# Cookie is hospitalized...



## CookieTiel (Feb 6, 2012)

Cookie has been showing signs of egg laying for the past few days, but she didn't actually lay one and was acting normal otherwise.
This morning she woke up all puffed up, refused to eat, didn't want to play, and just looked overall weak and sleepy. I took her to the vet immediately suspecting egg binding issues.

The vet ruled out egg binding, but discovered that she had fluid accumulated in her belly. After she drained the fluid out, did some blood work and an x Ray, she discovered that cookie has an infection somewhere in her reproductive system. She can't tell where exactly it is. 

Cookie will stay hospitalized for two days. She's taking antibiotics and had a dose of birth control to calm her hormones. 

Does anyone know the prognosis for this type of problem? The vet said she will need to observe cookie for 24 hours to be able to tell if the antibiotics are working. What causes these infections? This is a complete surprise to me because cookie was completely fine yesterday. Does anyone have experience with this kind of issue? Thanks.


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## Janalee (Jul 25, 2012)

*Cookie*

Oh I am sorry to hear of Cookie's illness! I wish I could give you some info, but I really don't know what would cause an infection like that. I bet she's feeling pretty miserable; so glad you took her to the vet as quickly as you did! Sending get well wishes and hugs your way!


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## bjknight93 (Nov 13, 2011)

I remember reading a thread on Avian Avenue about a cockatiel with this problem, though hers was chronic. I'll see if I can find it.


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## bjknight93 (Nov 13, 2011)

I'm going to PM you a link because we can't share other forum links here. Basically, this cockatiel was a chronic egg layer and then developed a cyst that the vet was draining the weekly. Lupron shots did no help, and they eventually put in a suprelorin implant that helped. Years later, the same cockatiel later died of a mass and fluid in the lungs.


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## vampiric_conure (Jul 8, 2012)

Oh My  Hope she feels better soon! Having a sick fid is always hard on the nerves! **Hugs**


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## CookieTiel (Feb 6, 2012)

Thanks everyone!
I went to visit her. She seems to be doing better - she is eating a little, preened and moved around for a little bit. The vet says she has moments of high activity, but she sleeps most of the time, which is what her body needs right now. She was happy to see me.


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## BeckyW (Jan 1, 2016)

*Cookie*

I am sorry to hear she is not feeling good. Glad you were able to catch it before it was too late. Hope she has a speedy recovery.


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## tielbob (Mar 25, 2013)

Glad Cookie is doing better and I hope you can get to the root of the problem. Good thing you are observant and got her to the vet as soon as she had symptoms. Hope she makes a speedy recovery.


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## TamaMoo (Jan 12, 2014)

How scary! So glad to hear she is showing signs of improvement already. Joey and I are sending love, hugs, prayers and scritches.


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## nassrah (Feb 27, 2012)

I hope Cookie gets better soon Congrats on you being a responsible oened and rushing her to the Vet . Sending positive vibes and kisses for both you and Cookie from Brazil Xxx Teresa


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## JoJo's Mom (Oct 20, 2012)

Hoping Cookie is better in no time. Glad you caught it early...prayers and hugs being sent


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## shaenne (Apr 19, 2014)

I am SO sorry this is happening to Cookie and you! I am sending positive vibes your way and I wish Cookie a speedy recovery!

I don't want to sound insensitive in saying this and I hope everyone will see my point, but for non-bird-owners, Cookie's case is the perfect example of how birds can suffer from life altering illnesses that need veterinary attention, just like your beloved family cat or dog. My whole life i've heard the whole "it's just a bird" argument when i've had a bird in need of vet care (avian vets are few and far between here) and too many people are too quick to write them off with saying "oh it's just a bird".

So MAJOR kudos to you, CookieTiel, for getting your baby the veterinary care she needs <3 I really, really hope that Cookie will get through this and become a self-made advocate for avian vet care!


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## Krieger (Oct 31, 2015)

My dad is that way unfortunately
"its just a $50 bird for crying out loud why would you spend $200 on a vet visit, you could buy 4 more"
Uhhhhm because its a living feeling creature that we have a responsibility to take care of?
nope all about the physical cost of the bird itself, nothing more...


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## Dislian (Sep 5, 2015)

How is cookie doing? Hugs for you and her!


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## TamaMoo (Jan 12, 2014)

Krieger said:


> My dad is that way unfortunately
> "its just a $50 bird for crying out loud why would you spend $200 on a vet visit, you could buy 4 more"
> Uhhhhm because its a living feeling creature that we have a responsibility to take care of?
> nope all about the physical cost of the bird itself, nothing more...


Sort of like saying you shouldn't pay to have medical treatment for a human child if the cost is more than what it cost to bring the child into the world, isn't it? Joey _IS_ my kid, and you don't stop to think of cost of treatment when your little one is sick or hurt.


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## tielbob (Mar 25, 2013)

Dislian said:


> How is cookie doing? Hugs for you and her!


Same here from me and Percy! Hope she is ok.


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## Vickitiel (Oct 10, 2012)

Get well soon Cookie. Sending love and scritches from me and my flock.


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## littletiel (May 15, 2011)

Get well soon, Cookie!


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## CookieTiel (Feb 6, 2012)

Hi everyone, thank you so much for all the good wishes and positive vibes!! I am so happy to share with you all that my little girl Cookie came home today! She is doing SO much better, back to her old self again. She just needs to continue taking antibiotics and pain reliever for a few more days. She was extremely happy to come home- she ran back and forth on top of her cage, walked on the floor, went to all her favorite places. 

She had a serious infection in her uterus. The cause is unknown, but while she was hospitalized she passed a deformed egg, and felt much better after that. I think the egg was causing fluid to accumulate in her belly and inflamed the region, and once she got the egg out she was able to heal faster. She will probably have to take birth control for the rest of her life to prevent another infection- the doctor doesn't know if this was an isolated case or if she has a problem in her uterus that can cause repeated infections.


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## JoJo's Mom (Oct 20, 2012)

Bless her little heart. Hopefully this never happens again. She sounds very happy to be home  Please give her a little scritch from me!


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## TamaMoo (Jan 12, 2014)

Poor girl! What a thing to go through. Glad that birth control can keep it from happening again.


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## tielbob (Mar 25, 2013)

Glad Cookie is back home and in such good hands (yours!) It's not worth taking a chance on another episode so the hormone therapy sounds like the right thing to do.


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## CookieTiel (Feb 6, 2012)

Thanks everyone!
She seems to be doing fine, still a little lethargic but the vet said it could be because she is still recovering, and went through a lot of stress in the past 5 days. The only thing that is worrying me right now is that she is drinking A LOT of water! She is also eating a huge amount of food, all the time, and drinks water after she eats. While she was hospitalized they did a blood test to check her liver and kidneys, and they were both fine. Does anyone know what this could be? The vet said to just keep an eye on her and if she doesn't stop, to call her. I am so worried. I don't want to have to bring her back to the vet.


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## Janalee (Jul 25, 2012)

*Cookie*

Birds can develop diabetes, I learned from my avian vet. If they did blood work on Cookie, they probably checked for that, I would guess. But you might ask your vet. So glad to hear she's home; hope she's soon completely well!


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## Charlotte (Jun 4, 2014)

Murray always has a few sips of water after she eats too. I'm not sure how long Cookie's been home, but if there are no other causes for concern perhaps you could give her a day or two to settle down and see how she is. It could be that her appetite is back with gusto now she's feeling well again.


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## enigma731 (Aug 12, 2011)

My birds drink more when they're on antibiotics, so it may be that.


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## tielbob (Mar 25, 2013)

Antibiotics can be hard on a bird's kidneys and make her thirsty while under treatment, along the lines of enigma's post.

I'd take the constant eating as a good sign that she's got her appetite back, and she's making up for eating less when she was feeling sick (you said she refused to eat in your first post.)


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## CookieTiel (Feb 6, 2012)

She's back to normal. Her excessive drinking was associated with her excessive eating, I guess. Now it's all back to normal and her health seems good, although she is trying to lay eggs again. I will post about this on the breeding section of the forum. I don't know what to do with this bird.


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