Nico’s Thread 😊

[kme3388]

It took a bit but I finally have the results from Nico’s labs. He has aspergillus, and enterobacter growing in his nostrils. One is fungal. He is getting some medications to help with this.

 

[Cottonoid]

Poor Nico! I'm glad you have results and medication though!

 

[BirdyBee]

Poor guy! Prayers for a speedy recovery!

 

[saxguy64]

Awwww Nico, you got this, little guy. I'm so glad you know what's going on and have a treatment plan in the works. Not gonna lie, Nico is one of my favorites around here. He reminds me so much of my Patches

 

[HeatherG]

I’m sorry to hear this. My first Quaker had aspergillosis but we didn’t know until she passed. She caught EVERYTHING and I was so careful with her. (And once it was enterobacter.) I hope antifungal treatment helps. That’s the one thing we never tried with her.

Food safety is very important to a compromised bird. His soft foods must be removed after a couple of hours or as advised by your vet.

Nico is so precious with his big orange beak. Xoxo nico

 

[Cottonoid]

Not gonna lie, Nico is one of my favorites around here.

Me too! To me Nico feels like Cotton's wiser cousin that could teach him all about tubing and bags and the State Fair and grilling on a summer day while sneaking sips of warm beer when the adults aren't looking

 

[kme3388]

Thank you everyone for Nico’s get well wishes. I really hope he isn’t going to pass away, and that this happens to younger birds as well.

 

[HeatherG]

Thank you everyone for Nico’s get well wishes. I really hope he isn’t going to pass away, and that this happens to younger birds as well.

My bird Gonzo had aspergillosis from her breeder. The vet said that they probably had dirty nest boxes and that’s how she got it. Gonzo was the last nestling remaining at the pet store. I didn’t know that Quakers were supposed to be solid chunky birds. She was tiny; daintier than a cockatiel and that’s not right for a Quaker.

Gonzo just never did well and caught everything including things that shouldn’t have been able to make her sick. Poor baby. She was such a sweet bird.

But Gonzo never got treatment for the aspergillosis, we didn’t know she had it until she got scoped. And she passed during that. YOUR NICO is getting treatment and you know what’s going on. I was just out of high school and I didn’t have any degrees or special bird training. I just took as good care of her as I could, fed her baby bird food if she was skinny or sick, etc.

It might be good to find out how much the aspergillosis has spread in Nico’s body. Also if you have any health problems you need to be aware that people and other animals can get aspergillosis. But if you are clean and healthy you are not likely to.

 

[kme3388]

My bird Gonzo had aspergillosis from her breeder. The vet said that they probably had dirty nest boxes and that’s how she got it. Gonzo was the last nestling remaining at the pet store. I didn’t know that Quakers were supposed to be solid chunky birds. She was tiny; daintier than a cockatiel and that’s not right for a Quaker.

Gonzo just never did well and caught everything including things that shouldn’t have been able to make her sick. Poor baby. She was such a sweet bird.

But Gonzo never got treatment for the aspergillosis, we didn’t know she had it until she got scoped. And she passed during that. YOUR NICO is getting treatment and you know what’s going on. I was just out of high school and I didn’t have any degrees or special bird training. I just took as good care of her as I could, fed her baby bird food if she was skinny or sick, etc.

It might be good to find out how much the aspergillosis has spread in Nico’s body. Also if you have any health problems you need to be aware that people and other animals can get aspergillosis. But if you are clean and healthy you are not likely to.

Do you mind me asking with aspergillosis is? I was really upset with the news, and didn’t ask the vet. I do have medical issues. I actually meet with a ENT provider tomorrow because my nose is beyond itchy, and I keep losing hearing in my ears. I just assumed it’s allergies !

 

[kme3388]

My bird Gonzo had aspergillosis from her breeder. The vet said that they probably had dirty nest boxes and that’s how she got it. Gonzo was the last nestling remaining at the pet store. I didn’t know that Quakers were supposed to be solid chunky birds. She was tiny; daintier than a cockatiel and that’s not right for a Quaker.

Gonzo just never did well and caught everything including things that shouldn’t have been able to make her sick. Poor baby. She was such a sweet bird.

But Gonzo never got treatment for the aspergillosis, we didn’t know she had it until she got scoped. And she passed during that. YOUR NICO is getting treatment and you know what’s going on. I was just out of high school and I didn’t have any degrees or special bird training. I just took as good care of her as I could, fed her baby bird food if she was skinny or sick, etc.

It might be good to find out how much the aspergillosis has spread in Nico’s body. Also if you have any health problems you need to be aware that people and other animals can get aspergillosis. But if you are clean and healthy you are not likely to.

I am truly trying to understand how Nico gets these things. I clean his cage daily (change his papers). I deep clean once a month. I spray down where ever his poops if it gets on any surface aside from the newspaper. I got him a stainless steel cage to avoid bacteria build up. His chop only sits out maybe 2-3 hours at a time. I took him up north with us on our vacation to keep an eye on him. I bought vet grade cleaning supplies. I just don’t understand why he keeps getting sick.

 

[BirdyBee]

Do you mind me asking with aspergillosis is? I was really upset with the news, and didn’t ask the vet. I do have medical issues. I actually meet with a ENT provider tomorrow because my nose is beyond itchy, and I keep losing hearing in my ears. I just assumed it’s allergies !

Aspergillosis is an infection caused by fungus.

 

[HeatherG]

wow. I’m sorry your vet isn’t explaining this.

Aspergillosis is a fungus, like a mold, that can grow in your lungs. In birds it can grow in air sacs as well as lungs, and sometimes can grow all throughout the body.

You should tell your dr that your bird has this and maybe even bring his paperwork along to show them.

You may well be allergic to the aspergillosis. It is in the environment as well as causing disease in some animals.

I am so sorry that this is happening to Nico and you. Parrots shouldn’t be sick all the time. I bleached Gonzos food and water dishes daily but she still kept getting sick, simply because there are germs all around us and there’s no way you can make things perfectly sterile.

 

[HeatherG]

I would be more concerned about you getting aspergillosis if you had cancer or cystic fibrosis or aids or something that suppresses your immune system. By medical issues, that’s what I mean: something that makes you more likely to catch diseases or that makes your lungs not work right.

Mayo Clinic has a very good explanation of aspergillosis. Just search on “aspergillosis” and it will be one of the top results. Why don’t you read this or other explanations and ask me questions if you have them? You can pm if you want.

 

[kme3388]

I would be more concerned about you getting aspergillosis if you had cancer or cystic fibrosis or aids or something that suppresses your immune system. By medical issues, that’s what I mean: something that makes you more likely to catch diseases or that makes your lungs not work right.

Mayo Clinic has a very good explanation of aspergillosis. Just search on “aspergillosis” and it will be one of the top results. Why don’t you read this or other explanations and ask me questions if you have them? You can pm if you want.

Thank you very much. Mayo Clinic is my provider. I just messaged them myself to ask if it’s something I need tested for, or how contagious it is from their prospective. The vet sent down some medications for Nico. I didn’t ask any questions as I was crying because I was upset that Nico was sick again.

 

[HeatherG]

Thank you very much. Mayo Clinic is my provider. I just messaged them myself to ask if it’s something I need tested for, or how contagious it is from their prospective. The vet sent down some medications for Nico. I didn’t ask any questions as I was crying because I was upset that Nico was sick again.

I’m so sorry. You have not done anything wrong with Nico. Likely he had this from babyhood just like Gonzo did.

Honestly I was worried when you said he was always sick because it sounded like her.

You have done well by keeping everything clean. That makes it much less likely to affect you. I have never been a particularly hearty person but I never got aspergillosis from Gonzo.

 

[kme3388]

I’m so sorry. You have not done anything wrong with Nico. Likely he had this from babyhood just like Gonzo did.

Honestly I was worried when you said he was always sick because it sounded like her.

You have done well by keeping everything clean. That makes it much less likely to affect you. I have never been a particularly hearty person but I never got aspergillosis from Gonzo.

I did hear back from Mayo (primary care). They searched for the Aspergillosis, and the enterobacter. It doesn’t appear to be transferred from bird to human. They said if I get symptoms to set up an appointment.

I am not sure what the symptoms would be for a human. Nico has lost all feathers around his nostrils, itched his nostrils to the point of bleeding (he couldn’t keep his birdie claws out of the nostrils), he is aggressively running his beak across his cage bars trying to itch some more, he does his Ekkie whine because he is upset, he is wheezing, and whistling noises are coming from his nostrils. Flushing his nostrils did temporarily help. I am thinking humans probably don’t behave this way with these things.

 

[HeatherG]

If he has the aspergillosis in his lungs or air sacs he may not be able to breathe right. That’s a very scary sensation! In which case of course he’s whining and wheezing.

Poor little guy.

I still think it would be helpful for you to read some stuff about aspergillosis so you are not so dependent on second hand information.

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/aspergillosis/symptoms-causes/syc-20369619

The Mayo Clinic page


https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/aspergillosis-in-birds

This is a particularly good explanation of asper. In birds

 

[kme3388]

If he has the aspergillosis in his lungs or air sacs he may not be able to breathe right. That’s a very scary sensation! In which case of course he’s whining and wheezing.

Poor little guy.

I still think it would be helpful for you to read some stuff about aspergillosis so you are not so dependent on second hand information.

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/aspergillosis/symptoms-causes/syc-20369619

The Mayo Clinic page


https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/aspergillosis-in-birds

This is a particularly good explanation of asper. In birds

Thank you so much for your help. It makes sense because Nico is sick all of the time while my conure is healthy, has no medical issues, and shows no symptoms whatsoever of being sick. Nico just isn’t a healthy bird. I love him, snuggle him, and care for him. I am guessing all there really is for parrots like Nico is supportive care, and try to help the things that pop up.

I still will always say Nico will be with me for years! He just has his struggles, and he has to overcome them.

P.S I edited this at least 2-3 times my phone autocorrects everything!

 

[HeatherG]

Thank you so much for your help. It makes sense because Nico is sick all of the time while my conure is healthy, has no medical issues, and shows no symptoms whatsoever of being sick. Nico just isn’t a healthy bird. I love him, snuggle him, and care for him. I am guessing all there really is for parrots like Nico is supportive care, and try to help the things that pop up.

I still will always going to say Nico will be with me for years! He just has his struggles, and he has to overcome them.

I hope that’s true. I think I’d treat the aspergillosis as vigorously as Nico’s body can handle. I loved my Gonzo and we just didn’t know what was wrong with her (getting sick all the time). But that was 25 yrs ago and treatments were less advanced then.

Remembering Gonzo: she was my first ‘bigger’ bird and she loved me so much even with all the mean things I had to do to her. She used to throw herself into my hands from the top of her cage! Such a nice bird.

 

[kme3388]

Nico is reaching out to his vet. All he is doing is regurgitating his 2 new medications, and he’s decided to refuse to eat. We are just waiting to hear back on what the next steps will be.