Urgent Yellow urine

[corian9]

Before anyone asks, I have already made an appointment with my vet.

Short version: my 17 year old Jenday conure had yellow urine this morning. Urates and feces were completely normal looking. Last Saturday she had reddish/brown urine with normal urates and feces. I obviously didn't look at every BM she had inbetween, but the couple I did see were normal. We have not recently changed her food. She's on a mixture of different Zupreem products (but not the one that has the really bright colored pellets). Thoughts? Obviously my concern is liver, but her urates are completely normal!

 

[Hankmacaw]

The urates can be white even when liver disease is present. If she has fatty liver or another type of liver disease and it hasn't progressed to a critical stage, a change in diet and medication can control or even reverse it to a point.
I'll be interested in what your vet says - my girl, Jasper's, liver was permanently damaged by medications she had to take to stay alive. Her compromised liver function has been controlled for 16 years with Milk Thistle, diet and SAMe.

Welcome to AA.

 

[corian9]

Thank you so much for your quick reply! I was obviously hoping you would say "definitely not her liver since the urates look good" but it kinda confirms what I'm thinking. I have taken this girl to the vet about 8 times over the last 8 months or so for an array of symptoms and issues she's been having. I'd just like to get to the bottom of it once and for all. I'll update this board once I know more. Her vet appointment isn't until Monday because I want to see their best vet, but another vet is there tomorrow in case she starts acting acute.

 

[corian9]

Can I actsully ask you what diet you out your bird on for liver support?

 

[Hankmacaw]

Lower the protein content - no animal protein at all. Lots of greens - leafy greens like Kale, spinach, Swiss chard. Yellow, orange and red vegetables - -pumpkin, sweet potato etc. No sugar, except what is in the food naturally.

Have any of the vets actually done blood tests - CBC and Chem Panel. That's the only way you can find out if liver disease is present.

 

[corian9]

Thanks so much!

No, I think that's what we're going to do on Monday. There is a longer version of her story. About 8 months ago I noticed her napping a lot during the day and frequently making this weird noise that's really hard to explain. I brought her in to the vet and they took an X-ray and thought her liver was enlarged and that because it was pushing on her air sacs that the noise she was making was related to this. They didn't want to do blood work because they were concerned it would stress her out and compromise her breathing further. Well, not two days after that visit she layed an egg!!! We always thought she was a male, but after 17 years she decided to become a chicken. LOL. She then went on to become egg bound with two more eggs (we had them removed at the vet well before she became critically ill). We put her on Lupron and that has ended the egg laying. She stopped making the noise for a very short time, but now she still has "good days and bad days" regarding napping and making the noise. Besides this behavior she seems completely normal with regards to eating, drinking, bathing, peering, etc. the only other symptoms she's had (according to the vet who examined her) is excess mucus production. I have not found any correlation between her "bad days" and her Lupron shot or "cycle." The vet has never mentioned liver again, but she's been treated twice with antibiotics because the vet thought it was a respiratory infection because of the mucus. Mucus tested normal. Sorry this was so long, and thank you if you read it all! It's just been a rollercoster with this girl for a while now and I just hope in the end it's something fixable!

 

[Hankmacaw]

I know it's costly, but the vet should take another xray. The noises she makes could very well be from pain. Ask your Dr. about putting her on a pain killer such as Metacam, Celebrex. Jasper also takes SAMe for swelling pain and her liver issues.

 

[Tiel Feathers]

I’m sorry I don’t have any advice, but I hope your little sweetie will be okay!

 

[corian9]

Hankmacaw - I will ask for one. I don't mind spending the $$ at all. Thanks for all your advice.

Tiel Feathers - thanks, me too! My husband just got home from work and said all the poop in the bottom of the cage looks normal to him, so that's good. I'm sure the urine is already dried, but at least the feces and urates still look normal. And he said she was calling out and being her normal noisy self like she is when you first walk in the door.

 

[corian9]

Update: Blood work came back completely normal for both liver and kidneys, thank goodness! The vet does think she has an issue with mucus causing the weird noises she's been making. She found a deformity in a structure in her upper palate (can't remember the name, I'm sorry). She thinks food or mucus may be getting trapped and causing the issue. The other potential source of the extra mucus is maybe her digestive tract is not moving food along fast enough and it is getting backed up causing the mucus production. The vet put her on an antibiotic, an anti-inflammatory, and reglan. So far so good! About a day and a half after starting this regimen she is completely normal!! Finally! The plan is to stop all three medicines at different times to see how she does. Thanks to everyone for their replies!

 

[Hankmacaw]

Your Dr. sounds lake a good one. The meds sound appropriate for her symptoms. We'll see in a couple of weeks.