Is my Macaw ill?

[EllenD]

Okay, slow down...this vet you've been seeing, who is NOT a Certified Avian Vet, is the one who is suggesting an endoscopy and invasive tests BEFORE they have even taken simple CULTURES...RED FLAG!!!!!!!

Your Macaw in that video looks and sounds extremely ill with either an Upper Respiratory Infection, Pneumonia, or a Lung Infection. And this vet didn't even do the basic Fecal and URI Cultures to properly diagnose the microbe(s) causing the infection(s) and determine the CORRECT medication(s) to treat it...The antibiotic you were already giving him for a renal issue is most-likely NOT the correct antibiotic for whatever infection she has in her upper respiratory system...And there's no way to know this until you get CULTURES done, which are not expensive...

You need to call the Certified Avian Vet near you and make an appointment immediately for your Macaw...call the other vet and have her records transferred to them....Show the Certified Avian Vet that video on your phone, they will order the Fecal and URI Cultures, and possibly just a plain-film x-ray to look at her lungs, they may be able to even hear fluid in her lungs by listening to them and diagnose that issue that way. She needs to be put in an Oxygen chamber, and they should discuss with you treating her not with oral-antibiotics, but rather giving her antibiotics through Nebulizer Treatments, and allow you to use their Nebulizer or at least rent-it. This gets the medication right into the tissue that is infected, and works quickly and directly...BUT ONLY AFTER SHE HAS CULTURE DONE TO DIAGNOSE THE EXACT MICROBE CAUSING THE INFECTION!!!!

Endoscopy, CT Scans, etc. should not EVER be mentioned in this situation until simple Cultures and maybe a plain-film x-ray are done, which will properly diagnose the issue most of the time...And this will not bankrupt you. But you need to get her to the Certified Avian Vet ASAP, as she looks/sounds horribly congested and sick in that video, and if you wait for those antibiotics you were given without having Cultures taken to help her, that may be a fatal decision (orally I might add, my guess is they gave her Baytril/Enrofloaxcin, which is only a broad-spectrum antibiotic that does not work on the upper respiratory system well at all, especially when given orally)

 

[Mangotango91]

I took her in today for an emergency visit at the new clinic. The avian vet wasn't there today but she was seen by a really nice doctor that seemed like she knew what she was doing. Originally it was just supposed to be a drop off situation but before I could even fill out the paperwork, the doc came rushing out really worried and asking me questions about her condition. The doc already had her in the oxygen chamber and she said her breathing condition is very dangerous and she needed to see an x-ray right away. She takes a few and comes out with Mango's film, she was really concerned about the activity in her lower abdomen and requested an exotic bird radiology specialist to take a look. A few hours later I get a call from the vet saying that she can't fix Mango's condition. The radiologist came to the conclusion that she has heart disease coupled with an enlarged liver, and fluid buildup around her intestines. The doc agrees with the radiologists diagnosis because it would explain her difficulty breathing and fluid buildup. I tried to fight her on it but she told me URI is unlikely due to her physical symptoms and pneumonia was ruled out because her lungs looked fine in the x-ray. We ordered a fecal test and it came back normal. I don't know what to do. I asked if she can get a second opinion from the avian vet at the clinic and a other exotic radiology specialist. She agreed and will give me a call on Wednesday with the consensus.

 

[MonicaMc]

I'm not a vet, and will not claim to be one.... but from my own experiences dealing with infections and other issues... I'm going to have to agree with the vet's diagnostic.

The URI I've seen do not cause that amount of behavior in a bird that you are seeing in your macaw.



There *ARE* medications that could potentially help the heart and liver (DMG and Milk Thistle - both can be purchased OTC - or even Aloe Detox if it can be found) as well as a diet change, but the fluid build up around the intestines is the biggest cause for concern.... would is probably related to her heart disease.


My best suggestions would be to get as many opinions about her health as possible (you can have her records transferred to other vets so the tests DO NOT need to be done again) and ask the vets what to do from here on out. What diet to put her on, would oxygen therapy help, any supplements that may help to relieve the symptoms. (ask the vets about the ones I've mentioned!)


I'm sorry though that the results aren't better. She's really sick and it's hard to say just how much longer she may have.

 

[Mangotango91]

Thanks, I just hope she isn't suffering

 

[ChristaNL]

Did I miss a follow-up on this thread anywhere?