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Pictures Random white feather.

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Brittany0208

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I notice that one of Java's primary feathers seems to come in with a considerable amount of white. It also doesn't seem to develop properly before falling out. He broke a blood feather a few months ago so I saved it, but that same feather is still growing in differently than the rest.

These are his molted feathers over the months.
20190110_113345.jpg 20190110_113356.jpg

This is the oddball
20190110_113412.jpg 20190110_113419.jpg

I know Vasas are prone to PBFD but I'm not sure this is it. All his prior bloodwork came back perfect, but do I need to test specifically for PBFD or would it show up in a full chem panel?
 

Brittany0208

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I just found this image when looking up PBFD. These are budgie feathers of a diagnosed bird. Should I be worried?
Pbfdwiki.jpg
 

enigma731

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It's probably follicle damage. I see feathers like that pretty frequently at the rescue on birds with histories of injury or plucking. Unless he has other signs of illness or develops many feathers like that, I wouldn't worry
 

Brittany0208

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It's probably follicle damage. I see feathers like that pretty frequently at the rescue on birds with histories of injury or plucking. Unless he has other signs of illness or develops many feathers like that, I wouldn't worry
Would damage cause the feather to lighten the way it has? It's the only feather that has done this.
 

Brittany0208

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I think so? My senior tiel has white feathers from follicle damage and he's a grey.
Do you know if PBFD would show up in a chem panel, or if it needs its own specific testing?
 

MnGuy

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I can't speak for birds, but damaged skin/follicles definitely often causes hairs to grow back white in horses. (And maybe other animals, too? I just have experience with horses.)
 

painesgrey

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Do you know if PBFD would show up in a chem panel, or if it needs its own specific testing?

It requires a specific blood and feather test, I believe. If it's just the one feather that has been a chronic issue, I doubt that it's PBFD. You'd see it popping up in other feathers with each molt. However, testing is pretty cheap, so it can't hurt to check if you're worried.
 

Brittany0208

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I can't speak for birds, but damaged skin/follicles definitely often causes hairs to grow back white in horses. (And maybe other animals, too? I just have experience with horses.)
It requires a specific blood and feather test, I believe. If it's just the one feather that has been a chronic issue, I doubt that it's PBFD. You'd see it popping up in other feathers with each molt. However, testing is pretty cheap, so it can't hurt to check if you're worried.
That's a relief, but I am going to have him tested at his next appointment just to be on the safe side. I don't think it's PBFD but it would be nice to rule it out.
 

Brittany0208

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Just keep in mind that false positives are also a thing and that's why clinical correlation is always important.
Should I have more than one test done whether it ends up being positive or negative? There are two other avian vets in my area but I don't trust them, so Java's current vet is my only resource at the moment.
 

faislaq

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I can't speak for birds, but damaged skin/follicles definitely often causes hairs to grow back white in horses. (And maybe other animals, too? I just have experience with horses.)
I've had a couple of white eyebrow hairs come up, but only in the area I've plucked for most of my life. The part I leave alone are dark as ever. I've assumed it was follicle damage.

If for any reason Java tested positive, he is currently your only bird. You could probably test again later to see if you get the same results. That way you can use the vet you trust for both. Or could they test two samples?
 

painesgrey

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Should I have more than one test done whether it ends up being positive or negative? There are two other avian vets in my area but I don't trust them, so Java's current vet is my only resource at the moment.

If you're doing both the blood test and the feather test, then you're likely going to have a more accurate result. However, a positive or negative result needs to be compared to an assessment of Java himself - looking for other symptoms of the disease - to ascertain whether PBFD is a possibility.
 

Brittany0208

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If for any reason Java tested positive, he is currently your only bird. You could probably test again later to see if you get the same results. That way you can use the vet you trust for both. Or could they test two samples?
I'll keep that in mind. I had planned on taking him to Knoxville this month to be fitted for his prosthetic, but it looks like it'll have to wait until March. I'd like to have another exam done before we make the 3-hour trek.
Also, I'm not sure if they could test two samples, but his current vet, Dr. Dixon, has a colleague--the one who is going to do Java's prosthetic--I'm sure samples could be sent off to the veterinary university that way they would have it on file.
 

enigma731

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Honestly I wouldn't test at all unless there's good clinical evidence for it -- which would be more than one feather. He's your only bird and it's a rare disease. If he did test positive, what would that change? There's no treatment. If he tests negative, will it really give you peace of mind or will it be hard for you to trust?

Only you can answer these questions, but I personally have come to the conclusion that I will only do diagnostics on my birds when there's a specific clinical question that warrants it. I've had too many times when I've opened a can of worms with tests that ultimately were a lot of stress and expense for nothing.
 

Brittany0208

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Honestly I wouldn't test at all unless there's good clinical evidence for it -- which would be more than one feather. He's your only bird and it's a rare disease. If he did test positive, what would that change? There's no treatment. If he tests negative, will it really give you peace of mind or will it be hard for you to trust?

Only you can answer these questions, but I personally have come to the conclusion that I will only do diagnostics on my birds when there's a specific clinical question that warrants it. I've had too many times when I've opened a can of worms with tests that ultimately were a lot of stress and expense for nothing.
Hmmm, I guess it's just my anxiety wanting to be safe. Positive or negative results, i would still cherish our time together like I do now. I honestly don't think he has it, so maybe I won't worry about it too much. He's made leaps and bounds from where he started, so I don't suspect anything off. Yeah, I think I'll just mention the feather damage at his next appointment instead of getting all these tests done, unless Dr. Dixon thinks he needs to be tested. :):heart:
Thank you.
 

enigma731

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Hmmm, I guess it's just my anxiety wanting to be safe. Positive or negative results, i would still cherish our time together like I do now. I honestly don't think he has it, so maybe I won't worry about it too much. He's made leaps and bounds from where he started, so I don't suspect anything off. Yeah, I think I'll just mention the feather damage at his next appointment instead of getting all these tests done, unless Dr. Dixon thinks he needs to be tested. :):heart:
Thank you.
My anxiety is the same, I empathize. One of my girls has a swollen elbow right now that's probably from an injury, but since I didn't see it happen, my brain keeps being like CANCER????? Sometimes, though, we have to reinforce the rational parts of our brains by not acting on the anxiety. Nobody, not even the best lab test in the world, can tell us for certain what's going to happen in the future. (And I say this as someone who works in diagnostic medicine. )
 

Brittany0208

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My anxiety is the same, I empathize. One of my girls has a swollen elbow right now that's probably from an injury, but since I didn't see it happen, my brain keeps being like CANCER????? Sometimes, though, we have to reinforce the rational parts of our brains by not acting on the anxiety. Nobody, not even the best lab test in the world, can tell us for certain what's going to happen in the future. (And I say this as someone who works in diagnostic medicine. )
I really wish there was an anxiety cure-all. It keeps me up at night, amongst other things. I'll try to remember to cool my jets before I go racing off to the vet every time my anxiety says,' hey, is this normal?' Can't wait for sunlight, and maybe start yoga.
 

Brittany0208

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Got a better image of his misfit feather.
20190117_073813.jpg
 

Teckechick

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We just had the disease panel done on Jenks over the holidays just to cover all the bases and to be positive he doesn't have anything. The one we had done tested for several diseases including BPFD and it ran around $170.00. Everything was negative thankfully.
 
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