Here We Go Again ... Liver Disease

[Azellia]

Well, after losing two budgies a year apart, now I have another that's fallen ill. She was showing signs that suggested a potential infection, so I went to get her checked out. Gram stain, beautiful. So we did an x-ray and bloodwork. X-ray showed slightly enlarged liver. Her bile acids were very high. I didn't get a number but the vet said it was one of the highest she's ever seen... which of course is terrifying to hear. AST is also slightly elevated. All else normal.

They said they can't really say what's causing the liver disease now, but rechecking her values in 10 days will give them a better idea as to how treatable it is.

She's on milk thistle + lactulose, an antibiotic (Clavamox) just in case of a liver infection, colchicine, and some anti-nausea meds. The vet said all things considered, she appears stable to them at least. At home she was very lethargic and making vomiting movements, though nothing came up. Today, she's still very fluffy and tired, and I can tell her foot is hurting her a bit from the blood draw, but the vomiting movements have stopped. She's still able to perch and is eating. But she doesn't look great.

Does anyone have any other tips for keeping her stable until the recheck? We don't know what type of liver disease this is. She's only 32 grams. Gets a good variety in her food but isn't the best pellet eater, so I've been sprinkling more on her sprouts to get some more in her. But she is a she, and I know hens can be more prone to issues like fatty liver due to hormones. I'm just hoping it's not cancer.

 

[rocky'smom]

Set up a hospital cage with warmth and hydration and food. My vet said hydration and warmth were the 2 most important factors.

 

[Emma&pico]

Positive energy sending to her

How’s she doing

 

[Azellia]

She's still very, very sleepy today, but her appetite is good and she's been singing and playing a bit. Hope that's a good sign!

 

[CMMarsh]

Well, after losing two budgies a year apart, now I have another that's fallen ill. She was showing signs that suggested a potential infection, so I went to get her checked out. Gram stain, beautiful. So we did an x-ray and bloodwork. X-ray showed slightly enlarged liver. Her bile acids were very high. I didn't get a number but the vet said it was one of the highest she's ever seen... which of course is terrifying to hear. AST is also slightly elevated. All else normal.

They said they can't really say what's causing the liver disease now, but rechecking her values in 10 days will give them a better idea as to how treatable it is.

She's on milk thistle + lactulose, an antibiotic (Clavamox) just in case of a liver infection, colchicine, and some anti-nausea meds. The vet said all things considered, she appears stable to them at least. At home she was very lethargic and making vomiting movements, though nothing came up. Today, she's still very fluffy and tired, and I can tell her foot is hurting her a bit from the blood draw, but the vomiting movements have stopped. She's still able to perch and is eating. But she doesn't look great.

Does anyone have any other tips for keeping her stable until the recheck? We don't know what type of liver disease this is. She's only 32 grams. Gets a good variety in her food but isn't the best pellet eater, so I've been sprinkling more on her sprouts to get some more in her. But she is a she, and I know hens can be more prone to issues like fatty liver due to hormones. I'm just hoping it's not cancer.

Might try offering some diluted apple juice and no sugar added applesauce. My birds like it.

 

[CMMarsh]

She's still very, very sleepy today, but her appetite is good and she's been singing and playing a bit. Hope that's a good sign!

My vet had prescribed milk thistle, Vitamin B complex, and VetOmega. I think they helped but it didn’t save my Julie, Eclectus euthanized 2/14/26 best wishes for your baby.

 

[Clueless]

Secret has been on a lactulose blend of milk thistle (and a couple other things) for years. She gets the meds twice a day.

 

[webchirp]

My boys are on milk thistle dandelion. Well all of them since I just put it on their crushed nutriberries and shake them up before putting in the bowl.

 

[Azellia]

Some slightly good news from the vet today; after 10 days on meds, her values have decreased a little bit. They're still very high, but the vet feels this is a good sign the meds are working. Plan is to recheck again in a month to see where they stand then. Blanc is still pretty sleepy but perking up a little, appetite is still good.

 

[Azellia]

Here with an update after a while. Not a great one, unfortunately. We tried to get repeat bloodwork from her a week and a half ago with no dice; she wouldn't bleed. Then, yesterday, she began breathing rapidly, so I rushed her to the vet this morning. X-ray showed a little bit of congestion in the lungs, a slightly larger liver, and most notably, what appears to be a reproductive tumor. She's getting a diuretic and implant, and being kept overnight to see if her breathing gets better. If she doesn't improve with treatment, we have to talk about QoL.

 

[HelenVanessaDavies]

Oh no I'm so sorry to hear this. Hoping for good news for you

 

[Azellia]

A slightly positive update. She's doing better today. Breathing is still a bit labored, but much improved. She's eating and preening and moving around. No reactions to the implant that we can tell. She did, however, start regurgitating a little. This could be from a few things: she did have some bacteria on her gram stain (kind of right on the edge of infection vs. no infection), so she's being given an antibiotic. It could be a sedation side effect: she had to be sedated twice yesterday, once for the xray, then again for the implant. It could be from her liver. It could also be stress from the hospitalization. Vet thinks she should be able to come home tomorrow safely, though.

 

[Azellia]

A more positive update!
Today is day 2 of Blanc being home from the vet, and she's doing pretty alright! While I know the Deselorin implant won't cure her reproductive mass, I think it has the potential to work REALLY well for her. Already, her attitude is much improved. She's been very feisty and a lot more vocal, which is the Blanc I remember prior to her being diagnosed with liver disease a few months back.

On top of that, her cere has changed dramatically overnight. For a bit of context, Blanc's puberty was kind of weird. For 4 years, she retained the fleshy pink baby cere, with maybe a little light blue at the edges and whiteness around the nares. I had a hard time figuring out whether she was a boy or girl. Then, shortly after turning 4, her cere finally went brown... and then it stayed brown, eternally. I read that this can sometimes be normal, and most vets I mentioned it to didn't seem overly concerned. But the vet that found the mass mentioned how the cere really should cycle based on hormonal status. She believes Blanc has been dealing with hyperestrogenism for a while now. WELL, her cere that was fully crusty brown a few days ago, has now shed the brown on one side! She's half and half.

There's also a chance her liver disease is caused by, or at least worsened by, her hormones. Apparently hyperestrogenism can sometimes throw off lipid metabolism, which can then result in hepatic lipidosis forming. So there's a chance that will get more controllable once her hormones settle.

Anyway, I still don't know how much longer I have with Blanc. We don't know if the mass is benign or malignant. There's also a chance it could be an ovarian cyst that we saw, but those often accompany neoplasia. But it's looking like the implant is already having some positive impact just a few days in, which I feel is a potentially good sign for her longevity!

 

[Azellia]

I'm a bit worried about Blanc today. She keeps doing this thing where her body will shake (like she's fluffing up), and at the same time, one of her feet will raise. This is an every couple minute kind of thing. I'm a bit worried it could be a spasm or mini seizure? I've never experienced this in a pet before so I'm not sure. Will have to call the vet most likely.

 

[Azellia]

I'm wondering if it could be from the Furosemide. I called her vet-they'll get back to me as soon as they can-and offered her some dilulted, unflavored Pedialyte just because I had a small hunch. Spasms seem to be decreasing a little bit. That would probably be best case scenario.

 

[Azellia]

You know what - it looks just like toe tapping and wing flipping in Ekkies.

 

[Azellia]

Vet got back to me-isn't concerned about any neurological abnormality or seizure based on the video I sent. Said it could just be a medicine side effect or stress and to keep an eye on her.

 

[Azellia]

At the vet now. She's dealing with even worse control of her leg and wing function.

 

[Azellia]

They're keeping her again. Goal is to hopefully stabilize her today. If they can, they will attempt bloodwork tomorrow to see if she needs supplementation of calcium or anything else. Right now not looking great though

 

[Clueless]

Sorry to see this.
Prayers up.