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Post by mandii on May 12, 2007 11:17:57 GMT -5
I need some help - I just came home about a week ago - I was gone for about 2 months - my husband was taking care of my birds while I was gone. When I got home, my keet Cosmo began acting weird - he was really mellow and somewhat lethargic - he would sleep all day, he would still eat good and perch on one foot, so I thought he was just adjusting, I purchased some seed that said it was for stress - after he ate some of that - he perked up, but I started seeing undigested seed in his droppings. I thought maybe it was that seed, so I stopped feeding that to him - he was doing really good for a few days, but now - he is back to being really lethargic and having runny droppings. He is still somewhat active and still eats and drinks really well, he does perch good and sleeps on one foot at night, he chatters a lot to when he is resting - but what could be happening? Is he still adjusting to me being home? How long will this go on? Right now he is fluffed on my shoulder and chattering.....please let me know if this is a normal for him to adjust to being home again - or something more serious - thanks!
Since I first posted - an update - his dropping are looking 100% normal now - they are not running and their color is good - but he is still fluffy and mellow, but chirping and chattering, and nibbling on my neck.
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Post by Sivin on May 12, 2007 15:56:13 GMT -5
Hi Mandii,
Good to see you back onboard. I've had budgies and cockatiels off and on for many years and I've come to the conclusion that if I feel that something is wrong, then something generally is. I would definitely have your bird examined by an avian vet, who will perhaps do a gram stain. I just have a feeling there is something just not right here, but what I do not know.
As an example, several months ago I noticed that one of the cockatiels just wasn't acting right. Changes were subtle and my husband thought she was fine. However, I was uncomfortable enough to have the vet look at her. We are very fortunate to have a travelling avian vet who comes to our house and so sees the birds in their normal habitat. The vet also thought the bird looked okay but allowed that she didn't know Casey all that well and if I thought something was wrong then she wanted to find out what the problem was.
The only abnormality she found before lab testing was a slightly enlarged abdominal area and she suspected that perhaps Casey was preparing to lay an egg. This unmated bird has frequently laid in the past, but to be on the safe side she took a gram test.
The test came back positive for a mild infection and we were given medication. However, this infection was so mild that the doctor said she would ordinarily not have expected it to produce symptoms and that perhaps something else was going on. A retest two weeks later showed the infection gone but the symptoms still pretty much there. We decided on a complete blood count.
The cbc came back positive for fatty liver disease, something you don't want to see but at least it wasn't a tumor, which I was fearing. I'll let you look it up on the Internet but in Casey's case it can be controlled with a special diet and supportive medication when needed. By the way, the cause of this is frequently shown to be diet related and this was not the case with Casey.
Are you still with me? On another occasion the vet was over to clip wings and when she approached our senior budgie's cage we saw that the bird was acting very decidedly ill. This bird had been acting normally that morning when my son uncovered her cage and fed her and this was just a few hours later. How lucky that the vet came by!
It turned out that this pixie was eggbound with an egg without a shell. She had never laid before and because of what appears to be a metabolic abnormality she has, we assumed the malformed egg was related to it. Long story short, the egg was removed but there were complications, antibiotics, etc., but Kiwi is fine now. She is 8-1/2 and this happened in December.
So, Mandee, as smart was we like to think our little friends are, acting the way you are describing is not normal, even accounting for a change in her enviorment. I would give it a day in total but I am uncomfortable with your bird's behavior.
Let us know how she's doing!
Sivin
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Post by mandii on May 12, 2007 16:23:31 GMT -5
Thank you so much for your response - I really am not comfortable with his behavior either - my husband thinks he is just adjusting to me being home - but something is just not right. I am unfortunate to live in a small city in WI and bird vets are not common - I was referred to one person - but they are not sure if he treats birds and of course is not open today or tomorrow - so first thing monday I will be contacting him and getting cosmo in - even if he seems to be better - not worth risking it. I will keep you all updated......
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Post by Sivin on May 12, 2007 19:33:10 GMT -5
Mandee,
Just do the best that you can. Keep us posted.
Sivin
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Post by henryswife on May 14, 2007 19:35:28 GMT -5
Hi Mandi,
Glad to hear your back onboard again too.
Sivin had some good advice, and she's lucky to have an avian vet come to the house, so the birds don't get all stressed out, and can take a look at all of them at the same time. All we have around here is a grooming van that comes to do cats and dogs.
So, how is Cosmo doing? I hope nothing serious.
Keep in touch and post when you get time.
I try to keep up reading posts here too, but with the way the weather etc. been ?? I can't keep up with everything. Drive-way wash out, can't plant garden, had frost warnings last nite.
Alice
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Post by Sivin on May 14, 2007 21:40:46 GMT -5
Alice,
Should I even mention that I planted my tomatoes last week?!?
Sivin
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Post by mandii on May 14, 2007 21:44:31 GMT -5
Hi Henryswife, Good to see you again!! Cosmo is doing ok right now - I found a vet who has experience in birds! I was so excited! We went tonight and Comso has something wrong with his pancreas and it having trouble digesting his seed, I guess he is not producing the right enzymes - so she gave him a full check up and gave me some meds for him - so keep your fingers crossed! I should see some improvement in 24-48 hours. I really hope all goes good!!! Weather here has been getting warmer - it was about 78 today - but will be in the 60's tomorrow with T-storms. Haven't gotten a chance to plant the garden yet either - still to cold at night. Go ahead and rub it in Sivin! LOL -  So you guys had a frost warning?! That isn't good!!! I will definitely try to keep up on the boards!! |
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Post by Sivin on May 14, 2007 22:50:09 GMT -5
Hi Mandii,
Hoping to hear all good things about Cosmo!
Sivin
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Post by henryswife on May 14, 2007 22:52:13 GMT -5
'''''Was just going to sign out, but saw your post & Sivins'''''
Been back & forth doing things and trying to post in between.
Mandi, glad to hear that you found a vet and the meds work. ((( Cosmo )))
Sivin just wants to have that 1st. home grown tomatoe to boast about in her salad or just eat it like an apple dripping down to her elbows. LOL nothing like your home grown herbs & veg.
I did get all my pots and garden ready 2 weeks ago, but I'm not planting twice like I had to a few times in the past!
I would change 'Henryswife or HW' to Alice, but I don't want to loose being a 'Flock Elder' LOL
I'm proud to be in my '60's' and still kicking [with one leg anyway] cateracts are fixed, but the hearing is 'What? repeat that? TV too lould?'
Well, time to say 'Nite Nite' Keep in touch. Alice
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Post by mandii on May 15, 2007 18:26:36 GMT -5
Update on Comso - he is so much better today - came home at lunch and checked up on him - meds seem to be working - his dropping still have seed - but energy is back and he is not fluffy all the time. He even ate some carrot today - which is awesome! Still having a hard time holding him down to give him his meds - I hate having to restrain him - anyone have some tips!?
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Post by Sivin on May 16, 2007 1:08:27 GMT -5
Hi again,
Glad to hear that things are improving. If you don't already, you might try holding Cosmo lightly in a towel when you medicate him. The idea is to kind of turn him into a taco. Have you tried that?
Sivin (whose are gets so hot in the middle of summer that even the tomato hornworms give up and go elsewhere)
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Post by Michael B on May 18, 2007 19:09:33 GMT -5
A taco? Won't the tomatoes and beans mess up his feathers? My lost budgie hated being held, but my Cockatiel is more mello. She likes her cere being scratched.
I'm glad Calypso if feeling chipper.
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Post by mandii on May 18, 2007 23:15:44 GMT -5
Sivin - yea the vet showed me how to hold him - with my two fingers around his neck - and yes I even hold him a towel - but he wiggles so much - I don't want to hurt him......I guess its something we will never get used to - me or him.....oh well - he is still doing better - he has bad days and good days - so just hoping after the 10 days of meds - he will be back to his pain in the butt self! Wouldn't have it any other way...... ;D
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Post by Sheila on May 27, 2007 18:38:28 GMT -5
Hi Mandii, glad to read Cosmo is feeling better.
Taco wrap, ummm. I wonder if you add salsa to it, the onions will make Cosmo sleepy? ;D ;D ;D
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Post by mandii on Jun 4, 2007 18:16:55 GMT -5
Ok everyone - just another update since my last post - cosmo had took a turn for the worse - couldn't get his meds in - he would throw everything up - ugh - so the vet gave me another med to try - he hated the taste - but it worked great - he made a full recovery and is back to his old self - love it! ;D Couldn't be happier - but I do have a quick question - what is a healty weight for a parakeet - I got a small scale that weighs in grams and he is weighing in about 39 grams. He has gained about 4 grams in the last week - so I know he is feeling better - but my other keets are around 40-45 grams - is that to heavy?!
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