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Diabetic Blue and Gold

missscoot

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Hi, My name is Debbie and I have a Blue and Gold named Mickey and she has been diagnosed with diabetes. I really would like to find anyone who has or has had or knows someone who has a diabetic bird and is willing to share their experience, treatments and thoughts. I have searched several forums and the internet in general and have found very little information. Even my avian vet had to do research on this. It would help so much if I had someone I could discuss this with and to know how they dealt with this. If there is anyone who could help me or knows of anyone or any place where I might find someone I would really appreciate your help. I am trying to do the best I can for Mickey but so unsure of what that should be. I have gotten a lot of help, suggestions and thoughts on another forum and it has been very very helpful but it would be wonderful to find someone I could share this experience with. Thank you.
 

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Lady Jane

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Hi Debbie: I am giving you the e mail address of a wonderful avian vet who will be able to steer you in the right direction. He does answer e mails or at least he used to. He helped me big time when I had a very sick Bird. His last name is Dr. Brian Spear and he is one of the best in the country. He will want to know the name of your avian vet and the details about your bird. Please let me know if this helps.
avnvet@aol.com Here is an article about him medcenterbirds / Doctors
 
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missscoot

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Thank you expressmailtome for the suggested article. I have seen this article and although my vets first response was to put Mickey on insulin I asked that we try the glipizide first because of the information in this and another article. And that is what Mickey is on at this time. Some days it seems like it is working but other days her sugars goes really high anyways. But it is definitely better than it was and her urine output is a lot less. Trying to adjust her diet but unfortunately she just doesn't seem to want to eat a lot lately even though I am trying many different things to encourage her to eat. And she needs to put some weight on, she is thin. But other than some crazy hormonal behavior that she never did before, she is acting fine as long as her sugar doesn't go down to low, then she gets the shakes and gets rather lethargic. So we are just taking it one day at a time right now and I am trying to make many different changes that have been recommended to help improve her health the best I can. I can only pray that they help in the long run. Thanks again for the info.
 

aooratrix

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I have no experience to offer. I wish you luck in managing your bird's health, though. I do wonder if diet would help regulate Mickey's sugar, though, like a human? If that's the case, you'd have to limit or eschew carbs such as grains in chop mixes. You'd also have to learn about foods that are high in sugar or convert to sugar, like corn.
 

missscoot

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aooratrix thank you for the well wishes. Mickey is already on a low carb low sugar diet. Unfortunately most of what she loves she no longer can have or very little of it. Fruits, pasta, breads etc. I have been researching what foods have low GI numbers and trying to encourage her to eat those. I have been told she can have whole wheat pasta but it should be 100% whole wheat and of course limiting it some. I've learned that barley is low and so are lentils. She is not crazy about the barley but did eat some. Need to find a way to make it a little more tasty though. Haven't tried the lentils yet. Never was much of a "greens" eater but if I can figure out a way to sneak them in it would help. Also going to try oatmeal tomorrow morning. Vet said higher protein but I have had others say that that is not a good idea. Not sure what to think there.
 

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I also wish you luck managing her health. This is a very rare thing for a bird to have as you have found because there aren't very many people (including vets) around that have experienced it. If order to become really informed I would contact a well known veterinary college or university that does the research on these things. You're very much in uncharted territory.

This is the food I use to help birds lose/gain/maintain weight. I don't think there is anything in there that a diabetic can't have?

"Parrot Butter" | Avian Avenue Parrot Forum


Does Mickey fly? Something that helps humans manage their diabetes is exercise. Fitness helps a lot of things.
 
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Lady Jane

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You made two postings. I wrote you a good contact in that post.
 

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You may want to contact Dr. Susan Orosz. Bird and Exotic Pet Wellness Center - Toledo, OH - Home

If she doesn't know something about this, she could tell you who does. I've traveled to the east coast and to Illinois to hear her speak. Very knowledgeable but in my eyes, more importantly, she loves birds.

I wonder if you could try making birdie breads with things like coconut flour?
 

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Sorry no experience with diabetes in birds. Humans lots and cats a little. Good luck with your Mickey and his health.
 

missscoot

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Hi Debbie: I am giving you the e mail address of a wonderful avian vet who will be able to steer you in the right direction. He does answer e mails or at least he used to. He helped me big time when I had a very sick Bird. His last name is Dr. Brian Spear and he is one of the best in the country. He will want to know the name of your avian vet and the details about your bird. Please let me know if this helps.
avnvet@aol.com Here is an article about him medcenterbirds / Doctors
Thank you for the information. I actually have already been in contact with Dr. Speers and received some advice and test recommendations which my vet has done. At this point we are confident in Mickeys diagnosis. But there are so many questions that I have about little things that I can't just keep going back and forth bothering my vet all the time. He has been helpful and I email him back and forth often but I feel at times his knowledge is even limited even though he is an avian vet. Especially when it comes to nutrition and health support with natural remedies. I have learned so much more on these forums. But to be honest I do gett a little overwhelmed at times. Not sure what to try and what not or what amount to give her. There is so little information. When you can't even find someone who has a bird with this how am I suppose to find what works? My vet has stated that there are many thoughts and ideas regarding diabetes in birds but no one knows for sure.
 

missscoot

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I also wish you luck managing her health. This is a very rare thing for a bird to have as you have found because there aren't very many people (including vets) around that have experienced it. If order to become really informed I would contact a well known veterinary college or university that does the research on these things. You're very much in uncharted territory.

This is the food I use to help birds lose/gain/maintain weight. I don't think there is anything in there that a diabetic can't have?

"Parrot Butter" | Avian Avenue Parrot Forum


Does Mickey fly? Something that helps humans manage their diabetes is exercise. Fitness helps a lot of things.
Thank you so much for this. Can't wait to try this. Mickey does love peanut butter on toast. But she isn't even eating much of that lately so I will be trying this as soon as I get all the ingredients. Have most of them already. Going to keep my fingers crossed that she will love it! She definitely needs the weight put on.
 

missscoot

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You may want to contact Dr. Susan Orosz. Bird and Exotic Pet Wellness Center - Toledo, OH - Home

If she doesn't know something about this, she could tell you who does. I've traveled to the east coast and to Illinois to hear her speak. Very knowledgeable but in my eyes, more importantly, she loves birds.

I wonder if you could try making birdie breads with things like coconut flour?
Will definitely check into this shortly. Thank you! Have read a lot about birdie breads but haven't had the chance to make it yet. Have to figure out which one would be best for Mickey.
 

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I have no experience with avian diabetes. Im curious, what sort of foods do you feed your macaw? What foods should you avoid?
 

JLcribber

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Thank you so much for this. Can't wait to try this. Mickey does love peanut butter on toast. But she isn't even eating much of that lately so I will be trying this as soon as I get all the ingredients. Have most of them already. Going to keep my fingers crossed that she will love it! She definitely needs the weight put on.
Use "almond butter". Not peanut butter. No sugars or additives.
 

aooratrix

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aooratrix thank you for the well wishes. Mickey is already on a low carb low sugar diet. Unfortunately most of what she loves she no longer can have or very little of it. Fruits, pasta, breads etc. I have been researching what foods have low GI numbers and trying to encourage her to eat those. I have been told she can have whole wheat pasta but it should be 100% whole wheat and of course limiting it some. I've learned that barley is low and so are lentils. She is not crazy about the barley but did eat some. Need to find a way to make it a little more tasty though. Haven't tried the lentils yet. Never was much of a "greens" eater but if I can figure out a way to sneak them in it would help. Also going to try oatmeal tomorrow morning. Vet said higher protein but I have had others say that that is not a good idea. Not sure what to think there.

It might be helpful to do some research on the Atkins diet, as it is low carb. Most sites have fairly comprehensive lists of low carb foods. And you might be able to entice her to eat more by adding red palm oil to her foods. Maybe let her lick a spoon, if she will, and then watch you mix it in to warm, suitable foods for her.

My birds will not eat large pieces of dark greens, either. I food process them and mix them into a chop so they stick to other things, like whole wheat rotini. Maybe you could make a pesto with dark greens, red Palm oil, and pine nuts to use for a sauce for her.
 
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