Problems breathing.

[Roco2021]

My little boy roco is 7 months old. I've only had 1 month 2 weeks. The last 3 weeks I found him sneezing quite abit. I took to the vets and he had a check over. Vet was happy with him and prescribed him antibiotics ( enrocare) and some white powder that you put in the water. He was on this for 7 days. I followed the vet instructions to the T and
He started to get get better He even made his first sounds with where quite laud and fun to hear and see that he was getting comfortable around his new family and then out of no where about 1 and half weeks ago he started getting worst. It was Saturday night at 11pm exactly. He sneezed the whole night for 2 nights and my little boy couldn't stop a then and he got worst as the days when by. I booked and another avian vet appointment. While I waited for the day to come here are some of the symptoms he started to develope
He opens his beak and looks like he want to be sick like gagging sound
His also weezing like he has cold then sneezes. If he was a human I would say you have a cold/flu
So the day finally came I took him to the vets and he checked him over again. He said by the looknof his poo colour it could chlamydia. Inwas shocked I never knew my boy was such slut :59::04: he prescribed him another type of antibiotics and told me to carry on with the treatment. 5 days in and still the same. What I find really strange is its only during the night he gets at his worst. He opens his beak,strecjes out his neck and makes this gasping sound. And then continues to weez.
Apart from all this my little roco looks acting fine he plays, eats,drinks water, and is very curious. Loves to eat wood. I know his only been on his new medication for 5 days now but his not improvement. I'm panicking now I don't know if I bought a sick bird or this is something new. I bought roco from a breeder and he looked fine when I got him. I dont know if I bought a sick bird just waiting for his symptoms to develope. Right now I'm just stressed out I feel so sad for this little guy and helpless. I need him to get better I just don't know what todo I'm desperate for help.

 

[Kitekeeper]

Welcome Roco2021

I would at first also think about a case of flu. Can you observe if the feathers close to the nostrils are wet? If they are, he is probably having secretion in his respiratory tract...possibly a flu.

However, you said that antibiotics are not working as expected and that he got worse at night. Have you considered this could be a mite infestation in the upper respiratory tract? Mites would not respond to antibiotics and can have more mobility in the dark or nightime...

Maybe you could ask your vet if this is a possibility.

Good luck

 

[Roco2021]

Welcome Roco2021

I would at first also think about a case of flu. Can you observe if the feathers close to the nostrils are wet? If they are, he is probably having secretion in his respiratory tract...possibly a flu.

However, you said that antibiotics are not working as expected and that he got worse at night. Have you considered this could be a mite infestation in the upper respiratory tract? Mites would not respond to antibiotics and can have more mobility in the dark or nightime...

Maybe you could ask your vet if this is a possibility.

Good luck

Thank you for your advise. I spoke to the vet today and i told him the medice he prescribed wasn't really working and suggested maybe we trie something for air sac mites he agreed and told me to get anti parasite that contains ivermectin. I've just applied his 1st dose it was a massive struggle as I had to to trie and figure out how to apply it to the back of his neck with out stressing him. Remember ive only had for little over a month now and his not use to me handling him. Anyway fingers crossed let's see how long it takes to work.

 

[Roco2021]

OK so roco got alot worst last night. His breathing is really bad now. I've spoken to the vets and we belive he needs to be taken in to be admitted.i applied the medication to the back of his neck and almost 24hrs later nothing. I found him last night at the bottom of the cage and again this morning,poor boy has no energy. He looks really bad. Only problem I have its difficult to find a avian in London and my avian aint working untill Friday (tomorrow). Any 1 out there that can please give me some advice. I'm desperate now.

 

[Kitekeeper]

I am really sorry to hear that. He needs urgent veterinary assitance.

Can you give more details of his condition? Any tremors? Have your heard about Aspergillosis? This is a fungal infection and might produce respiratory issues. Also would not respond to normal antibiotics...

You can put a heat source near him to help hum combat the disease. Of course put it in a way where Roco can choose to approach or distance himself from the source.

Please be quick, it is urgent.

 

[Scott]

Very sorry to hear Roco is suffering from respiratory distress. Honestly, this requires specialized diagnostics to determine the precise organism or fungus causing illness. Otherwise prescribing meds becomes trial and error, time is critical once you observe breathing difficulties. An avian vet can draw blood, (depending on condition, and conures can be tricky) analyze droppings, perform throat swab cultures. I wish you success finding a skilled avian vet and hope for Roco's recovery. Check this link for avian vets. https://www.aav.org/search/custom.asp?id=1803
Drop down menu to insert "United Kingdom" within "Country," type "London" for city and expand mileage as needed.

 

[Roco2021]

He hasn't got any

I am really sorry to hear that. He needs urgent veterinary assitance.

Can you give more details of his condition? Any tremors? Have your heard about Aspergillosis? This is a fungal infection and might produce respiratory issues. Also would not respond to normal antibiotics...

You can put a heat source near him to help hum combat the disease. Of course put it in a way where Roco can choose to approach or distance himself from the source.

Please be quick, it is

I am really sorry to hear that. He needs urgent veterinary assitance.

Can you give more details of his condition? Any tremors? Have your heard about Aspergillosis? This is a fungal infection and might produce respiratory issues. Also would not respond to normal antibiotics...

You can put a heat source near him to help hum combat the disease. Of course put it in a way where Roco can choose to approach or distance himself from the source.

Please be quick, it is urgent

I am really sorry to hear that. He needs urgent veterinary assitance.

Can you give more details of his condition? Any tremors? Have your heard about Aspergillosis? This is a fungal infection and might produce respiratory issues. Also would not respond to normal antibiotics...

You can put a heat source near him to help hum combat the disease. Of course put it in a way where Roco can choose to approach or distance himself from the source.

Please be quick, it is urgent.

OK so im going to tell you all the symptoms hes having.
At night he shakes his feathers like he was shaking water off when having a bath.
He scratches his beak alot during the night. Everytime he breathes his heaving. He also sneezes quite alot. His been stretching out his neck like he wants regurgitate but nothing comes out. His poo is dark green in colour and has white around his poo, with a large transparent looking water.

Last night after applying the drops on the back of his neck to treat air sac mites. I followed the instructions to the letter. I noticed that he only get really,really bad at night thats when he struggles alot.

Today little roco doesn't want to sit on top of his cage he just proffers lower perch to sit on. His currently sitting on my office chair leg. I'm continuing giving him his medication to treat chlamydia like the avian vet suggested. I'm taking him in the morning to the vets.. to be admitted. My baby is only 7 months old I need to fight to very last second.

Medication the vets gave him are

Encare, and proxy (I'm.not sure if I'm spelling it right) he has this every day
Yesterday I gave him Itraconazole drops on the back of the neck.

 

[Roco2021]

Sorry also forgot to mention that he has been eating and drink water normally. He still very curious during the day. He loves to explore witch makes me happy to see ive only only had him for little over a month. He doesn't chirp he only dome this a few times about 2 weeks ago..not a sound seens.

 

[Neo]

Sorry also forgot to mention that he has been eating and drink water normally. He still very curious during the day. He loves to explore witch makes me happy to see ive only only had him for little over a month. He doesn't chirp he only dome this a few times about 2 weeks ago..not a sound seens.

Please keep us updated!
My prayers to your little friend, hope he recovers successfully!

 

[Kitekeeper]

Hi Rc2021

Thank you for the update! Mixing news, yet some encouraging.

First, I am glad to see you was able to get a vet appointment for tomorrow! Also encouraging that Roco still shows interest and is alert during the day.

Please, be aware that I am not a veterinary and I think none of us here are. Any ideas that might come up here are to fuel you with questions to ask the veterinary when you meet one.

Regarding myself, I am a biologist/field ecologist who has a limited experience with some species of birds. Nevertheless my experience with birds come from the practical aspects of having birds as a hobby, not my job per se.

Having said that, I think we can brainstorm together to help you to inquire your vet tomorrow.

At night he shakes his feathers like he was shaking water off when having a bath

This suggests Roco is getting too cold at night. Birds keep a body temperature near 38 celsium degrees as their normal temperature. They can loose temperature quite fast if they are sick as keeping body temperature that high is energetically costly and much of the energy goes to fight the infection. So please, keep Roco warm at night and if possible during the day too. This is crucial to give him resources to fight whatever it is. You can use a lamp or a heat pad or any other heat source you might provide as long as it is UV free.

Everytime he breathes his heaving. He also sneezes quite alot.

This symptom suggests it is something in the air sacs, but not necessarily just there.

His been stretching out his neck like he wants regurgitate but nothing comes out.

This however is a behaviour that could be caused by a fungi in the craw. Fungi can accumulate in the craw, particularly if the bird was handfed by someone that would not wait the craw to empty between meals. This is of course not the only reason, but as Roco is young he might be victim of fungi in the craw.

That could be something that was transferred to the air sacs and a disease that could not be cured by antibiotics for clamidia.

He doesn't chirp

This is just another symptom that suggest something is wrong in the respiratory tract, but the regurgitation effort should also be analysed as he might have problems in the craw too,

One thing I can add as a biologist, once bacteria is contained by antibiotics fungi might occupy its place and they will not respond to antibiotics.

As you have no response for antibiotics and Roco is getting worse; the most urgent thing to think now is the possibility of fungi infection as they are too organisms with elevated population growth rates that can jeopardize Roco´s life very fast.

Good luck

 

[Roco2021]

Just wanted say a BIG thank you to every 1. Roco was taken to the vets 1st thing this morning. He has now been hospitalise. And I also found him at the top of cage and not at the bottom. Fingers crossed every thing going to be OK.

 

[Kitekeeper]

Fingers crossed!!

 

[Scott]

Sending healing wishes for Roco and quick recovery!

 

[Roco2021]

So last night I got a wasup message from the vet saying this " I’m so sorry, I gave Roco some medication and we continued with oxygen, but I’m so sorry he just passed away so sorry I failed"

As you guys can imagine last night Me and my wife didn't sleep. I feel so bad for the little guy and my avian vet did everything they could and so did I.

Again just wanted to say thank you for every well wishes and prayers

 

[LaManuka]

Oh no, I'm so very sorry to hear this very sad news. Please accept my very deepest condolences for your loss of Roco. I had been hoping he would pull through and come home to you, my heart hurts for you and your wife and my thoughts are with you.

Godspeed to the Rainbow Bridge, dear little Roco, until we all meet again.

 

[Scott]

Please accept my deepest condolences for the passing of Roco. Losing a beloved companion so hurtful, I hope in time his memories will shine brighter than grief and despair.

 

[Kitekeeper]

I am truly sorry to hear that. Be sure that I understand your grief and share your sadness. I checked the forum first thing in the morning to follow Roco treatment and read about his passing away... Thank you for coming back to update us. You guys really did your best to help him.

 

[Terry57]

I am so sorry for your loss of Roco. Sending my deepest condolences and hugs to you and your wife.