Atherosclerosis in my Sun Conure

[Kahluma-mama]

Hello. I'm a new bird owner and to this forum and have a question for the group.

I've adopted a 13 yr old Sun Conure who was near death. After months of rehabilitation she is doing so much better and came up for adoption. Being a new mommy to birds, I took her to see an avian vet for her wellness check, 7 days after adopting her. I have since learned she had a broken wing, a broken leg, and her bone density is so low they could barely see the old fx. I have also learned she has a grade 3 heart mumur and atherosclerosis. My vet wants to put her on Isoxsuprine for her heart. I'm terrified of meds and was hoping someone here may have had the same experience and can provide me with advice on the medication and if you have any experience with this diagnosis. I love this little girl to pieces and I've only had her a month and feel like I can lose her any day.

 

[Macawnutz]

@Hankmacaw

Quite a few of us have birds with heart disease. I have a 76 year old GW macaw with atherosclerosis. While she is not on medication quite yet I do have a bird on isoxsuprine for heart issues. I was concerned at first but saw no changes on the medication. She is doing very well.

The most drastic change I saw in my GW's improvement was putting her on oxygen a few times a day. It is quite simple to do yourself and it makes a huge difference.

Has your vet mentioned it?

 

[Kahluma-mama]

No, she has not but I will ask her about this when I pick up her meds. Just a little back ground on my vet, she is a specialty vet who only sees exotic animals so I trust her abilities, I just don't always trust medications. Thank you for sharing your experience with the medication. This makes me feel a little better.

 

[Macawnutz]

Isoxsuprine is very commonly used for atherosclerosis and heart disorders in birds. I have used it with my amazon and my hyacinth macaw without issue. It's a twice a day medication and can be compounded and flavored if you use a compounding pharmacy. My guys like peanut butter flavor.

The oxygen would be something to seriously consider. It could drastically improve your birds energy levels and help blood flow. You don't need a prescription from your vet and myself and forum members could help you setup a chamber. This would be what you would need.

Solaris 505 Oxygen Concentrator - Solaris Concentrators

It would supply the O2 to a Tupperware container. You would do treatments 2X a day.

 

[WendyN]

Welcome and many blessings to you for caring for her.
What is her name?

 

[Hankmacaw]

My Jasper (23 yo GW) has congestive heart disease and extensive atherosclerosis. She had the CHD when I got her at 6 1/2 years old and developed the atherosclerosis over the years. She has been on Enalipril, and then Benazipril for her circulatory disease for 17 years and she is doing well. She has had several bouts with infections and retaining fluids due to her heart and circulation over the years.

When Dr. Driggers first diagnosed her he told me that if she were a human she would be on a heart transplant list and when I asked him how long she would live, he said he had seen birds in her condition live 5 years. So there is hope for your baby and much of Jaspers success has been due to the medications she has been on. Medicine saves lives.

@Macawnutz is right the O2 for birds with the conditions that ours have is a godsend. Jasper gets one hour in the morning and one hour at night in the O2 box.

Sounds like your girl needs calcium too. Did the Dr. prescribe a calcium supplement for her?

Welcome to AA and please keep us up to date on your little bird

 

[Hankmacaw]

PS - We love pictures.

 

[Tiel Feathers]

I'm sorry your little bird is having these health issues, and I hope the treatments help her out. I'm glad you adopted her and that she has you to give her the care she needs.

 

[iamwhoiam]

Thank you for taking her into your home and caring for her. Help all will be well.

 

[Kahluma-mama]

@WendyN her name is Sweetpea and she lives up to that name. As you can see from the pictures she loves her daddy so much she sleeps on his chest when we're watching movies.
@Tiel Feathers, thank you for the kind words.
@iamwhoiam, thank you for your kind words as well.
@Hankmacaw, my mom has an 02 machine so I may take her over there for a few treatments to see how she does. Thank you for sharing your experience with the medications, that gives me hope. Yes, she is on calcium drops every night. I go back in Aug. to have repeat x-rays to see if her bone density is getting better and to make sure her heart murmur hasn't changed.
@Macawnutz thank you so much for the 02 advice. I may reach out to you and others here to help me get something setup should the 02 work for her.

Thank you ALL for your kindness! I've attached a few pictures of my sweet little girl.

 

[Cynthia & Percy]

welcome

 

[Hankmacaw]

The other legs of the four legged stool to help Sweepea's health are diet and exercise. The exercise is the most difficult to gauge because she needs some exercise to help her bone density and circulation and general muscle tone, but, like Jasper, she shouldn't overdo exercise. The last leg is diet. I keep Jasper on a very fat free/sugar free (excess sugar is metabolized into fat). Jasper gets chop made mainly from low starch veggies and dark green leafy veggies along with her chop she gets a couple of TBS of a rice an Higgins Worldly food mix. She also gets lots of almonds, which are very high in calcium and low fat. In the evenings she gets chop with some home made (again low fat/low sugar ingredients). For treats she gets Senior Nutriberries, pistachios and some Avian Organics crackers.

 

[expressmailtome]

Welcome! Sweetpea is very lucky to have you.

 

[sunnysmom]

 

[iamwhoiam]

How is Sweetpea doing?

 

[Tyrion]

Hope all goes well for your lil one sending healing thoughts to you

 

[Kahluma-mama]

@iamwhoiam she is doing great! I noticed she has more energy after being on her meds for a few weeks. Happy mama here!

 

[iamwhoiam]

That's excellent news!

 

[expressmailtome]

@iamwhoiam she is doing great! I noticed she has more energy after being on her meds for a few weeks. Happy mama here!

That is wonderful!

 

[Laurul Feather Cat]

Thank you for adopting her and taking care of her. She is beautiful.