Cockatiel vomiting

[DerpsyDaisy]

My girl cockatiel has been vomiting on and off. I usually take her to a certified avian vet who is two hours away, but I was out of money and took her to a local vet who sees birds. He performed a gram stain and said she had a bacterial infection and put her on amoxicillin. I looked it up and amoxicillin doesn't seem to really do much for birds. She's had bacterial infections before and the certified avian vet gave her something different. So, wanting a second opinion, I found a way to get the money, which I should have done in the first place and fearing the worst, (she's acting pretty normal besides the vomiting, but last time this happened she went down really quick) I took her to the emergency vet, only to be told there is no infection. He wanted to do an x-ray, but by this point I'm out of money, and carecredit, so I couldn't afford it. He thought there might be a foreign object, but he could not tell without an x-ray. I'm just confused and spent at this point, and am not sure what to do, or if there's anything I can do but keep an eye on her. She chews everything and I thought the things I had in her cage were safe for her, but now I'm afraid for her to chew anything, but if it is that, it's really too late to do anything. I'm just not sure what to do anymore.

 

[Shezbug]

I do not have advice for you I am sorry to say but I am sure some others with more medical knowledge will be along and give you some help soon I just wanted to say welcome to the Avenue!

@Hankmacaw, @Tiel Feathers, @tielluver, @Mizzely, may be able to help you or tag some others to give you some advice to help.

 

[sunnysmom]

I'm not familiar with amoxicillin for birds. How long has she been on it and how long has she been vomiting? I hope she's okay.

@enigma731 ?

 

[enigma731]

I just had a bird on amoxicillin. It all depends on what infection it's intended to treat.

 

[Tiel Feathers]

How often is she vomiting? And you’re sure it’s not regurgitating? I would try to borrow money from a family member or someone and take her to your regular vet. I hope she will be okay!

 

[iamwhoiam]

Sorry that your 'tiel is ill. What testing did the emergency vet do? Culture and sensitivity, blood work???
Hope that she will be better. Is she still vomiting?

 

[DerpsyDaisy]

I've already taken her to two different vets who said two different things. I trust the one that said she didn't have a bacterial infection more, but still wonder how the first vet came up with bacteria. She has a sisal perch that she chews all the time that is starting to seems suspect to me. I took it out, along with most anything made of string but it might be too late. But then again, maybe it was some sort of infection. Is difficult when you get told two different things.

 

[Hankmacaw]

Amoxicillin is fine for birds. Mine have been on it several times.

 

[DerpsyDaisy]

The first vet it looked like he swabbed her throat and her vent. The second vet swabbed her throat, took a crop swab and got a sample of her poop.

 

[sunnysmom]

How long has she been on the antibiotics? It sometimes takes a few days for them to start working.

 

[enigma731]

If the second vet tested her after she had started antibiotics, it wasn't a valid test.

 

[sunnysmom]

If the second vet tested her after she had started antibiotics, it wasn't a valid test.

Oh good point. I hadn't thought of that.

 

[enigma731]

Oh good point. I hadn't thought of that.

That's why I've got the letters after my name

Though I'm surprised the second vet didn't account for it.

 

[iamwhoiam]

Is she still vomiting?

 

[DerpsyDaisy]

She hasn't had them since the second vet said she didn't have an infection. The second vet gave her a shot of metoclopramide and some to give her at home. She had this weird colored poo. Gonna keep an eye on it.

 

[DerpsyDaisy]

When I took her to the second vet she had only had two doses of antibiotics and he said it hadn't had enough time to do anything so it shouldn't throw off the test. He swabbed pretty much everything so I would've thought he'd have caught it. My husband hasn't seen her throw up again and she's had a decent appetite. She does sit ever so slightly fluffed with maybe slightly droopy wings. It's so hard to tell sometimes. But she did have a dark poop with beige yellow urates with looked somewhat gritty which is worrying.
IMG-20181026-142318647 — imgbb.com

 

[DerpsyDaisy]

Poop seems to be going back to normal. Please just let this be some weird stomach upset.

 

[enigma731]

I have a bird who vomits and has trouble digesting when she gets stressed. Has there been anything new or stressful lately?

 

[enigma731]

P.S. that poop doesn't look terrible to me, it just looks like her GI tract was moving a bit slowly

 

[DerpsyDaisy]

Anything I can be giving/feeding her that will be easy on her and strengthen her? She's also been very hormonal. Can stress make her sick like that? Also she doesn't really have any toys left and seems very bored. I took most of them out because i was scared she might eat them. I feel like if she had something to distract her she'd be less stressed out. I'm broke and have no money for toys but have plenty of paper and cardboard. Where's a good place for toy ideas?