Psittacosis - Do parrot owners live in constant panic?

[SDSU_Aztec]

I did a little bit of homework on this pathogen.

Psittacosis | Parrot Fever

According to that article Psittacosis is essentially...

- Difficult to detect even with blood tests (Can only tell you if there has been exposure)
- Can lay dormant for years until a stressful situation happens that causes the bird to shed the pathogens in the nasal fluid and poop.

- Can be active in a bird that appears perfectly healthy
- CAN BE CONTRACTED BY HUMANS FROM INFECTED BIRDS
- Can frequently be confused with the flu and miss treated, it has the ability to get progressively worse very quickly and can lead to death.


I mean really?!? This sounds like a superbug if I ever heard of one. I had MRSA a few years ago and had to be treated with antibiotics for over 2 months to get rid of it and this thing sounds like it can put MRSA to shame.


How in the world do parrot owners not live in a constant fear if a biological outbreak happening in their home every time their bird so much as sneezes?

- I mean even if you take your bird to the vet several times a year (Which I am 100% sure most bird owners in the world do not do) - it is nearly impossible to really find out if it is dormant or active!


This really gives me second thoughts about owning a bird. Worst of all, I am currently taking care of a family members cockatiel and it has been sneezing frequently (clear nostrils) is eating a seed diet and has watery green poop. Should I panic now?

I mean at this point I Am thinking about just leaving the bird outside my house.

 

[Featheredsamurai]

Did you know we can also get TB from our birds and they from us. I don't worry about it, I know that my birds are healthy. It's unlikely that we will show symptoms of psittacoses without our birds also showing symptoms. I know a Australian who had it and she and her bird were both fine.

We also need to use common sense, if you go the hospital sick it's good to mention you have a bird. It is unlikely you are sick from them but it's always worth mentioning.

 

[MonicaMc]

There's a lot of potential dangers out there. All you can do is the best that you can and hope you don't put your birds health at risk, but at the same time, you can't put them into a protective little bubble.


Cockatiels are dusty birds birds, so may sneeze more often if they get dust in their sinuses. A seed diet is not a healthy diet though, and combined with "watery green poop" makes me think the bird might be sick.

 

[SDSU_Aztec]

Did you know we can also get TB from our birds. I don't worry about it and they from us, I know that my birds are healthy. It's unlikely that we will show symptoms of psittacoses without our birds also showing symptoms. I know a Australian who had it and she and her bird were both fine.

We also need to use common side, if you go the hospital sick it's good to mention you have a bird. I havn't been truly sick in years, I havn't been sick enough to go to the hospital in around 12 years.

That's what worries me, the symptoms seem to be sooo elusive in birds. Also birds don't do us any favors by HIDING THEIR SYMPTOMS.

I think im going to put this cockatiel outside with a towel over the cage. My uncle just got the bird at the local swap meet about 3 days ago.

- Green watery poop
- Sneezing (No discharge)
- Puffed up

Sounds like the symptoms of every bird disease every mentioned which could include Psittacosis.

 

[Featheredsamurai]

Rather than putting him outside you should keep him warm! It is cruel to move a potential sick bird outside for such a selfish reason. If the bird does happen to have psittacosis all you will need is a shot. And so will the bird.

Do you and your uncle have the birds well care as a priority? If not you and your uncle may want to look for another home who will take the tiel to a avian vet for care.

 

[SDSU_Aztec]

Rather than putting him outside you should keep him warm! It is cruel to move a potential sick bird outside for such a selfish reason. If the bird does happen to have psittacosis all you will need is a shot. And so will the bird.

Do you and your uncle have the birds well care as a priority? If not you and your uncle may want to look for another home who will take the tiel to a avian vet for care.

It's not my bird it is 100% his. I am only taking care of it while he is away for 3 weeks. I currently was only here to get info on birds (because I do not have the resources to buy one / take one to the doctor at the moment). I have a very generous job offer that starts in August but until then I was just planning to learn more about birds.

He seems to be eating normally... drinks plenty of water.

He is not vocal AT ALL (I have herd him chirp twice in 3 days).

I don't really know if he is sick or not. He hisses at me A LOT though. I really don't think my uncle gives 2 ****s about the bird to be perfectly honest. He has a ton of budgies in his home in Mexico and they sleep outside covered by a small cloth every night.

 

[weco]

Psittacosis in parrots or ornithosis in other birds is just a form of chlamydia and with treatment (antibiotics), response is usually 2-3 days average.....

Just because a bird sneezes doesn't mean that they have a zoonotic disease...birds are susceptible to allergies and can be bothered by dust just like we are.....I've been around birds over 30 years and never have seen a case in my birds or contracted chlamydia in any form.....

Just looked & there were only 66 cases, of contraction by humans, reported to the CDC between 2002 and 2009, though there is belief that there were other, unreported cases.

If the watery poop sounds like there might be a bacterial infection, what are your authorizations/instructions regarding illness of the bird, I might get hold of the owner(s) for advice if you don't have instructions.....


Good luck.....



I might be tempted to call my uncle for advice.....vets will accept credit card payment over the phone in cases like this.....

'tiels hiss when they're not tame, when they don't know you or if they're scared of you.....

 

[SDSU_Aztec]

I moved the bird to the back of my study about 10 feet or so away just incase. I had him in my desk so I could talk to him but I think I should keep him a tad away just incase. A shot is not to bad I guess. I have no idea how to reach him he left for his art exhibition in Lisbon. Basically said he would be back in 3 weeks and left me seeds for the bird.

 

[DallyTsuka]

ive known someone to get psittacosis from her bird, and she's all good and so is the bird. she had got a bird who had it, gave it to another bird and her. that bird passed away, but the other bird and the owner were treated and recovered well. (bird passed away before she knew what it was, she didnt know what it was until the second bird got ill)

deaths are more likely in young, elderly, or those with immune system problems. a healthy adult isnt likely to die from psittacosis.

it's not common enough of a disease for me to be worried about it. if your bird gets sick with an e. coli infection (more common than psittacosis) you can contract that.

proper hygiene is the best preventative (of course things still can happen) and worrying about it isn't going to be fun for you or the bird. if the bird gets sick, bring it to the vet for treatment, and then worry about it

 

[SDSU_Aztec]

I have a few pictures of how the bird looks now. If anyone is willing to give me their opinion on it that would be great. He has been similar to this for 4 days now.

Also have pictures of the droppings....

http://i1238.photobucket.com/albums/ff489/calintz333/20130409_075533_zps7dd1f78c.jpg

http://i1238.photobucket.com/albums/ff489/calintz333/20130409_075556_zps49a5c49a.jpg

 

[critterman]

OMG Please do not put the bird outside. PLEASE PLEASE Keep the bird warm with a towel or sheet over 3 sides of the cage and make sure you are giving it lots of fresh water or pediolyte several times a day. Make sure it has enough to eat fresh veggies and fruit if you can. Is there anyone else in your family who would pay for the vet or use their credit card until your Uncle gets back? Then he can pay them back. Please try to get it to a Avian vet as soon as possible. Please!

 

[SDSU_Aztec]

OMG Please do not put the bird outside. PLEASE PLEASE Keep the bird warm with a towel or sheet over 3 sides of the cage and make sure you are giving it lots of fresh water or pediolyte several times a day. Make sure it has enough to eat fresh veggies and fruit if you can. Is there anyone else in your family who would pay for the vet or use their credit card until your Uncle gets back? Then he can pay them back. Please try to get it to a Avian vet as soon as possible. Please!

Honestly I think everyone in my family would consider giving a bird medical treatment as laughable (Including my uncle). I would do it but I don't currently have a job. The only money I have is the one I need to attend school. I am not spending that or taking out a student loan for a pet that doesn't belong to me. I didn't put the bird outside. I have him at the back of the room and yes I am making sure it has fresh clean water. Changing it twice a day.

The only thing I see as positive is that the bird is eating regularly and drinking water. My instructions were if anything happens to the bird take it back to the swap meet guy that he bought it from and ask for the money back because it means they sold him a dying bird.

 

[MollyGreenCheeks]

I deal with it the same way I do with driving. Every time I get on the road there is risk of death or being seriously disabled for the remainder of my life but I still do it.

We must simply take the proper safety precautions for ourselves and our birds and then go on living our lives. We can not live our lives in total happiness if we are constantly consumed by fear.

 

[DallyTsuka]

i'm sorry your family isn't up to date with proper vet care for birds

the droppings are very watery but the colour is consistent with a bird with seeds in the diet so for a cockatiel, the colour is ok. but the colour of the urine is off.

if the bird was moved around a bit to a new environment, the stress can cause watery droppings. watch it for a few days, if the droppings do not change then yes the bird likely is sick, but if they go to normal in a few days, then it was just the stress of the move.

but stress can bring about secondary infections, which arent necessarily there when the bird was bought. just stress weakens the immune system and moving to a new environment can stress a bird, cause an imbalance in the gut bacteria and often leads to either bacterial infections or yeast infections. yeast and bacteria are normally found in the bird's digestive tract, but when stressed, levels of the good and bad bacteria become imbalanced, which leads to too much of a bacteria or too much yeast growth and therefore the bird gets sick. it has nothing to do if a bird was sick before, often a new bird can get sick from the stress of a move.

 

[WannaBeAParrot]

It is nice of u to take care of your uncles bird, and comendable that u came here for assistance. u could try this..... call an AVIAN vet, explain that u r a student caring for this bird amd owner is traveling and cannot be reached right now so u cant brong bird in without uncle making payment arrangements. but in the meantime could they possibly offer some advice .... i dont k ow how much different it would be than u r already getting here, but worth a try.

If your uncle is at his exhibit on lisbon, it shouldnt be too difficult to find the exhibitqq with an internet search and be in contact with him. Does he really leave the country without giving someone, friend, family, coworker, lamdlord, neighbor contact imfo or an email or phone contact?

 

[SDSU_Aztec]

It is nice of u to take care of your uncles bird, and comendable that u came here for assistance. u could try this..... call an AVIAN vet, explain that u r a student caring for this bird amd owner is traveling and cannot be reached right now so u cant brong bird in without uncle making payment arrangements. but in the meantime could they possibly offer some advice .... i dont k ow how much different it would be than u r already getting here, but worth a try.

If your uncle is at his exhibit on lisbon, it shouldnt be too difficult to find the exhibitqq with an internet search and be in contact with him. Does he really leave the country without giving someone, friend, family, coworker, lamdlord, neighbor contact imfo or an email or phone contact?

LMAO Yeah, he has always been that way for years. He is single in his late 40s and still acts like a reckless 20 year old. I think it's a common trait among artists.

 

[Peeker]

Ok from the picture, I personally wouldn't panic. The color looks good the eyes bright and alert. Try and peek under the bird to see if the vent is clean. (not with poop sticking to the feathers. A sick bird will generally sit puffed up on the bottom of the cage. Do not expect the bird to be overly friendly or chatty at this point. He is new to you and your home. Birds are prey animals. Anyone other than the flock they know it potentially a predator so he is likely to be quiet the first few days until he decides you are not a threat. Is this the first time you have had experience with a bird?

 

[SDSU_Aztec]

Ok from the picture, I personally wouldn't panic. The color looks good the eyes bright and alert. Try and peek under the bird to see if the vent is clean. (not with poop sticking to the feathers. A sick bird will generally sit puffed up on the bottom of the cage. Do not expect the bird to be overly friendly or chatty at this point. He is new to you and your home. Birds are prey animals. Anyone other than the flock they know it potentially a predator so he is likely to be quiet the first few days until he decides you are not a threat. Is this the first time you have had experience with a bird?

No poop stuck to the bottom of his tail feathers. He never spends any time at the bottom of the cage. I have been around budgies but only budgies that didn't belong to me as a kid, so I never paid any attention to them besides feeding them once in a while.

 

[MonicaMc]

Maybe the reason "he" hasn't chirped much is because he is really a she?

And she may 'cheer up' if you played some cockatiel noises for her?

 

[Greenwing]

The pic isn't the best.. But from what I can see She looks OK.. Make sure she is eating and make sure she is pooping... If you could place a clean piece of white paper under where she poops.. When she does take a pic and post it.. Color and consistency changes with type of food and water consumption ..


Psittacosis is the least of my worries.. With all the viruses.... I would be more concerned with HEP, MRSA ,TB and leprosy is on a comeback now..