# Birdie threw up- Urgent advice needed.



## Ezzie (Jan 19, 2010)

I dont believe Birdie is feeling all that well this afternoon.

He was fine this morning, showing off, he was sunning himself on my windowsill and he was eating and drinking.

I noticed he was alot more quiet around lunchtime and now hes puffed up infront of him mirror asleep, His tail is also fanned out not sitting straight like normal  I havnt seen him eat or drink since this morning.. He also looks scruffy.

Note: he just threw up undigested seeds. Now im really worried. 
It was this clear fluid like stuff, similar to mucus but not as thick with seeds in it, it wasnt alot just a small amount that he threw everywere.

He hasnt come into contact with anything outside, nothing in his cage / living area has changed, its clean and tidy, He has fresh water and seeds.

The only idea i might have is that i had to remove a dead budie from the backyard avery who had been throwing up and being sick for sometime. I washed my hands after the contact (it didnt come into contact with my clothing).. Maybe it wasnt enough...

Another note: He just moved from the cage to the windowsill again, he is active but quiet.
He is now on my shoulder getting cuddles.
He is now in his "corner" sitting quietly again..

The other idea i have is that theres been another quick change in the weather. It has been raining and cold for the past week and suddenly its become warmer over the last day or 2.

His poop:
I havnt noticed the droppings this morning, but he did poop on me before and it was a lighter green (not very light) and runny, The whites of his poop was the normal white colour- nothing abnormal there. Only the green part of it was runny. It wasnt a big poop either.

Does anyone have any idea what might be going on??
ANY information would be helpful. Should i take him out and place him in a smaller cage in another room away from Buddy (who seems fine)??

Ill tell mum when she comes home but i highly doube she would agree to take him to the vet- ill try my best to persuade her..

Is there anything i can do in the meantime that could help him feel more better until the vets can be arranged??


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## Ezzie (Jan 19, 2010)

he just threw up another 3 times., no seed in it this time, and it wasnt as thick, just clear water.

Mum agreed to go to the vet so were going to go this afternoon.
Ill keep everyone posted.

Fingers crossed.

(note the vet isnt an avien vet either, there are none around this area we know of, at least its better then nothing..)


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## Ezzie (Jan 19, 2010)

I got a box ready for him to transport in, Its a shoebox with a folded teatowl in the bottom and tissue ontop of that incase he has an accident.

Keep your fingers folded everyone, im very very very nervous and worried about my special little man. I hope its something that can be easily treated and that he doesnt have to be kept overnight.. I cant imagin how afraid he would be...

I also took a sample on a cotton bud ear cleaner for the vet if they need it. Im not sure if it will still be helpful as its not fresh but i want anything to help him...


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## Ezzie (Jan 19, 2010)

he pooped on me guys. And its not good.

Its almost black in colour. theres a little greed mixed in with the whites and it smells, pretty bad.

Im so worried. we have an appoiatment for 530 and i cant wait for the time to go past. Ill keep the poop incase its any help for the vets.


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## Ezzie (Jan 19, 2010)

were off to the vets guys. god i hope itys nothing too bad :L(    wish us luck.


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## Renae (Feb 9, 2008)

Oh no, I hope he'll be okay, I'll keep him in my thoughts.  

The clear stuff would be vomit and black poop usually isn't a good sign (I do hope I'm wrong) make sure you have blood tests done as well as a fecal swab. 

Please keep us updated!


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## Berdnerd (May 20, 2010)

Oh no  I hope he'll be okay, how scary!!


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## Ezzie (Jan 19, 2010)

Were back guys. With somewhat good news.

Its not viral, i kept a poop sample and there were no nasty guys in the poop, but there was undigested seed matter which ment he was passing it through quickly, As well as vomiting (he hasnt done that since this afternoon) which ment he could dehydrate quickly.

The vet (although not a specilised bird vet) had seen quite a few in his life and had a fairly good idea at what to do so i felt a little better. 

Birdie got a shot of antibiotics (just to be safe) and has perscribed psittavet Antibiotic Powder for the next 24hrs without food just in the water.
Which means Buddy has to not eat either for the next day.

If his condition doesnt seem to get better in the next day or so then back of to the vet where if he hasnt been drinking he will have to have water put through him via this bird syringe thing.

At the moment im sterilizing everything in alcohol and boiling water and making sure he is warm and cozey.

Wish us luck and ill keep posted


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## Ezzie (Jan 19, 2010)

He also said its more likley bacterial, but from what??


He is sleeping at the moment in the corner and i have the towl over the cage with the fan heater on close to the cage- it will remain on all night so he doesnt get cold.Birdie hasnt vomited either since the last time at around 4pm,so thats really good.
His poops are super runny but that could be due to stress and him generally not feeling good. Ill keep an eye on them and post any improvements in it 

Is there anything else you guys can think of to keep him comfey and give him a better chance of fighting through this?
I really hope to see an improvement after a good sleep and some healthy water 

Luckly Buddy isnt harrassing the now slow and tired Birdie too much. He was excited to see him come home so thats good to see.
i contemplated seperating them but if its contageous i might as well allow buddy to drink the antibiotics that are in the water to stop a possible infection before it begins, and plus, its not bad for a healthy bird to have it anyway, its proberly good for them!

Birdie was a good boy at the vets as well, Partly because he is feeling horrible and he was lethargic but he just hung out on my shoulder close to my neck trying to get some sleep hehe, even in the car (he was more calmer on my shoudler then in the box) he was good so thats a plus.

Its going to be a tough night to sleep through, ill proberly be doing little of it!

Keep Birdie in your thoughts and i hope to see a more active flirt in the morning, keeping all my fingers and toes crossed and staying positive


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## Renae (Feb 9, 2008)

Bacterial infection: http://www.cockatielcottage.net/bacteria.html

Theo had the exact same thing, I had to rush her to the Avian Vets because she was sitting on the bottom of the cage vomiting over and over again one morning - she lost a lot of weight too.. she was horrible for days and days, but perked up by the time the antibiotics were finished (I gave it to her via a syringe) and put weight on again slowly. She's perfect now, back to being fat and plump! 

I hope he makes a speedy recovery!

ETA: you will notice his poops will be a bit different while on antibiotics, but don't worry, they'll go back to normal. you might want to get some probiotics and start giving him that once the antibiotics have finished, they help get his "gut" (I think it is?) back to normal.


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## Ezzie (Jan 19, 2010)

Do you think the antibiotics in the water would work? Ive seen him have a drink but im not sure if he will get a sufficiant amount to help fight the bacteria. I should have asked for the syringe but they didnt menction anything about having it (not being a proper avien vet and all).

Where/ what/ how/ do we get / feed/ do probiotics look like? haha
If they are powdery that would be awesome, i can add them to his food when he is given the ok to eat again (we were told not to because it would make his diarrhea worse (his poop is so runny at the moment, its just like water, But his whites are white so thats a positive) do you think this is the case/ do you think he would be ok without food for 2-3 days?)

What do you give his survival chance? I know hes a fighter but being through it how long did it take before you saw improvement?


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## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

Feel his crop to see if it is empty feeling or full of fluids. What you don't want to feel is a crop that feels like it is full of water, especially if you don't see him drinking alot of water.

If bloated and watery the bacterial problem would be psuedomonas. What it does is pulls the fluids from the body and they are regurgitated into the crop. if fluids keep building up in the crop the bird is at risk of self aspiration. Agressive treatment (by Sub-Q fluid therapy, emptying fluids in crop, and injectable Amikacin and Pipercillin) has to be done when symptoms are first seen. The main cause of death is from fluid loss and renal/kidney failure.


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## Ezzie (Jan 19, 2010)

Ill do that first thing in the morning Srtiels, He has had a long stressful day and i dont want to wake him to prod and poke while hes getting some needed rest.

The doc did menction having to flush it out or give him fluids (saliene sp?) to rehydrate him if he isnt looking any better by tomorrow afternoon so im keeping my hopes up that he does become somwhat better by then.

Mum told me that she isnt going to spend thousands of $$ on treatment even though i basically pleaded with her, so fingers crossed that he improves and doesnt have to go back for more treatment. 
Im also considering taking him to the closest Avien vet if he isnt any better who will be more expensive but proberly do better at treating my little guy (this vet didnt give an underlying issue, just Broadly told me it was some type of bacterial infection so he wasnt as helpful as i hoped he would be)

What else do you reccomend i do to help his recovery chances?
I have him covered in his cage with the heater fan on the cage so its a little warmer, im not stressing him alot and im making sure he is drinking and im taking tabs on his poops and any changes he is having.

Do you think a simple antibiotic will help at all?


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## Ezzie (Jan 19, 2010)

Also, im not sure what a crop is suppost to feel like normaly so ill have to explain as best i can as to whats going on and hopes someone knows what im on about 

If you have any advice to feel it, please do tell!


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## Tielzilla (Mar 31, 2009)

hopw everything will be ok with the little guy..aww


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## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

Ok...the crop is located at the base of the neck in the front. If it is normal when you press your finger there it will feel similiar to the indentation at the bas of a humans throat between the collarbone. If there is food in the crop it might feel like a small (grape sized) bean bag. 

If there is fluid in the crop this is serious and should be looked at by a vet ASAp. Preferably to empty and flush, and rehydrate the bird and start on injectable anitibiotics (amikacin and pipercillin) Theere is not waiting if there is fluid accumulation in the crop because it can go systemic (throught the organs and body) and can kill within 48 hours. Treatment has to be fast and agressive.


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## Jess (Jun 20, 2010)

It sounds like some sort of crop/gut infection, I don't know why the vet prescribed pssitavet as that's more of a pssitcosis medicine. Something like flagyl (drug name metronidazole) would have been more appropriate for the symtoms. If no improvement very soon or he goes downhill you'll need to take him to a vet asap.


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## Ezzie (Jan 19, 2010)

I wasnt too sure where to prod and poke but it feels normal to me (not different to when he was healthy)
it feels like the base of our throats so thats good.

Hes more active, alert and he has been preening himself so he must be feeling a little better. He even had enough strength to show off to himself in the mirror.

We gave him a little seed which he took happily and now hes searching for more food haha Sorry birdie but your not aloud any until the vet gives the ok!
He still needs a check up and i want to get blood work done to rule anything out, were going to go to the avien vet this time.

Its still too early to tell if hes out of the danger so ill be keeping a close eye on him for the next day but for now he seems better.


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## Ezzie (Jan 19, 2010)

He is still lethargic and sleepy guys, and his poops are slowly turning to normal- There still a little runny and their an off green colour but its far better then what it was before.

He vet called and gave us the ok for him to eat again so thats good- i hope this doesnt bring his poops back to runny and bad.

At the moment he placed himself in the sun on my windowsill so hes more active then he was yesterday- still a little puffed up but hes acting more himself.

The vet also said to keep the antibiotics in the water for 4 days so that will also help improve his health an if he is still not eating like he used too (hes been "picking" not really eating like he used too) then well take him to the avian vet for a check up


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## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

I am glad his crop feels fine. And that he is acting better. Go Birdie!...get better for your Mommy


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## Ezzie (Jan 19, 2010)

Im proud to update that Birdie is, in my eyes, 100% recovered. He is alert, active, singing and whistling at the top of his lungs and eating like he always was before thursday.
He is even back to attacking Buddy when he gets his "bird groove thing on"!!

His droppings are almost 100% better and you can feel the strength in his feet when he perches on you again, alike on thursday he felt very weak.

Thank you to all who replied  and birdie thanks you too!


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## Jess (Jun 20, 2010)

Phew that's great news

Strange how these things can come on out of nowhere isn't it. One of mine was like that last year. He was fine the day before, he was sleepy/looked ill, watery droppings, not eating threw up a few times. He had flagyl and was back to normal next day but I gave him the full course of flagyl as you have to do.


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## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

Flagyl is effective against anaerobic bacterial infections. This is a bacteria that thrives without air...such as in the gut. I have learned when using Flagyl that it can also reduce and/or wipe out the good flora, so treatment should be followed up with probiotics. Irregardless, the use of meds are also a means of putting a bandaid on the problem. If the problem is reoccuring a person needs to find out the primary cause of the problem and correct it.


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## Jess (Jun 20, 2010)

No he was fine after that, just one of those things I guess. I do use probiotics, I like the one by Vetark called Avipro.


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## Ezzie (Jan 19, 2010)

I guess the moral of the story is that as soon as your bird shows signs of being sick, get him to a vet ASAP. time is a huge factor in saving a birds life and if you take too long, it might be too late.


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