Should you be able to see your bird breathe?

[carkam]

I am worried about my GCC. He went to have his physical in Nov and everything all bloodwork, poop was fine. He did have a couple of mild bacteria found in his vent and throat swab and was put on AVC for 1 month and retested. The bacteria originally found was gone and now he has a bacteria that is of the pasturella. My vet is on vacation and the vet taking over called and asked how seemed as this particular pasturella is not one she is familiar with and not the one that means antibiotics right away. The growth on this one is moderate. She wants me to give him AVC every other day and then let her know how he is doing on Tuesday and would put him on antibiotics if he seems to be having problems. She then wants his blood retested when my vet gets back. I called a different vet , a certified avian vet and they got his tests sent to them. However they spoke with the vet and called me and said that I should do that and then if not satisfied to make an appointment with them. Since he is still eating, playing, ect. I am wondering why they want him to get worse before treating him and I am scared. Today he took a bath and I noticed I could see him breathing since he was wet, which I have never noticed before ( maybe I just never looked before). So should you ever be able to see your bird breathe and what should it look like? Sorry so long but i am worried as he is my first bird, so i don't know what to look for.

 

[Danita]

Their chests do expand. That is why when toweling them, you can not put pressure on their chests.

Is there tail bobbing?

 

[birdlvr466]

Do you have cats? Pasturella bacteria is very serious in birds and is usually from cats. Does his breathing seem labored? The antiboitic usually given for Pasturella bacteria is Clavamox.

 

[carkam]

It doesn't seem labored or any tail bobbing. I have no other animals and he hasn't been out of the house, so I am confused about that. My daughter does have a cat,but isn't over here much and her cat is never here. Could she have brought something here?

 

[srtiels]

he has a bacteria that is of the pasturella. My vet is on vacation and the vet taking over called and asked how seemed as this particular pasturella is not one she is familiar with and not the one that means antibiotics right away
-------------------------------------

YIKES!!!! Pastuerella is not a good bacteria. A bird can get this from cats, rats, or mice. The antibiotic that is effective is penecillin.

If you can get the reports from this vet and take them to another vet, maybe they can prescribe proper treatment. From personal experience this is not a bacteria that you can afford to wait and see on.

 

[birdlvr466]

So your bird has not been exposed to a cat recently? I wouldnt wait on this if I were you. Not trying to scare you but pasturella can be very serious. Are they sure of the strain of bacteria? Even if this vet isnt an avian vet, they should be able to consult with an avian vet if unsure about treatment. Let me see if I can get someone with more experience to look at your thread. I think I would like to move this thread to 911 if you dont mind for more exposure ok?

 

[carkam]

That is why I called the avian vet and had them get his records, but they also told me to call the vet on Tuesday and then contact them if I didn't like the response. What scared me is that I went on the internet about pasturella, which is why I contacted the well known avian vet in my area.

 

[carkam]

Except going to the vet, he has never been near another animal since I got him last March.

 

[suncoast]

Is he tail bobbing? This is when you can visably see his tail move up and down without any exertion like flying.

Ginger

 

[birdlvr466]

If a bird is bitten by a cat, they can die quickly without immediate treatment. That is why I asked if you had a cat. Let me email a couple of people to see if we can get more help. Since your bird was not bitten by a cat, maybe it isnt as serious as we think but lets not assume that. Hang on.

 

[carkam]

No I am not seeing any tail bobbing at this time.

 

[suncoast]

Can you hear any kind of respiratory distress or clicking when you hold him up to your ear?

Does he smell funny?

Ginger

 

[birdlvr466]

Just emailed a couple of experienced members. Is your bird dry now? When they are wet, it takes a lot of energy for them to dry off. Is it cold where you live? I would try and keep him warm, if you can warm up your house a bit that would be good.

 

[carkam]

He does some beak grinding and what does the clicking sound like? He is still a little damp, but won't let a blowdryer near him! I do have the heat on to keep him warm.

 

[birdlvr466]

Beak grinding is good, that is a sign of contentment. If you are close to him when he breathes you can hear a little clicking sound. I would put on the heat lamp for him, dont use a blow dryer. Alot of blow dryers have teflon inside of them.

 

[carkam]

Is the clicking sound made from his beak? He has done that a couple of times.

 

[birdlvr466]

No the clicking sound is his in his respiration

 

[carkam]

No I am not hearing it in his respiration, but every so often he clicks his beak, not the grinding, but an actual loud click.

 

[JLcribber]

If the cat has been licking your daughters hands for instance and she handled the bird such as touching his beak without washing them he could have been exposed to it that way. Just a thought.

 

[srtiels]

Cats are not the only source of this bacteria. If mice or rats are roaming at night and you are unaware of this, they also carry this bacteria. I had some unexplained deaths with mousebirds, and learned it was from pasteurella, and at night mice/rats were running across the top of their cage.

As to tail-bobbing. ALL bird have a very slight tail bob when they breathe and are resting....you just have to watch. If it is a rapid very noticable bob, then there is concern.