Urgent NOT emergency but extremely concerned... experienced parronts please help

[Spacerella]

Ok, so I just got off the phone with my original vet. They were very hesitant to give me information other than cost of tests, and the gist was that they know for sure it's a Vitamin A deficiency and that the tests are unnecessary. They kept telling me to come in for another consultation though, which I really don't know if I want to do. They wouldn't answer the questions I emailed them even though they'd said previously to ask them anything, and they just kept saying to bring him in. I understand that it's best to have the patient there to observe, but I don't want to waste anymore time and money because the vet doesn't know how to listen, he loves to talk about unnecessary things that I already know but refuses to be interrupted - and then before you know it the consultation is an hour long and double the price! He doesn't do it on purpose but for someone with issues being assertive it's really difficult standing there while he goes off on tangent after tangent without getting to the point.

Whew, now I'm the one rambling on!

@LunaLovebird I was told by someone that the vets there are exceptional, "although they will cost you your firstborn" LOL they are still cheaper than this vet I've been going to! Definitely making an appointment to go see them. Is there one particular vet who you would recommend by any chance? Oh and why did you have to anaesthetise Luna during her wellness check if you don't mind me asking?

 

[Hankmacaw]

An Asper titer is a blood test that measures the amount of a protien exclusive to Asper in the blood.

 

[LunaLovebird]

Well, after some discussion, we decided to have her microchipped, and she needed to be put under for the injection. She bounced back very quickly.

If I were in your position, I wouldn't return to your original vet at least until after your consult with BBV. There can be visual signs of vitamin deficiencies but you can't know that for sure without proper tests.

Both vets at BBV are great. I haven't interacted much with Adrian, but I've never heard anything but good things about him. I can definitely testify to Kat being a very personable and helpful vet, and I do recommend her highly.

 

[Spacerella]

Wasn't able to get an appointment today but we're booked in to see Dr. Loughlin tomorrow

@LunaLovebird I didn't see your latest post until after I wrote this. So happy to know you like her! Feeling very relieved and hopeful right now

 

[zoo mom]

Good luck with your appointment. I hope they get to the bottom of what is going on with your little one and get him the proper treatment.

 

[Laurul Feather Cat]

My CAV inserted my Senegal's microchip without anesthesia and with only one squeak. Same with my friend's CAG. It's just a large bore needle stick into the side of the breast.

 

[LunaLovebird]

My CAV inserted my Senegal's microchip without anesthesia and with only one squeak. Same with my friend's CAG. It's just a large bore needle stick into the side of the breast.

It might be more difficult for the littler birds perhaps. Luna also isn't a bird who likes to sit still, and struggles / moves around a lot when she's being held.

 

[JAM]

Brisbane Bird Vet is what I would have said too, someone beat me to it.

I am in Sydney so if you were there I would recommend Alex Rosenwax.

 

[Spacerella]

Just an update... Went up to Brisbane Bird Vet today, saw Dr Adrian Gallagher, felt MUCH more confidence in him than the previous vet. He was very gentle handling Dragon, thorough, very patient with me, he LISTENED, and was upfront about everything. The bad news is we still don't know what's wrong with Dragon

His fecal and X-ray were both normal. We're now waiting on the blood test results which I'll hopefully get tomorrow. He said he doesn't believe it's vitamin A deficiency and aspergillosis isn't so common in Australia but if it is, we're looking at 6-9 months of treatment!!! And if it's not aspergillosis or VA deficiency, we might have to do an endoscopy to find out what's wrong

The weirdest thing is that the dr said he could see Dragon was breathing heavily at the start of the consult, but he told me at the end (after he'd been handled, X-rayed etc) that he heard no wheezing or anything in his airway. Only yesterday, when he flew just a little bit, his breathing would become laboured and noisy. I could hear him gently wheezing in the car ride home. Wondering if there's something toxic in my room - I had a Glade plug-in thing for about 3 days, months ago, until I realised and pulled it out. I keep a lot of incense and candles in a bedroom cabinet but haven't burned them once since I've had him - can it be bad for him to even be in the same room as them?!? I'm so confused. About to do a major room clean, just in case. Hoping tomorrow 's blood tests will reveal something... He did say that it doesn't seem life threatening , his weight is good and try not to worry but anything is possible, even tests for psittacosis aren't 100% accurate...

For the time being there's not much to do but wait for the test results, keep him warm and nebulise him with saline to make him comfortable.

Oh, the one very good thing is that while he was anaesthetised for the x-ray, I had him microchipped! I was sold when they told me he'd get a leg band stating that he's chipped... I've thought about it in the past but always thought if he got lost, nobody would bother having a little bird scanned; but with the leg band they would know to do it. Thanks for leading the way @LunaLovebird !

Any thoughts/ideas/advice always appreciated! Otherwise, wish me luck for the test results I guess. At this stage I'm actually praying that they'll come back proving the first vet was correct and it's just a syrinx granuloma due to vitamin deficiency!!! I will eat my words and make damn sure he gets fed carrots every day until ALL his feathers turn orange!!!

 

[Clueless]

Do you have a HEPA air cleaner?

 

[Spacerella]

No I don't, I was actually considering getting an air purifier. We do live in a dusty neighbourhood. Do you think it would help?

 

[zoo mom]

It

No I don't, I was actually considering getting an air purifier. We do live in a dusty neighbourhood. Do you think it would help?

If your neighborhood is dusty is may help quite a bit. Get one that is rated to filter a larger area then you are actually filtering.

 

[Spacerella]

So I couldn't speak to my vet due to unsuccessful phone tag but I spoke to Dr Loughlin who said his organs are fine but white cell count shows there's definitely some sort of inflammation, most probably pathogenic. For some reason she couldn't tell me about his vitamin levels? But she said it's highly unlikely for such a young bird on a pelleted diet to be suffering from vitamin deficiency and for syrinx granuloma to be present and she doesn't think it's his environment.

Since the vet who saw him isn't in until Monday morning we booked a tentative endoscopy for Monday afternoon. If he doesn't think it's necessary I can cancel - has anyone had experience with a bird endoscopy??? It sounded like she was trying to gently prepare me that it's not always easy with small birds so I'm pretty concerned...

 

[Heather F]

If you're getting an air purifier, make sure you get a non-ionizing one. Contrary to the marketing hype, that's not good for you OR your bird. I saw the packaging for one that actually advertised that it released "activated oxygen" AKA ozone... which is a known respiratory irritant.

 

[Hankmacaw]

I'm not sure about small birds - I would imagine they are more difficult just because of the size. My two GWs have had numerous (5 or 6) each and have never had a negative outcome.They always recovered quickly from the anesthetic, were usually a little tired for the next couple of days.

Without those laparoscopsies both of my birds would have been dead as doornails years ago.

 

[Spacerella]

Thanks @Hankmacaw , turns out the procedure went so well that he was even acting normal when we went to pick him up, just a few hours after the procedure!

I'm not sure what the technical terms are but they went down his airpipe to the syrinx, they went up his bum, and even cut a tiny hole in his abdomen! It sounds so scary but he didn't even need sutures, the tube was 1mm!!!... The vet said he couldn't see any sign of inflammation or granuloma anywhere, and that he doubted the high WBC were pathogenic after all - probably something unrelated and minor, which is a great sign.

He told me Dragon is in "excellent health", to not worry about his feathers at this time and just to go in for a follow up in 3 months. He really is the picture of health right now... I feel that letting him get 1-3 hours of outside time (direct sun with the option to retreat to shade) and buying a reptile heater at night were the two biggest changes that helped.

So... Even though I didn't get a clear answer, I'm just happy that the vet seems to think he's fine because I trust his opinion.

Oh, he also mentioned that Dragon's testicles are a little enlarged and sometimes birds can go through voice changes during puberty, just like humans..!!! Have you ever heard of that? The thought of my angsty pimple faced squeaky voiced Dragon makes me laugh...

 

[Clueless]

Voice changes? Oh my gracious!

 

[Crazy4parrots]

wow i didnt knew they change voice at puberty just like humans! :O

 

[parrotluv]

Glad your little guy is doing better.