Eww! A worm?

[Vicki5280]

I've got a question for my experienced bird-pals - but be forewarned -
~GRAPHIC DESCRIPTIONS FOLLOW~
~~THEY ARE GROSS!~~
(OK, I think they're gross anyway.)

This afternoon, Bucky, my one-year-old Quaker passed what appears to be a worm. This "worm" is a little over an inch long, tapers to points at both ends, and is a light-tan color. It didn't appear to be alive as there wasn't any movement. The rest of his droppings are perfectly normal, his weight is stable, he's eating good, and activity and mood/demeanor are unchanged.

According to my (18 yr-old) daughter, "He pooped, then he was walking around all funny like it was uncomfortable and was trying to get his head around to his butt. Then he finally did and pulled THIS out and flung it on my bed! [Visualize above wormy looking thing.] THEN he went over to it like he was going to EAT it!"

This has happened 2-3 times before. And before you tell me to call the vet, I did. The last time he did this I called and talked to the vet-tech for our avian vet. She said that the chances of our bird passing a worm that was visible to the naked eye were very very slim and it really didn't sound like anything I needed to worry about. But guys, really? I'm a nurse. I dissected worms in my freshman Biology class, and I could SWEAR that this time I saw a digestive tract (read, worm poop) in this "normal, not-a-worm, nothing to worry about" thing that passed from my birds body.

My plan is to take him and the "not-a-worm" to the vet on Monday for a thorough once-over. I'm going with my instincts on this one.

~*~BUT~*~

I'd like a reality check... Have any of y'all seen anything like this in your birds? Is what she said correct - about the chances of a worm not being visible to the naked eye? And if these ARE worms, any ideas what kind? Where might they have come from? Should I worry about my other two birds? <groan> Yes, I know. All questions I should ask the vet when I see him. Can you think of anything else I should ask? Am I missing anything?

Thanks for being my go-to guys. You're the best. You can't just tell anyone about your bird pulling a wormy-looking thing from his cloaca without fear of judgement!

[entrancedbymyGCC]

I have no experience to share, but given what you are describing, I'm pretty sure I'd do exactly the same thing! The only thought I have is that it reminds me a bit of a cat that's eaten a bit of string -- is it possible it's something like that?

[kaylayuh]

Could you take a picture of it so we could see? I'm having a hard time visualizing worms in birds, though infections seem to be more common in parrots than other types of birds.

[captwest]

Hey Vicki, Worms happen If the 'not a worm" is a worm it sounds that it might be an acraias ( doubt i spelled it right) and the issue with them is they can damage the GI tract when the bird passes them . They are realatively large and like you say pointed on both ends. There's basic 3 types of worms and 3 different treatments . And the other birds will need the treatment also.It's good you can carry it in but you might want to carry fecal samples from the other birds as well. Probably a lot of cage cleaning in your near future also. I ' m sure your vet will tell you what to do. Have fun

[patdbunny]

I thought the same thing as CaptWest - ascarids (roundworms).
A little mention on worms and treatment:
http://www.exoticpetvet.net/avian/stuff.html

[Vicki5280]

Could you take a picture of it so we could see? I'm having a hard time visualizing worms in birds,

A picture you want? A picture you shall HAVE! They're not great, I just snapped them off with my phone, but I took and edited them especially for you Kayla! LOL!


Capt, lots of cage cleaning you say? Oh GOODIE! I can hardly WAIT! Seriously though, as someone fairly new to the bird world, and a nurse to boot, I'm fairly compulsive about that anyway. I don't use bleach because it's bad for the metal, but there's a lot of cleaning that happens in my house.

And finally Pat... I read that article - it's GREAT! I've printed it off with plans to take it to my vet and let him know THIS is how I want HIM to be. I HATE it when people take my animals off to the back room to do anything. They stopped doing that in human medicine years ago. Veterinary medicine is making so many advances in so many ways, but there are many areas they might consider a reexamination of their practices to see if it's actually the best way to accomplish their goal. In the article, he mentions the need to learn proper restraint techniques so the Mommies of birds like Grey's don't get upset when Poopsie comes back with a bruise on his face (thinking the staff has been too rough with him even when they haven't.) The problem could be eliminated if practices were to change so that Poopsie's blood was drawn in the same room with Mumsie and she could see that everyone was being gentle, but Poopsie did something bird-like and ended up bruised on his featherless face.

OK. I'm stepping off my soapbox.

Bottom line though, ascarids have been my suspicion (and fear) all along. True to form, before I even called the vet, I started doing research online and that's what I came up with. Now I'm freaked out about 1. The other two birds. 2. The dogs. and 3. The REST OF MY FAMILY! Roundworms are an interspecies, don't-really-care-who-their-host-is, kind of parasite! UGGGHH!!! We wash our hands a LOT around here, but nobody's perfect! (especially not my 14 year old son!)

I'm sooooo disgusted.

[Vicki5280]

I have no experience to share, but given what you are describing, I'm pretty sure I'd do exactly the same thing! The only thought I have is that it reminds me a bit of a cat that's eaten a bit of string -- is it possible it's something like that?

I so wish it was something like that, but I'm very afraid it isn't.

[patdbunny]

I HATE it when people take my animals off to the back room to do anything.

I absolutely will not use a vet that does this. Bad experiences w/ a vet over 16 years ago w/ mumbo jumbo in the back room. Sorry - but some vets are just rippin' you off.

Decent vets won't hesitate to have you go back with them or do the procedure right in front of you.

I do understand them refusing if you're one of those hysterical, screaming, drama, pain-in-the-neck types; but, if you're calm, reasonable, respectful and trying to have a two-way conversation a decent vet's very receptive. When I first started breeding the birdies I took a baby to (at the time) the only avian vet in town. When I told him I recently started breeding and wanted to learn he invited me into the back and showed me all sorts of procedures like crop tubing and he gave me a list of books I needed to buy. Truly empowered me.

Roundworms are an interspecies, don't-really-care-who-their-host-is, kind of parasite!

Oh yeah! A compulsion I have that I'll only admit here - I compulsively observe everyone's poo. . . just in case . . . Another reputable vet I've used told me look at poo regularly. You can tell a lot from poo.

[GlassOnion]

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh!! It's got a head!!!!! *puke*

[hannahbird]

AHHH! The picture! I sure hope your birds okay!