Boomer's Wellness Exam: 10% Gram Negative Rods (Bacterial Infection?)

[GaleriaGila]

So challenging!

I'm having to give the Rb meds. I use salt/sugar-free almond butter. It's working really well.

Maybe chat with your vet about using a more concentrated dose?

An alternative method I use at times. I dry green chile seeds out, then soak the meds up, then feed them to the Rb, who loves chile seeds so much!

Any other treats you could use?

 

[BoomBoom]

Thanks, GaleriaGila. Peanut butter was my secret weapon but even that failed. Boomer could taste and 'see' the Baytril on it somehow. I was mixing the .07 cc Baytril in a pea sized portion of peanut butter but he can tell it's not right. It looked more wet I guess. Tried to put bits of chopped almonds on it but it did not work. He kept his distance. When I finally got him to bite a piece of it, he flicked some of it off. Ohh the joys of conurehood lol!

The other treat he likes is raw almond but that won't soak up the Baytril. I was going to try orange juice or apple juice tonight but I called my vet earlier in the day to explain my predicament. He was concerned that Boomer would not get the full dose of Baytril. That's when he prescribed Amikacin to put in Boom's drinking water instead.

 

[Scott]

Very long story short - not intended to hijack but perhaps suggest an alternate therapy....

Popcorn, my Goffins patriarch was acting sluggish and sleeping during the day a few weeks ago. Took him to the vet, labs revealed extremely high WBC count and slightly elevated liver enzymes. Did X-Ray and found enlarged liver. Accomplished liver biopsy, initial results negative for bacteria, fungus, etc, and awaited further studies. Came back negative for TB and most likely not cancer. This bird is difficult to towel and give oral meds, so the vet began a therapy of weekly Doxycycine injections from the beginning. Effective over 7 days, it relieves the twice daily ordeal of oral meds. Vet believes some oddball bacteria that does not culture may be the culprit, and the tetracycline family is quite effective. Plan to repeat labs in about 3 weeks.

So, perhaps a long-lasting injection therapy may be suitable for Boomer?

 

[BoomBoom]

Thanks, Scott! I asked the vet about putting Baytril in water or a one time, long lasting injection. He prescribed Amikacin in drinking water instead. Maybe he opted for a conservative treatment in response to the test results and lack of adverse symptoms. I'm not sure why, his vet tech did not say. BTW, I was not actually in direct coms with the vet in my talks. It's how it is in that office. Over phone it's always vet tech. If I want to talk to the doctor, I have to schedule an office appointment $75 for a 30 min chat. He's an accomplished and well loved AV in the area but he's close to retirement age. I have the feeling that he has more patients than he can handle so the vet techs guard him like the pope. Anyhow, might need to look for a new vet someday soon...

I'm sorry to hear about Popcorn How many shots is he getting? Is it just once or is he coming back for more at the end of 7 days? Enlarged liver immediately made me think of fatty liver disease because I suspect my Parakeet has it (AV thought otherwise). Although I've read that bacterial infection could also affect the liver (and other organs). Hope he feels better very soon!