. Just mix it 1/2 / 1/2 with water. You may have to towel him to get him to eat or take fluids. 85f to 85f is the right temperature for a sick bird.

You may have to towel him and force his mouth open to get fluids and food down him.

It takes 48-72 hours for an antibiotic to show results.

Like @Karen said - get him back to the vet as soon as you can.

 

[JapanBirdLover]

Thank you everyone from your advice. Right now he seems weak, but not getting weaker. Although they not getting stronger. It is now just 48 hours since the first antibiotics so maybe they’ll start to work soon.
I’ll see what they have at the pet store in t rms of pedialyte. I’m already giving him hand feeding food I got there. I said that he wasn’t opening his mouth for it this morning but I can update that. I tried again after posting and he accepted quite a lot of the handfeeding food by syringe.
I think I’ll try it more watery for him next time.
Also, I’ll try to upload a video of me handfeeding him. Maybe someone can tell me if I’m doing it right.
Tomorrow it’s back to the vet with him. Vet said that if his weight doesn’t normalize they might have to force some nutrition into him, poor boy.

 

[Love My Zons]

Keep us updated. Atleast you got some food into him. That's a good thing. Try again every few hours if you can.

Sounds like maybe he's stabilizing alittle bit. Food will give him strength, getting hydrated will help him alot.

 

[Matto]

Sounds like you're doing everything right. Just make sure to keep him warm.

 

[Monica]

Alternatives to Pedialyte are Gatorade or Powerade... but would recommend Pedialyte over those two - diluted with water.

As mentioned, keep him warm and would recommend glass fish tank over plastic. You can sometimes find cheap used ones for sale (thoroughly disinfect prior to use) or sometimes local pet stores have gallon per dollar sales (Petco and another store, I forget the name but not anywhere near where I live). 10 gallon tanks make great hospital tanks if set up right!


Not really much more that I can add that hasn't already been said! Hope he gets to feeling better!

 

[JapanBirdLover]

Nothing to update so far, still almost completely motionless at the bottom of his cage. When I take him out he will walk around a little on the desk, and climb a little along my fingers. He also makes a few feeble squeaks, but nothing like the volume last week. And he is accepting quite a lot of the hand feeding food from the syringe. I also took advice from the kind people here and started to give him some electrolyte water which might help prevent dehydration. Straight back to the vet tomorrow morning.

 

[Dona]

Nothing to update so far, still almost completely motionless at the bottom of his cage. When I take him out he will walk around a little on the desk, and climb a little along my fingers. He also makes a few feeble squeaks, but nothing like the volume last week. And he is accepting quite a lot of the hand feeding food from the syringe. I also took advice from the kind people here and started to give him some electrolyte water which might help prevent dehydration. Straight back to the vet tomorrow morning.

Oh gosh poor Apollo. I'm wishing tonight goes better for him.

 

[Matto]

Here is a homemade electrolyte water recipe.

 

[Lady Jane]

Pedialyte is sold in a drug store. Please follow advice here and have a second vet visit if you little one is still lethargic and not drinking.

 

[JapanBirdLover]

Here is a homemade electrolyte water recipe.

Thank you very much for that, I’ll give that recipe a try in the morning. He already went to sleep tonight. His breathing is wheezing, obviously not right at all. And he appeared to have trouble walking straight earlier when I put him on the desk.
I hope he makes it to the morning when I can get to the vet again.

 

[Karen]

Thank you very much for that, I’ll give that recipe a try in the morning. He already went to sleep tonight. His breathing is wheezing, obviously not right at all. And he appeared to have trouble walking straight earlier when I put him on the desk.
I hope he makes it to the morning when I can get to the vet again.

Please be waiting at the vet with your bird when they open the door in the morning. Sending my best for your little one.

 

[Dona]

Yes, after 9PM there. I hope so much that Apollo has an OK night. You must be worried sick.

 

[JapanBirdLover]

Thanks for your wishes, all. Yes, I’ll be at the vets door as soon as it is open. I think he might need to stay with the vet for a while. I’ll let you know tomorrow how it goes.