Urgent Caique with Fainting or Seizure - With Video - No Vet Dx

[socrjul]

Hi Friends!

New member, but a long time lurker. Just a quick rundown of history with a link to a video of the event:

https://home.nest.com/camera/ca54e58f05bb43b3acfc57af6823fa39/clips

I have a 10 year old male caique named Tocino. About a week and a half ago I witnessed what I thought to be either a cardiac or neurological event. He was in his cage making an odd chattering noise, and I took him out thinking he wanted attention. When I took him from the cage he was listless and couldn't really keep his balance, his left leg hung limp and couldn't grip. At the time, I had no idea what it was so I rushed him out of the house (fumes?) and kept him in the car but thought that was it. Withing five minutes he rebounded 100%.

I don't think it was fumes as there was no respiratory distress. My normal avian vet retired and I'm devastated. I took him to another avian vet last weekend and ran a full diagnostic. Exam was normal, labs came back within normal limits, gram stain had blooming yeast and he was given 1 wk antibiotics.

Last night, I caught the above video. Again it seems like he has weakness and is unable to stand. At the end he sort of panics and when I got him he seems a little out of it, but again, fully recovered. So thinking about going to the vet again or making a long drive to another specialist in NJ/NY area. Also of note, there are no new exposures in the home environment - no new toys, or food (Harrison), and has 100% supervised play, well because he is a caique

Does this look familiar to anyone?

 

[Macawnutz]

Your video is not linking correctly.

So this comes and goes? Fine one moment and bad the next?

 

[BeeBop]

I can't access the video. Is it possible that this behavior is caused by genetics? Do you or did the vet have any idea of what it could be?

 

[socrjul]

The video is here: Shared Clip | Nest trying to fix my original post.

 

[BeeBop]

Is the behavior near the end of the video where he looks like he is in a frenzy? He looks like he got scared of something, kind of like a night fright except it's daytime. How often does this occur?

 

[socrjul]

Your video is not linking correctly.

So this comes and goes? Fine one moment and bad the next?

This has happened two times now. Once was 12 days ago and the second time was last night. I was able to witness both episodes. It's possible it has happened before and I just didn't see it? But I spend a lot of time with him and feel like I would have noticed. I work from home so he often hangs out while I work. Each episode lasted maybe with a minute of weakness and within 5 minutes he is 100% normal, running, hopping, yelling, acting completely normal. No changes that I've noticed otherwise in eating, sleeping, etc.

I messed up the initial video and looks like I can fix the thread: Video to Seizure or? 3 minutes long

I have a phone consult with my prior vet today as well and plan on returning to the same vet I used last weekend.

 

[socrjul]

Is the behavior near the end of the video where he looks like he is in a frenzy? He looks like he got scared of something, kind of like a night fright except it's daytime. How often does this occur?

Agree! Reminds me almost of the night terrors my cockatiel used to have. This is not normal for him at all. This bird is fearless, I've only seem him truly freak-out like that if there was a hawk or something VERY scary outside. He is more likely to fight something than fly away. And, this seems out of the blue, like when he feels better? When I went in to get him, he seemed very scared. The first time this happened a similar thing happened, super quiet...minor freakout where he wanted to fly away... then fine. (Wings are clipped)

 

[BeeBop]

Interesting. I'm not sure what it could be. Is he near a window? Perhaps something outside spooked him? Have you noticed any kind of connection to the behavior whether that be a change, the time of day, etc.

 

[Macawnutz]

It seems like a frightened response not neurological. I have a bird that when she drops a molted feather will jump around like that.

Anything new that could be scaring him?

 

[socrjul]

It seems like a frightened response not neurological. I have a bird that when she drops a molted feather will jump around like that.

Anything new that could be scaring him?

In the video I guess it might be hard to see - it happens twice, like at 00:45, 1:12, and 1:40 you can see he loses his balance. He looks like he is on the bottom of the cage because maybe he can't grip the perch and appears to be leaning on the side of the cage (I can zoom on the live Nest review). I'm not so much concerned about the after - that's the GOOD part, alive and all parts moving If he's in the bottom of the cage he is either playing with his bells, trying to destroy his cage/rip the liner, stalk someone in angry circles. He doesn't go down there to sit and be quiet... this bird is never quiet Honestly if it wasn't for the other episode, I'm not sure I wouldn't have identified this event either. It was the flapping that caused me to review the video.

 

[socrjul]

Interesting. I'm not sure what it could be. Is he near a window? Perhaps something outside spooked him? Have you noticed any kind of connection to the behavior whether that be a change, the time of day, etc.

Haven't noticed a time thing really - this was at 5:45 PM and in my bedroom, other time was about 8:30 PM in the living room. Same thing... weird chirping, went to bottom of cage - the first time I grabbed him and he couldn't stand up. just was like a body with no movement - eyes open.

 

[Macawnutz]

For starters I would ask your vet about putting him on vetri DMG. That would be a good place to start. If all your bloodwork is coming back normal and you still feel something is amiss I would possibly request films be done.

Keep videoing him. Right now that's all you have.

 

[WendyN]

Sending you a hug and good thoughts that your vets can help Tocino.
Also i suggest you put him into a smaller cage or put a blanket or something soft on the cage bottom to soften the fall, should it happen again.
Hope you can keep us updated.

 

[socrjul]

All wonderful suggestions - thank you

 

[Crazy4parrots]

This might be neurological as he lost balance also could be an inner ear infection (inner ear controls the balance of the body) could be viral too...I got diagnosed with Zika on Monday my tests results seemed normal to me but my Lymphocites went from 15.4 to 34 in a week they still were in normal range but doctor that saw me told me when they rise like that its viral infection... the other things were normal!! you wouldnt think i got Zika from seeing my tests results cause other than that i had a rash nothing else...

 

[sunnysmom]

My initial thought from reading your past was that he might have had a stroke but the recovery time seems a little too fast for that. My tiel had a stroke before. He was very disorientated for about 10-15 minutes. And his left wing drooped and he couldn't fly. I took him to the vet and he said that there really wasn't anything to do for a stroke but that the good news was birds tended to recovery quickly. The vet thought be the end of the week, he'd be flying again. That night he was actually able to fly short distances although I tried not to let him. If it is something neurological, making sure that your bird gets enough vitamin B in his diet is important.

 

[Hankmacaw]

It has every appearance of mini-seizures to me. When seizures are mild, a bird recovers quite rapidly. They may seem confused for a little while after recovery. If he is having serial seizures that is serious. When Hank was having seizures I would pick him up immediately and put him in the oxygen box. We were lucky, the seizures were caused by low blood sugar in the mornings. Many times the cause of a seizure cannot be determined.

 

[Crazy4parrots]

It has every appearance of mini-seizures to me. When seizures are mild, a bird recovers quite rapidly. They may seem confused for a little while after recovery. If he is having serial seizures that is serious. When Hank was having seizures I would pick him up immediately and put him in the oxygen box. We were lucky, the seizures were caused by low blood sugar in the mornings. Many times the cause of a seizure cannot be determined.

Thats why it looks to me like its neurological... seizures are a way of the brain to tell the body something is very wrong.

 

[webchirp]

did the vet check his blood pressure? Carlton would have a bit of drunken moments every now and then and just get spooked or scared. He has high blood pressure and has leveled out a lot since he has been on enalapril. All his blood work, xray and other things were normal.

 

[iamwhoiam]

Sorry your Caique is having issues. Take the video to the vet when you go. Also consider having your bird stay at the vet overnight for observation. Could be neurological (petit mal type seizures), fear/stress seizure, low blood sugar, viral, etc. Giving your bird vetri DMG is a good suggestion. Discuss that with your vet. Hope a cause can be found for this and the issue resolved.

My Bare-eyed experiences seizures which appear to be caused by fear or stress. When something scares her she will seizure. The first indicator is her eyes start blinking rapidly. She will lose balance. It lasts a short while and then she completely snaps out of it. I am very ultra careful with her and she hasn't experienced one in over a year.