Hi I'm new here and have a sick Pionus

[WingedVictory]

Please don't worry about letting us down, you are doing a great job. We are here to help you the best we can. I will send you information on products to help with weight gain a bit later.

gary

 

[newf]

I know there isn't anyone here feels that you are letting them down. Anyone who reads this thread knows how much you have given to Peeps to get her healthy. I just wish we could help you some how find out what is exactly wrong with her. You have done so much for her, and I understand how frustrated and worried you are, and yet you never give up. I keep you both in my prayers each night.

 

[Billie Faye]

Tara, no way are you letting us down! We are here to support you two...but we do worry when we don't hear from you in a while

 

[WingedVictory]

Below are links you can use for a weight gain program. As always discuss what you are doing with your avian vet.

use an electric coffee grinder to grind up Harrison pellets to a fine powder. Add about 20% of Formula One, Handfeeding Supplement for Day One Baby Birds , add 10% Avi-gain, Avitech Exotic Birds - Supplies, Equipment and Nutritional Supplements for Birds!, grind up fine some broccoli ends organic peppers, add some cayenne pepper or cinnamon powder to make it taste good and for their benefits. Avitec makes a probiotic, Probitics for birds. beneficial bacteria for birds , that you can add a dash of twice a week. Depending on the birds liver values you can add some almond butter to this formula, very high in calories.

This will make a nice feeding formula once you get the quantities down, consistency, etc.

Please keep us posted

gary

 

[suncoast]

Tara you are doing a great job with her. I am so sorry that there has been no definative diagnoses.

Sweetheart, I don't want to alarm you or make you feel bad, however, I think it's important for you and Peep to have every resource at your disposal, which is why I'm posting this link to the Avian Health Network with information about PDD. I think it would help you to read about how other people coped with helping their birds live a longer healthier life.

http://www.stoppdd.org/livingwithpdd/livingwithpdd.html

I pray for you both everyday.

Ginger

 

[abbydp]

Thanks everyone. I don't feel like I am letting you down. I know you all care about her but this is our battle, so the only one I can truly let down is her. I meant that I feel bad bringing you down and taking you on the roller coaster with me. It seems every time I post something happy like the picture on the big container of food, things go south again.

Thank you Ginger, I will take a look at that. The farther we go along the more that possibility looms. I read some on it in the beginning, but didn't go too into since it really is a death sentance, seems like all I can do is buy some time. I am contacting a lab today to try and run some more tests without sticking her anymore.

Thanks Newf. When I took her I took on the responsibility for her life, so as long as she wants to be here I have to fight with her. I won't torture her anymore though for maybe. Unless we get a definitive, no question diagnosis there will be no more shots and no more stressful medicating. We will do what we can though.

 

[jerseybella]

You can get an xray to see if the proventriculus is dialated. That is what we did for Bob. Then went from there.

 

[abbydp]

Dawn does Bob have it? Peep was x-rayed. Everything looked normal. The ONLY signs that fit are weight loss, depression and increased sleeping. The depression and sleepiness go along with the weight loss, though. When she gets below 150/148 she has a definite change in attitude, understandably, there is nothing to her then. She is not lethargic when she is awake, she runs around and is back to playing a little, she just sleeps more. There is only regurgitation if I feed her too quickly or it doesn't go in just right, never on any food she eats on her own, and maybe a total of 5/6 times ever in the hand feeding, since December. It is absolutely not a regular thing. Peep is very picky about the formula - can't be too thick, can't be too cold. We have had to work on her taking it from the correct left side, she wants it on the right which is when she has vomited. I don't hold her to feed her so I always have to work at getting her to cooperate. She also never poops undigested food. The poops are softer and wetter when she has a lot of formula, but when I let her eat mostly on her own they were completely normal. They always are correct - both green and white. She does eat seeds and nuts as usual, and there is never a sign of them coming out. If she has it she is not a classic case.

 

[rikkitikki]

Tara - Bob did get tested and results came back positive for PDD, I believe she didn't actually get the results until after his passing though in mid-January. I think she collected his poo for a few weeks and sent it down to Texas A&M for the tests. If you go to Jerseybella's profile, then click on the statistics tab, there should be a link to threads she created, and if you go back to late December/January timeframe, there should be a few threads about it.
Dawn, hope you don't mind me chiming in

 

[jerseybella]

Don't mind at all Erika
Bobs Xray was horrible We then stated to treat him with the antiinflamitory drugs that are given for PDD. We did that while I collected the poop for the ABV test. While we were waiting results Bob died. He was diagnosed from Necropsy and Histiopathy.

Bob had alot of other symtoms.
undigested food, polyuria so bad he would soak his papers in his cage.
Reoccuring crop infections.
Drank alot and I mean alot of water......

 

[abbydp]

I remember that now. I am so sorry you both went through that. Peep doesn't have any of that. She is normal other than the weight which I think causes the other. She doesnt even have an increased appetite, it's fairly normal. She is just wasting away.

 

[Danita]

Tara,
This board is here so we can support one another through good times and bad. This thread is helping others who may be experiencing the same now or in the future.
Keep up with the updates, all of them.
So many are pulling for you two.

 

[abbydp]

Thanks everyone. We need all the thoughts, prayers, fingers crossed, whatever works for you right now. It's not a good sign when your vet gives up is it? I called them today and got a message back that the only thing she can think right now is PDD. She is researching some this weekend and we will talk again on Monday. She said I can try and test for any evidence of that or I can try and get a second opinion. She doesn't like to lose so to pass it off is freaking me out and really bringing me down. I had the second bloodwork faxed to me so I will call the other avian specialist in the area on Monday. Things are no better, she is exactly where we started - skin and bones and miserable . I have been trying to up the amount of formula in her but no progress yet.

 

[April]

Im so sorry,I cant believe that she is just giving up on Peep. I praying extra hard for it to not be PDD,and that she recovers soon.

 

[abbydp]

I guess giving up is a strong statement. She is at a total loss as to what to do now. The bloodwork doesn't tell her anything - all of our theories have resulted in nothing.

I have it if anyone wants to see it or is there is anything specific you want to know.

 

[suncoast]

Tara where are you located? If you are willing to keep going I would look for another avian vet. At least you could fax them the paperwork for a review. I know Leslie (birdlady) is in NJ and she takes her birds to U of Penn. They seem to be the best of the best on the East Coast.

Ginger

 

[abbydp]

Thanks Ginger. That's too far. I am in southeast VA. We do have another avian specialist in Va Beach, which is about half an hour farther. I have heard of him, and he is the one she rec'd. I got them to fax me the second bloodwork last night so I can start on that Monday. She was 147 this am so at least she didn't lose any. As far as being in my care, though, she has never gone below 146 so I am not sure if that is even possible, or if 146 is absolutely only bones, skin, feathers and organs. I am not sure about at the vet. I think at one point they said she got down to 142 the weekend they kept her which is why they were in such a hurry to get her back to me. She would not eat for them, other than force feeding. Don't get me wrong - I would do anything to save her but I am not capable of providing litterally anything that can be done for her. I work full time, and don't have unlimited funds to travel and then treat her multiple times. I need to spend the money treating and feeding her here. I do REALLY appreciate any and every idea or suggestion, so please don't take that the wrong way. I just need to concentrate any actual treatment or testing in the SE VA, NE NC area. As always thank you so much for caring about her and trying so hard to help us find the answer

 

[Danita]

I guess giving up is a strong statement. She is at a total loss as to what to do now. The bloodwork doesn't tell her anything - all of our theories have resulted in nothing.

I have it if anyone wants to see it or is there is anything specific you want to know.

There is a vet in NC that does consults, Dr Burkhett (sp?) There are links on websites that say "Ask the vet a question" He gets back to people within a day or two. I think it is free to ask, I am not sure what an actual phone consult or more than would cost. I hear he is a VERY good vet.

 

[abbydp]

That's great Dotty, any idea where I would find a link for that? I am going to go google him now and see what I come up with.

 

[Billie Faye]

That is who I sent you the PM about with his phone number...