Urgent Cockatiel - Stroke or Seizure?!

[SD1030]

My 8 year old cockatiel (who I have already posted about) suffered from an episode today that scared me immensely. Took him to the vet and they couldn’t figure it out either. I’m hoping someone can help me identify what happened.

Basically he was sitting on my lap, when all of a sudden he had this confused look/ daze. His eyes looked glazed over, looking away from me, his beak was open. I touched his head and he barely moved it. He was frozen almost. I tried to pick him up, he wouldn’t perch on my finger. Then when I tried again, he was able to perch with his right foot but his left foot was flaccid and he couldn’t grip anything with his left foot.

Then all of a sudden he started flapping, I don’t recall with both wings or just one. I was in a state of shock.

the whole episode lasted 45 seconds but felt like an hour. He’s fine now, perching and active and is able to use both feet just fine.

he does suffer from some atherosclerosis so the vet said it could have been a transient ischemic attack (stroke) but she wasn’t sure, it could have been a seizure.

some recent changes to his diet:
I started feeding him bell peppers and romaine lettuce. He started a new antibiotic to treat a potential respiratory/ GI infection. He’s experiencing acid reflux type symptoms because he has a distended proventriculus

any ideas? Was it a stroke/transient ischemic attack, or a seizure?

 

[Zara]

Maybe visit another vet for a second opinion?

 

[sunnysmom]

My cockatiel, Sunny, had a stroke. It was a bit more severe than what you're describing, but similar enough that I am thinking your tiel had a stroke. My tiel also had the dazed/not there look. In his case though, his left wing drooped and he couldn't move it. I rushed him to the vet and the vet said it was a stroke. He advised that there really wasn't much to do to treat a stroke other than just let the bird rest. He also said that cockatiels tend to recover pretty quickly from strokes. Which by that evening, my tiel was back to flying, despite my efforts to not let him. After talking to a woman who I consider a cockatiel expert (but not a vet), she suggested making sure that my tiel was getting enough vitamin B in his diet and eliminating anything with vitamin K (like broccoli). It can thicken the blood, which you don't want with a bird prone to strokes. And she also suggested I give him senior nutriberries (but my tiel was about 18 at the time). Did your vet suggest anything for the atherosclerosis ? I hope your tiel will be okay.