Pictures Charlie

[Wiremonkey3]

Hi,
It's been a long time since I've posted. I have a black Lory named Charlie he is 8 years old and I love him dearly. For the past 6 months we have been trying to figure out what is wrong with him. He has been to 2 avian vets and been treated for a bacterial infection and a yeast infection. He still is not well. I don't know what to do.

 

[Hankmacaw]

Has your bird had blood work done - a CBC and a Chem panel? Did the Dr. do a culture and sensitivity? Did he do a gram smear on his throat and cloaca? There are bacteria that are not sensitive to certain antibiotics and a sensitivity will identify which antibiotic it is sensitive to. A gram smear will not only identify is bacteria are present (or not present), but if the infection is a fungal infection. A CBC will give information to your bird's overall health and if the White Blood Cell count is high (or not). High would indicate the presence of an infection. A chem panel will give indications of many of the bird's internal functions, like liver, kidney and heart functions.

So many times just tossing an antibiotic won't do a darn thing.

 

[WendyN]

Hope the vet can figure out how to make Charlie better.

 

[Wiremonkey3]

Yes, the vet has done all of that. All his bloodwork pertaining to organs came back fine. He has been vomiting on and off since August. He's been treated for both fungal and bacterial infections. She also checked for an obstruction. Could this be a stubborn bacterial infection? I'm calling her tomorrow because he has vomited this weekend. I just feel like we should be able to figure this out by now. I'm really worried.

 

[Hankmacaw]

Was the white blood cell count higher than 10,000?

If those tests did not lead your vet into a positive direction - you need to insist on a heavy metal toxicity test, an aspergillosis test, and check for liver function problems..

 

[Hankmacaw]

Realize that animal medicine is less advanced and more difficult than people medicine. Parrots cannot say "it hurts here" or I get sick when..." Your vet needs to follow a plan that eliminates diseases from the most likely to the most unlikely. Sometimes it takes awhile and lots of money. Has your vet done an xray - is that how she eliminated a blockage?

 

[Wiremonkey3]

We haven't done an xray, I guess that's next. His liver function was tested and was okay. It was one of the first things I asked about because Lories have a tendency towards Iron storage. I will ask for heavy metal toxicity and aspergillosis. What could cause heavy metal toxicity?

 

[JAM]

Funny you should return at this stage.
Red my Red Lory is 6 and is back at the vet now with recurrent vomiting and has previously had AGY which was successfully treated at the time.
He's molting at the moment and I noticed him vomiting yesterday combined with increased appetite, thirst and urine output (as a medic that screams to me diabetes symptoms!!!).
I'll update in what the diagnosis is later today but happy to keep discussing on what is going on as it seems more than a coincidence that both beautiful Charlie and Red are suffering similar ways.
Red had also previously been tested for and had the major illnesses ruled out such as PBFD etc.

 

[JAM]

Charlie is still absolutely gorgeous too!

 

[iamwhoiam]

Your vet may also want to test for Avian Bornavirus although the results are not always accurate and can get false negatives or false positives. I hope that they will be able to diagnose what is going on with Charlie and provide him the treatment he needs so that he can get better.

 

[Wiremonkey3]

So, Charlie will be going on Wednesday for an x-ray. He hasn't vomited for two days but isn't really interested in eating. He hasn't eaten solid fruit or veggies for months. He won't bathe and really doesn't play. He wants me to hold him all rolled up in his blanket.
Sorry to hear about Red who is gorgeous. I hope you find answers as well.

 

[JAM]

I am going to message you.
Red is better it's been another yeast infection but thankfully not AGY plus a nasty bacterial infection. He's doing well and extremely unhappy at med time....but I would be too having some nasty meds forced down my throat!!!

 

[Wiremonkey3]

So, we just got back from the vet. No yeast or bacterial infection and the x-ray showed that everything is normal so we are changing his food and giving him strictly bottled water. The vet thinks this could be a food sensitivity especially since we can't find anything else. The good news is his weight is in the normal range and hasn't dropped at all in his last 3 visits and he hasn't vomited since Saturday.
I have to say

 

[Wiremonkey3]

I have to say I feel sorry that Red doesn't like his meds. Charlie loved the taste so it was easy for me. I hope Red gets better fast. This is so stressful.

 

[JAM]

That's great with regards to Charlie and funny about the bottled water because I've been considering switching them into bottled water for drinking as well!
One of Red's meds is disgusting and the other is cherry flavoured so he tolerates the cherry.
I've had to start towelling him for meds and I wish I'd done so from the start because he's nice and calm (albeit crying like a baby bird lol) compared to trying to get him barehanded.
He goes back to the vet next week once his meds stop.

 

[JAM]

Red still has significant bacteria and yeast present so back to the drawing board and blood tests.

Another set of antibiotics for the poor thing, good thing is that he's still appearing well.

 

[expressmailtome]

I hope that the medication helps him.

 

[JAM]

How's the beautiful Charlie? My naughty Red is still not well. Cultures have initially come back with no answers so they're trying different conditions to try and encourage whatever gram negative bacteria it is to grow. So still giving him Baytril, he's still got heaps of watery poops, drinking heaps but not losing weight as if yet which is good. Still lovely and hating med time but still loves me....he's such a good bird. Vomiting only occurs when off the antibiotics but can't keep him on them forever so hoping to get a solution soon!

 

[Wiremonkey3]

So, Charlie has been eating solid food since Sunday. He has been eating pears and apples like crazy. Since he's been on bottled water he hasn't vomited. I am keeping my fingers crossed that we have made it past the worst.