Poppers had another real bad episode

[Hawk12237]

I don't know how to say this gracefully, but don't back off now just because she is getting better. Like you said persistence, constant attention and good nursing does an awful lot. I have been told several times with both of my birds that they probably weren't going to make, but I never accepted that prognosis without a big fight. Hank lived 15 years longer than expected and Jasper has lived 18 years longer than expected.

Poppers was a very sick bird. I get very worried if my bird loses 10% of it's weight and Poppers had lost 1/4 of her weight. She will need special care for a long time.

Oh don't worry about that, I have no intention of backing off just because she's better. Even though she's back to eating on her own, she still gets her other two meds mixed with emeraid and a dab of baby food. ( veggies and oats)
She's being pretty good about it. If I put syringe up to my mouth and say Ohhhh yum yum..she'll open her beak and take the syringe and eat it.
She does know what the medicine taste like. So I got to hide it in syringe with something. Or she'll spit it out.
Her weight hit 400 grams tonite whoo hoo!
Lots of protein and the good stuff, bulking her up.
A far cry from her low and skinny 340 grams.
Yea she was a very sick bird. But I intend to keep at it and see she clears this hurdle, because the plaque meds she'll always be on.
I was told that too, that after her big episode
Where she looked like she was going to go. Vet said she was weak, and was afraid to put her out to do xrays.
But now we know the infection was bad, and almost took her.
I'm just glad she's back, she's my baby!
Poppers did lose a ton of weight, a scary amount. Even though she was eating, it wasn't being absorbed because of infection.
This ordeal has had been a learning experience for me. People, you can read all you want about this type of illness, but unless you deal with it personally, it's a new experience. Kinda like reading on how to ride a bike, unless you get on that bike and peddle, you have no idea.

 

[Hawk12237]

Wanting to know over here too!

Re: Plaques mentioned...
Finally found out what's in Buddy's present & future, Fat caused Plaques w/in.

The new vet (OM Goodness he seems great, BTW) He said the issue w/ his eyes were sadly as I surmised, Plaque from 20-25 yrs of an all seed diet. These plaques are in him making him a strong candidate for:
Atherosclerosis later in life.
The vet is sure of this, even though he did not do an Xray. He said just as he can guarantee in people when they smoke/smoked have these plaques, that in a bird w/ high levels of high fat seed for any long duration like Buddy has... Especially to the point where there are physical plaques on/under the lens of the eye which are showing like he has (actual dead zones on vision in 1 eye). No need for that costly Xray, he definately has it, even though his heart sounds ok. This was very interesting (I thought)
Because his diet is what it needs to be now, that it shouldn't shorten his life too much.
AS Long AS he stays on his current diet!

I want to add here, that I'm not bragging in any way...

His fecal test was clear, & mouth looked OK. We're going back in November (I believe) for a beak & nail trim & a complete blood work up (as neither were appearing emergent), as long as fecal came back OK.

Vet give any meds for the plaque?

 

[Hawk12237]

That's too bad that Buddy's sight has been affected. We had one xray of Jasper that showed the atherosclerosis very plainly - but she has extreme atherosclerosis. It has gotten worse over the years, but slowly. Her diet has been very controlled and she has had constant medical attention from a Dr. who loves her.

The one thing I didn't do until recently, that I should have done all along, is fly her. I fly her 4 days and give her one day off. She wears a harness and is on a line and flies about 800 feet. She has improved her breathing and activity level..

Exercise is great for that. I'm jealous, poppers can't fly. Scar tissue from a damaged wing that never healed right, apparently from first parront that didn't have her checked for an injury.
Poor girl. I have there for a while tried wing exercises to see if I could get those muscles working. But best she can do is maybe 5 feet.
I'm glad it helps jasper, such a beautiful bird.

 

[Hawk12237]

Michael, I saw in an earlier post you mentioned a voice change. Has your vet done an Aspergillus titer test ( ELISA test) and a protein electrophoresis?

We're going to discuss that on monday. I'm going to insist on another xray of crop area too.
That said, her voice is slowly coming back. I can imagine the infection might have caused a scratchy vocals. I don't know honestly. But it's a good question karen, and I'll make note of it to ask vet on monday. Thanks!

 

[Rain Bow]

Vet give any meds for the plaque?

No, I think he wants to see how Buddy continues to do. There were a couple of thungs he asked me about the "other" vet that when I answered he sort of (either) looked totally w/ a loss of words or scoffed. He even said he could tell Buddy is now well loved. Other than recommending adding Harrison's & some lighting changes, things were bounced to the next appointment. As long as Buddy isn't ill w/ bacteria or any other outstanding issues, that was Ok w/ me. My guess is there may be more @ Buddy's next visit after the bloodwk is done.

I'm currently trying to add to flying levels, I don't know w/ the cold upon us, how much more I will be able to get him to do as (like Mom) pain goes from 3 - 153 in a few short weeks. I'm going to see if the hubby can add in a bit more too. It's less painful up stairs as it's much, much warmer up there.

 

[Hawk12237]

Oh don't worry about that, I have no intention of backing off just because she's better. Even though she's back to eating on her own, she still gets her other two meds mixed with emeraid and a dab of baby food. ( veggies and oats)
She's being pretty good about it. If I put syringe up to my mouth and say Ohhhh yum yum..she'll open her beak and take the syringe and eat it.
She does know what the medicine taste like. So I got to hide it in syringe with something. Or she'll spit it out.
Her weight hit 400 grams tonite whoo hoo!
Lots of protein and the good stuff, bulking her up.
A far cry from her low and skinny 340 grams.
Yea she was a very sick bird. But I intend to keep at it and see she clears this hurdle, because the plaque meds she'll always be on.
I was told that too, that after her big episode
Where she looked like she was going to go. Vet said she was weak, and was afraid to put her out to do xrays.
But now we know the infection was bad, and almost took her.
I'm just glad she's back, she's my baby!
Poppers did lose a ton of weight, a scary amount. Even though she was eating, it wasn't being absorbed because of infection.
This ordeal has had been a learning experience for me. People, you can read all you want about this type of illness, but unless you deal with it personally, it's a new experience. Kinda like reading on how to ride a bike, unless you get on that bike and peddle, you have no idea.

Heading to vet in a bit, for poppers follow-up appointment. Had to cancel last week.
So we'll see how she faired with infection, and address all the questions. A swab of crop and gram stain, and might even request an xray of her crop to see if there's any obstruction.
Will mention how her voice seems lost. She's doing really good apart from that.

 

[Dona]

I hope the visit goes well!

 

[Hawk12237]

Ok I'm back from vet. Poppers has a clean bill of health. Swab showed no sign of fungus, gram stain perfect, Aspergillus titer test negitive,
Eye sight improved, weight dropped a tiny bit, down to 380 from 400.
Vet said the infection wrecked havoc on her digestive system and can take a bit to recover.
Kinda like the human equivalent of a strep throat, flu, stomach flu all wrapped into one.
Your not up to solid foods. Not up to eatting lots.
So vet have me her avian probiotics enzymes to help break down food.
She can come off all medication, including nystatin and seizure meds. And let her digestive system heal.
So people, in cases like this, it's important to get soft foods down, and keep bird hydrated.
They'll heal.

 

[sunnysmom]

Great news!

 

[Hankmacaw]

That sounds encouraging.

Which probiotics/enzyme did she prescribe?

 

[rocky'smom]

Super visit with great news.

 

[Dona]

Very good news!

 

[Tiel Feathers]

What a great vet visit, you must be so happy! I hope it’s smooth sailing from here on!

 

[Greylady1966]

So glad to read Poppers better. I have a question on all the test. Did your avian vet have to send out any of the test to bigger labs to read or was it all done locally?

 

[Hawk12237]

That sounds encouraging.

Which probiotics/enzyme did she prescribe?

I do not know the brand...it's the vets one.
Said it's very good. Won't trust anything else.

 

[Hawk12237]

So glad to read Poppers better. I have a question on all the test. Did your avian vet have to send out any of the test to bigger labs to read or was it all done locally?

They are a state of the art hospital. Read them there. They do have a network that corresponds to lab's out of the hospital via link to their system. They can take an xray, it can be then read outside in seconds and related right back to hospital. Lab work you might wait a bit for. But no they don't do things the old fashion way.

 

[Greylady1966]

Your lucky to have that near you, so many people don't. Good doctors are hard to find,

 

[Hawk12237]

What a great vet visit, you must be so happy! I hope it’s smooth sailing from here on!

I'm happier than a mosquito at a nude beach!!

 

[Hawk12237]

Your lucky to have that near you, so many people don't. Good doctors are hard to find,

They are, and this avian vet is board certified, only 12 minutes max away. She's good!

 

[Hawk12237]

Super visit with great news.

It is great news! How terrible the fungus infection can be, and how it can get to the organs and really cause havoc.
I credit a very good vet! And persistence in care, I monitored her quite frequently.
But I'm pleased as heck she cleared the hurdle.
Many cases you don't get rid of it easily, or it gets to organs or other and bird passes. It's scary, believe me.