# New cockatiel, bulging eye



## shortnsweet (Nov 4, 2012)

One of my new cockatiels, the male, appears to have a bulging left eye. It's kind of hard to describe (and sorry, not photos). I took him to a bird club meeting last week, and they had a look at it. They thought it might be eye mites, so he was given a dose of Ivermectin the following day, which was followed up with Pestene powder this Tuesday.
But I caught him this morning to see if I could see any mites on him, and his eye still seems to be bulging. He seems to be able to keep it open, but when viewed from the front of the bird, the eye (or the skin around the eye) is definitely bulging out more than the right eye. His mate (who he has been living with for at least the last seven years) has no problems with her eyes (she's missing tail feathers, and has swollen parts on her feet).
A friend who has more experience with birds than I do is going to try and come look at him next Saturday (if not before).
A vet consultation here is $50 (I'm sadly on the unemployment benefit, and don't just have $50 on-hand). But if I need to take him to the vet, I will.

All advice is greatfully appreciated. I don't want to see him suffer any more than he should.

PS. There does not appear to be any discharge around the eye. It is hard to have a close look at it, as he is not used to being handled and I didn't want to stress him out.

PPS. He can definitely see out of the eye. The bird club member established that!


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## Renae (Feb 9, 2008)

It could be some kind of infection, or a sinus problem. I would take him to an Avian Vet and have them take a look to determine if it is either one of these, or something else unrelated.


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## Fluttershy (Sep 16, 2012)

Definitely needs a vet. You may have to just borrow some money from family/friends.


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## shortnsweet (Nov 4, 2012)

Thanks so much Renae and Fluttershy!
I am busy four days out of next week. That leaves Thursday. I will try and phone the vet clinic and get him booked in for a check-up. Should I take his mate too?


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## Mezza (Feb 19, 2013)

I'm no expert but you may as well take both. Especially if they both have problems.
I hope all goes well. Let us know the outcome.


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## shortnsweet (Nov 4, 2012)

Mezza said:


> I'm no expert but you may as well take both. Especially if they both have problems.
> I hope all goes well. Let us know the outcome.


Thanks Mezza. Yeah, the female has been missing tail feathers for a good 5-6 months now, and possibly has a case of bumblefoot too, poor girl. They are no problem to catch, but I am not looking forward to handling the female. She bites and hangs on. Draws blood too. Ironically, her name is Alice, which I am told is the name of a vampire from Twilight xD

Of course I will let you all know how they get on at the vet. It would have been nicer if my first two aviary birds didn't have so many problems, but I don't mind too much, and after seven years of neglect, I want them to know there IS love and.kindness in the world. Which I'm going to prove by catching them in a net, putting them in a cage, and carting them off to the vet xD


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

If you can, til you are able to get them to a vet, try to keep that eye moist. That is very sensitive material poking out and it would be irritating if were to not be kept moist. If that makes any sense at all. Keep us posted!


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## shortnsweet (Nov 4, 2012)

roxy culver said:


> If you can, til you are able to get them to a vet, try to keep that eye moist. That is very sensitive material poking out and it would be irritating if were to not be kept moist. If that makes any sense at all. Keep us posted!


Thanks for the tip! I haven't seen him scratching it, but he shakes his head a lot. Is that common with this sort of problem?


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## shortnsweet (Nov 4, 2012)

Okay, I have managed to figure out my birds' problems, thanks to a friend who has years of experience with birds.
George has a respiratory problem (categorised by his bulging eye). I just don't know when I can get some antibiotics to treat it. Until I do, I can't bring any new birds in.
Alice has bumble foot on one foot. My friend is coming into town in a couple of days to help me get her sorted out.


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## Renae (Feb 9, 2008)

Is it frequently that he is doing the head shaking? If so, this can be a sign of an ear infection, which would need to be treated right away if that is what it is. 

Hope they are both better soon!


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## shortnsweet (Nov 4, 2012)

Renae said:


> Is it frequently that he is doing the head shaking? If so, this can be a sign of an ear infection, which would need to be treated right away if that is what it is.
> 
> Hope they are both better soon!


I can't really say for sure how frequently he shakes his head, but it seems like every time I check in on them, he is shaking his head.

My friend is coming in on Thursday. Hopefully she can sort them both out


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## shortnsweet (Nov 4, 2012)

Great news!
Alice doesn't have bumblefoot, just hard callouses (possibly due to inadequate perching?). On the downside though, my friend said she does not look a very well bird. She looks like she's sulking, and she's not bright and alert. Her feathers are also not tight to her body. My friend said that while George is plump, Alice doesn't have the same condition on her that George has.
My friend doesn't think George has a respiratory infection, he has possibly just got a bit of seed in it, or scratched it with his foot, or caught it on a sharp branch. She has given me Tetravet (antibiotic) to give them in their drinking water for 10 days, so hopefully poor George's eye will come right.


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