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Suspected PBFD

BigMacWonder

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My bng is suspected to have PBFD. Why suspected but not tested for sure?

No, not even a vet nor lab in my town do such test. Believe me, I called and I was told no one does such test.

My only option is to send her feather to Australia for a DNA test however this involve crossing the border so it’s not as straightforward. I will contact the lab to find out about posting (exporting)her feathers to them.

In the mean time, can you take a look at the photos especially owner with PBFD birds?

Here’s the history:
In 21th September I found my macaw kept pulling her pin feathers off. I took a look at the feathers, I found puss like stuff at the end. I brought her to a vet , not an avian vet, we don’t have one here. Her WBC was slightly higher so she put her on a week of antibiotic.
After a week, it seemed that she was better until two days later... pin feathers with puss again.
I started her with Echinacea and milk thistle alternate every week, I also gave her colloidal silver for two weeks.
After a month we used the herbs and antibiotic, it’s quite obvious that her condition didn’t improve.
Since we couldn’t do any test we could only tried to evaluate based on the herbs, period of taking it and her condition after that.
I do not wish she has PBFD! However after antibiotic and herbs... if she only has bacterial infection, wouldn’t already cleared or signs of clearing?

A bit about my bng:
She is almost five years old,no contact with wild birds and she is the only bird at home since our Galah passed away. She was bred in Thailand.

Here are some of the photos from the beginning to the recent one.
 

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webchirp

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That's odd, Dr. Orosz would test for that. @Mizzely did we test Gizmo for that? And a vet tech here is @Milo
 

Hankmacaw

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What country do you live in. If you live in the US how did you get a bird in from Thailand?

She needs to be tested and there are places that test, so you need to get that done.

Please don't give her colloidal silver it is a heavy metal and birds are not tolerant of it.
 

BigMacWonder

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What country do you live in. If you live in the US how did you get a bird in from Thailand?

She needs to be tested and there are places that test, so you need to get that done.

Please don't give her colloidal silver it is a heavy metal and birds are not tolerant of it.
I am in Asia, I got her from her previous owner. He bought her from Thailand.
As I wrote, the closest lab is in Australia for DNA test. I need to find out about the rules and regulations and the possibility to send her feather from outside of Australia
 

Hankmacaw

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From my post on the subject in 2014.

Look at the basic elements chart and you will see that silver (and gold) is one of the heavy metals.
Heavy Metal - What Is a Heavy Metal? - Heavy Metal Definition

A list of toxic heavy metals
Heavy Metals - What are Heavy Metals

Lithium and cadmium are two of the worst and are present in batteries (and all wind farms and solar farms). And that is why I'm opposed to the so called "green energy" which is extremely toxic to the environment. Not only are birds killed by the wind turbines, but thousands of desert animals are killed by the flaking of the cadmiumteluride coating on solar panels that flake off onto the ground. Cadmium has a 38,000 year 1/2 life (not a typo).

Take a look at the blue people in this article.
Colloidal Silver: Risk Without Benefit

Trust, but verify with many, many legitimate sources. Sources that don't sell the product.

Hankmacaw, 4/10/14 Repor
 

Mizzely

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What had happened that made you do the test? Did Gizmo have pin feathers like Blue’s?

No she just had unusual Feather coloring that we were ruling out any possibility of disease for.
 

BigMacWonder

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I had given her for two weeks and that’s the recommended period for colloidal silver. So I am not giving her any more colloidal silver because it didn’t seem helping.
Her feathers started before I gave her colloidal silver.
 

Macawnutz

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Her pin feathers do not look abnormal to me, even removed. They do have a substance inside when underdeveloped.

Her symptoms do not seem to be that of PBFD.

The Basics of Feather Picking
 

BigMacWonder

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Her pin feathers do not look abnormal to me, even removed. They do have a substance inside when underdeveloped.

Her symptoms do not seem to be that of PBFD.

The Basics of Feather Picking
Thank you for the link, I will take a good read later tonight. Really appreciate that!! Normally in this situation, how do we determine what the cause is? In what circumstances that feathers are underdeveloped?
our biggest problem is, we don't have an avian vet nor a vet that is knowledgeable this area. My vet prescribed another two weeks of antibiotic after the first course didn't seem work.

We need to know the root of the problem whether it is infections or behaviour or diet or anything else... we dint know how....
 

Fia Baby

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I was thinking the same - those plucked feathers looked normal to me - you will expect to see blood, tissue, etc., in the shaft of a plucked feather. I'd be more concerned that she's plucking at this point, but I'm not sure you need to worry about PBFD.
 

BigMacWonder

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Her pin feathers do not look abnormal to me, even removed. They do have a substance inside when underdeveloped.

Her symptoms do not seem to be that of PBFD.

The Basics of Feather Picking
The questionnaire is extensive and informative!!! Thank You Very Very Much!!!!!!

I quickly glanced through and the daily management section caught my attention. I think she does need more direct sunlight. It is ironic because we are in the tropic but my little princess, lol, doesn't seem to fond of sun and heat. Well so does her mom. When she refused to stay at the balcony... I gave in.
We have been using pure essential oil for more than two years.. never had problems. so it shouldn't be a problem now right?
Her diet has fresh foods, herbs, seeds, nuts, grains and pellets. We use Top.
She play in the living room for at least two hours, normally its from 1.30pm to 5pm, at least.
She has a walk in indoor aviary.
 

BigMacWonder

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I was thinking the same - those plucked feathers looked normal to me - you will expect to see blood, tissue, etc., in the shaft of a plucked feather. I'd be more concerned that she's plucking at this point, but I'm not sure you need to worry about PBFD.
If its abnormal feather, it's in the pin feathers not at the end?
 

BigMacWonder

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I was thinking the same - those plucked feathers looked normal to me - you will expect to see blood, tissue, etc., in the shaft of a plucked feather. I'd be more concerned that she's plucking at this point, but I'm not sure you need to worry about PBFD.
We never seen these feathers before.... they were always dry. so normally why there's this liquid substance?
 

Mizzely

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If she isn't eating a pellet that is fortified with vitamins (Tops is not fortified), then she needs at least 15 mins of unfiltered sunlight 2 or more times a week to get her D3.

Essential oils are tricky. The problem is they could build up in the system and could manifest in a number of ways, good or bad. I would personally cease using them for several months and see if it helps the symptoms. There is anecdotal evidence that suggests Feather plucking can be caused by internal irritations or ailments.
 

BigMacWonder

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If she isn't eating a pellet that is fortified with vitamins (Tops is not fortified), then she needs at least 15 mins of unfiltered sunlight 2 or more times a week to get her D3.

Essential oils are tricky. The problem is they could build up in the system and could manifest in a number of ways, good or bad. I would personally cease using them for several months and see if it helps the symptoms. There is anecdotal evidence that suggests Feather plucking can be caused by internal irritations or ailments.
I see about pellets. I suppose I can get Harrison from Taiwan and let's see how. Hopefully I could get it in my country. Lol.

I will stop using essential oil.

What really puzzled me is, the antibiotic didn't work. That worry me.

Then She had enough sunlight last week. She has no choice but demolish the kitchen towel roll and her walnut at the balcony now. As long as part of her body, any part, under direct sun. Right?
 

TikiMyn

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There are labs to test for PDFB in the Netherlands and Germany too if you want to use those:)
 

Macawnutz

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I see about pellets. I suppose I can get Harrison from Taiwan and let's see how. Hopefully I could get it in my country. Lol.

I will stop using essential oil.

What really puzzled me is, the antibiotic didn't work. That worry me.

Then She had enough sunlight last week. She has no choice but demolish the kitchen towel roll and her walnut at the balcony now. As long as part of her body, any part, under direct sun. Right?


If the antibiotics are not the right ones they will not work.

I have a bird chewing pin feathers. Cultures of the underdeveloped feather shows an infection. Sensitivity panel shows resistance to many antibiotics. Even though we have him on the right antibiotics... it's been months of treatment without resolve. Now for your bird... there could be a thousand reasons for the plucking. Allergy, Pain, infection, diet, behavior.... Goodness knows but you have to start ruling out things.
 
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