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  • This forum is for advice about initial treatment given to your injured/sick bird until a qualified avian veterinarian is available.
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Urgent Extremely Low Calcium/Bone Density

Azellia

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Melissa
Hi. I'm sorry if this is the wrong place for this post. I'm new here. Shook up right now and could use some insight/advice.

Took my parakeet (Booker) to the vet today because he was lethargic and throwing up. He's had a persistent, recurring crop infection, so I assumed it was another resurgence of that. Nope. Vet took X-rays and blood. Turns out his calcium and bone density are extremely low. Nowhere near where they should be, they said. They're keeping him in the hospital right now for treatment.

Vet tentatively said he has a 50/50 survival rate, but couldn't give me an exact answer, obviously. I'm terrified and hoping for the best, but also preparing for the worst.

Has anyone else ever dealt with this with their birds?? Any survival stories to give me some hope? And if my boy makes it home, does anyone have any advice on how to care for him? Obviously I'll be overhauling his diet to include more calcium sources, but is there anything else I should know about caring for a bird with very brittle bones?

Thanks. Any advice or assurance is really, really appreciated.
 

Mizzely

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I'm sorry, I don't know who here has dealt with this before, but I wanted to bump this up so it hopefully gets seen!
 

Mizzely

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From another member who can't post here...(WinterRune)

"She needs to give Vitamin D + Calcium and expose the bird in direct sun in a place that isn't windy. If she cant do it, she always can buy a UVA/B lamp, respecting time and distance, for absortion and help synthesize that calcium and vitamin D in order to increase bone density. ...

UVB lamps can create burns and eye cataracts she needs to have some cautious. But in the absence of exposing directly to the sun can help something can help."

You can also ask about Vitachok, and if in pain Meloxicam to give a relief. I did not copy dosage information for that as is best left to your vet
 

Mizzely

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What diet are they on now?
 

Azellia

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Melissa
What diet are they on now?
He's very picky. I provide him with seeds, a mix of Roudybush & Mazuri pellets (have been trying to transition him to a mostly or all-pellet diet for a while now, but it's a slow process), cuttlebone, mineral blocks, and assorted veggies, but he stubbornly sticks to mainly seed and greens like broccoli/lettuce.

The vet is giving him supplemental calcium plus a few other meds-I can't remember the exact names off the top of my head. He's also getting light/warmth. Very cold and cloudy outside over here so it has to be via lamp.

The vet called back a short while ago and says he's doing a little better. Slightly more active and eating, which is a good sign. Should be getting another update in a few hours.

Thank you for the advice!! I'll double-check the meds he's getting the next time the vet calls. And I'll get him liquid calcium and Vit D plus a lamp for when he hopefully comes home.
 
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Azellia

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Hi! Just wanted to give a happy update! Booker responded exceptionally well to the vet's treatment. They let me bring him home earlier today. He's on an antibiotic and supplemental calcium, and the vet reccomended he take it easy for the next week because of his brittle bones.

I also got some vitamins to sprinkle in his water and on his food, and have a UV lamp on the way. Vet also worked with me to come up with pellet transition methods I haven't tried yet, so hopefully one of those will be successful & I can finally get him off seed.

He has a follow up appointment next week, so we'll see how he's doing then, but vet says that so long as he takes his meds & we work on his food pickiness, he should be fine. :)
 
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