Help! Is my IRN sick?

[ihijazi]

Hello everyone,

Today his condition is stable, I wouldn't say he got worse, nor better. Just stable, maybe 1% better. If he stays like this until tomorrow morning, with no significant improvement, I might take him to some avian hospital I found about lately. The issue is that they have ridiculous emergency fees since it's Christmas time...

Another prayer for him tonight that he wakes up better.

[Pajarita]

Sometimes it takes a looong time for them to 'turn the corner'. Naida BFA was one of the birds that caught chlamydiosis when I had the epidemic in my birdroom and was so very sick that, for three nights in a row, I stayed up with her until early morning and said Good Bye because I did not think I was going to find her alive the following day - but she made it! The most important thing with sick birds is to give them excellent supportive care while giving them the medicines so high heat, a quiet spot (they like to hide and the cover on three side of the cage helps with that, too), nutritious, soft and warm food (but be careful with the high protein formula because it damages their liver as well as the medicines) and leaving them alone to rest in peace does the trick (you can keep him/her company but try not to handle him/her too much).

[ihijazi]

My story today

I took my little baby to some other vet. I had to drive so far to get there. They took it as emergency case, and I had to pay double. Anyway, I don't mind as long as he gets better, and actually diagnosed right!

The vet immediately said it's obvious that he has respiratory infection. Meaning my previous vet diagnoses were completely rubbish. And I've been treating him for 5 days for irrelevant illness. My little bird seems to be hanging there, and still fighting for his life.

The vet gave him 4 injections: Lincospectin, Catosal, Meloxicam and B-Complex.

Said he should get better by tomorrow, but NO promises (for survival). And that I should bring him in again tomorrow for another set of injections (basically for 3 days). No medicine to be given at home, just feeding him, and keeping him warn, at ~27c temperature.

I hope the diagnoses was correct this time, enough time wasted already. I really don't want to believe that is is monopoly in this city to "guess" what might be wrong, and "try". Just for the sake of "making quick cash" out of those poor little angels.

I feel proud of my little baby, because he's still hanging in there and fighting for his life. I'm gonna be there until he makes it and becomes as healthy as any other birds out there!

Hope you're having a good weekend, and Merry Christmas!

[Bird woman]

Dam girl ! Watch those injections , very hard on birds ! BW

[ihijazi]

Dam girl ! Watch those injections , very hard on birds ! BW

I know I know.. but little bird seems to take them bravely! He's still alive after all those days, he can take anything, I guess...

[ihijazi]

Today's update:

Woke up with a hope that my little buddy would be/look better, but that wasn't the case. At least, not from the first look. I was getting ready, to take him to his follow up with the vet today, my cat (yes, I have a cat, called Brownie), came close to his cage as he would always would. Usually, the little guy wouldn't do anything, but this morning, he did open his peak as in defence mode. Reminded me of my old Cockatiel, when he used to hiss. The exception with this new little guy is that he didn't hiss.

Meaning, he's actually more alert and instinctual, rather than the way he used to be very weak, and non-fighting. Also, I've noticed that he act more cautious when my hand, and when I hold him. Something he wasn't doing. Yes, I was happy that he is acting like what a new bird would act when you try to catch him! Also, last night, he was trying to get back to his cage, by climbing on my curtains, unsuccessfully,y but at least trying like a bird would!

Still, he's sleeping all day long, but again, feels more alert than before to sounds and movement.

At the vet, today, the vet asked me "do you see improvement?". I said, no not really. He said, "he's alive, that's a great improvement". I was like, "but he has been for the past two weeks also, but the same way". He tested him physically, and he did seem more defensive, and active. At least more than he's always been since I got him. Then the vet cleaned his nose nares. They were filled with some "stuff". He gave him his injections for the day, same like yesterday. He gave me other 3 injections, but to be given orally for the course of the next 3 days, and scheduled a follow up on Thursday.

I asked him "why don't you do x-ray or blood test". He said, his symptoms are obvious, and he's responding. Doing those would be waste of money. Which kind of relieved me.

The hospital is equipped with state of art laboratory, according to some news agency, the top in the middle-east. So, if needed, I guess the vet would have done the tests. Plus, he seems experienced. He's from Russia, just FYI.

I fed him, keeping him warm. He's always on the highest preach. Let's see how tomorrow he's going to be like.

Other than that, hope you are having a lovely christmas day with your beloved ones.

Issam

[Pajarita]

Catosal IS the vitamin B supplement. I am afraid that I do not like this new vet you got, birds should NEVER get injections UNLESS it's a matter of a life and death emergency so the three shots, three days in a row injections on a baby IRN are not what ANY good avian vet would do (too much trauma to tissue, too much stress on the bird - both things to avoid as the plague with sick birds, especially babies!). As a matter of information, I NEVER authorize any type of injection to my birds. Not ever! Your other vet was following the normal protocol when a disease needs to go undiagnosed which was the case here as time was of the essence (cultures take up to five days) and blood work was too risky (too sick and too young). Even if your bird really did have a bacterial respiratory infection (something your second vet is guessing, mind you, because he/she has not way of confirming without tests), your first vet was already treating it with the doxy, a wide-spectrum antibiotic commonly used with birds, and doing it orally, as any good vet would recommend. I am afraid that the second vet is just going for the money and not your baby's wellbeing...

[ihijazi]

Catosal IS the vitamin B supplement. I am afraid that I do not like this new vet you got, birds should NEVER get injections UNLESS it's a matter of a life and death emergency so the three shots, three days in a row injections on a baby IRN are not what ANY good avian vet would do (too much trauma to tissue, too much stress on the bird - both things to avoid as the plague with sick birds, especially babies!). As a matter of information, I NEVER authorize any type of injection to my birds. Not ever! Your other vet was following the normal protocol when a disease needs to go undiagnosed which was the case here as time was of the essence (cultures take up to five days) and blood work was too risky (too sick and too young). Even if your bird really did have a bacterial respiratory infection (something your second vet is guessing, mind you, because he/she has not way of confirming without tests), your first vet was already treating it with the doxy, a wide-spectrum antibiotic commonly used with birds, and doing it orally, as any good vet would recommend. I am afraid that the second vet is just going for the money and not your baby's wellbeing...

I agree with you. But it's quite complicated case, where I live, obviously. There are no serious "avian" specialist here, except for "Falcons", and they have special hospitals, that do not allow any other bird specie to enter...

My bird has been suffering for more than 2 weeks now, and I could not find better way.. In fact, you should have seen me roaming in my car with my little buddy, looking for help. From one vet, to another.. Taking into consideration the festive season.

This is depressing me...

[Pajarita]

Well, either fungal or bacterial infections are, unfortunately, common with babies because breeders are not really very careful about the care they give them and this, added to the fact that they sell unweaned babies to people who have no experience with handfeeding or even birds ends up stacking the deck against the poor baby.

Personally, I would have continued the treatment the first vet gave me while giving supportive care but then I have experience with birds and have learned a thing or two - one of them being that anybody who recommends giving a bird an injection is somebody who doesn't know about birds. Please re-consider because although the bird might very well get better from the infection, the injections could irreversibly damage nerves and muscles.

[ihijazi]

No more injections, that's for sure. I'm giving oral medication at the moment, antibiotic.

On Thursday, I have an appointment with an avian specialist, finally. I've read a lot about her, and have so much hope in her now. That, of course, if my little buddy don't get better.