Sick Cockatiel EAGLE (sad update post #66)

[Xctguy]

I have a 1 yr old male cockatiel EAGLE who I took to the vet 3 times in the past week. The vet game me some anti-botic liquid, which I administer daily, EMER AID , for avian, and BENE BAC Plus for his digestion. My bird has been eating just millet seeds 95% of the time he is up, does nothing but eat, and takes what seems is his normal poops. He has lost weight, so far 7 GRAMS. and is at 65 Grams. He is barely active and just relatively weak and frail. He has no gut as it seems he is losing weight and not eating. But he is nibbling on seeds all day long. The vet said he thinks he has a respiratory illness and cleaned off his nostrils, and cut some tiny feathers around his nostrils, and force fed him with a syringe. I have taken him to the bathroom and kept him there 2 hrs daily in a steamy environment, to help his breathing. I live in Florida where my house is over 80 degrees daily. I have not seen him shaking and never seems that he might be cold any any time. I have him separated from my other cockatiel female. He seems to be slowly getting worst. This has been a process that he seems to have been in for 4 months already. I'd appreciate any help from anyone here. I've had cockatiels for 15 years, and this does not look good for my little boy EAGLE.

 

[Tiel Feathers]

Did the vet do any cultures or tests? Maybe get a second opinion? I’m so sorry your little bird is ill, and I hope he will be okay!

 

[Xctguy]

Did the vet do any cultures or tests? Maybe get a second opinion? I’m so sorry your little bird is ill, and I hope he will be okay!

Thanks for your concern. The vet looked at him 3 separate times, and his assistants who also own cockatiels. Seems he's been sick for months, is what the vet said. I have noticed on pictures, and noted a darkening of the area around his nostrils back in July. Its been only now in the past 2 weeks that he is very ill.

 

[Deleted member 57370]

im so sorry you have a sick bird.
Great job in getting veterinarian care! It sounds like your veterinarian is doing everything they can to help you.

I've done steam room too when I had Avian Chlamydia outbreak in my flock.

What antibiotic is Eagle on?

You might offer support feed of baby burd formula. I had to. You can ask your veterinarian.
First know thst adult burds crops don't stretch like a babies burds will.
How I did this. I made the formula thicker like thick yogurt thst will just pass through syringe nice with out clogging. Still nice snd warm.
I had my burd stand on a towel, I had my hand light on the back with thumb abd fore finger on one in each shoulder. Head left free. I use a 1ml syringe, or a 3 ml syringe as preferred, if I have to I use a 5ml syringe but it's easier and safer to go slower with a smaller syringe. I offer a drop to taste at beak tip. Abd wait to see what they think. Then I kinda of encourage a baekful at a time st beak tip. I do not force or out syringe in their mouth ever. I wait till they swallow to offer more. For your size burd I might just offer 1ml total the first time. Then in a couple of hours try for 2ml . For your size burd you can work up to a total if 3ml to 7ml at each support feed and you can do once to 3 times a day. Depending on how sick my burds were one support feed a day up three support feeds a day would be enough to see tgrm start gaining weight back. It takes a lot of calories to be sick abd often they can't eat enough on their own to keep up. Mine took to support feeds readily abd liked it so made very easy. Please discuss with your veterinarian first. This is not force feeds, this is not sticking something in their crop or inside their mouth. This is food offered at beak tip.

 

[Deleted member 57370]

To share, I had a whole flock of 7 come down with Chlamydia. 3 were very very sick, and with the veterinarian we were able to save them. To give you hope. My Saga with Chlamydia psittaci

Also I live in Florida and even if it was 80f I put my sweeter heater on my sick birds. Xtra warmth is very supportive and saves them calories. This is a radiant heat panel I hsng on one side of the cage with a perch offered inside of cage right next to it . The smallest size is more than enough. They are expensive but so worth it. I've had mine forever sbd would never live without one. Yiu can find on Amazon

 

[Xctguy]

im so sorry you have a sick bird.
Great job in getting veterinarian care! It sounds like your veterinarian is doing everything they can to help you.

I've done steam room too when I had Avian Chlamydia outbreak in my flock.

What antibiotic is Eagle on?

You might offer support feed of baby burd formula. I had to. You can ask your veterinarian.
First know thst adult burds crops don't stretch like a babies burds will.
How I did this. I made the formula thicker like thick yogurt thst will just pass through syringe nice with out clogging. Still nice snd warm.
I had my burd stand on a towel, I had my hand light on the back with thumb abd fore finger on one in each shoulder. Head left free. I use a 1ml syringe, or a 3 ml syringe as preferred, if I have to I use a 5ml syringe but it's easier and safer to go slower with a smaller syringe. I offer a drop to taste at beak tip. Abd wait to see what they think. Then I kinda of encourage a baekful at a time st beak tip. I do not force or out syringe in their mouth ever. I wait till they swallow to offer more. For your size burd I might just offer 1ml total the first time. Then in a couple of hours try for 2ml . For your size burd you can work up to a total if 3ml to 7ml at each support feed and you can do once to 3 times a day. Depending on how sick my burds were one support feed a day up three support feeds a day would be enough to see tgrm start gaining weight back. It takes a lot of calories to be sick abd often they can't eat enough on their own to keep up. Mine took to support feeds readily abd liked it so made very easy. Please discuss with your veterinarian first. This is not force feeds, this is not sticking something in their crop or inside their mouth. This is food offered at beak tip.

HI--and thanks for the info!!! He is on .05 ml of METRONIDAZOLE Suspension for 7 days so far. I have a hard time giving his bird food/formula that I mix up. I have done this thru a small syringe and give him 5 min. of a break before I try again, I feel I'm between forcing this down his throat. It is quite stressful for him and he seem like he is choking. I have to do the same to get a little water in him too. On the other hand, he is spending 99% of his time , just picking at tiny millet seeds.

 

[Deleted member 57370]

HI--and thanks for the info!!! He is on .05 ml of METRONIDAZOLE Suspension for 7 days so far. I have a hard time giving his bird food/formula that I mix up. I have done this thru a small syringe and give him 5 min. of a break before I try again, I feel I'm between forcing this down his throat. It is quite stressful for him and he seem like he is choking. I have to do the same to get a little water in him too. On the other hand, he is spending 99% of his time , just picking at tiny millet seeds.

My veterinarian is against giving plain water fir the choking hazard. She always recommended adding a tiny amount of formula to make a very watery slurry. But the added formula increases the viscosity enough to decrease choking hazard.

Will your burd eat a small crum if bread with meds soaked in?
You can try offering the formula thick on your finger.
Have you talked to veterinarian about difficulties, maybe they would switch to injection antibiotics. Tho thst can be hard on them depending on how often
Will your burd take warm mashed sweet potatoes? Boiled egg. Or egg food sold for burds? Nutriberrirs crushed up? Molting seed mix?

 

[Xctguy]

My veterinarian is against giving plain water fir the choking hazard. She always recommended adding a tiny amount of formula to make a very watery slurry. But the added formula increases the viscosity enough to decrease choking hazard.

Will your burd eat a small crum if bread with meds soaked in?
You can try offering the formula thick on your finger.
Have you talked to veterinarian about difficulties, maybe they would switch to injection antibiotics. Tho thst can be hard on them depending on how often
Will your burd take warm mashed sweet potatoes? Boiled egg. Or egg food sold for burds? Nutriberrirs crushed up? Molting seed mix?

What I've been doing to not force feed is trying to add the powder mix to the seeds, as he will eat the tiny seeds only and this way will get that formula inside him. When I give him water its a tiny amount, maybe 4 ml, thru the syringe. Eagle is not the type of cockatiel that will eat anything wet, or any veggies. I watch him, every 15 min. Its a hard thing to watch them go thru this. I've already lost one other pet last week, and my mom in the past 90 days. Thanks again for your input Pixiebeak!!

 

[Shezbug]

You mention your vet looked at your bird a few times but I do not recall reading that tests or cultures were done- is that right or were there some tests performed?

 

[Deleted member 57370]

Its so very hard to have a sick burd (baby) all my sympathy.

Im so sorry for the loss of your mom

And on top of thst to have already lost a pet

Its just not fair to have so much at once.

I wish I knew what to offer to help you.

 

[Xctguy]

You mention your vet looked at your bird a few times but I do not recall reading that tests or cultures were done- is that right or were there some tests performed?

Your are correct----no test or cultures. Just said he has a respiratory illness, and he has been ill for a long while. He noticed thru his nostrils being a bit clogged. To me my cockatiel has been "NOT HIMSELF" for about 4 months. Its only in the past 2 weeks that he has gotten to this sad state. Only in the past 3 days has he lost some weight too. About 8 grams. I weigh him daily.

 

[Shezbug]

Your are correct----no test or cultures. Just said he has a respiratory illness, and he has been ill for a long while. He noticed thru his nostrils being a bit clogged. To me my cockatiel has been "NOT HIMSELF" for about 4 months. Its only in the past 2 weeks that he has gotten to this sad state. Only in the past 3 days has he lost some weight too. About 8 grams. I weigh him daily.

I would honestly strongly suggest you make the effort to travel if needed (I do nearly 3hrs one way) and take your little one to a qualified avian vet- I am guessing with no tests or cultures that the vet you saw was a regular vet. You could well be medicating for the wrong thing without the appropriate tests, medicating for the wrong thing is not only not helpful but may be adding to the problems.
4 months for a bird to be sick is a very long time, loosing weight (especially when already unwell) is quite dangerous as it shows there is something seriously affecting your wee one.

 

[Xctguy]

Here is a picture of him as of 12.45am Dec 21, 2022. He uses the edge of the cup to rest his head. Looks like he is eating,,,,, but no. He will wake up and nibble of seeds though. This is something he does 99% of the time lately.

 

[Deleted member 57370]

This is dire in my opinion. I would get in with an avian veterinarian specialist tomorrow/ today Wednesday.

My avian veterinarian really likes azithromycine for bacterial infections in down birds... it has saved 2 down burds fir me. Is given every other day.

But veterinarian would need to determine bacterial vs fungul vs whatever and of course they decide what's needed and fits their diagnose

Im praying for you guys.

 

[Xctguy]

Thanks for your knowledge in this matter. I will start making calls, since he looks so bad. Hopefully he will make it thru the night.

 

[Deleted member 57370]

you and Eagle have been on my mind and in my prayers all day.

How us Eagle doing? Where able to check back in with avian veterinarian?

 

[Xctguy]

HI Pixiebeak-----I did find a avian vet and he wanted to do x-rays but couldn't because my Eagle is too fragile, he did put in an oxygen chamber to help him for a bit and wanted to do a whole series of tests, but the cost was near $700, more on top of another $300 I spent last week. He did recommend a GRAM STAIN test to further explore the infection. I did get some different anti biotic called BAYTRIL. It was long ride to this vet and hopefully he will respond. I am not holding my breath as I'm preparing for whatever might happen. These vets are more expensive then human doctors.

 

[Deleted member 57370]

Ok if he gave you Baytril call back and ask fir script of nystatin an antifungal medicine and its filled at your human pharmacy cheap. Nearly every burd given this medication will have a yeast overgrowth. Plus your guy was already in antibiotics.

Im so sorry. My veterinarian is trying really hard to get more veterinarians comfortable with using azithromycine. Azithromycine and Baytril are both broad spectrum antibiotics. Azithromycine just works real fast in burds and is better tolerated. Its a vet thing just like a doctor thing they all have their favorite go to meds...

Warmth. And support care sbd let him eat what ever he will.

Did you talk about support feeding formula?

Look I have had to turn down tests before fir my birds. There is only so much we can do. I also have had to turn down expensive medicine for myself .

Seriously all my love to you from the depth of my heart. I ws t your baby to survive

 

[Xctguy]

Thanks for the support and kind words.....

 

[Deleted member 57370]