# Labored, audible breathing



## Crystalchik (Aug 11, 2010)

I have female cockatiel that was given to me because the previous owner said there was something wrong with her eye. When I received the bird, her eye was completely fine but she now has labored, and very audible breathing. She doesnt sound congested, she doesnt have any sinus or eye discharge, and the only way I can describe the sound of her breathing is if you breath very quickly through your teeth. She doesnt seem like she has any other symptoms, just that. And seems to be getting worse.

I am treating her now with a nebulizing treatment of Oxine. It is an antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal solution used in treating upper respiritory problems in birds. It has worked wonders on my chickens, but she is on her 3rd day of treatment and is not improving. The other 2 birds she was with that were also given to me are completely fine. 

I cant afford to bring her to the vet...does anyone have an idea on what it might be and how to treat it? I am not all that familiar with tiel respiritory problems.
Thank you!


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## Jess (Jun 20, 2010)

She might need baytril she might need doxycycline, possibly some itrafungol as well. It's a case of trying to see what works but I fear you are running out of time, you don't have days to wait for test results. Baytril 2.5% oral is very difficult to get without a vet prescribing it and you are way past the stage of putting doxy in drinking water, it's a direct into the beak job. If you can't afford an avain vet ring round and find a vet that can deal with birds. To put it bluntly if you don't act quickly you will lose her.
As for her previous owner the least she could do is pay for the treatment or lend you the money!


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## Crystalchik (Aug 11, 2010)

Jess, thank you for your response.

That is quite scary. Do you know of anything else that is more generic I can give...I had planned on ordering a culture through one of the vets offices, which is olnly $18...not too bad. But like you said, I dont think I have that much time. Im really upset, I took that bird because the owner said she thought she may have an "eye problem", which I have the proper meds for and it isnt life threatening...she didnt say anything about breathing problems!!

Here are some meds that I have now...not sure if I can give them to tiels or if it will help...you may know:

Metronidazole
Amox
Cipro
Clindamycin
Duramycin
Neomycin

Thank you


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## Jess (Jun 20, 2010)

Metronidazole (Flagyl) No this is for gut and protazoa infections

Amox A general antibiotic, may not be specific enough.

Cipro, Belongs to the same family of antibiotics as baytril so could be tried.

Clindamycin, (Antirobe) More for soft tissue and bone infections, in humans used for dental infections, Quinsy, can be used for respitory.

Duramycin, a tetracycline, not too different to Doxucycline, can be used for respitory infections,possbily pssitcoisis although doxy is best.

Neomycin, no for skin infections


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## Crystalchik (Aug 11, 2010)

So if you had to choose between Amox, Cipro, and Duramycin, which one would you choose? And all of these (besides the Duramycin which is injectable) are tablets.


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## Jess (Jun 20, 2010)

Are you going to be able to make the doses small enough? I guess the tablets are going to have to be cut to size. If you do this you will have to crush the piece of tablet with a pestal and mortar, if you don't have one the back of a spoon will do but it must be crushed to the finest powder, no lumps. You will need a small syringe pref a 1ml you mustn't add any more than a drop or two of water, you don't want to be syringing anything more than 0.2ml down her at any given time.

If it's just out of the Amox or cipro I'd try the cipro first but if it were me first drug I'd try is Baytril, covers more things. The drug name for Baytril is Enrofloxacin, could you get some of that at all, it's used widley in poultry. Out of interest do you inject the chickens with Duramycin?


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## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

Jess gave some great advise. The respiratory problems can be bacterial, fungal, or an obstruction in the sinuses or thrachea.

Try this site for meds: http://www.allbirdproducts.com/bird_medication.html Allso read the articles on the site: http://www.allbirdproducts.com/articles/index.html There may be some helpful info.


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## Crystalchik (Aug 11, 2010)

Thank you Jess, do you have any idea on what the dosage might be? I will look it up as well. 
I just wish I didnt have to handle her...she is not tame at all and she is very frightful, and when she gets stressed her condition gets so much worse. 
And yes, I do inject the chickens with Duramycin

SRtiels, thank you for the sites! I will check them out!


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## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

Here is an Avian medicine book that is online: http://www.avianmedicine.net/ampa.html

Click on chapter 18 which will bring up a PDF page on medications used with avians and an idea of dosages etc. You can probably go through the book to read up on respiratory problems.


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## Crystalchik (Aug 11, 2010)

Thank you Jess and SRtiels for all of your help, but she has passed on. I had noticed that her breathing was slightly audible when I got her, but it never seemed to be a problem and she seemed completely fine otherwise. This intense labored breathing just came on this morn. I think I am going to take this up with the previous breeder...she told me it had an eye problem, which I could handle no problem and would order a culture to be done on her, but she said nothing of a respiritory problem. This is a whole new ball game and could threaten the rest of the flock, esp if it killed this one. I think I may just give the other 2 back to her if she'll take them...because if they are carriers I dont want to infect my flock and I will have no way of knowing if they are carriers.

Thank you again, 
Crystalchik


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## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

*((((HUGS))))* 

You might ask the breeder if she has a vet, and if she will pay to have a necropsy done. Explain your concern as to possible heath issues that can affect your birds, and if the bird was around hers then she would need to know what was wrong too. a necropsy can at least give an idea of the cause of death.


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## Crystalchik (Aug 11, 2010)

Thank you SRtiels 

That is a good idea, i will do so. The only thing is that she has gotten rid of all of her birds, and claims that because so many people have been in and out of her facility these birds caught something...I had inquired about this pair of birds several months ago when she was still charging $125 for them and bc I couldnt afford that i never continued with it. She called me back several weeks later, and this was one of the only pairs she had left and because this pair "wasnt feeling well" she wanted to give them to me.
Through our correspondence, something just doesnt seem right. I cant help but question if she is being straight with me.
But I will see what she will do. If she wont help out with costs I wont be able to afford it, and it just wont be worth it to me...it would be easier to get rid them or give them back if i cant find out exactly what they have.


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## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

Quite possibly, if this hen was part of a pair, there could be a problem with the hen having reproduction problems and an infection...which can also contribute to labored breathing.

Can you examine the hens abdomen to see if it normal and flat appearing? 

It would be nice if she would agree to help pay for a necropsy.

If all of the comunications have been done thru email, save them.


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## Jess (Jun 20, 2010)

That is very sad poor bird, also sad for her mate.
Looking back at your first post on this issue is was only 10 days ago, I'm guessing the stress of moving as well may of made this condition worse. I agree with Srteils, a necropsy would be useful, I'm thinking either she was in ill health due to being over bred or something or she had pssiticosis in her flock. If you don't get a necropsy done then I would strongly recommend getting some ornicure sachets or some other doxy meds and dosing all your birds drinking water for 45 days.


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