Help! Is my IRN sick?

[SilverSage]

So it seems like you are having a very rough time!

It also sounds like you are going to have to "babysit" vets in your area. We can do our best to help with that. The first thing is to find out which tests look for which things. What sort of tests did the vets run?


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[ihijazi]

So it seems like you are having a very rough time!

It also sounds like you are going to have to "babysit" vets in your area. We can do our best to help with that. The first thing is to find out which tests look for which things. What sort of tests did the vets run?


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None. Just by looking at it, the he he breaths, sound... Immediately he said respiratory infection. He said taking blood sample would kill him in such condition...


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[Kentuckienne]

Ihijazi, you are an angel. Not everybody takes such extraordinary care with a young bird. You have taken time from work, spent money at the vet, given your love and attention, and asked advice from strangers on the Internet, even. Since your bird wasn't improving, it's a good sign that there is a new diagnosis and treatment. I hope your sweet baby will begin to improve right away. No matter what happens, you should feel good in your heart that you did the right thing by this small animal you took into your care. I know that if your bird could talk, he would thank you for everything you have done. Your posts here will remain, and who knows - some other parrot's life might be saved by what their new owner learns from your experience. I hope that you, and the small bird you are working so hard to save, will be with us for many years to come.

 

[Scott]

It is so hard to assess whether your new vet is on the correct track. A respiratory infection may be obvious, but I wonder if there are underlying illnesses? If correct, you should see a rapid improvement. The use of an incubator may also be helpful.

I am so impressed with your level of dedication and respect your efforts! Hopefully your baby will soon recover from this ordeal.

Are there social media sites to learn of customer satisfaction with either or both vet clinics? They can be very helpful to determine the worth of a practice.

 

[ihijazi]

Ihijazi, you are an angel. Not everybody takes such extraordinary care with a young bird. You have taken time from work, spent money at the vet, given your love and attention, and asked advice from strangers on the Internet, even. Since your bird wasn't improving, it's a good sign that there is a new diagnosis and treatment. I hope your sweet baby will begin to improve right away. No matter what happens, you should feel good in your heart that you did the right thing by this small animal you took into your care. I know that if your bird could talk, he would thank you for everything you have done. Your posts here will remain, and who knows - some other parrot's life might be saved by what their new owner learns from your experience. I hope that you, and the small bird you are working so hard to save, will be with us for many years to come.

Thanks for your kind message, Kentuckienne. My only true wish now is to get back him back active and healthy. If that happens, and it will, I'll be very happy.

He's clinging to life, and I know he wants to live, that what makes me even more determined.

 

[ihijazi]

It is so hard to assess whether your new vet is on the correct track. A respiratory infection may be obvious, but I wonder if there are underlying illnesses? If correct, you should see a rapid improvement. The use of an incubator may also be helpful.

I am so impressed with your level of dedication and respect your efforts! Hopefully your baby will soon recover from this ordeal.

Are there social media sites to learn of customer satisfaction with either or both vet clinics? They can be very helpful to determine the worth of a practice.

There are yes, but what's making my life harder is the festive seasons, and the fact that everyone is on holiday. So it's limiting my options, but whatever it takes to save that little babe.

Thanks, Scott!

 

[SilverSage]

Ok; your vets need to be doing tests not just guessing. A gram stain test should have been done right away. No blood draw involved, but it shows whether the bird has a bacterial infection or a yeast infection or certain kinds of parasites.

You are fighting an uphill battle here; you are in a country where Avian medicine is not as high of a priority as it is in the USA. Keep fighting! We are here for you!


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[ihijazi]

Ok; your vets need to be doing tests not just guessing. A gram stain test should have been done right away. No blood draw involved, but it shows whether the bird has a bacterial infection or a yeast infection or certain kinds of parasites.

You are fighting an uphill battle here; you are in a country where Avian medicine is not as high of a priority as it is in the USA. Keep fighting! We are here for you!


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That has been done, from day one, the stain test. There was "no obvious bacterial infection or a yeast infection", according to the first vet, but rather to "be on the safe side", he gave me the three drugs I've mentioning in the beginning.

 

[ihijazi]

Today's update:

Woke up with a hope that my little buddy would be/look better, but that wasn't the case. At least, not from the first look. I was getting ready, to take him to his follow up with the vet today, my cat (yes, I have a cat, called Brownie), came close to his cage as he would always would. Usually, the little guy wouldn't do anything, but this morning, he did open his peak as in defence mode. Reminded me of my old Cockatiel, when he used to hiss. The exception with this new little guy is that he didn't hiss.

Meaning, he's actually more alert and instinctual, rather than the way he used to be very weak, and non-fighting. Also, I've noticed that he act more cautious when my hand, and when I hold him. Something he wasn't doing. Yes, I was happy that he is acting like what a new bird would act when you try to catch him! Also, last night, he was trying to get back to his cage, by climbing on my curtains, unsuccessfully,y but at least trying like a bird would!

Still, he's sleeping all day long, but again, feels more alert than before to sounds and movement.

At the vet, today, the vet asked me "do you see improvement?". I said, no not really. He said, "he's alive, that's a great improvement". I was like, "but he has been for the past two weeks also, but the same way". He tested him physically, and he did seem more defensive, and active. At least more than he's always been since I got him. Then the vet cleaned his nose nares. They were filled with some "stuff". He gave him his injections for the day, same like yesterday. He gave me other 3 injections, but to be given orally for the course of the next 3 days, and scheduled a follow up on Thursday.

I asked him "why don't you do x-ray or blood test". He said, his symptoms are obvious, and he's responding. Doing those would be waste of money. Which kind of relieved me.

The hospital is equipped with state of art laboratory, according to some news agency, the top in the middle-east. So, if needed, I guess the vet would have done the tests. Plus, he seems experienced. He's from Russia, just FYI.

I fed him, keeping him warm. He's always on the highest preach. Let's see how tomorrow he's going to be like.

Other than that, hope you are having a lovely christmas day with your beloved ones.

Issam

 

[Scott]

Sam, are either or both of these vets avian specialists? Very important as parrot physiology is quite different from mammals. While some meds are used across many species, the diagnosing and treatment are worlds apart.

It may take a keen eye to distinguish between physical improvement and the subduing effects of the many drugs administered. From what you describe he seems a bit better. Has the second vet shared his diagnosis, if any? He should be able to answer your questions and give you the background to do additional research online. There are many good sources on the internet, but as always you need to filter the avalanche of information.

There is a fine line between overdoing testing and performing some basic lab work to verify the diagnosis regardless of doctor expertise.

Hoping your IRN continues to improve!! Thank you for the updates.

 

[ihijazi]

Sam, are either or both of these vets avian specialists? Very important as parrot physiology is quite different from mammals. While some meds are used across many species, the diagnosing and treatment are worlds apart.

It may take a keen eye to distinguish between physical improvement and the subduing effects of the many drugs administered. From what you describe he seems a bit better. Has the second vet shared his diagnosis, if any? He should be able to answer your questions and give you the background to do additional research online. There are many good sources on the internet, but as always you need to filter the avalanche of information.

There is a fine line between overdoing testing and performing some basic lab work to verify the diagnosis regardless of doctor expertise.

Hoping your IRN continues to improve!! Thank you for the updates.

No Scott. None of those I've seen no avian specialist. Again, due to the holidays, it was hard to catch the good guys. Anyway, I'll keep giving him what I'm already giving now. On Thursday, he has got an appointment with an avian specialist, someone I read a LOT about. I wanted to bring him to her from the beginning, but couldn't. The vet asked me not to feed him before I come to see her for at least 4 hours, which is something no one ever told me to do.

Will keep you posted!

Thanks,
Issam

 

[Kentuckienne]

That is a good idea, to not feed your bird before going to the vet. If any procedure is needed that requires anesthesia you don't want anything in the crop. Sometimes a vet will give you an earlier appointment for a sick bird because they know how quickly things can deteriorate. It does sound as if your bird has more energy - I hope this is the beginning of the recovery.

 

[Scott]

So glad you have an appointment with an avian specialist. The visit on Thursday may make a significant difference for your IRN. I know you have done your very best, Sam, and there are not likely many specialists in your area. Please bring whatever documentation possible from the other vets as well as a list of all the meds given as this may help narrow the field.

 

[SilverSage]

Agreed. And we are all hoping for the best. I feel very attached to your little guy; my own IRN just died after a drawn out illness and I am checking here every day to hear about yours!


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[ihijazi]

Agreed. And we are all hoping for the best. I feel very attached to your little guy; my own IRN just died after a drawn out illness and I am checking here every day to hear about yours!


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Ohhh... So sorry for your loss

My little buddy condition is still stable. But still sleeping all day and not active. I'm still giving all the medicines and hand feeding him.

He got an appointment with a specialist on Thursday, but still I hope that he recovers before that.

Keep him in your thoughts <3

Issam

 

[ihijazi]

So glad you have an appointment with an avian specialist. The visit on Thursday may make a significant difference for your IRN. I know you have done your very best, Sam, and there are not likely many specialists in your area. Please bring whatever documentation possible from the other vets as well as a list of all the meds given as this may help narrow the field.

I've wrote 3 pages yesterday since I got the bird with every single detail, vet visits and medicine given. I'll present that to the specialist the second I see her so she can have a detailed background.

 

[Scott]

I've wrote 3 pages yesterday since I got the bird with every single detail, vet visits and medicine given. I'll present that to the specialist the second I see her so she can have a detailed background.

Excellent! Our babies cannot talk, so your detailed observations should assist the vet with the diagnosis. Avian medicine is so specialized it is possible your IRN's condition will be readily determined by exam and/or a few lab tests.

Thursday is just a few days away, and I'm sure you are doing all that is possible!

 

[ihijazi]

His condition is still the same, sick, but stable. Tomorrow I got my appointment with the avian specialist, hoping everything will be sorted and he'll start having a life...

 

[SilverSage]

Have you contacted the breeder to let him know?


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[EllenD]

I've not been on the forum lately, so I just read through this entire post. First of all I want to thank you for actually taking care of your new little guy and getting him to a vet immediately upon noticing he wasn't quite right. So many people come on these forums only when their birds have appeared and acted very ill for days if not weeks, and even then they hesitate to take them to any vet at all, requesting "home remedies" and wanting to know what antibiotic to give their bird and how much, hoping to find human antibiotics that will work that they have laying around, or wanting to go to an animal supplies store to buy whatever antibiotics they can buy without a prescription. You're a responsible pet owner that is willing to do whatever you need to do to get your new baby well, and I commend that.

That being said, I'm very happy that you're finally seeing an avian specialist tomorrow and that this avian specialist sounds like they are actually going to do testing by requesting that your bird not eat prior to his appointment. Both the vets you saw prior neglected to do proper testing and just prescribed drugs by looking at him and guessing. Now you did do the right thing by taking him to whatever vet was available, and then again by getting a second opinion. However, THE REASON HE'S NOT GETTING BETTER IS BECAUSE HE HASN'T BEEN TREATED FOR WHAT IS MAKING HIM SICK, AND THAT IS BECAUSE HE HAS NOT BEEN PROPERLY DIAGNOSED YET! So I'm going to assume that directly after you see this avian specialist and they do proper diagnostic testing and start the corresponding treatment, you're going to see marked improvement in your bird very quickly. I'm so thankful that he held on all this time in order for an avian vet to be available to see him. As I said you'll see immediate improvement after he is properly diagnosed.

I'm glad you've written everything down that has gone on since you brought him home along with all the medications and any tests that were run on him with the results. I'm assuming this avian specialist will rerun any tests that have already been run along with new testing, and please allow her to do so, as even though a test may have already been run by one of the previous vets, that result may have changed in the time that has passed. Let this avian specialist do any testing that they want to do, they know what they're doing and they won't do anything that your bird can't handle. Please do not hesitate to ask this vet any and all questions you may have as it's much better to ask and feel silly than to not ask and worry.

Don't hesitate to leave him with this specialist overnight either, as being in an incubator with pure oxygen and heat being constantly supplied along with any medication given by injections, along with proper crop feedings, if necessary, will do him good. I know you haven't had him long and this must be so frustrating, not being able to enjoy time with him, but having him spend a few days with an avian specialist will not only ensure proper treatment but it will also give you a much needed break from the stress.

I'm sending positive energy your way and to your little baby boy as well. May he make a quick and full recovery so that you can enjoy each other soon!

Also, I hope you are and have been making his breeder aware of just how sick he is and how much money you are spending. I know you just want to get him well and don't care about the money, but this breeder needs to be held responsible for this. First of all, he needs to get appropriate treatment for not only all of the other birds in this clutch but also for any birds he had in contact with this clutch, whether they be babies, breeders, or personal pets. He needs to sterilize the bird areas of his home, all his cages, etc. And honestly I would be very concerned about your bird's brothers and sisters, as I'm sure some of the people that bought them are going through the same thing you are with their new babies, but they may not be able to afford this kind of specialized vet care or may not be aware of the avian specialist you have found. If they have simply taken their new babies to a general vet like you did at first and are waiting for their babies to recover on the wrong treatments, they will undoubtedly lose their birds, if they haven't already...So this breeder needs to be in contact with all the people that purchased these babies and helping them all get proper care so that they all don't pass away.

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