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Sick quaker, what can I do right now?

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liltweets

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Hi, yes he's breathing fine, no open mouth breathing. He does have some occasional tail bobbing. He's preening right now.

I want the gram stain. If he continues to stay the same I'll probably wait until Tuesday to take him in. If I go to the vet tomorrow and it's more than $300 they won't hold a check until Thursday or Friday of next week, then I'll have to take him to my vet on Tuesday anyway and be totally out of bird fund money.

Also, for those of you that give garlic for yeast (if he has it) would I add it to every handfeeding or how many?

Ahh, now he's squawking and chewing on a toy. So that's good.
 

liltweets

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Pat, also..from what I've heard of this vet he won't do a gram stain even if you ask. Maybe he would if he feels it's necessary. I just don't know what to do about that vet and whether or not to take him tomorrow. I'll decide between tonight and morning, if he improves more.

He eats the formula just fine. He loves it. So he does have an appetite, he just can't do seeds well right now. I took them out.
 
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birdlvr466

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Well that is very odd about the gram stain. Even if he doesnt do that, are you going to have bloodwork drawn? He will probably listen to his breathing as well.
 

liltweets

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Well that is very odd about the gram stain. Even if he doesnt do that, are you going to have bloodwork drawn? He will probably listen to his breathing as well.
Yeah, it is odd about the gram stain. I'm going to call them in the morning before I leave and ask them again about taking a held check for just a few days since I have $300. That should cover most of it. If not I don't know if I'll go. I don't know what to do. Yes, I want more blood work done. I esp want to see what his WBC is. And I'm sure the vet will too.

If $300 won't cover it then I'll have to wait until I can see my vet. I'm going to start putting more each month in my vet fund.

I opened the new hand feeding formula and it smelled bad. Not at all like the one before. I was afraid to use it. I finally got him to eat moistened Zupreem pellets with apples sauce. He regurgitated a small amount. He wouldn't eat the Roudybush like that. Zupreem has sugar in it so I hope it doesn't make him worse IF he has yeast.

He slept a while after eating then he was in the bottom of his cage playing. That made me feel better. He was pulling the paper towels up from the bottom of the cage. I have them down instead of newpaper so I can better watch his droppings. He can't get to the newspaper like he can the paper towels.

He acts like he's feeling better, except for the regurgitation. I even heard him say "good bird". And yes, he is a very, very good bird.

I'm rambling now. Thanks for listening.
 

liltweets

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Also, anyone who is reading, I'm so sorry I haven't replied to many other posts today. My whole world is centered on him right now. I'm going to try and read other posts and see how everyone else is doing.

Thank you all for being here for me and Buddy.
:hug8:
 

birdlvr466

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He does sound like he is feeling a bit better. My bill was over 400.00 but that was with xrays and oxygen therapy so I would think your's should be in the 300 range. :( Tequila goes back for bloodwork in the beginning of January just to make sure his WBC is back to normal.
 

liltweets

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He does sound like he is feeling a bit better. My bill was over 400.00 but that was with xrays and oxygen therapy so I would think your's should be in the 300 range. :( Tequila goes back for bloodwork in the beginning of January just to make sure his WBC is back to normal.
Hi Pat, that isn't bad, $400...wow, can you believe we can say that, that that much isn't bad? I've already spent well over 200 when I first got him then the med from the pharmacy.

I hope Tequila's blood work comes back just fine when you take him back in.
:hug8:

I have prayed and prayed for Buddy. He is still here so that's a blessing. But I'm still scared.
 

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liltweets

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Thank you Martine. I don't know how I would have gotten through these last couple of days without this forum. My little boy is calling for his dad now who just came up from the garage. He's suppose to be sleeping but his dad is his main man. :) Maybe a little time with dad will make him feel better. :hug8:
 

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I hope that Buddy is Much better today:hug8:
 

liltweets

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How is Buddy doing Deb?
I hope that Buddy is Much better today:hug8:
Hi,
He's acting like he feels a lot better. He has been playing in the bottom of his cage some (he has a bucket of foot toys down there) and chirping and squawking a lot. He still isn't eating much on his own, I guess because of the Sulfa (?). I put the seed back in to see if he'll eat on his own yet.

Tomorrow morning will be 10 days on the med, that's including the 4 doses he missed when I took him off of it. He was on it for 4 1/2 days then off of it for 2 1/2 days and in the morning will be 5 1/2 more days that he's been back on it. All together that would be 10 days, missing the 2 days in between. Should I take him off after that? or leave him on it for 10 full days since he missed 4 doses? Did that make sense? lol He sees my vet on Tuesday. The one yesterday, and I talked to the vet himself, refused to take a held check if it came over $300.

Too, I wonder if the antibiotic would mess up any tests my vet may want to do, like cultures.

Oh, and he regurgitates every time I feed him, even hours after the dose of Sulfa. I would think it wouldn't do that after it wears off some? I don't know what the half life of that med is in birds. But I guess if it's irritating his crop and stomach he would could make him regurgitate even after it has started to wear off.

The new container of formula I had smelled bad so I've been giving him moistened pellets with a little apple sauce in them. He loves the garlic I put in twice per day. :)

Ah, I just looked at him and he's eating some seed now on his own (not much) and so far he isn't bobbing his neck up and down like he's having a hard time swallowing.

And I have no idea how much moistened pellets to give him at a time. I cut the end off of a small syringe so I can draw them up in it like formula. I just wait until his droppings become a little scant again before feeding him, is that ok? He's up 2 grams but that's because I'm feeding him.

Thanks all!
 

birdlvr466

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If he is eating alot on his own, maybe cut back on the handfeedings. My vet told me to handfeed until his appetite was back to normal.
 

liltweets

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Hi Pat, he didn't eat much on his own. He ate a few seeds then quit. His droppings got to where they were just urine so I fed him again.

He acts much better so I'll be glad when he can stop this med. I wish I didn't have to give him anymore. I wish I knew if 10 days total, with 2 days in between, was enough.
 

birdlvr466

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Deb will you be speaking to your vet by Tuesday? Are you weighing him everyday?
 

liltweets

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I won't be able to talk with him until Tuesday. :(

I weigh him every morning and several times during the day, although I go by the morning one. He is up 2 grams but that's because I'm feeding him. I weigh him before I feed him.
 

birdlvr466

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Oh thats good though that you will talk to him Tuesday. If he is maintaining his weight that is a good thing. I am still weighing Tequila every morning right now. He is hovering at 132 but when he was sick he was down to 127-128 so he has gained some back. His appetite is normal. The vet didnt say how long to do the meds when he gave them to you?
 

liltweets

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Yes, he said 10 days but he told me to quit them for a couple of days because the med made him feel so bad. He started not eating again so I put him back on them, he told me to if he wasn't better. So it's been 10 days total. With a 2 day break in between the whole 10 day course. He was on it 4 1/2 days, off 2, and then back on it. So all total it is 10 days. I hope that makes sense. lol

ETA: when I took him off the med for the 2 days by the next day he was eating but then quit again the next day. I think the illness was coming back so I put him back on it.
 

liltweets

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Thank you Kristen. He ate a lot of seed on his own last night and had some really good droppings. This morning he didn't eat much, when he tried he did the head bobbing again like he was having a hard time swallowing. I gave him some moistened pellets with some garlic and probiotics. He regurgitated a little. I think the garlic is helping the inflammation in his throat and helps him to eat on his own. Just don't know if the throat problem was caused by the Sulfa or not. Could be that or yeast? He sees my normal vet in the morning at 9. And since my vet fund is low he is willing to work with me. Very compassionate vet. Plus I've spent a lot of money there. :rolleyes:

He's playing today and talking. Just has problems eating at times now.
My vet had mentioned doing cultures, x-rays and blood work for heavy metal toxicity when I last talked to him and said we are far from exhausting tests that can help find out what's wrong, that's comforting. The cage the girl had him in was very old and chipping paint. Plus his symptoms may indicate it. I'll know more tomorrow. I have researched and researched online and his symptoms could be several things. But I'm no vet, wish I was! :D

:hug8:



Deb,
I'm very late catching this thread, but I wanted to let you know that I'm thinking and praying healing prayers for Buddy. Sending you a big hug! Please let me know how he's doing. XOXO
 

birdlvr466

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Cant wait to see what your vet says Deb. You did a great job keeping him stable while you got through this very long weekend. :hug8: Your vet sounds like a gem.
 
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