Not again :(

[marie83]

There's an exotic pets hospital in Wanstead England. Perhaps he could look at sending the samples there. That's where Edmund gets his bloods sent anyway.

Thanks for this I will mention it to him. Do you know if they have a website?

[marie83]

Well yesterday Ollie seemed a bit better, today he has got more energy than I have seen him with for a long time, actually I can say the same for Harlie too, I cant shut either of them up and Harlie keeps jigging around her cage.
Ollie has weighed a gram heavier than yesterday and has actually started to fly on his own will a little bit, although he is making a big deal out of his take offs by getting into position, then changing his mind multiple times before actually doing it.

**EDIT**

Seems I spoke far too soon, they both seem to have worn themselves out quickly with their hyperness this morning and have both spend the majority of the day fluffed up and dozing off.

[Eric&Rebecca]

Sorry marie I'm afraid they don't I just know my vets send the emergencies there and that's where the tests go. Ouvet is in Leyton, Midland Vet Clinic. They specialise in cockatiels.

[terri]

Has any of their symptoms mirrored any bird diseases? Hes been having problems for a long time.The vet has done bloodwork and has ruled out infection? Metacam is a pain reliever but does it treat things? I remember having Harlow on many things at first and she sometimes seemed to have a spike from the meds and seemed a little ok but would revert back .My vets did exotics and would take birds but that was what was available.Even though they were nice and well worded [I trusted them] They ended up having limited knowledge of birds.{but you wouldnt think that from first talking to them.I had later learned most vets use medications that dont even touch bird problems.I i believe if a young bird is diagnosed right it has a good chance of being cured.

[marie83]

Has any of their symptoms mirrored any bird diseases? Hes been having problems for a long time.The vet has done bloodwork and has ruled out infection? Metacam is a pain reliever but does it treat things? I remember having Harlow on many things at first and she sometimes seemed to have a spike from the meds and seemed a little ok but would revert back .My vets did exotics and would take birds but that was what was available.Even though they were nice and well worded [I trusted them] They ended up having limited knowledge of birds.{but you wouldnt think that from first talking to them.I had later learned most vets use medications that dont even touch bird problems.I i believe if a young bird is diagnosed right it has a good chance of being cured.

Well from research most of the more known about bird diseases all have similar symptoms, honesty nearly everything I've read I'm thinking "oh no, it could be that.....but ok, they don't have that symptom and that one" urgh seriously it could be anything.

There could be infection but last WBC count was normal and tbh they haven't really been on much medication at all so I don't think its that interfering with the spikes in behaviour, it seems to be coming and going on its own. Ollie had two rounds of antibiotics right at the very beginning and Harlie had one last year as she stopped eating but has been ok more or less since. The only other meds has been the metacam which has been prescribed to reduce any inflammation whilst he is awaiting the most recent test results because as you can see on the picture he is doing so much damage his skin is weeping
The issues are that everything is coming back negative all the time but as far as I can see from research my vet is doing everything he can be doing to get a diagnosis so we know what meds to use to get them well again. Its just the speed at which things is happening is making me angry now but its not entirely the vets faultI don't think.

[terri]

Ask the vet what the meds hes on is in strenghth compared to doxycycline.

[marie83]

Ask the vet what the meds hes on is in strenghth compared to doxycycline.

I dont think the metacam has any antibiotic properties to it but it may have.

Regarding antibiotics in general, they tend to work on different types of bacteria so I feel that theres no point prescribing them for any bird unless the cause of infection is known as over prescription of them is part of what leads up to the pathogens building up resistance to them.

Luckily I have a vet who feels the same way and doesn't want to put animals on them unless they are needed where as I have known alot that just hand them out like sweets.

Obviously there are some cases when you don't have time to sit and wait for diagnostic test results to come back if the bird is really unwell and in these cases putting them on antibiotics is the best thing for the animal "just in case" and to prevent secondary infections but this can be hit or miss depending on the bacteria which is causing an infection, thats if it's even a bacterial infection in the first place.


Whilst whats causing my birds to be ill may be a bacterial infection and may require a specific type of antibiotic to kill it, this has been going on so long that there doesn't really seem any point in dosing them up on various antibiotics "just in case", unless the circumstances change and they get significantly worse.


Hope this makes sense.

[aasiaafzal]

yes this does make sense, esp when u said that wbc count is normal, bacterial infection seems unlikely. n acute infections dont last this long...!!

[marie83]

ARRRGHHHHHHHH still no results.

Ollie seems to be feeling loads better, he is currently bashing up a toy.
Harlies pretty much the same but have discovered bald spots with her too.

[marie83]