# Bubu is sick, I need advice please!



## bobobubu (Dec 12, 2011)

Hi everyone. For no apparent reason Bubu is very sick, I have no idea what the problem might be and I am scared to death.
He was doing absolutely fine, then suddenly he became lethargic.
He is not puffed up at all, and he is breathing normally. He just doesn't move and keeps his eyes shut.
The only thing I can think is that he might have drunk water that was too hot. I was washing the dishes, rinsing actually, and he flew on my arm. He always does that when he wants me to move my arm so he can reach the running water. Afterward I thought maybe it was hot but he didn't seem to mind at all. 
Two minutes later I switched the lights off and went to the living room but I saw that instead of flying on my shoulder he had stayed sitting on a chair's back, not moving. From then on, he has just been sitting, first on my chest, then he moved, now i have him in the tiny carrier cage with a heating pad on top because I want to see if he drinks/eats/poops. 
Just a moment ago he was bobbing his head, as if he had something in his throat.
It's 8.30pm here and no vets are opened. I could bring him to the clinic but they wouldn't do anything to him so I'd prefer to keep him here unless you guys think it's better to bring him now. But I know for past experience that they won't do anything until the vet has seen him in the morning.
What could the problem be? is it possible that the water scalded his throat or something similar? What can I do for him apart from keeping him warm? And why was he bobbing his head? Should I make him drink more water?


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## bobobubu (Dec 12, 2011)

I forgot to add, he is mainly sitting in the cage with his eyes closed. He is not laying down, just sitting.


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## sunnysmom (Sep 23, 2011)

I don't know what to suggest. I just wanted to say I hope Bubu is okay.


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## bobobubu (Dec 12, 2011)

Thank you, SunnysMom, I appreciate it. I took him out of the cage and he is now sitting on my chest, feeling sorry for himself... well, it looks like he does! I took him to the vet just last week because he had a scratch above his beak and one of his nasal passages looked like it had some obstruction in it, but the vet said that he was absolutely fine so this sudden illness leaves me completely baffled and freaked out.


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## sunnysmom (Sep 23, 2011)

I tried to see if I could find any old threads on "burnt throats" or something like that- if that's what the problem is but didn't see anything. Hopefully, others will be on soon who can comment. You dont think he drank any soapy water or anything like that, do you? Just hot water?


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## bobobubu (Dec 12, 2011)

He drank directly from the tap, so the water was pure, and I did (again) a tour of the apartment to see if I left something toxic unattended but found absolutely nothing... unless he swallowed something without leaving trace the place is safe. I tried a search of "hot" and "scald" too but no results.


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## enigma731 (Aug 12, 2011)

What were you using to wash the dishes with, and is it possible there might have been any other type of fumes in the kitchen?


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

If this was my bird and no other help was available, I would dissolve a baby aspirin in a quarter cup of drinking water (following the vet advice at http://www.justanswer.com/bird-vet/6ishw-canary-baby-47-days-old-seems-pain-one-foot.html on dosage), and put one or more drops in his beak. The baby aspirin will help relieve pain and aspirin also helps relieve inflammation so it might do some good. I AM NOT AN EXPERT ON THIS, so if somebody more knowledgeable gives different advice, listen to them not me.


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

I've been trying to do some research without much luck. Crop burn in baby birds is the closest situation to this that I can find, and there aren't any home remedies for that. They recommend that you flush the crop with cool water ASAP, but it's too late for that to do any good for Bubu; by this time the hot water would have cooled down to body temperature. Keep him warm and as comfortable as you can, try to get him some pain relief with baby aspirin, and take him to a competent vet in the morning if he isn't back to normal.


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## enigma731 (Aug 12, 2011)

If the water wasn't scalding your hands, then I doubt he has crop burn. Additionally, an adult bird should know better than to ingest water that's that hot -- he probably would have felt it on his tongue and reacted. I'd be much more suspicious of a toxin. 

Personally I would not give the aspirin, since you don't know if there may be other toxins or chemicals in his system which could cause a dangerous drug interaction.


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

> Personally I would not give the aspirin, since you don't know if there may be other toxins or chemicals in his system which could cause a dangerous drug interaction.


Listen to her not me. So I'm revising my advice to Keep him warm and as comfortable as you can, and take him to a competent vet in the morning if he isn't back to normal.


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## bobobubu (Dec 12, 2011)

Being allergic to aspirin I don't keep any in the house. I am positive there were no fumes, I don't use other chemicals apart from washing up liquid, I steam clean and I didn't even do that today! I feel so helpless. His droppings are a bit loose, and small. I put him back in the little cage now, next to me so I can check on him during the night. He is so silent! I am not used to it :-(


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

It wouldn't hurt to give him a little bit of Pedialyte or Gatorade, and maybe the electrolyte boost would help. There's a simple recipe for homemade Pedialyte at http://birdboard.com/forum/topic/8602093-rehydration-electrolytes/ It uses ingredients that you might already have in your kitchen.


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## bobobubu (Dec 12, 2011)

I wasn't able to make him drink the sugar/salt/soda water... he will only drink from the tap! This is so frustrating, I am very aware how very badly equipped I am to react to a birdy emergency, don't feel good about it, at all.
We slept for a few hours, a few minutes ago while he was sitting on my shoulder I heard him sneezing, he basically spat some watery liquid and a bit of very dark green gooey substance. Then he did some head bobbing, I tried to catch it with the camera but as soon as I started it, he stopped doing it. 
He looks more alert than last night but he is slightly puffy now. 
Any idea about the green snotty substance? Maybe he has something stuck in his throat?


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

It might be some kind of infection and it's just a coincidence that he started acting "off" right after he drank the hot water. Please get him to a vet if you can. Show the green substance to the vet if you can.


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## enigma731 (Aug 12, 2011)

I think that sounds like a GI and/or crop infection. I agree with tielfan that it's probably more of a coincidence that he started showing symptoms after drinking from the tap. Do get him to a vet today, if that's at all possible.


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## bobobubu (Dec 12, 2011)

I got him to the vet yesterday and as it always happens to us in emergencies the avian vet wasn't in. So another one of their vets saw Bubu and said it is most possibly some kind of poisoning. He advised me to leave birdy at the clinic do he could be monitored and given antibiotics and I did. Went to see him later in the evening, he had lost 7 grams and refused to eat.
I brought the green-blue goo to the vet for him to see, and he said it's more possible to be a piece of the greens he ate earlier. I wasn't very convinced because he hadn't be eating for a while, but I know nothing so I can't really disagree.
Last night I spoke with a friend and he reminded me that I had some fresh cut flowers in the kitchen he gave me for my birthday, I completely forgot of those, so I went to check and the stem of one of the flowers is chewed, and what's worse it's one of those flowers florists paint blue.... so maybe the bright goo and poo, and the lead poison theory are linked to it. I can't believe I was so stupid to leave the flowers in the kitchen! I pride myself in keeping a safe environment and then make such moronic mistakes.
I called the clinic this morning and they told me Bubu is eating again! The avian vet will see him soon and will call me. I'd prefer to talk to him in person but I have been through it before, this is the way they do things at that surgery and in all honesty I am so tired I will do what they say. Or maybe I will just pop in in an hour or so, and see from there.


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## bobobubu (Dec 12, 2011)

OK turns out he isn't eating or pooping that well. I have talked to the vet and he is running blood tests and doing an x-ray. It means I will be eating potatoes for the next 2 months but at least hopefully we will get some answers. Bubu was sick a few months ago already, and it was never determined what the problem was that time. Maybe some recurring illness? I just hope he is gonna be alright! Not knowing is horrible.


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## JennyLynn (Feb 13, 2012)

best wishes for you both in this hard time


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## sunnysmom (Sep 23, 2011)

Hopefully the vet can figure out the problem soon. Do you know what kind of flowers they were? Please keep us posted on how Bubu is doing.


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

I hope Bubu recovers well! If you can bring the chewed flower to the vet it might help them identify the exact nature of the problem. Some plants are naturally toxic, and the blue stuff could be toxic too.


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## bobobubu (Dec 12, 2011)

The vet told me that the x-ray didn't show any abnormalities and he will have the blood tests results tomorrow. I went to visit Bubu again later this evening and he is still not eating, so they are feeding him with a syringe with a long tube attached... it looks ominous :-( 
They moved him in a smaller cubicle on top of the others, I guess it's to keep him away from noise? He looks so little and sad, all alone in there. I try to keep thinking positively but it doesn't look very good to me. And I absolutely HATE the idea of him being all alone while he is poorly!


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## sunnysmom (Sep 23, 2011)

I'm so sorry. : ( I guess the blood tests are testing for toxins, etc.? Sending good wishes to you and Bubu.


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## RedQueen (Feb 21, 2012)

Have you told the vet about the flowers? They may be toxic to birds and causing the illness, and depending on the flower species the vet may know how to treat the toxicity if he knew which flowers Bubu ate (if you bring them to the vet or tell him the kind of flower it was). We had a situation were our male tiel Tyko bit a succulent plant we have in the house (a Euphorbia) and he threw up 5 minutes after. We kept an eye on him and he was perfectly fine after (he must have only had a bit in his mouth and didn't ingest any), but it could have turned into an emergency in which case the vet would need to know what plant it was to treat for the right toxin. I hope Bubu gets better soon.


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## bobobubu (Dec 12, 2011)

Thank you all for the good wishes. Yes I did show everything to the vet, he didn't seem very convinced and said that we will know more once we have the tests results. I still have all in my purse so when I go see him tomorrow, depending on what he found out I will ask him again to consider the possibility that the flower might be the culprit. Looking at pictures online it looks like a chrysanthemum to me, which I gather is not good news. The flower itself isn't chewed, it's the stem that looks damaged. Obviously it could have been in that state since I got those flowers, the more I try to think, the less I am sure about anything. Hopefully we will know in a few hours.


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## NYTiel (Jan 5, 2013)

I hope to hear good news for you and BuBu!


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## Hels (Oct 31, 2012)

Thinking of you and Bubu. Best wishes to you both x



Hels


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## RedQueen (Feb 21, 2012)

In your place I would be more demanding that the vet does something about the poisoning (I'm not sure what is normally done this late after the bird ate the plant). I found this:
Chrysanthemum: Results in vomiting, diarrhea, depression, drooling and appetite loss. (http://www.avianweb.com/toxicfoods.html)

If it was the flower, hopefully the worst of the toxin's effects have passed and Bubu will get better.
Please keep us updated.


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## bobobubu (Dec 12, 2011)

Hello, good news! I was able to take Bubu home. He started eating again on his own so he is now back with us, I need to check on him closely for signs of illness but at the moment he looks fine. He was a bit puffy and shivering last night but this morning he seems fine. I need to give him 0.1ml of Marbocyl every day for 7 days.
As usual, meaning just like the last time Bubu was sick, even after all the tests all the answer I got is "he is better now, you can take him home, he probably ate something he shouldn't have". Nothing definitive. So in this sense, RedQueen, I agree with you that maybe I should be more demanding and ask for definite answers; but to be fair, unless having a complete tox screen as they do in CSI, probably it is impossible to say what exactly poisoned Bubu. The blood tests show that liver and kidneys are working fine.
This vet is very popular and you won't find one bad review about him as avian vet, so either I am not very good at communicating, or I expect too much. Probably a bit of both.
I guess I will have to be just happy to have Bubu restored to good health, which is more than I expected since 2 days ago he was moribund!


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## Zara (Jan 18, 2013)

Been following your story and I am so glad that Bubu is ok…..


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## JennyLynn (Feb 13, 2012)

so glad things are turning out for the better


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## sunnysmom (Sep 23, 2011)

Great news! I'm glad Bubu is better.


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## RedQueen (Feb 21, 2012)

Glad to hear Bubu is doing well.


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## Clair (Jul 31, 2012)

I'm glad Bubu is back home!! Last summer we had to leave our tiel in the hospital for four days and we missed him so much.


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

I'm glad that everything turned out well! I suspect that he had some toxicity from nibbling on the flower, but it looks like it didn't cause any long-term harm and that's great.


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## bobobubu (Dec 12, 2011)

Thank you all for your interest and kind words, it helps so much especially in moments of despair; none of my friends and family have birds living with them and understand how it is when one them is sick; one very dear friend of mine has the patience of Job and supports me all the way, and I am forever grateful to her... but the rest, they just think it's complete craziness to care so much for a little creature! Most of them think that I am crazy, and to be honest I gave up trying to explain


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## anthrogirl80 (Jun 2, 2012)

So glad to read that Bubu is better! What an ordeal for him, and for you!

Enjoy the potatoes you'll be eating for a while. I know the pain of vet bills. We lived on bread and two minute noodles when Jack was sick last year. 


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD


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## Hels (Oct 31, 2012)

Yay go Bubu!!! 




Hels


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## stevechurch2222 (Sep 25, 2011)

So glad Bubu is better,sad that so many people don't understand how our cockatiels tug to our heart with so much love and affection and understand our feelings more than a lot of humans.Until they get a cockatiel or some type of pet they will never understand how we feel about our little creatures and why we bend over backwards for them to see that they are as healthy and eat the proper diet and exercise.


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## nassrah (Feb 27, 2012)

Glad that Bubu is doing fine.Hope he puts back his weight in no time !!We might seem a little crazy regarding the concern about our little ones safety and health,but I dont care,after all,they bring so much happiness into our lives,its totally worth it X x


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