Mealy - Bubbling in Eyes, Congestion

Our 31 year old Mealy, Lucky, has what sounds like wheezing and has liquid bubbling in his eyes. He has had this condition for almost two weeks. He went to a vet who incubated and nebulized him. Also took xrays and found pieces of metal in his stomach. Lab tests were done but are not yet complete. He is being treated at home with oral antibiotic twice daily and eye drops four times daily. He has improved slightly, but not as much as we would like. Any thoughts or recommendations?

Thanks.

I am so sorry this has happened and you are joining the forum under sad circumstances.

Metal poisoning is so lethal and so easily happens. Thankyou for posting to remind us all of this horrible affliction.

I'm sorry, I can't help but I'm sure if you have a good avian vet then everything that can be done is being done.

I will cross everything for a speedy recovery for you companion.

We will keep you and your fid in our prayers.
It is good that you got him to the vet...

I believe steambaths or vapourisers can help but if it's being caused because of the metal posioning then I'm not sure as too it's usefulness

Keep up with the Meds etc and if your not happy take him back to the vets

So sorry for your bird. One of your forum members has a bird that had metal poisoning and recovered. You may want to check with Wildheart. Keeping your bird in my prayers.

Oh I am sooo sorry to hear about Lucky, it is really horrible and takes months before you will see any signs of improvement. It took 2 months before my girl started singing and playing continuously again.

The vet kept Sterretjie for a week and after that I gave her medicine orally every day. It was a very difficult time and she hated taking the medicine. It even got to a point that she did not even wanted to come to me anymore.

The important thing is you must get Lucky's stomach working. I had to give Sterretjie a teaspoon full of peanut butter (the oily bit) a half an hour after the meds. She hated it.

Here is a recipe that Antioinette found for me:

wildheart said:

Ingredients:

• Fresh Cilantro (2 cups - packed) - alternatively: Coriander or Chinese Parsley) - Cilantro Helps Flush Out Heavy Metals
  • Without the help of any chelation agents, cilantro was able to remove the mercury in two to three weeks. (Acupunct Electrother Res 96;21 (2): 133-60.) '
  • Eating cilantro increased urinary excretion of lead and aluminum.
  • When cilantro was used concurrently with antibiotics (bacterial issues) or natural anti-viral agents and/ or fatty acids like EPA with D.A., an infection could be eliminated for good. (Acupnct Electrother Res. 95:20 (3-4): 195-229.)
  • Note: cilantro pills are available -- but the active component in cilantro is easily destroyed during processing -- fresh herbs are always best. You can add them to your soups or salads, or garnish any dish.
  • Bird owners who are concerned about heavy metal toxicities may feed some of this pesto -- or simply fresh cilantro - to their birds to provide excellent nutritional support and naturally get rid of toxins that have already been absorbed
• 4 cloves of garlic
• 1/3 cup Brazil Nuts (selenium source)
• 1/3 cup Pumpkin Seeds (zinc, magnesium)
• 1/3 cup Sunflower Seeds (cysteine source)
• 2/3 cup Flaxseed Oil (omega-3 fatty acids)
• 4 tablespoons of lemon juice (vitamin C)
• 2 teaspoons Dulse Powder (in the health food stores - usually where salts are)
• (Bragg's Liquid Aminos - Optional - available at health food stores)

Put it all in the food processor, blend and ready to eat. Store in dark glass jars, if possible. It freezes well, so I purchase cilantro when in season and fill enough jars to last through the year. One holistic doctor stated that this recipe was able to cure one person suffering from high blood pressure due to mercury poisoning after only eating 2 teaspoons of this pesto daily for a week. So both for treatment and prevention -- all it takes is 2 teaspoons a day.

Click to expand...

I could not find all the ingredients here in SA and had to go for the alternatives. Instead of Cilantro I used fresh coriander from my garden. She did not like the taste a lot so I had to cut it up real small and mashed it in with her favorite soft food.

After she started taking the Coriander she started showing real improvement.

Because Lucky's poisoning has progressed so far I would recommend that you need to treat it aggressively.

Here are some sites that will help and Sterretjie's story:

http://www.parrotforums.com/general-health-care/5699-its-metal-poisoning.html

Heavy Metal Poisoning in Birds: Symptoms and treatment as well as prevention
Testing for Zinc in Parrot Toys

Please keep us updated. Good luck Lucky and Parrotboy you are in my prayers.

We will try the fresh cilantro if we can get some. If not, the coriander. Lucky seems to be better. Today his nostrils were plugged. He still gets his antibiotic and eye drops twice daily. And he seems to be gaining weight. When the vet is back in office Monday, we may have the lab results. For now, he seems to be progressing slowly, but progressing. Thanks to everyone for their concern.

This week our Amazon turned a corner. My wife had gotten some freeze dried cilantro from the store and put in into a peanut butter slurry and the next day she put it inside a grape (he loves grapes), and then finally into scrambled eggs. He liked it inside the grapes and scrambled eggs best of all. We tried a pesto but he refused it. He is a very fussy eater and is highly suspicious of anything new. His bubbling eyes stopped completely and his congestion appears to be almost gone. He is eating like a champion and even had a ginger snap cookie, which he gets as a treat occasionally. Mind you, he has been off the oral antibiotics for a week now and the eye drops have only been used two times when we thought he might be having some pinkness in the eye area, but his eyes look very clear now. I hope he will continue to rally. Thank you for your knowledge and concern. We truly appreciate your advice

Thanks for updating us
Hope your bird recovers fully, such an ordeal to go through shame.
Wonderful advise from the members above

In our

I was thinking of your bird yesterday.

I was worried when we didn't hear anything so I am SO glad he seems to be fighting this!

You've done an outstanding job taking him so promptly to an AV. What a little trooper. I will continue to think of him and wish him a swift recovery.

He's very clearly in the best hands with you and your AV.