Mystery Illness

[fluffypoptarts]

Neutrino has been to two vets for vomiting and labored breathing in the last two months (was better for a while but just went in again for recurrence). She was treated with doxycycline the first time. Her vomit is clear but viscous and ends up all over her head and she is vomiting multiple times a day. She’s losing weight and I’m very worried about her.

The cultures from her swabs aren’t really growing anything, but I find that very strange when she’s obviously sick and her white blood cell count is elevated. We’ll be getting medication any day (they sent it to us, just waiting for it to arrive). For now we’ve got the hospital cage set up. I was just wondering if anyone had a similar experience or ideas as to what could be making her vomit yet not showing up in the cultures.

 

[Shezbug]

I’m sorry to hear this

Probably no where near the same thing as our experience didn’t last long enough to warrant a vet visit but I’ll share anyway.

Birdie has vomited a few times the slimy bubbly clear mucous like stuff but each time he’s done it it’s also been full of seed he usually only eats a bit of (oat and wheat) and once that’s cleared out there’s no more vomit.
I think in our case he was gorging on a seed he usually eats sparingly because I was late with his breakfast and refilling seed/pellet dish.

 

[Mizzely]

Have you tested for AGY (Avian gastric yeast infection)? I know it can be a tricky beast to get nailed down. Might be worth treating for that regardless.

 

[sunnysmom]

Sorry to hear that. My thought is possibly yeast too. Hope she will be okay.

 

[Zara]

Aw I hope you´re able to figure it out and Neutrino makes a steady recovery

 

[fluffypoptarts]

We’re giving her flagyl/diflucan/baytril (combined) once a day for 10 days. Just started yesterday. She’s still throwing up and very weak but it seems like she’s eating a tiny bit more today.

 

[Deleted member 57370]

Have you tested for AGY (Avian gastric yeast infection)? I know it can be a tricky beast to get nailed down. Might be worth treating for that regardless.

Agree this is a possibility . Takes amphotericn B if this was determined to be a possibility. May have other treatments im not aware of.

Sure hope your baby feels better soon

 

[fluffypoptarts]

Neut had another vet visit this morning (finally with our usual avian vet) because we are very worried and she hasn’t really improved much with the medication other than vomiting a bit less. She has lost more weight (despite eating regularly) and is very weak and wobbly. Our vet is very concerned about her and has hospitalized her over the weekend to tube feed her and give her injectable medication in case she’s not absorbing well through her digestive tract. If there’s no improvement, she’s going to do X-rays, but she really wants to avoid putting Neut under since she’s so dangerously weak right now.

 

[fluffypoptarts]

Have you tested for AGY (Avian gastric yeast infection)? I know it can be a tricky beast to get nailed down. Might be worth treating for that regardless.

They did do cultures to see if anything was growing but nothing abnormal came up. Even in her blood work, it was elevated WBC and nothing else. Would that not have shown up in the cultures?

 

[Zara]

Poor sweetie Keeping her in my thoughts!

 

[fluffypoptarts]

Poor sweetie Keeping her in my thoughts!

Thank you…I hate having to leave her but I know there’s no better place for her. Our vet is going to take her home with her since they don’t have staff staying on the premises.

 

[April]

Oh no I'm so sorry to hear there isn't any improvement. I'll be thinking all the good thoughts for her.

 

[SunTruth]

Wishing her to get better very fast!

 

[fluffypoptarts]

So even though she gained 3 grams over the weekend she’s still weak and showing signs of neurological issues. She was actually lying down at the vet’s house, which she didn’t seem to do here at home. They did the high definition X-rays this afternoon and didn’t see any foreign bodies (no risk of metals) but her heart and GI tract are enlarged. Could be heart failure, could be tumor, could be both. There’s not much we can do other than try one last antibiotic (only baytril since the 3 medications together might be too strenuous in the vet’s opinion) and try to get her weight and strength up.

The vet then said if Neut doesn’t get better, it’s time to have the goodbye conversation. As it was she fought hard to come out of being put under for the X-ray and took a long time to recover. My wife and I went down to see her before the X-rays just in case something happened. We didn’t want her to think we had abandoned her, especially before undergoing something so risky.

 

[CeciliaZ]

I am so sorry you are going through this. Hoping she recovers.

 

[fluffypoptarts]

I am so sorry you are going through this. Hoping she recovers.

Thank you…she is the sweetest little girl. Everyone is in love with her at the vet’s office.

 

[CeciliaZ]

Thank you…she is the sweetest little girl. Everyone is in love with her at the vet’s office.

I understand...I lost my sweet tiel girl earlier this summer...in surgery due to egg binding. She was my "heart bird"

 

[fluffypoptarts]

I understand...I lost my sweet tiel girl earlier this summer...in surgery due to egg binding. She was my "heart bird"

I’m so sorry to hear that. I also lost a sweet female tiel to egg binding in surgery many years ago.

 

[SunTruth]

Sending all my prayers for her to recover.

 

[CeciliaZ]

How is she today?