Urgent Smelly Vent

[Macawnutz]

Don't panic! It could be yeast, or it could also be a change in bacteria causing the smelly vent. Neither of which are generally life threatening. Just make sure she stays happy and eating

Jen works for a fabulous avian vet. In fact my vet wanted to hire her and she turned it down!

If her words make you feel better.

 

[Hankmacaw]

Back to the subject of F10. Since you are feeding so many fresh fruits and vegetables, I recommend that you rinse the stuff then soak it in a sink full of water with 10ml of F10 in the water for 1 hr. Put a lot of ice in the sink with the F10 and stuff too. This will kill any microbes/fungus/spores that is on the veggies/fruit and by cooling it off very well it will last longer without spoiling.

Fungal infections in the digestive system are not horribly serious and your baby is going to be fine.

 

[Tyrion]

Best of luck at the vets... sending healing thoughts and hugs

 

[BirdGuy21]

Thank you everyone for your responses and words of encouragement. I'm home with her now and she is acting normal and has been eating all day. The yeasty smell seems stronger, but that might just be me worrying about it.

My vet faxed her previous records to the vet I am taking her to tomorrow so they have her prior history.
I bought some apple cider vinegar today and a new spray bottle and scrub brush for the F10.

@sunnysmom, the hospital you mentioned was going to be my next call if this place didn't work out. It's good to have connections there.

My concern right now is the rest of the flock. Without knowing for sure what it is, I don't know how contagious she is to my other birds. Ill keep them separated, but they are in the same house and in relatively close proximity to each other (within a few feet).

 

[BirdGuy21]

Well the vet check this morning went well. She did a float test and a fecal smear and found that Alex's yeast levels were normal but other bacteria counts were only slightly elevated. The vet said everything else looked good and did not want to prescribe her any antifungals or antibiotics as there was no sign of any issues. She believes the smell is a result of the slightly elevated bacteria count, but wants to try avian probiotics and a reduction in fruits and bird breads first. She recommended Bene Bac Plus and Avitec's Candida Yeast Be Gone. Candida Yeast BeGone and Bene-Bac Plus Powder: Super intestinal ailment cure, aids in digestion
The vet also thinks hormones might have something to do with it. So overall not necessarily conclusive, but a little comforting.

@Macawnutz you mentioned ACV in her water. How frequently and at what concentration? We use it for ourselves occasionally and do 1 tbsp for 8 oz of water, is this suitable for birds? We do give them coconut oil occasionally, so I can offer that as well. We rotate between that and RPO. And your suggestion of papaya, I am assuming because it has antibiotic/antifungal properties?

The F10 arrived today. I will get it mixed up tomorrow. Basically all I have to do is spray in on any surface to clean, and just leave it? Including toys, perches, ropes, etc?

 

[Milo]

Papaya would help to alter the pH in the GI tract which would make it a less friendly environment for bacteria and yeast to grow. It's interesting that your vet did a float, are you sure it wasn't a wet mount and a gram stain?

I'm glad that there wasn't anything wrong! It was a good call to get her checked out anyways

 

[Macawnutz]

I would double check with your avian vet. Have your records sent to your vet.

Fecal float sounds like a non avian vet.

 

[BirdGuy21]

Papaya would help to alter the pH in the GI tract which would make it a less friendly environment for bacteria and yeast to grow. It's interesting that your vet did a float, are you sure it wasn't a wet mount and a gram stain?

I'm glad that there wasn't anything wrong! It was a good call to get her checked out anyways

I would double check with your avian vet. Have your records sent to your vet.

Fecal float sounds like a non avian vet.

I believe @Milo is correct in a wet mount and a gram stain and I am incorrect when I said float. The records were sent to my vet regardless though.

 

[Milo]

No worries! It's easy to get confused if you don't use the terminology a lot. It sounds like they were as thorough as they could be with the fecal testing. Honestly I wouldn't bother with the probiotics and the yeast be gone. If it were present in the feces they would have seen it on the gram stain. Probiotics are very iffy on if they work or not, especially considering how many different species there are and the different flora of each bird. It won't do any harm to give her the probiotics if it makes you feel better

 

[BirdGuy21]

Thanks for the tip with the probiotics. Would you recommend the ACV in the water?

Used the F10 today to wipe down cage bars.

 

[BirdGuy21]

Well the smell has not gone away and it's been a week. I have a follow up appointment scheduled with my normal vet this coming Tuesday, just to be safe. She's still eating and acting normal, but I want to be careful. She actually said her first intelligible phrase the other day while on my shoulder while I was doing dishes- "what are ya doing".

 

[Macawnutz]

Have them redo the gram stain and if there is still a population of gram negative bacteria ask for a round of broad spectrum antibiotics.

 

[BirdGuy21]

Have an update on Alex from our vet appointment today. My vet redid the gram stain and also did a crop swab just to be sure. She didn't find a thing wrong.