At a loss for how to feel or react (vent)

[Jamisonp]

I last posted about Java going to the vet for a sneezing fit, getting antibiotics, and getting better. After that whole fiasco I thought everyone was doing well and was happy. Then Java was out of his cage doing his usual stuff and he flew around landed and was breathing heavily and then threw up, I immediately called the vet and they advised me to monitor his breathing and if he was eating and drinking okay for the next two hours and if he was that he likely just spooked himself and stressed out too much. I then stayed out of the room and checked on him with my bird camera that I use to see what they're doing when I'm out. And he was totally fine, eating, drinking, playing, mimicking, etc. I called and td them and they advised me to just watch him for the next few days. Then about a week or so later it happened again. I immediately set up an appointment and got him in. They advised doing x-rays to see if he had any vomit in his lungs, turns out he had a little in his left air sac. He got prescribed a new antibiotic that is meant to be given every 48 hours, we got to do our first dose last night but he's so tired today and not talkative as much. Idk if it's from illness or because he was woken up last night because my husband and I had to rush to the emergency room and came back late. I'm just at a loss. I feel horrible like I did this to him and that I'm unable to make him feel better. I'm terrified to lose him. And I'm scared that bc all I post about on here is his illness that I look incompetent. I guess I'm just venting but I really don't know what to do anymore.

 

[noodles123]

YOU DON'T look incompetent-- you look like the rest of us, loving our birds and pulling our hair out when things get complicated.

We are with you, and you are doing your best! Don't feel bad for struggling--it's inherent...

You are really doing a good job!

 

[Laurasea]

Warmth, yogurt
Did they culture swap his mouth? And vent?
What antibiotics?
Yes a vet visit can make them off tge next day. Poor baby
So stresful

 

[chris-md]

Buddy, you’re ok. You wanna talk about feeling incompetent? My eclectus bit me tonight. Happens a few times a year, and I’m cool. But he caught me off guard tonight and startled me - though looking back I shouldn’t have been surprised since he was a bit off - which caused me to yank him almost straight down from his t stand to the floor. Now he’s nursing his right leg a bit, and I’m worried. He’s probably just being dramatic, he puts some weight o the leg here and there and insisted on flying to me 10 minutes later, but I’m usually better than the yanking, so yeah, some tears in my eyes tonight.

You’re in good company doing the best you can. Don’t beat yourself up.

 

[Jamisonp]

Thank you, it's just so hard to not feel like it's my fault when things go wrong with him. I try to have a more positive mindset but my mind always runs to the worst possible senario :'(

 

[Jamisonp]

We're keeping the house extra warm for him right now, he absolutely hated the yogurt the last time we tried but I plan on picking him up some more. He went to the other vet at the same hospital this time and she seemed to have a better handle on birds than the last guy. I asked her about a swab for his mouth but she said with his symptoms and issues that's very unlikely to be the issue so she recommended the x-ray, and the. We found the gunk in the air sac. No vent swab either but his butt us very clean, other than the air sac thing she said he's good and likely just stressed.

 

[Laurasea]

I think a sick bird, that has stuff in air sacs and has vomited need a culture, and cytology to determine issues. What if this is yeast overgrowth, the antibiotics would make worse and might need nystatin ( antifungal, is cheap and easy on system) yeast overgrowth us just as common as bacterial problems..

https://www.littlecrittersvet.com/sick-birds.pml

 

[Laurasea]

For sure I'm not saying you're bird has a yeast imbalance, just offering info.
The yogurt will help with imbalance tho , try fruit flavors.
Info on yeast
https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-...ext=How do I know if,, mucus, or other debris.

 

[Jamisonp]

I think a sick bird, that has stuff in air sacs and has vomited need a culture, and cytology to determine issues. What if this is yeast overgrowth, the antibiotics would make worse and might need nystatin ( antifungal, is cheap and easy on system) yeast overgrowth us just as common as bacterial problems..

https://www.littlecrittersvet.com/sick-birds.pml

I called his vet tonight just to inform them on his lack of energy, they were unfortunately closed so I'll make sure to call back tomorrow and ask her about a new sample. The worst thing is actually getting him to the vet, he gets very car sick and will throw up, I think when we took him to the vet the time before last is when the gunk would have ended up in there. I'm in Phoenix, az and there's no vets closer for him and it's so disheartening.

 

[Scott]

Java's initial illness post for the benefit of those unaware: http://www.parrotforums.com/general-health-care/87522-sickly-am-i-paranoid-advice-needed.html

I re-read your narrative and posts and certainly don't view you as alarmist or incompetent. You've followed protocol and sometimes recovery is a matter of three steps forward, one backward.

If you doubt or question the current vet, a second opinion may be helpful - either in same office if more than one qualified doc, or elsewhere.

 

[Laurasea]

More fyi
" Candidiasis following antibiotic treatment. Birds being treated with prolonged courses of antibiotics can develop a yeast overgrowth and show diarrhoea and worsening health. It is important that antibiotics be used only as directed and if your bird is not improving your vet may need to check droppings under the microscope to see if yeast overgrowth may be a problem. "

 

[Littleredbeak]

I think a sick bird, that has stuff in air sacs and has vomited need a culture, and cytology to determine issues. What if this is yeast overgrowth, the antibiotics would make worse and might need nystatin ( antifungal, is cheap and easy on system) yeast overgrowth us just as common as bacterial problems..

https://www.littlecrittersvet.com/sick-birds.pml

I second the need for a culture. A good rule of thumb is if a antibiotic is needed then so is a culture to make sure you are using the right antibiotic. A gram smear maybe something to do too. When I was worried about my lovebird I called a rescue to get advice on what to do ( After seeing the vet). Birds are so fragile, you try not to do more harm than good. Keeping him nice and toasty is great idea and lots of rest. I am so sorry �� you and your birdy are going through this. Wishing your birdy well.

 

[Jamisonp]

Thank you for the advice and kind words, I would also respond to your pm but I don't have enough posts yet :/ I just want him to be better I was scared to have him out today because I didn't want him to overexert himself but when I was so upset I decided to have him out and he of course made me feel better. Might be foolish of me to think but I think he's a fighter and is so full of spunk that he'll get better.

 

[wrench13]

Stay calm, stay focused and know your doing everything you can for Java. Deep breth, whoosh, let it out.

 

[Scott]

Thank you for the advice and kind words, I would also respond to your pm but I don't have enough posts yet :/ I just want him to be better I was scared to have him out today because I didn't want him to overexert himself but when I was so upset I decided to have him out and he of course made me feel better. Might be foolish of me to think but I think he's a fighter and is so full of spunk that he'll get better.

Almost at the 20 post requirement to access PM system! You are always welcome to send PM to any moderator and we'll forward to recipient. Our names highlighted in purple, ready to assist!

 

[Laurasea]

Thank you for the advice and kind words, I would also respond to your pm but I don't have enough posts yet :/ I just want him to be better I was scared to have him out today because I didn't want him to overexert himself but when I was so upset I decided to have him out and he of course made me feel better. Might be foolish of me to think but I think he's a fighter and is so full of spunk that he'll get better.

Your freinds would be comforted to be with you, and reaffirm bonds. When my GCC Ta-dah was sick, I held her and loved on her normal . By stress reduction it just means no house parties, no blaring an action movie on surround sound lol, stuff like that no big changes in routine. But touch and companionship are stress reductions. I'd try for more restful out with me time. Not when you are busy and walking around or something were he'd have to use extra energy to keep balance or following you. I think I gave a link were it talks tips for sick birds, like keeping tgr sane routines.

Most of us here feel high levels of stress about our feathered kids if we even think a hint of something is going on!!!" But we font want our babies to pick up on that stress , so be cheerful, confident, then sneak off to a bedroom to freak out with us! Yoga, going fir walks, talking with us , really help with stress reduction.

I do wish your vet would do cytology, that's just a swab and looking in a microscope its not hard or expensive...cultures usually aren't that expensive either, i think i spent 35 bucks fir my last bird culture??? Depends on tge test run I guess... because you have a green cheek conure, I would not do blood work until after cultures and cytology like gram stsinand the results found out from culture. Conures can suffer from Conure Acute Bleeding Syndrome and bleeding out after a blood draw, its thought to be a virus... and its rare .....
Its just you've done xray, its time for basics, like slides, and cultures

Like Scott said, sometimes consulting a different svsin practice makes all the difference . But covid, and low numbers if avain vets make that harder..

Hopefully this is all mild and he recover quickly. Sending healing thoughts

 

[SailBoat]

FYI: You stated that your Bird gets car sick. If you are setting your Bird low and covered, try higher (seeing out the window) and not covered. Experimenting helps as most Birds commonly do better if they can connect 'felt' movement with the reality of actual movement of the car. And, some Birds need to be low and covered.

If the only travel experience your Bird gets is when it is sick, try a small trip when your Bird is feeling good.

 

[Jamisonp]

We've tried a bunch of stuff to get him to feel better during trips. The crazy thing is when he was younger we had to make a trip to missouri from az and he did so well the entire 20 hour trip both ways! Makes absolutely no sense to me because we've done what we did that trip and have tried setting him lower, higher, covered, uncovered, in laps (in his carrier) , strapped in, etc.

 

[noodles123]

have you taped the windows with paper?
If the seat to window positioning is off, I have to tape the windows--- I thought Noodles would like looking out, but whenever I have tested that, she starts flapping (as though she wants to fly with the scenery) but then upsets herself because she hits things.

Taping the windows that she can see out of has been huge.
If the seats are low enough, it's a non-issue...but in a van or something, I have to tape them.

I use white printer paper and clear tape..Probably not the safest, but it saves her from injuring herself.
I do make sure that I can see my blind-spots and I leave the trunk window and front seat windows open-- it's just the ones to her left and right that I tape.

Noodles does best under the windows and uncovered..if she can see out without looking up, she has to have the windows taped. I do not cover her when we travel because I feel that it would be hard to tell what was going on with her and regulating heat etc could also be more difficult. She doesn't sleep when we travel anyway...even at night (which is why I avoid travelling with her at night-- because she just screams for bed)...last time, that was 2 hours away lol!

 

[Jamisonp]

I have not taped paper to the windows, I'll try that next car ride.