help with liver issuse and mood swings

[artartsmommy]

i have a 14 yr old Quaker that is a rescue he was originally fed a seed diet i would like to know what you recommend in the way of liver support/detox also he has very bad mood swings he seeks out our attention and then bites us really hard it has gotten so bad that we take a risk just opening his cage or trying to feed him every day i feel bad for him because he looks so sad after he bites and if you react which its hard not to do when you are bleeding it just makes him angrier i am hoping that maybe there is some type of supplement that i could give to help stabilize his mood please if there is anything you can think of i would be ever grateful for your help

 

[Parront]

How long have you had this rescue?
I ask because some of what your describing sounds like it is still adjusting to a new environment.
This is also breeding season for some species, wonder if some of it may just be hormones?

 

[Hankmacaw]

For liver issue - especially fatty liver disease - the most recommended treatment is Milk Thistle or MT and Dandelion extract. If you know he has liver issues please realize that the bird is not feeling very good all of the time and may even be hurting. If his liver is swollen he's hurting. Cut down on fatty foods as much as possible and add Red Palm Oil and/or Flax meal to his diet. If you can get your bird to flap or to fly that will be a great help for his circulation, especially keeping his airsacs clear.

If you are worried about fatty liver disease, you should also be worried about hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis) and congestive heart disease (cardiomyopathy). If a bird has poor blood circulation due to heart/circulatory disease that will also cause stress to the other internal organs (liver, kidneys, brain).My poor darned GW has both diseases.

Have you weighed your bird to determine if he is obese?

Mood altering drugs are rarely used on birds and can have detrimental physical side effects.

 

[Mizzely]

Please note too that Quakers can be a little fiesty. In addition to him not feeling well, if he is a new addition, not getting enough sleep, doesn't have toys he can beat up, hormones, molting... all of those things can contribute to biting.


Biting can be for a lot of reasons; I avoid bites by watching for clues, as mine also baits and bites!

 

[artartsmommy]

So I know he has fatty liver as we did blood work we have had him for about a month and I understand that some of it might be him adjusting except he was so sweet a few days ago you could flip him on his back pet him how ever but now he has gotten so mean as to seek out our attiention just so he can bite us to the point of drawing blood he has lots of toys though I don't think he knows how to play with them and he gets time out of his cage pretty much all day he has free range we are doing our best to take him off the seed I make fresh chop and mash for my other quaker and parrotlet so we have fresh food its just getting him to like it if it is posabile that he is being mean because he is in pain is there anything I can do to help that?

 

[waterfaller1]

Is it possible the honeymoon is just over? Welcome to Avian Avenue!I use Aloe Detox by lily of the desert for liver issues.

 

[waterfaller1]

It has the milk thistle, dandelion, and slippery elm.
http://forums.avianavenue.com/holistic-avenue/15030-aloe-detox-formula-dosage.html

Herbal DETOX Formula (Item Detail View) « Lily Of The Desert, Certified Organic Grower Aloe Vera Juice, Drink, Gel, Lotion and Skin Care Products

 

[Hankmacaw]

So I know he has fatty liver as we did blood work we have had him for about a month and I understand that some of it might be him adjusting except he was so sweet a few days ago you could flip him on his back pet him how ever but now he has gotten so mean as to seek out our attiention just so he can bite us to the point of drawing blood he has lots of toys though I don't think he knows how to play with them and he gets time out of his cage pretty much all day he has free range we are doing our best to take him off the seed I make fresh chop and mash for my other quaker and parrotlet so we have fresh food its just getting him to like it if it is posabile that he is being mean because he is in pain is there anything I can do to help that?

Can you call your vet and ask him/her if the liver is swollen and if it is swollen enough to be causing pain or just general malaise for your bird. Metacam is the standard pain medication for birds - it is like you or me taking an aspirin or tylenol and is widely used for arthritic pain in dogs/cats.

It generally takes quite a bit of time to change eating habits - a lot longer than a month. Be persistent and consistent with your efforts to change his diet - it's really important.

I'm not much of a behavior expert, but shawna and annrose could be right that it is an adjustment problem. But I would certainly explore the health aspects first, just like we do with humans before we send anyone to the psychiatrist.

ML

 

[roxynoodle]

I can't advise on Quaker behavior. I do know they have a reputation for cage territoriality. It might help to let him come out on his own and not reach in for him.

However, Mary Lynn is correct on treatment for the liver. My amazon has just been diagnosed as well with fatty liver. He is taking a milk thistle/dandelion supplement twice a day. We have made some further minor diet changes. No fruit other than one small piece of apple a day (due to the sugar). Otherwise, I made the rest of the changes he needed when I brought him home (pellets and no seed, plenty of veggies).

Metacam is the pain drug of choice although I suppose it's possible some vets might rather use Celebrex these days. My bird doesn't seem to be experiencing pain so I can't say which of those would be more likely to be prescribed.