Hello guys. I apologize for not giving updates for a long time and reviving this dead thread, but many has happened and I might need you guys’ guidance again
So, I built a ladder and a play park etc to promote activity, though it didnt help much. Over 2 months ago I decided to take my female to the best Avian vet in my city, all the way at the other end of the city. They weighed her and found her to be 32g (underweight). The vet also said that her chest bone was prominent. And that she had a mild fever. She did 2 poop tests and found my girl was a carrier of gastric yeast infection(but she wasnt infected or sick by it). Also she said that there were many bacteria in her stool as well. Then, they made her enter an x-ray where we found out that she had rickets on one leg. Probably due to insufficient sunlight/vitD while she was a chick. But the most important thing we found was, her accessory air sacs were completely full!! The doc said that she had Aspergillosis and that the fungi had clogged her air sacs, and made granulomas too. And that was why she would not get any lift during flight! I was devastated that she had so much wrong with her, but it also filled my heart with hope. For the first time I knew what was wrong, and that it was quite possibly treatable. Firstly, we aimed to slowly cut her off seeds and start her on a pellet based diet. We also started her on 4 medications:
Fluctanazole- antifungal 1 month
Melox- antibiyotic 3 weeks
Enro- non-steroid antiinf. 2 weeks
Omegamix- some kind of immunebooster. 2-3 months
The down side was- all this medicine I had to give through syringe. Meaning 3-5 times a day I had to pick her up in my hand and traumatize her.
Anyway, I separated the budgies and started giving her the meds. In 2-3 weeks she started to seem brighter and more active. She would attempt to fly, but just crash into the ground. 1 month after beginning the treatment, i called the vet and explained how my little girl was. She was more active, curious, seemed to have better feather condition now. But still, no hope to fly. So the doctor told me to use the antifungal 2 more weeks. I did. No change. So i took her for an examination to the vet. She examined her and said even though she was at the same weight, the muscles on her body had built up, and the prominence of her chest had disappeared. She was happy with how her general appearance improved. I told her that the bird was having balance issues too. (Losing balance while scratching head on perch or while puffing up, or when i was trying to teach her to fly she would not be able to fly straight but rather sharp left or right.) The doctor examined her further and said vitd/calcium deficiency can cause it. So, we started calcium treatment, with the omegamix (1 month). Also i moved her to my parents house which takes a lot of sunlight. 2 weeks have passed and her balance seems better.
So we have taken some steps in treating her but Im conflicted in many points.
Even though she seems healthier, she is as nervous if not worse as ever. For over 2 months everyday i pick her up in my hand every day multiple times and give her medicine through a syringe. She hates it and has become even more skittish. I can not even approach the cage without her shaking
She still cant fly. The vet said 45days treatment fluktanazole and then we will just follow her up. I read many medical articles that state there are many other treatments for aspergillosis and that some of the strains are fluktanazole resistant. Perhaps i should ask the vet for another medication? Or maybe instead of oral, a drug to be given by nebulization ? Or maybe some kind of lavage they can do to flush the fungi out? I read its certainly treatable and I dont want to give up after just one medicine. Also she has a stronger system now. After getting so far, i would really want her to see it through
Or, should I just leave it? She has been through alot. Maybe I should just leave her be. Give her time, she might improve? I dont think aspergillosis can heal without medicine but im not sure. I have kept her separate from my other budgie for so long. But they dont get along as he picks on her. I believe if she could fly then she would have the confidence and they would get along.
Thank you for letting me get this off my chest. Any input is appreciated. These are my first budgies and I’m pretty inexperienced