E Coli in birds

[Just-passn-thru]

Coco is a very fortunate Cockatoo, i hope she is on the road to recovery.

 

[rockoko]

I just found out, she is okay, finally. I can exhale. I posted this on FB just now!
Coco Health Update
Thank goodness, it all came together tonight. Without a CT scan, ultrasounds, X-rays, bloodwork, fecal samples, bowel and stomach samples, staying at the clinic for some time, and finally a consult with an Avian CT Specialist in the USA we have an answer, or safe to assume this is the problem! Three and a half weeks to diagnose. Coco is so lucky, her Doctor cares enough to go through all this "She is an expensive bird" lol
~~~We were worried it was gastric cancer and it is NOT~~~
So basically, she had damage in her bowel walls from the Endoscopic procedure last year (she ingested something and it had to be removed) She had an E Coli infection which we only found out, because she chewed and swallowed her feeding tube! The fluids from the tube were sent off after it was removed the next day. That showed E. Coli. The CT scan revealed that she had stomach inflammation, that is why it was so uncomfortable to eat, it hurt. The inflammation just wasn't getting better. Her infection was, but not the stomach. The CT scan was sent for a second opinion and that doctor (avian specialist in CT scans USA) said she had atherosclerosis in the blood vessels leading to her stomach. So her stomach wasn't healing. Now she is on heart meds! So her tummy should heal JUST Fine. I sure hope I got that right, I sort of black out when I talk to vets about my animals lol
I thank ALL the staff at Night Owl Bird Hospital and my Avian Vet who cares so much about all her patients! This would not have happened if she didn't care, we wouldn't have figured it out.

Oh thank goodness, I hope she heals very quickly now!

 

[iamwhoiam]

Great that there is a diagnosis and the correct treatment plan in place. Hope she will recover soon.
She's lucky to have you and the excellent vets and veterinary staff.

 

[Hankmacaw]

The CT scan was sent for a second opinion and that doctor (avian specialist in CT scans USA) said she had atherosclerosis in the blood vessels leading to her stomach. So her stomach wasn't healing. Now she is on heart meds! So her tummy should heal JUST Fine.

Makes perfect sense to me - having gone through it. Jasper, as you may know, has severe atherosclerosis. It is present in a large portion of her body and recently has extended to her chest muscles and her chest muscles were becoming smaller. For the last few months, under the Dr.s orders I have been flying her a lot to build up those chest muscles so she can breath (birds don't have a diaphragm, so use their chest muscles to contract/expand their lungs). With Coco's diagnosis it gives me some insight as to why Jasper is so hard to get to eat and maintain weight - her atherosclerosis may be affecting her crop too. With all of the flying her appetite has gotten somewhat better and she has put on weight. Of course, Jasper has been on heart medications for 20 years, but the atherosclerosis keeps expanding, although slowly.

Here's a big wish that Coco gets better very soon.

 

[Danita]

Makes perfect sense to me - having gone through it. Jasper, as you may know, has severe atherosclerosis. It is present in a large portion of her body and recently has extended to her chest muscles and her chest muscles were becoming smaller. For the last few months, under the Dr.s orders I have been flying her a lot to build up those chest muscles so she can breath (birds don't have a diaphragm, so use their chest muscles to contract/expand their lungs). With Coco's diagnosis it gives me some insight as to why Jasper is so hard to get to eat and maintain weight - her atherosclerosis may be affecting her crop too. With all of the flying her appetite has gotten somewhat better and she has put on weight. Of course, Jasper has been on heart medications for 20 years, but the atherosclerosis keeps expanding, although slowly.

Here's a big wish that Coco gets better very soon.

I think so many birds must die, people don't have the resources to diagnose something so simple but at the same time, it isn't. You can't just look at a bird and these are the symptoms and that is what they have.
Sooo grateful that Coco and Jasper do
I'll look at what the med is she is now getting.
She is getting 5 of them now!

 

[sunnysmom]

Wonderful news. I'm so glad it got figured out. We need to see more bouncy happy Coco videos now.

 

[JLcribber]

I think so many birds must die, people don't have the resources to diagnose something so simple but at the same time, it isn't. You can't just look at a bird and these are the symptoms and that is what they have.

This is a very sad realization and absolutely spot on.

 

[Hankmacaw]

I think so many birds must die, people don't have the resources to diagnose something so simple but at the same time, it isn't. You can't just look at a bird and these are the symptoms and that is what they have.

It dawned on me that our veterinarians must be very grateful too. How many times do patients not put out the resources for one reason or the other (sometimes because they don't have them, but just as often because they won't) and the vet knows that just one or two steps more will save the bird? They (the vets) want to save and help birds and so many times they are not allowed to.

Great combination - a good vet and a supportive owner.

 

[WendyN]

Thinking about Coco. Hope she will respond well to the treatment and is dancing again really soon!

 

[Danita]

It dawned on me that our veterinarians must be very grateful too. How many times do patients not put out the resources for one reason or the other (sometimes because they don't have them, but just as often because they won't) and the vet knows that just one or two steps more will save the bird? They (the vets) want to save and help birds and so many times they are not allowed to.

Great combination - a good vet and a supportive owner.

Vets need all the tests to correctly diagnose and solve the issue.
I know Dr M can't pay all the tests, they are real costs, they cost to send them, get consults, read them, second opinions, medications, staff. They really could go broke and that won't help anyone. My Dr. drives no flashy car, no flashy things, she is just making the clinic operate.

 

[Danita]

My new dream is to fundraise for her own CT scanner so she could give CTs to all the birds that need it, without the cost associated with paying for it. A CT is $1000 here. Maybe if I fundraised enough she could do them for a fraction of the cost I know she dreams of having one.

 

[Danita]

It dawned on me that our veterinarians must be very grateful too. How many times do patients not put out the resources for one reason or the other (sometimes because they don't have them, but just as often because they won't) and the vet knows that just one or two steps more will save the bird? They (the vets) want to save and help birds and so many times they are not allowed to.

Great combination - a good vet and a supportive owner.

ML Coco takes liquid TUMs too, to help her stomach upset. Maybe Jasper needs it?

 

[Hankmacaw]

I give her a Tums tablet about three times a week, but maybe I should get the liquid.
She's feeling pretty bad today.

 

[Danita]

It is twice a day
.1 ml
She is 250 grams
750 mg tab in 1 ml distilled water.

 

[Rain Bow]

I'm sooo glad Coco is finally well! I'm sorry you had to go on a payment plan for 5 years to get it taken care of. You're very right about people not paying to fin d out about their pets in general (when it comes to costly tests & hospitalized) outcomes. I do realizes w/ birds it's that much more of a $ & sadly many don't consider them worth those fund.

My new dream is to fundraise for her own CT scanner so she could give CTs to all the birds that need it, without the cost associated with paying for it. A CT is $1000 here. Maybe if I fundraised enough she could do them for a fraction of the cost I know she dreams of having one.

This is a good idea. Could you put an item or sudo item up in your shop to take in donations & not have a site like _ _ fund me... Take a chunk from it. Set it up for a by the $ or .50 amt and give it a quantity for people to fill in. Just a thought!

It dawned on me that our veterinarians must be very grateful too. How many times do patients not put out the resources for one reason or the other (sometimes because they don't have them, but just as often because they won't) and the vet knows that just one or two steps more will save the bird? They (the vets) want to save and help birds and so many times they are not allowed to.

Great combination - a good vet and a supportive owner.

Too true!

 

[Danita]

This is a good idea. Could you put an item or sudo item up in your shop to take in donations & not have a site like _ _ fund me... Take a chunk from it. Set it up for a by the $ or .50 amt and give it a quantity for people to fill in. Just a thought!

I do that usually.
The credit card fees are still there though, but it is better then the gofundme. I cover all the fees myself, but with this much money, there is no way I could.

 

[Rain Bow]

I do that usually.
The credit card fees are still there though, but it is better then the gofundme. I cover all the fees myself, but with this much money, there is no way I could.

I didn't think about fees. The little things that everyone hates but are not often mentioned! Now, that's where the real $ is (fees).