# Please help me - inflammation of the gland?



## Cynamonka (Nov 7, 2014)

Hello, I have problem with my male cockatiel (10 years old). I have noticed that he often puts the beak in the parts of the gland. It started two days ago. When he wanna sleep, I noticed that he is constantly lifting his foot up and then down, like he's stamping. It's like a twitch or something, either one or the other, or both. He's acting normal, he's very happy... Exept that. I know that I should probably go to the avian vet, but there is no one in my area. I will try to find one, but what can it be?  I noticed blood in gland area, I think that he's scratching it. What could happen to him?


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## EllenD (Oct 9, 2016)

I don't understand what you mean by "the gland". What gland? And how much blood are we talking about? Is the bird lifting his foot up and down related to the "gland" problem, or is it a separate problem? And does that happen only when it's bedtime or does it happen at other times?

We'll certainly try to help you, though it's always better to take your bird to a certified avian vet immediately when your bird is having a problem. Please try to explain what you are talking about, a photo of "the gland area" and the blood, and another photo of your bird as a whole, maybe while he's doing the foot thing will also help a lot.



"Dance like nobody's watching..."


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## EllenD (Oct 9, 2016)

Also, where do you live? We may be able to help you find a certified avian vet if you let us know.

"Dance like nobody's watching..."


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

Yes, we need more information on which gland you mean.

If the foot problem is a sudden change, he might have a bruise or other small injury that makes it uncomfortable for him to stand the way he usually does when he sleeps. If he's had some kind of accident, that might also be the reason for the blood you see, and for him to be touching an area that bothers him. If all this is the result of a minor accident he should get better soon, but if it doesn't go away there may be a more serious problem.


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

I was thinking about this and wondered if "the gland" means the vent (the place where the poop comes out). If that's what it is, you can hold him in your hand and inspect the area to see if it looks all right. If he's got something stuck there you can clean it off gently with warm water. If something is wrong there it might be uncomfortable when he stands in certain ways, and that's why you're seeing him do odd things with his feet.

Is there any possibility that he is actually female? If that's the case then I would be concerned about possible egg binding problems.


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## ParrotletsRock (Oct 8, 2013)

I think the OP means the oil gland.. on the back just above the base of the tail. Blood there could be caused by irritation caused by blockage or a tumour (I am sure other things as well) this could in my opinion pinch the leg nerves and cause the stamping feet too.This in my opinion will need to be seen by a vet for proper diagnosis and treatment, which may be as simple as antibiotics or as invasive as surgery. As stated above if you give us your general location we can help find a vet for you.


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## Cynamonka (Nov 7, 2014)

Hello again, thank you all for answers. I am from Poland. Yes, it's about oil gland, I didn't knew how it's correct in English. I can't take photo of my bird, 'casue when I try, he turns away. I spotted small drop of blood in oil gland area yesterady, but today it's look like very little scub. I do not see any tumor or anything like it, it looks normal except for this blood yesterday and little irritation, does the tumor give such sudden symptoms? This started only two days ago... He just statred to molt, new feathers are growing, in the oil gland area too... Is it possible that some growing feather bothers him and he scratches it very much and this feather pinch nerves? He is 100% male. Foot tapping takes place when he fall asleep, when he sleeps, nothing happens and this started two days ago too...


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

It might be because of the molt. New pinfeathers can be very annoying. You could hold him gently and inspect the area to see if there's anything obvious wrong.

A big tumor can cause an obvious abnormal bulge in the skin. A small tumor might not be visible at all, but it would also be less likely to press on nerves and cause problems.


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

I am not finding anyone in Poland who is officially certified as an avian veterinarian. But according to this website there are more than 9500 vets in Poland and it seems likely that at least afew of them will know something about birds: http://ebvs.eu/countries/poland

I don't know how you would locate them though. Maybe you could find them through the resources on the website. It lists 6 veterinary schools in Poland, so my suggestion would be to contact the one closest to you and ask whether they know someone who can treat a cockatiel. If there are any zoos near you, you could ask them too. They must have birds in their collection and would need someone to treat them.


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## Cynamonka (Nov 7, 2014)

I found avian vet in my area, I visted her with my baby today. Turned out that it was feather cyst. She removed it. My bird is very sad now, he was very scared during removal the cyst. She prescribe him some vitamins and No-pick from Versele Laga. But... she said that I must give him vitamins everyday for month. And spray No-pick three times a day... Is not too long? May such a high dose of vitamins and this spray harm him? 
Once again thank you all for help, especially you, tielfan!


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

I'm glad that you were able to find a vet and get it taken care of. 

The internet says that feather cysts occur during a molt when a new feather can't break through the skin so it curls up underneath the skin instead. They're saying that good nutrition helps prevent this from happening, so that's probably the reason that your vet prescribed the vitamins. 

Some sources are saying that amino acids (protein) are an important factor, for example https://www.beautyofbirds.com/feathercysts.html It's true that it's hard for birds to get enough methionine and lysine in the diet. But then these sources blow it by listing several foods that won't actually help provide these amino acids. It's really lysine that's the most difficult amino acid to get, and the best way to provide more is with peas, legumes (like lentils), and beans. If your bird will eat these things it will help improve his protein intake. In general these foods need to be cooked to get rid of natural toxins. If he doesn't like peas and beans you could give him some hemp seed, it's a better source of protein than the other seeds. Hemp is high in fat so don't give too much of it.

The internet says that No-Pick is a bitter-tasting spray that discourages the bird from picking at its feathers. Your bird has a wound where the feather cyst was, and this wound can't heal if the bird keeps picking at it. If you're concerned about the spray you could use it for a little while to give the wound time to start healing, and then see whether he picks at the wound if you don't use the spray. If he doesn't pick at the wound, it's not a problem. If he does pick, it will be best to keep using the spray until the wound is completely healed.


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## Janalee (Jul 25, 2012)

*gland*

So glad you found out the cause of your bird's problem. Hope he's better soon!


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## Cynamonka (Nov 7, 2014)

thank you!



tielfan said:


> The internet says that No-Pick is a bitter-tasting spray that discourages the bird from picking at its feathers. Your bird has a wound where the feather cyst was, and this wound can't heal if the bird keeps picking at it. If you're concerned about the spray you could use it for a little while to give the wound time to start healing, and then see whether he picks at the wound if you don't use the spray. If he doesn't pick at the wound, it's not a problem. If he does pick, it will be best to keep using the spray until the wound is completely healed.


 yeah, it doesn't work. The wound is healing, but now new feather is growing from there. It bothers him a lot, he still trying to clean in this area, and pick new feather. He often flips his tail. And the foot tapping come back :/ When he fall asleep, his foot is tapping, and sometimes he shaking his head. When he sleep, nothing happens. Can growing feather press the nerves? Or maybe cyst come back? Is it possible to return so soon? The vet removed everything.

I recorded when he's cleaning this place https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1vPG2uXBGClNFZIdDJtTUpaV2c/view


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

You need to call your vet and talk to them about this. They might let you email the video to them as a preliminary step instead of coming in right away.

I doubt that the new feather is pressing on nerves, but it may be causing pain and irritation in the skin that makes it difficult for him to stand comfortably. Is the picking causing any damage to the skin? If nothing else works, it's possible to put a plastic cone around a bird's neck to stop it from picking at the wound, similar to what they do with dogs. But this is obviously very upsetting to the bird, so I hope you can find an easier solution.


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## Cynamonka (Nov 7, 2014)

Because we have Easter, gabinet my vet is open in Tuesday... I think that he is licking the wound, not picking, so he don't hurt skin. When I talk wit vet before removed the cyst, she said that foot tapping is probably causing by cyst. His dropings are normal, he's acting normal... exept that.


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

It would be better if he wasn't picking at all of course, but the situation is reasonably OK as long as he isn't picking the wound open. If he does pick it open you can do try calling their office - they might have a message on their phone with an emergency number you can call. If that doesn't work you can try to find an emergency clinic, or see if you can find a pet store that has the collars. Here's a website link that has a good example of the different sizes that are available: http://www.affordablevet.net/birds/kvp-kong-elizabethan-bird-lexan-e-collars/


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## Cynamonka (Nov 7, 2014)

In Poland parrots aren't popular pets, so ordinary pet shops don't have stuff like this. And im my area there are no clinics that are familiar with parrots :/ Everything is closed for the holidays, which in Poland last two days, but today lots of places are closed too, including my vet gabinet. They turn off the phone too :/ Have you heard of similar experiences like my bird? I searched the internet and nothing matching... I love him so much and I'm worried...


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

Feather cysts are fairly common. I hope he's just feeling some discomfort during the healing process right now, and it will soon stop bothering him. If it continues to be a problem, the vet can remove that feather follicle. There won't be any more problems in that particular spot because bird won't have the ability to grow a feather there.


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## Cynamonka (Nov 7, 2014)

I've looked at him more closely and I noticed 3 blood feathers in tiel. They are young and still growing but I never seen any before. Maybe they somehow irritate the nerves?


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

New feathers are always blood feathers. They can be itchy and annoying.


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## ninfatiel (Jul 22, 2016)

Vitamins may be a dangerous thing,easy to overdose and cause death. I would'nt give them to my cockatiels


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