Bird fancier's lung - should we be worried?

[Pipsqueak]

I tend to be a worry-wart. It's both helped and hindered me in life. Recently I was reading up on bird fancier's lung (bird breeder's lung, extrinsic allergic alleovitis, hypersensitivity pneumonitis) and I was wondering just how common is this condition? The way the internet goes on about it you'd think everyone who owns parrots is in grave danger, but my vet and doctor have both assured me that this is a rare disease especially for a healthy person with 1 bird (even though he is dusty!)

I'm always very paranoid about lung issues. My grandparents died in their mid-80s from pulmonary fibrosis/emphysema due to exposure to aesbestos-contaminated talc in a pharmaceutical factory they both worked in for years when they were younger (they didn't own birds, but my grandfather did smoke for 50+ pack years which is where the emphesema came from), so naturally I'm a little leary about lung stuff.

Interestingly enough, I did extensive research and involved my entire family before I purchased my bird and I only happened to hear about bird fancier's lung off-hand from a website afterwards. Should I be worried? I own 1 cockatiel. I have 1 hepa filter running 24-7, I dust and vacuum, I wear a dust mask when I clean out his cage. The papers of the cage get cleaned 2 x a day, and the cage gets a good scrub down once a week. He used to stay in my room, but he's now sleeping elsewhere for other reasons (mainly night frights from the cars passing by on the streets). I'm a healthy non-smoker with an un-hindered immune system.

Is what I'm doing over-kill? There's obviously still some dust hanging around as it is impossible to get it all when you live with any animal, let alone a parrot! I love my 'tiel and everyone in my family does too, but I'm worried I'm exposing my family and I to something that might eventually wreck our lungs. Are my worries unfounded and silly?

[FutureDVM]

It sounds like you're doing everything you can to cut down on the dust. I wouldn't say you're going overboard. Better safe than sorry, right? My mother actually has this disease, but I don't think it's very common. I used to have cockatiels, but I had to get rid of them when my mother was diagnosed.

[Pipsqueak]

Thanks FutureDVM! I'm sorry to hear about your mom. I hope she is doing okay now! I actually have 2 hepa filters going in the room now. My parents think I'm being a little crazy (they've read up on bird fancier's lung) and a couple of vets and doctors I've spoken to told me that BFL (the chronic form) is rare but it is good that I'm aware of it because if it is caught early enough it is rarely ever fatal or debilitating. They recommended the hepa filter (no ionizers!) more for my bird's lungs than mine.

I guess a lot of people have cockatiels and not everyone takes care of them properly. If BFL were extremely common we'd probably hear a lot more about it and nobody would own birds.

Still, I feel it is best to be as safe as you possibly can. There are health risks involved in any companion animal and it's our job to cut those risks down. I would hate for anyone I live with to become sick, and I would hate to have to rehome my 'tiel for something that could have been prevented with proper care and maintenance!

[laducockatiel]

I've got Athsma and I have a cockatiel. With one cockatiel, I think it's rare that this condition can happen. To minimise the dust, I just frequently give my cockatiel a mist bath.

[Pipsqueak]

Thanks laducockatiel! I give my 'tiel baths frequently (though he hates it) to cut down on dust and to keep his feathers looking healthy. As far as I know I don't have asthma, but a friend of mine does and she has owned a cockatiel for years without any issues. My dad thinks I'm over-thinking it as does my doctor. After all, many people own cockatiels and you rarely ever hear anything about BFL. I guess I'm just a nervous nellie!

[Cage Cleaner]

Ok

[Polarn]

about it dont liking the shower, try mist it wery wery lightly, Ive figured with my tiel that he doesnt really like the water when i spray above him, but if I stick my hand into the cage and spray up thrugh the bars he will fly to the cage and go crazy in it pressing himself to the bars and spread the wings and he will do that until the spraybottle is empty is i let him, but if i try to make it rain for him he will fly off. dunno what he thinks is freaky with rain coming from above but less freaky when it rains the wrong way...

[laducockatiel]

Thanks laducockatiel! I give my 'tiel baths frequently (though he hates it) to cut down on dust and to keep his feathers looking healthy. As far as I know I don't have asthma, but a friend of mine does and she has owned a cockatiel for years without any issues. My dad thinks I'm over-thinking it as does my doctor. After all, many people own cockatiels and you rarely ever hear anything about BFL. I guess I'm just a nervous nellie!

My cockatiel didn't like misting first either, but I tried to use slightly warm water and I started spraying it above him so the water landed on him slowly. Now when I mist him, he opens his wings and does a bath dance lol About your dad thinking that you are thinking about it too much, don't worry you are doing the right thing and you are very responsible, so

[Pipsqueak]

Thanks for all of the replies!

Cage Cleaner - yep, my doctor said I shouldn't worry about the disease and that I shouldn't let it impact my relationship with my 'tiel or run my life as the only cases he's ever heard of happen to the immunocompromised. Not that it couldn't happen to someone healthy...just that it's unlikely. Apparently you can have the same type of reaction from your air conditioner/heater or humidifier. Heck, even non-toxic molds can cause extrinsic allergic aleovitis.

Polarn - thank you for your suggestion. I think I might try spraying him through the bars of his cage. He really likes water and showers, he just hates the spray bottle. I think it might be the sound my particular spray bottle makes though!

laducockatiel - thanks for the help! I love the bath dance, mine does that sometimes! My 'tiel likes coming in the shower (vet recommended it and I even got him a special perch and set everything up so it's safe) but he hates being misted! I'm going to try a different spray bottle with warmer water, and I'm going to try spraying him lightly from above. I'm sure he'll get used it it eventually, he's just a big chicken!

[Bailey.comus]

I have an issue related to this. I was diagnosed with metastatic cancer in Spring 2010. I am our bird's primary caretaker because husband has asthma. I enjoy my parrot interactions, and despite his asthma they are in the room we spend the most time in. Unfortunately when I had progression,in Jan 2012, my pulmonologist determined that I now have a mild allergy to bird dander. In conjunction with breast cancer nodules in my lung, my breathing capacity is at 60%. Prednisone worked great for breathing, but otherwise made me a loon. I was just provided a short course of a different steroid and I have an albutorol nebulizer.

So here are my questions: I have looked through the forums so if the answers are present no harm if you can point me to the previous posting that I might of missed. This site great info all of which took time to write out in such a lucid style.

1. Three of my birds take great delight in shredding the newspapers beneath their cage grates. Right now I use ordinary newspaper. I've been advised to use wallnut shell bedding. I worry that it will not be as satisfying to those three birds and the default will be to feather pluck . They get a constant supply of new toys, but There is a lot of emotion floating around our house these days. Are there any other low dust easy to shred cage liner that you all would recommend.
2. Per other postings, I am going to try warm water misting baths in their cage daily? Is there any thing that would be good to put in the spray for the benefit of the birds?
3. We got a hard core outdoor pressure washer and will start to cycle the cages through with a goal of getting them all hosed off at least once per month. We live in Phoenix so this is doable.
4. However as I get weeker this becomes harder for him on top of the other household responsibilities my poor husband has to assume. We're considering getting a light weight steam cleaner to use between power washings. Is it allowable to ask what others in this forum use? I can't lift over 15 lbs, but I can drag around significantly more weight.
5 I'm having hip replacement due to cancer damage to my left femur. I live in central Phoenix and have not found cage washers for hire. There IS a group I've encountered a bird shows that assure me that they can do this, and tell me to call - butbthen don't return calls. Do any of you have tips on finding folks who can do a good job on bird cage cleaning? I'm a little hesitant to post a blind help wanted ad on Craigslist about this for fear that I attract some preditors.
Thank you for your guideance.