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Help With Gout Medications

redrose27

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11/2/20
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Hi there, so my sister (bird) Kony recently was diagnosed with gout (articular) back in februrary, and she was given a gout medication (Herbal Complex) for it. Now fast forward to today March 19th 2021, and her foot has gotten more swollen and I have noticed more white spots aka uric acid crystals forming in her foot. Even though she is on the medication the foot is getting worse. I did call the vet and they said they will give me something stronger (I dont know why they did not mention this medicine or give it to me in the first place) but Its essentially the same medication I am giving her now but stronger and should help. With her current medication (the Herbal Complex aka weaker medication I mentioned at fist) her attitude has gotten better and she does not nap as often as she did before. She has become more fiesty after giving her the medication for about what is a month now. And I noticed less sparklyness in her pee (the white part of the poop). But the foot just keeps getting worse. Im not sure if there is a medication that can help break down the crystals forming in her foot joints. I do know that the common go to medicines for gout reduce the production of the uric acid and help with the urinating but it does not seem to cure the gout itself. Im hesitant to ask for allipurinol as it reduces uric acid but I am worried if I were to take her off of it at any time in the future things would just backfire to square one. Tomorrow my parents are going to get the new medicine, the vet told me they could give her fluids to help speed up the process or medicine that goes in the water. But I dont want to be potentialy harming her kidneys and to give her fluids at the vet cost too much. So I wanted to ask anyone here for advice on this situation and what they think. As for the new medicine I am getting the woman on the phone said it taste terrible and would be best to mix it with juice. I did do reaserch and found that Nettle Tea, Devils Claw (natural anti inflammatory that reduces pain and helps with getting rid of uric acid) , Bromelain and Quercetin (natural anti inflammatory that occurs in many vegstables and fruits), and Aloe Detox could help with the joint issue. But I wanted to know if anyone here could say that Nettle Tea or Aloe Detox is safe for budgies. (my bird is a budgie). Any advice will help.
 

Blueberry

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I have given my birds organic nettle tea (I’ve broken the tea bag in their food) and for their misting water I add aloe from my plant. I have in the past put aloe Vera (the inside gel from my plant ) into their water before - my vet said it was fine. Have you looked into dandelion root and leaf?
 

Hankmacaw

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It would help to know which medications (name) and herbs (name) the bird is taking now.

Aloe does not do much of anything for anything - thank goodness it does no harm 9except when put on a bird's feathers) so all the people who have been taken in by the aloe producers outrageous claims aren't actually harming their bird. I'm not sold on many naturalist cures except milk thistle - it is supported by real doctors. Dandelion has some support (but it needs more research) from the real medical community.

Allipurinol is the go to medication for gout and the bird may need to be on it for it's lifetime.

Her is a good article on gout in birds - it would serve you well to read it.
 

redrose27

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It would help to know which medications (name) and herbs (name) the bird is taking now.

Aloe does not do much of anything for anything - thank goodness it does no harm 9except when put on a bird's feathers) so all the people who have been taken in by the aloe producers outrageous claims aren't actually harming their bird. I'm not sold on many naturalist cures except milk thistle - it is supported by real doctors. Dandelion has some support (but it needs more research) from the real medical community.

Allipurinol is the go to medication for gout and the bird may need to be on it for it's lifetime.

Her is a good article on gout in birds - it would serve you well to read it.
Im going to talk to them tomorrow when I pick up the medicine about allipurionol (sorry if I spelled that wrong) but I think I might have to get blood work done to determine if her UA (uric acid) levels are too high in order to take it. I have reaserched and avians that do take it seem to have high or abnormal UA levels that show in blood work. But im not sure of the consiquences if its taken when the UA levels are unkown aka without bloodwrok being done before hand.

Edit: the medicine she is taking now is called Herbal Complex for Gout 15cc, its a powder I have to mix with water and give twice a day. Its light brown in color. I dont know what specific herbs or ingredients it has but as far as the vet told me it has things in it to support her kidney and help with the swelling.
 
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redrose27

Strolling the yard
Joined
11/2/20
Messages
113
Location
Florida
I have given my birds organic nettle tea (I’ve broken the tea bag in their food) and for their misting water I add aloe from my plant. I have in the past put aloe Vera (the inside gel from my plant ) into their water before - my vet said it was fine. Have you looked into dandelion root and leaf?
I have switch my birds food to lafibers senior nutriberries but she refuses to eat the pelleted part but likes the berries and seeds of it so now I mix the nutriberries with her old seed so she does not starve from being picky and not eating the pellets. The lafiber food does contain dandelion roof or leaf and many anti inflamatory properties. As for what @Hankmacaw said I think I will skip out on the aloe vera (also I dont have an aloe vera plant). As for the other things I mentioned I plan on shopping this weekend to get my budige blueberries, romanian lettuce, carrots (which we already have) and feeding these chopped up and mixed daily. What I am wondering about is the Nettle Tea, what specific tea do you get for your birds and how do you feed it to them? I have never given my bird tea before so I have no clue how to properly give it to her and at what ammounts.
 

iamwhoiam

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Im going to talk to them tomorrow when I pick up the medicine about allipurionol (sorry if I spelled that wrong) but I think I might have to get blood work done to determine if her UA (uric acid) levels are too high in order to take it. I have reaserched and avians that do take it seem to have high or abnormal UA levels that show in blood work. But im not sure of the consiquences if its taken when the UA levels are unkown aka without bloodwrok being done before hand.

Edit: the medicine she is taking now is called Herbal Complex for Gout 15cc, its a powder I have to mix with water and give twice a day. Its light brown in color. I dont know what specific herbs or ingredients it has but as far as the vet told me it has things in it to support her kidney and help with the swelling.
I currently have two birds on allopurinol for elevated uric acid levels and the last few times they had blood work done the u.a. levels were good. It's a good idea to get blood work done to get more complete information about your bird before starting her on the allopurinol, JMHO.
 

redrose27

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Florida
I currently have two birds on allopurinol for elevated uric acid levels and the last few times they had blood work done the u.a. levels were good. It's a good idea to get blood work done to get more complete information about your bird before starting her on the allopurinol, JMHO.
what does JMHO mean?
 

Blueberry

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Lulu
I just break the tea bag open and sprinkle it in their food. I know some people will make their birds tea - I don’t know the ratio of water. I buy organic tea from the store- and always check the ingredients to make sure they can have everything that is listed.
 

Hankmacaw

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JMHO = just my humble opinion
 

redrose27

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Location
Florida
UPDATE: So I got the new medicine and I wish I looked at my voice mails before hand because I got a voice mail from the vet saying they would make the liquid medication for her if I needed it as well (Im assuming its allipurenol). But by the time I saw it I was already home and my mom works all week so going back was out of the question sadly. Regardless Im keeping an eye on her with this new medication. Shes definietly more active, does not sit around poofed up all the time now. But I did notice shes a lot pickier with her food sometimes.
I tried switching her to Lafeber senior nurtiberries but she refuses to eat the pelleted part. She did however dig around for the seeds of the nutriberries and the berry part itself. At first I mixed it with her old seed but she would ignore it. So after 3 days I changed the whole food to nutriberries (I break them up with my hand). She ignored the pellets and ate the seeds and berries.
I noticed this and knew she was being too picky and needed more to eat so after 3 days of a picky battle trying to get her to eat the pellets I gave in and went back to mixing it with her old seed. Its fine but every time I do it at first shes picky. She now ignores her old seed and just digs for the seeds that come in the Lafeber nutriberries instead. She did eat some pellet thought but it was very small and broken off.
Its not like her to ignore her seed or any seed. Shes not starving but I plan on getting a mini blender of some sort to break her food down before serving it to her so she can eat the pellets. At first I was worried this might be another symptom of gout (appetite loss) but after the first day of giving her fresh food she just goes back to eating everything. But with more pickyness to it. (And shes still pooping the solid poop part which means she has to have eaten because no one makes poop out of nothing).
Aside from this I also left a note for the vet about Nettle Tea and blueberries to see if it was ok to give her since I want to make sure I dont feed her things that could make gout worse.
 
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