Tiel Feathers
Joyriding the Neighborhood
Avenue Veteran
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I’m so very sorry for your loss.
Thank you so much!! You are like an angel to me right now, no even the doctor talked to me and explain about it, they just said you only have 5 minutes to answer me if we put her down or prolonged her life but she’s going to suffer a lot. That’s the only thing they said to me… Thank you for answering me every single message, I know how I can only count in you guys, because so far nobody in the hospital bothered to tell me anything in detail.There is a lot of discussion (and research) as to how birds acquire the ABV virus. No one knows for sure, but the most favored theory, right now, is that the huge majority of infections are passed down from hen to baby in the eggs. There are other theories out there, but none have been proven - including the egg theory.
Keep in mind that it is estimated that approximately 30%+ of our parrots, both wild and captured are infected with ABV.
The ABV is not highly contagious and it lives for only about 8 hours outside of the host. Many, many birds live their lifetime with the AV virus and never develop clinical PDD.
To my knowledge (and my knowledge s not all encompassing) none of the results/symptoms of PDD include blistering. But realize that any bird that was as ill as yours was has absolutely no immune system and is subject to anything, any bacteria, any fungus and multiple organ failures, which can cause many illnesses. I would not focus too very much on those "blisters" - PDD killed her.
Here is the most recent and most encompassing information on ABV/PDD. Perhaps some of your questions can be answered by reading this paper. I have read it several times and still don't understand everything in it, but it's a good start.
https://lafeber.com/vet/wp-content/uploads/Avian-Bornaviral-Ganglioneuritis-in-Clinical-Practice.pdf
My complete sympathy is with you.
I hope I will find my hero vet too… now I will need to check my other 2 birds for this too but I Don’t Know where to go right now and I just going to take a break until Monday, I’m in too much pain right now for getting another bad news ( just in case ) and they look healthy right now, so I will try get an appointment as soon as possible.Thank you. We are kind and caring people on this forum.
My advice for you is to find a vet that you like and who is responsive to you and your birds. It may take several tries, but do it. I've been with my vet for almost 25 years now and he is my hero. He saved my Hank and Jaspers' lives numerous times and has always taught me and been completely honest and open with me. They ultimately died, but not because of a lack of medical care. He is now guiding me through this very difficult journey with Kitty and PDD. She will die, but because of him and his caring I will be confident that everything that can be done will be done and the rest of her life will be the best it can be.
I'll ask @Macawnutz to post her criteria for a vet. she's really busy so it may be a couple of days.
I agree with you!! Thank you so much, this is the best place I ever found to get clear answers and advices.I´m very sorry you didn´t get any clear answers for your vet. I don´t know anything about ABV but Mary Lynn is knowledgable and yes, she´s an Angel.
Sending warm thoughts your way
Ohh Thank you so much, I just got them not too long ago like around 3 months ( two parakeets) and before my other bird, I never got anything related to this kind of things, so I’m not sure what kind of tests should I ask to check in them, I always was told: ohh your birds looks healthy, they don’t need any blood test or things like that and I trusted the vet blinded, I always was more a lizard person until I rescued my two birds ( my profile picture ) and now I’m half lol half bird, half lizard, so this still very new to me and my ignorance of thinking they never going yo get sick as long as I take good care of them and check them with the vet from time to time, I’m embarrassed of myself… that’s why I said my vets before were terrible experiences for my birds….The test you need to ask for is the "antigangliode assay".