New and needing advice dyh Amazon

[Lisak3131]

Thanks for the add. Would love some advice on my 5 year old dyh Amazon. I've had her since Feb 2016. Woke up last week making no noises. House is too quite as u can imagine. Then later that day some noisy breathing. Attended local vet whom have me some baytril and drops. She is very active and seems happy. I can look at her and can guess what she is trying to say from body language. Eating and drinking fine. Nearly a week on and still no better. With the breathing sounds and no talking. Have booked in to see avian vet Friday out of my area. Not too many round my way by the seems. Any ideas?

 

[SailBoat]

I am assuming that the sound is like a clicking or rasping when your DYH Amazon breaths. Also, check whether your Amazon is tail pumping as it breaths. The louder the sound, the more pronounced the tail pumping the quickly you need to get your Amazon to the Avian Vet! If you can hear this noise 1 to 2 meters away from your Amazon, you should be on your way to the Avian Vet NOW.

It is likely the result of an Air Sack infection. This does not cure itself and the medication is commonly specific to the type of infection. What you have been provided is more commonly provided and would be the normal go it med in most cases. CONTINUE to provide the medication you local Vet provided until the Avian Vet provides other mediation!

 

[Scott]

Welcome to the forum! You and your DYH are right at home with so many Amazon lovers!

Please do see an avian vet as soon as possible! While Baytril is a broad-spectrum antibiotic, it may not be effective against whatever is ailing your bird. Avian lungs are extremely sensitive and delicate compared with the mammalian variety. An avian vet is better equipped to diagnose based on specific blood panel and culture tests.

Please let us know how things progress!

 

[Lisak3131]

Thought I'd give u a heads up. Bloods taken today await results. More anti biotic and anti fungal meds to start. Nebuliser to commence tomorrow. Then poop sample to be collect and sent off. Hopefully we will have some answers. Thanks x

 

[SailBoat]

Thank-you for the update!

And, Welcome to the Parrot Forum!

As an Amazon Snob and also owned by a DYH Amazon, look forward seeing you on the Amazon Forum also!

 

[Flboy]

Welcome! Very glad to see you working so hard for your baby!

 

[Scott]

Glad your DYH is getting comprehensive testing!! Keeping fingers crossed the diagnosis is simple and easily treated!!

 

[Lisak3131]

So had vet check up this week. Bloods came back fine, no signs of infection. So that's good. Still await results from stool testing. Polly had a complete turn around on Tuesday after vets. No more loud breathing sound. Just stopped and no Bob of tail either. She is trying to speak but the noise is extremely quite and not to her full ability. Miss the loud noise in my house. Vets suggested we do an endoscopy next week! What u think? Could there be something stuck inside her voice area? Does this work for parrots? Totally out of my depth. My vet had been good but feel he has gave me meds after meds and then tests and more tests. It's not been cheap this last week. And I have not a clue to the price of endoscopy yet. ��

 

[wrench13]

Well that is partial good news from the vet, right? No idea what an endoscopy costs
but , me I would rather spend money on life ( Salty's) then stuff.

Also an Amazon snob here! 'zons rule !

 

[GraciesMom]

I've been going thru a similar experience so I'll share the details maybe it can help.
Blood work, stools, every test was normal. I knew by how she was acting etc. that there was definitely something wrong so I pushed for more tests & those results were not normal at all xrays/ultrasound showed massive infection, liver enlargement, renal abnormality & heart disease. My avian vet was floored and consulted multiple specialists, avian vets all of whom could not understand why the blood work/tests did not support what they were seeing. They immediately implanted a Deslorelin implant to shut down her hormone cycle (too dangerous for her to cycle w/the risk of blood clot/stroke/heart attack) & 2 weeks of meds to address the infection. Retested after that & zero improvement.

They felt the next course of action would be to do an endoscope and collect multiple biopsy samples (airsacs, liver, renal etc.) both liquid and tissue and to basically get a visual of all of the suspect areas. They did reach out to other avian vets & schools to review the results & her case and the consensus is an endoscope. Sorry I just got the call yesterday and don't have all of my terminologies down pat yet. I will have a consult a few days prior and have all of my questions etc. ready for them . I have scheduled the procedure. I know for me it'll run between $1500 - $2000 depending on how many samples, time (they have 3 hours blocked out for the team but are optimistic it will be about 1 1/12. They will go in @ 2 different entry points. I'm leaving it open for them to do what needs to be done since I want them in once - get EVERYTHING they need because it is dangerous & I don't want to have to repeat.

if they haven't done any imaging xrays/ultrasound I'd ask about it - maybe there is more than meets the eye besides the test results you've already received.

Gracie doesn't "appear" sick, looking at her & not knowing better you'd see a healthy bird - which is far from the case.

Gracie's voice did get much lower/gravelly when she was on the meds & that's when she started to use a "whisper" voice to talk to me - but in her case it may have just been a behavior thing not an actual symptom.

They did emphasis that it is a dangerous procedure for Gracie (the airsac entry especially) but in reality we are out of opinions and the lead director/avian vet that is doing the surgery is comfortable/experienced with the procedure.
It is beyond a doubt one of the hardest decisions knowing there is a danger either way.

For me I would ask the details of the procedure, entry point(s), what they are looking for, are samples being collected, which types & from where etc.

Needless to say the last 5 weeks have been a fortune just in vets with no end in sight in the immediate future. That's a'right tho we just call her Misses Bentley as her nickname now. And like Salty said - what better to spend money on besides a life.

 

[SailBoat]

Endoscopy is a multi purpose tool, which primary use is the scope. There are a number of possible reasons for it use in this case. The most likely is to assure that the passages are clear and void of any obstructions. Also to check for tissues that may have been damaged or scratched resulting from the passage of an oversized piece of food. If an object is found, the devise also has a tool with can be used to extract it.

Since your Amazon was on Meds, it is very possible that they had been successful. Please ensure that you provide all the medication provided, unless told by the Vet to Stop.

The fact that your Amazon has not returned to 'full volume' is a concern and likely the reason for the interest in providing an Endoscopy. The tissues near and as part of the voice box area are very sensitive. An option 'maybe' to hold-off an additional week. However, there is a major difference in providing non-professional advise from afar, then from the profession who has had hands-on. Consult with your Avian Vet.

 

[Lisak3131]

Another update. Polly took a turn for the worse Saturday. I really thought she wouldn't make it. My vet I had been using well let's just say I'm still waiting on a call back! Had to find an out of hours avian vet. Over an hour car journey. She has had more test done there and had emergency endoscopy and ended up with a tube stichted in for breathing. This will be temporary. Awaiting results from new vet. More meds added in. Fingers crossed.