# Izzie



## abaldwin40 (Aug 25, 2013)

So off the breeding topic. Izzie has come down with something serious. I've been driving to and from The only avian specialist within 100 miles of my house. Today when we did a follow up exam to inspect Izzie's labored breathing the vet pulled out a catheter and poked izzie tummy with it. She drew the plunger back and more than 5cc's if yellow and green fluid came out of her. She said that it's been building up over time and has put constant pressure on her lungs and heart. She put izzie on oxygen to help her catch up on her breathing and help her calm down. She also prescribed her and antibiotic called SMZ TMP suspension. Along with lasix to help drain the fluids. She gets .1cc of those every 12 hours and .5 cc of benebac once a day. Please keep my izzie in your thoughts. She's fighting this infection hard and is improving. But she still needs or support. <3 


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## tmdonahue (Apr 6, 2014)

Get Well Soon Izzie


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## CaliTiels (Oct 18, 2012)

I'm so sorry. Could this be what the falling off her perches was about?


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## Mezza (Feb 19, 2013)

Oh Izzie you poor bubba. 

Skiddles, Louey and I are sending you lots of well wishes and scratches.


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## abaldwin40 (Aug 25, 2013)

Calitiels yea I'm pretty sure that's what the issue was. But I'm hoping this medicine will help her. She's still eating like a piggy and drinking normally so we'll just have to see.


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## sunnysmom (Sep 23, 2011)

Sending good thoughts!


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## abaldwin40 (Aug 25, 2013)

Thank you. I was giving her her meds today and she actually flew across the room. She's obviously got ALOT more energy since yesterday. Les just hope that the build up was a one time issue 


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## TamaMoo (Jan 12, 2014)

Hugs and good wishes from Joey and me. Hope she is on the mend now.


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## CaliTiels (Oct 18, 2012)

Izzie is in my thoughts


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## abaldwin40 (Aug 25, 2013)

So she's doing something strange.... She is on top of her cage. When I approach her she will turn around dip her head and lift her tail high in the air and start tweeting. I've never seen her do this before. Lol


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## abaldwin40 (Aug 25, 2013)

And her vent is pulsing in and out..... 


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## CaliTiels (Oct 18, 2012)

That's the hormonal "mount me" stance. That is the last thing she needs to be thinking about now, she needs to focus on feeling better!


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## abaldwin40 (Aug 25, 2013)

Oh dear. Lol I thought it was that. She's so silly 


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## tmdonahue (Apr 6, 2014)

sounds like flirting...lol


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## abaldwin40 (Aug 25, 2013)

She constantly does it now lol


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## abaldwin40 (Aug 25, 2013)

Okay after spraying izzie down for a little bath I noticed her abdomen is swelled to the size of an egg again. I did some looking and found a thread on here about peritonitis that srtiels was discussing with another member. I'm 95% sure this is what she has. She has yolk colored urates. Labored breathing. Her abdomen is soft and spongy to the touch. And then she's also doing the mating dance. So I figure it's possible she developed an egg at her young age and it got caught in her abdomen instead of being passed through her bum.When the vet pulled the liquid from her she said some came out green. I'm guessing this could be rotten yolk? I'm very nervous for her now....


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## dianne (Nov 27, 2013)

Oh :-(. Sending good thoughts.


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## karendh (Mar 25, 2013)

I do hope that Issie is feeling better. If you feel that you are able to, could you post an update? My thoughts are with you.


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## CaliTiels (Oct 18, 2012)

I hope Izzie pulls through. That sounds very scary.


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## abaldwin40 (Aug 25, 2013)

Wells she's now on benebac a heart medicine and the lasix and another. She's more awake. Not as puffy and she actually enjoyed herself toda when I took her in her cage outside for sunshine. Her breathing has leveled out and she's also more vocal. She's still eating and drinking normally. So we'll see what happens.


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## Mezza (Feb 19, 2013)

Oh I hope she pulls through.

Sending good thoughts your way Miss Izzie xx


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## karendh (Mar 25, 2013)

Thanks for the update, I'm so pleased to hear that she seems to be getting better. They are such fragile little creatures and I think it's our feeling of helplessness which is so scary. We just want to pick them up and cuddle them when they are ill as we can with cats, dogs, bunnies etc. Good luck.


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## abaldwin40 (Aug 25, 2013)

Thank you everyone for your support 


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## abaldwin40 (Aug 25, 2013)

So Izzie's condition hasn't improved noticeably yet. Still breathing heavily and I can hear it without even picking her up. (There's a clicking noise when she inhales) she's still taking all 4 of her medicines. Guys this just goes to show for anyone with a faint heart and ppl that aren't financially prepared to care for your bird you need to really take sickness into consideration. I have easily spent $700 on my poor lil izzie and we still don't know exactly what's wrong. Caring for a sick cockatiel is hit or miss. There are so many similar symptoms for so many diseases and sicknesses that you can be treating on thing when it's something totally different. We've considered (during this medical escapade) neurological problems, aaaaaall the way down to an intestinal bacterial infection. Now were thinking its lung and heart issues. See what I mean? Let this be a pearl of wisdom for anyone thinking about getting a cockatiel that's just browsing this site for info on cockatiels. Don't get one of these precious little babies if you can't afford to care for it beyond food and treats...... Watching izzie suffer like this is the hardest thing I've had to do. So please think before you buy..... <3


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## CaliTiels (Oct 18, 2012)

I agree. I could only afford one medicine to split upon them both and all I did was research heavily on herbal treatments and I got lucky. I repeat. _Lucky_. It's terrible to see them suffer. All I used were home treatments and tons of special one on one care. It killed me to see Jaid vomit up his food. It pained me to see them pass undigested seeds. I had to make them a homemade, special meal, 3 times a day, everyday, for 2 weeks. Herbal treatments, 3 times a day. In the beginning, I had to hold them and syringe feed them individually their homemade food. That was the only way they could hold it down. They survived. And I am so relived, because I started thinking I would lose them. It was painstaking, but I'm glad I put in all the effort I did to keep them alive. It was so much work, but I would do it all over again. I would do it everyday for the next 50 years because I love them. And that's something we all have in common between us. This needs to be thought by the next person who wants a bird, because it's not for the weak, and you are doing wonderful and I support you completely


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## abaldwin40 (Aug 25, 2013)

Calitiels, I'm curious..... All this started happening almost immediately after I worked her into just pelleted food. SHe devours millet almost as if she is missing some kind of nutrition from her diet. I went to petsmart and bought her the kaytee brand seed mix. Fiesta is the sub type. Has high crude protein. Which she is lacking. I think this could help her honestly. When I put a dish of it in her cage she quickly went to it and started eating. Since then she's been back and forth between her zupreem and seeds. It's got me curious as to how she will be acting in the next few days... She took her medicine a lot easier today too. I'll post an update when I see some change. 


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## abaldwin40 (Aug 25, 2013)

Another adorable observation I've noticed: Izzie's cage is right next to the flight cage where gabi and tommy are nesting. While gabi is sitting and tommy is out taking a break, he will eat, get some water, and go to the bathroom. Then he doesn't go back into the nest right away.... He'll go down to the bottom perch next to the cage wall where izzie is and sit next to her and softly chirp at her. It's so sweet of him. He know she's sick and wants to make her feel better. At least it looks that way. 


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## dianne (Nov 27, 2013)

I'm glad there are some good signs. So sweet to hear how Tommy wants to comfort her. They are very intelligent birds.


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## abaldwin40 (Aug 25, 2013)

Yes he's such a good boy.  and an update Izzie's breathing has calmed a little. Her crest is up a little more often so she's a little more alert. Keep your fingers crossed this chage in diet could help her issue 


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## abaldwin40 (Aug 25, 2013)

Sorry to bump this thread. But I do have a question. Izzie has a clicking sound with her breathing. Her tail bobs as if she's winded and gasping for air. I'm curious as to why she would be. She weighed 99 grams on her last vet visit. Her keel bone protrudes and has little muscle on it. Could she be under wieght and this cause her heavy unhealthy breathing? Also she has yellow fluids in her urine when she poos. A gram stain was done and it's clean of abnormal bacteria. But she is lacking protein. Gosh I feel like I'm goin in circles. I've added kaytee seed formula mix to her diet as opposed I the vet recommended all pellet diet and she's ALOT more alert. She'll fly and such. But what could cause this clicking noise? That and the yellow colored urine. Her kidneys are fine from the tests done. And she's on a probiotic. But I'm not sure what to do. The medicines aren't helping and me changing her diet is the only thing that has improved ANYTHING. :\ I'm very convinced I alone can do something to fix this problem after reading through some threads and doing a lot of thinking. She doesn't get much excersize cuz I want her to rest. So any stress (like giving medicine) gets her winded and flustered I'm so close to figuring this out it's killing me! What do you guys think? I think it's a common sense fix. But what is it??? 


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## Mezza (Feb 19, 2013)

I am going to guess here. Does she get enough protein?


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## abaldwin40 (Aug 25, 2013)

The kaytee zupreem and millet diet is all she has. She won't eat anything else I give her like greens, egg whites, none of that.


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## abaldwin40 (Aug 25, 2013)

So I'm gonna try a few more things. What are other good sources of protein that i can try on izzie? And what are good ways to introduce them to her? Cuz I know she can't reject everytin I give her lol


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## CaliTiels (Oct 18, 2012)

Beans are good protein


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## abaldwin40 (Aug 25, 2013)

I almost want to get her lover checked again....


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## abaldwin40 (Aug 25, 2013)

Well over the past couple of days izzie has improved significantly. Her breaking isn't as heavy and she is actually preening once more. Her whole body too. I have an aviator harness now that I'm going to use to take her outside for some sun and she loves it. She's feeling much better. The fluid is still an issue which in hoping lasix will improve it. But she flies now and tweets a little bit here and there. So let's hope this time it's a full recovery. 


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## dianne (Nov 27, 2013)

I'm glad she's doing better.


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## stevechurch2222 (Sep 25, 2011)

So glad to hear that Izzie is feeling better.


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## CaliTiels (Oct 18, 2012)

Those are good signs


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## eduardo (Jan 27, 2012)

Poor thing, having gone through so much. I know how expensive those vets can be and how annoying these inconclusive tests can also be.
I have spent about a little over $900 on my Candy with no improvement to her plucking and skin mutilating condition... It's a pain to watch her chomp on herself all day, but honestly, I have done all I could...
Hopefully Izzie makes a full recovery.


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## abaldwin40 (Aug 25, 2013)

Thank you for being here for her and I.  she's flying across the room now. And can flock call now. I can barely see her breathe while I'm holding her. So I think she has come very far at this point. Once I see her nap on one foot then I'm sure she's fully recovered  let's hope that happens soon  


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