Pictures Undigested food in poops

[Fuzzy]

Ollie has had undigested food in his poops for a week or so. At first it was just in the morning poop, and then a few nights ago it was evening poops as well. Big pieces that freaked me out. For the last three days there has also been regurgitation on the cage floor with the morning poop. In the 9 years Ollie has been with me he has never regurgitated. I am terrified it might be PDD. Ollie is hungrier than usual and thirstier. Thankfully the bits in the poop are now much smaller and fewer as you can see below. The bits were originally as big as the regurgitated pieces to the right:

I got the vet to make a home visit on Friday as I haven't quite achieved training Ollie to go into his travel cage. Not our usual vet but a sweet girl called Lucy who had just graduated with an interest in parrots. There are no avian vets for the members of the public on this island, but Lucy said she knew and would consult with the avian vet at Durrell Zoo here.

First she is going to run multiple tests on the poop I collected in a sterile jar for her. If these are inconclusive they will take blood. Meanwhile I am to continue to nebulize him with F10 and get some weights for him.

Have managed to entice Ollie on the scales two evenings in a row...

Yep, 371gms, Ollie!

He was 372gms at Christmas so very relieved he hasn't really lost any weight.... although he was 369gms yesterday. I'm giving him DMG, Milk Thistle, Guardian Angel. Waiting for more supplements and probiotics I have ordered.

Also stepping up the travel cage training. This pic was just him checking out the carrier.

I have got him to stand on the carrier perch and out again.

Ollie's been less energetic and more tired than usual of late. But today he had a shower in the aviary which was certainly optimistic. I was also wondering whether green strawberries might be to blame. Since he ate all the red ones he was now eating the green. Have removed the strawberry plants out of the aviary to see if it makes a difference.

 

[Clueless]

I would think green strawberries weren't good.

He's such a lovely fellow.

 

[Fuzzy]

Thanks, Clueless! Hoping it's the green strawberries.

 

[Mockinbirdiva]

Yes, I was wondering what he had eaten lately too. Hopefully now that you've taken the strawberries out that is the culprit.

 

[Zara]

Aww poor Ollie!

Hopefully it was the strawberries and now he can get better

 

[Karen]

He looks good and his weight is consistent which are good signs. So I’m hopeful it’s the strawberries too and he starts feeling better soon.

 

[enigma731]

It's much more likely to be some kind of infection or other GI upset than PDD. I know it's terrifying (my brain goes there too) but I've had multiple birds with symptoms like this from bacterial or yeast infections (over 20 years, not all at the same time). Hopefully it's something simple like that.

 

[Fuzzy]

Thanks everyone! I am hoping for some kind of infection or GI upset. The vet worried me when she said it wasn't the right green for an infection, and usually it would be diarrhea which it isn't. I am also aware that perhaps as many as a third to half of the birds we have are likely to test ABV positive which is where my rising panic was coming from.

It is reassuring that you have had multiple birds with symptoms like this over the years @enigma731 and it not being PDD. Thanks, Karen, yes, he does look good, has a consistent weight, and still plays and flies.

No access to the strawberry plants yesterday or today but quite a lot of regurge on the floor and small bits in his morning poop when I took the covers off this morning. I suppose it takes time for it to get out of the system. Still waiting for the new probiotics I ordered to arrive.... it would have to be a Bank Holiday on Monday!

 

[Mockinbirdiva]

Thanks everyone! I am hoping for some kind of infection or GI upset. The vet worried me when she said it wasn't the right green for an infection, and usually it would be diarrhea which it isn't. I am also aware that perhaps as many as a third to half of the birds we have are likely to test ABV positive which is where my rising panic was coming from.

It is reassuring that you have had multiple birds with symptoms like this over the years @enigma731 and it not being PDD. Thanks, Karen, yes, he does look good, has a consistent weight, and still plays and flies.

No access to the strawberry plants yesterday or today but quite a lot of regurge on the floor and small bits in his morning poop when I took the covers off this morning. I suppose it takes time for it to get out of the system. Still waiting for the new probiotics I ordered to arrive.... it would have to be a Bank Holiday on Monday!

Ooo... I didn't know Monday was a holiday? Post offices closed too?

 

[Lady Jane]

Post Office in US are not closed until Sept. 2nd not this Monday

 

[fashionfobie]

Ollie is pretty adorable checking out the carrier cage! I hope it is something explainable like the strawberry. Get well soon little Ollie!

 

[Fuzzy]

Dianne is right - not a holiday in the US, @Mockinbirdiva. I live in the UK.

 

[Fuzzy]

Ollie is pretty adorable checking out the carrier cage! I hope it is something explainable like the strawberry. Get well soon little Ollie!

Thanks Natalie! I am hoping too it is the unripe strawberries that is the problem. He ran out of the red ones so started munching all the green ones plus the flowers! I thought his common sense would prevail, but I guess they don't have strawberries in the Amazon!

 

[Macawnutz]

Collect multiple poops and over a few days for testing and then also do one fresh one. Avian gastric yeast has those same symptoms and is a bugger to test for. We had Korbel tested at least 6 times before they found it in a crop swab. I wouldn't give a bunch of probiotic before you do these tests.

 

[Fuzzy]

Collect multiple poops and over a few days for testing and then also do one fresh one. Avian gastric yeast has those same symptoms and is a bugger to test for. We had Korbel tested at least 6 times before they found it in a crop swab. I wouldn't give a bunch of probiotic before you do these tests.

Thanks for the advice, Sarah. I collected poops over 2 days for the vet, the last one being the freshest. She sent them off for testing on Friday. Should I still lay off probiotics? I saw Ollie regurgitating/vomiting this evening. It looked like vomiting rather than regurging, ending with shaking his head. I think whatever it is, is now in the crop since the poops have fewer and fewer bits. Ollie is hungry and thirsty - he didn't seem to eat much today. I put a little milk thistle and probiotics in some mango juice this evening which he lapped up. Tonight I was wondering if it was a yeast infection. Should I put ACV in his water? I don't know the quantities.

 

[enigma731]

Personally I'd wait on the ACV since he may have GI inflammation. I'm not sure if it might worsen that.

 

[Fuzzy]

Thanks enigma - that's a good point! Just finished nebulizing with F10.

 

[Macawnutz]

Me personally if you have tests pending I would hold off on treatment. Probiotics and ACV are more preventative measures that won't fix what's already broken. Even the nebulizing, that could make him feel yucky so until you know what your fighting I wouldn't do it.

 

[enigma731]

I see probiotics differently than ACV, partly because my vet prescribes them every time there's a digestive upset in one of my birds. They might not help but they definitely won't hurt and if it IS a yeast overgrowth, probiotics are really important. Clearly there's no one right answer though and your vet should ultimately be the one who decides.

 

[ncGreyBirdLady]

Ollie-Please

Soon!