Hi all,
I already posted a few times on this sub, but I guess it's all old info and too hard too keep up with and I am going to put everything on this post now because of all the updates.
So I have a cockatiel, soon to be 9. Had him for 8. We are not sure of the gender, we got him as a male but he is doing some typical female stuff. No eggs tho so we are staying at "he" lol.
Anyways, he got some brown scabs and peeling skin on the bottom side of his feet in beggining of december, however I am going to be honest I thought he just hurt himself a bit and I didn't know about bumblefoot. I got him while I was still in primary school and now I am in college in another town, so because I can't take care of him he stays in my hometown and my family takes great care of him. I visit my hometown often, like 2-3 times a month for a weekend, but due to me getting sick and also exams, I wasn't at home a long time and when I came back I realised the scabs are still there and I need to inform the vet. That was beginning of February. Literally the next day his leg got swollen and purple. This is his left leg. Right leg, only brown scabs. Keep in mind through this story, when his leg is swelled up, he can't stand on that leg because it hurts him. Vet gave me antibiotic, enrofloxacin and anti-inflammation medicine, both of which he takes in some soft food, because they are in liquid form.
So this is how therapy worked: he was on anti-inflammation medicine (non steroid) for 5 days, (his swelling was gone in 2 days!) and antibiotic for 2 weeks. Also some antibiotic, anti-inflammation cream for those 2 weeks. After all this, we got some other antibiotic that was thick for a few days so he can finish his therapy but... swelling started again. Scabs came back. We figured it was bumblefoot again, but my vet suspected gout (the swelling part) because he had polyuria for some time in October, (we took some antibiotics then in October - doxycycline, and it resolved on it's own but she still suspected gout). So we got him some pain medicine for that (gabapentin) along with more enrofloxacin and new inflammation medicine, this time steroid. His swelling got better, scabs also ... And then he started throwing up. To make this story short: we had to stop all medicine, suspected that his tummy was upset from all the medicine, then we changed the antibiotics to clindamycin because we thought it was the antibiotic making him sick, but his swelling wasn't getting better so we gave him the steroid anti-inflammation medicine again and he started throwing up again and we realised that it was the reason for throwing up. So the new antibiotic wasn't doing anything for the scabs, we are back to literally first medicine: enrofloxacin and non-steroid anti-inflammation medicine. And why am I writing all this? The non steroid one, that worked before, is not working anymore on him. His leg is still swelled and it's not getting better.
Also, everytime we stop the medicine his swelling gets even worse than the last time untill we start the medicine again - it takes up more of his foot, and now even some part of the leg.
I am so tired and depressed. I am aware that I am probably getting consequences from my actions: not figuring out I need to call the vet earlier. But from that point in February, me , and my family, are doing everything we can. Constantly contacting my vet, traveling constantly from different towns to bring him medicine and take care of him as much as I can (my vet is in my college town because no good vets in hometown), buying vet bandages for his perches, cleaning cage etc. literally doing everything I can. At this point idk if it's gout or bumblefoot, but I don't know what to do with the swelling. It gives him pain, and that gives me pain. I don't know why the old medicine is not working now. I guess, in a way, I am just venting, but if you have any idea what is going on with my cockatiel, or have some advice, or just some words of encouragment, it would mean a lot to me. He is a little fighter: he eats, is active, preens, and he is even better when we get his swelling down. I am so proud of him. I just want this to end. Hopefully the next medicine for inflammation helps. But at this point, I am already prepared for the worst. I am not delusional, but I still wish some medicine, or at this point, miracle, helps.
TL;DR: Cockatiel probably has bumblefoot with purple swelling one one leg, and brown scabs on the other, only anti-inflammation medicine helps with swelling but he can't take the steroid ones because they make him throw up and now the non steroid ones that worked before don't work. He is constantly back and forth on different antibiotics which seems that are not curing it. Maybe he has gout, or some other thing that makes the scabs and swelling. Asking if anyone has experience or advice.
The two pictures are when he is not getting the anti-inflammation medicine vs his leg being more or less fine when on it.
I already posted a few times on this sub, but I guess it's all old info and too hard too keep up with and I am going to put everything on this post now because of all the updates.
So I have a cockatiel, soon to be 9. Had him for 8. We are not sure of the gender, we got him as a male but he is doing some typical female stuff. No eggs tho so we are staying at "he" lol.
Anyways, he got some brown scabs and peeling skin on the bottom side of his feet in beggining of december, however I am going to be honest I thought he just hurt himself a bit and I didn't know about bumblefoot. I got him while I was still in primary school and now I am in college in another town, so because I can't take care of him he stays in my hometown and my family takes great care of him. I visit my hometown often, like 2-3 times a month for a weekend, but due to me getting sick and also exams, I wasn't at home a long time and when I came back I realised the scabs are still there and I need to inform the vet. That was beginning of February. Literally the next day his leg got swollen and purple. This is his left leg. Right leg, only brown scabs. Keep in mind through this story, when his leg is swelled up, he can't stand on that leg because it hurts him. Vet gave me antibiotic, enrofloxacin and anti-inflammation medicine, both of which he takes in some soft food, because they are in liquid form.
So this is how therapy worked: he was on anti-inflammation medicine (non steroid) for 5 days, (his swelling was gone in 2 days!) and antibiotic for 2 weeks. Also some antibiotic, anti-inflammation cream for those 2 weeks. After all this, we got some other antibiotic that was thick for a few days so he can finish his therapy but... swelling started again. Scabs came back. We figured it was bumblefoot again, but my vet suspected gout (the swelling part) because he had polyuria for some time in October, (we took some antibiotics then in October - doxycycline, and it resolved on it's own but she still suspected gout). So we got him some pain medicine for that (gabapentin) along with more enrofloxacin and new inflammation medicine, this time steroid. His swelling got better, scabs also ... And then he started throwing up. To make this story short: we had to stop all medicine, suspected that his tummy was upset from all the medicine, then we changed the antibiotics to clindamycin because we thought it was the antibiotic making him sick, but his swelling wasn't getting better so we gave him the steroid anti-inflammation medicine again and he started throwing up again and we realised that it was the reason for throwing up. So the new antibiotic wasn't doing anything for the scabs, we are back to literally first medicine: enrofloxacin and non-steroid anti-inflammation medicine. And why am I writing all this? The non steroid one, that worked before, is not working anymore on him. His leg is still swelled and it's not getting better.
Also, everytime we stop the medicine his swelling gets even worse than the last time untill we start the medicine again - it takes up more of his foot, and now even some part of the leg.
I am so tired and depressed. I am aware that I am probably getting consequences from my actions: not figuring out I need to call the vet earlier. But from that point in February, me , and my family, are doing everything we can. Constantly contacting my vet, traveling constantly from different towns to bring him medicine and take care of him as much as I can (my vet is in my college town because no good vets in hometown), buying vet bandages for his perches, cleaning cage etc. literally doing everything I can. At this point idk if it's gout or bumblefoot, but I don't know what to do with the swelling. It gives him pain, and that gives me pain. I don't know why the old medicine is not working now. I guess, in a way, I am just venting, but if you have any idea what is going on with my cockatiel, or have some advice, or just some words of encouragment, it would mean a lot to me. He is a little fighter: he eats, is active, preens, and he is even better when we get his swelling down. I am so proud of him. I just want this to end. Hopefully the next medicine for inflammation helps. But at this point, I am already prepared for the worst. I am not delusional, but I still wish some medicine, or at this point, miracle, helps.
TL;DR: Cockatiel probably has bumblefoot with purple swelling one one leg, and brown scabs on the other, only anti-inflammation medicine helps with swelling but he can't take the steroid ones because they make him throw up and now the non steroid ones that worked before don't work. He is constantly back and forth on different antibiotics which seems that are not curing it. Maybe he has gout, or some other thing that makes the scabs and swelling. Asking if anyone has experience or advice.
The two pictures are when he is not getting the anti-inflammation medicine vs his leg being more or less fine when on it.
