Not again :(

[janetafloat]

Blimey, it never rains but it pours
Good luck with the rabbit. I really hope that everyone in your household is well soon!

[Josmets]

Marie i'm sorry to hear about yr wabbit i hope they figure the prob out soon. I too will start another fresh post for lil Pokey. Btw, updated my flickr account with way better quality images. My friend's iphone 4 kicked the pants off my iPad 2 lens wise - his even had a fancy flash lol. http://www.flickr.com/photos/25339219@N06/?saved=1

And you're right, the cost for vets out here is just as gouging as health insurance for people. I pay about $650/month for PREMIUMS ALONE! That doesn't count mandatory $150 deductibles just for seeing any doctor for the first time every year but also regular doc visits come with a good $25.00 deductible too - it's not even considered a co-pay. This country has priorities that go like this: war/militarization > doing the bidding of lobbyists and corporate beasts like Monsanto for instance > stripping any remaining civilians rights > everything else > health of people/animals, suuuure, IF you have the $$$ to pay THE MAN. We've gotten so messed up in just a bit over 200 yrs. we need a do-over at this point!

Anyways, in regards to my new pics, i think I see a little bulbous type node where the shaft enters the bird, but I have no idea if thats normal or not cuz all his other big feathers are surrounded by baby feathers and down feathers so you really don't see where they connect or any skin really for that matter. I have a few possibilities for vets so I'm keeping on trying to narrow down as quick as possible. They have oddest hours I must say. Let me know if anything pops out to any of you in the newer pics, please and thanks again!

Joanne

[marie83]

Blimey, it never rains but it pours
Good luck with the rabbit. I really hope that everyone in your household is well soon!

Urghh tell me about it. I really feel like there will never be an end to it. Spoke to my birds vet and he thinks zoonosis is pretty unlikely but possible.

Marie i'm sorry to hear about yr wabbit i hope they figure the prob out soon. I too will start another fresh post for lil Pokey. Btw, updated my flickr account with way better quality images.

I have seen your latest reply and viewed your pictures briefly but I'll reply properly in the morning. Its late and I've just got in from work. Kind of tired now.

[Josmets]

on a side note, how did you get your avatar (pic of yr birdie) uploaded? The limits are between 0-6kib (!!!) - wtf? I don't even know what a KiB is vs. a kb lol. I've tried making my image at 50x50 (max is 150x150 like Marie has there) and even as a compressed .gif (worst possible quality) it's at 57kb. I used to work as a web designer and never did we have restrictions THIS INSANE! I'd like to get my avatar up before making a new thread if possible, but no big deal if it's gonna need a miracle to make work ;p

[janetafloat]

Josmets, use imageoptimizer.com, it's really easy - you need to size it to 150 x 150. You can also get your friend with the iPhone 4 to email you the pic from their phone & select the smallest file size when the choice of file size is requested

[marie83]

Josmets, I've just had another look at your pictures. I can't see anything obvious within them but I am no expert at all.

With the skin colouration it does look pretty normal as parrots have thin skin so the pinky/red tinge may not be anything to overly worry about, it may appear a bit more red if your birds using his beak in that area alot. Ollies skin was similar to that when all this first started back in 2011 but eventually started to take on a more irritated/inflammed appearence where as Harlies as far as I can tell with minimal handling looks like its maintaining a steady pinkish and has never looked particuarly inflammed, just dry.

However I still feel the localized picking is a sign there is something medically wrong, particuarly in that area as it is rather random and not typical of a straight out behavioural issue. As it has been going on so long it may also have become a bit of a habit but it is fair to say there is still probably an underlying initial cause.

In the meantime whilst you are getting the money together for a vet consultation, just make sure his environment, routines, diet etc are the best you can make them. Loads of toys, baths, training etc may help deflect his attention away from his feathers.

Also you will lose nothing by e-mailing the pictures you've shown us round the vet surgeries, there are a few caring vets about who may offer some advice although most will probably not be interested if you are not registered with them (if registration is free then register, even if you never end up seeing that particular vet).

Title your e-mails FAO and then the name of the bird vet as it will have a higher chance of getting to the vet rather than not getting beyond reception. Tell them about your concerns and that you are scraping the money together for a consultation and was wondering what information they can give you about diagnostic testing they may deem necessary, costs and most importantly if they can help you with general advice in the meantime. Keep it short, clear and to the point, bullet points are your friend here. Vets dont have the time to spend reading through an essay, if they want to help they will e-mail you back asking for more detail.

Like I say, the majority are busy and wont be interested in helping someone who isn't already a client so don't expect a reply but even if you find one person who is willing to advise you it will be worth your trouble.
I've sent off about 10 e-mails so far and only had 2 responses, neither of which were particuarly helpful, one guy offered a free assessment in exchange for a donation to charity but he wanted to focus on psychological aspects which we dont think it is. I may still take him up on the offer in the future though, the other guy wanted to charge me a small fortune for an internet consult when I could see about 3 vets face to face for that price. I have a load more e-mails to go out next week now I have the lab reports for my birds.

Dont give up seeking answers and good luck

[marie83]

Right my birdies test results.

For some reason my vet hasn't sent the results from the previous vet as yet, nor has he included the treatments, although most of those can be traced back via this thread which took me a while given theres 25 pages. I also cant remember exactly how long Ollie was on the baytril in nov 2011.

I have the rest of the results though which I will C&P over to this thread.
If anyone can think of anything that we havent tested for please let me know. I can't elaborate on the blood counts and that but the vet says they are normal. All feaces tests were perfomed on both birds, all other tests were just Ollie.


November 2011 Treatment/testing via 1st vet


Blood analysis, blood count etc normal.
X-ray, normal
Treatment, baytril for 1 week
Further course of baytril

Treatment 25/4/2012 2nd vet

Spot on for parasites

9/5/12

Feather pluck performed, examined under microscope

Faecal analysis 14/05/2012

Cryptosporidium antigen not detected by EIA
No ova, larvae or protozoa found on microscopy
Parasites negative by direct microscopy and zinc sulphate flotation with centrifugation
Aerobic culture: Mixed faecal flora (no specific pathogens identified)
Salmonella and Campylobacter cultures negative
Giardia antigen not detected

26/6/12

housing/routines/diet/behaviour and general environment assessment done

31/7/12

Given avi-pro for water (ollie)

11/8/12

Avi-pro added to water (Harlie)

17/8/12

Flagyl (Harlie) 1 week & feathers examined by microscopic analysis

22/8/12

Flagyl (Harlie) for another week

5/12/12

More of Ollies feathers examined by microscopic analysis

Avian FBC 12/12/2012
Red cells 4.301012/l
Haemaglobin17.3g/dL
Hct0.470l/L
MCV109.3fL
MCH40.2pg
MCHC36.8g/dL
Morphological assessment: White cells in vitro degenarative change have made white cell differential assessment inaccurate
Red cells appear normocytic with no significant nuclear irregularity
Thrombocyte number and morphology appears normal
No parasires found on the film examined

Biochemistry 12/12/2012

Copper 2.7umol/l

25/1/13

Metacam (Ollie) 1 week

Microbiology 11/02/2013

Chlamydophila PCR Negative
PBFD Negative
Polyma Virus PCR Negative

13/03/2013 FINAL REPORT

MICROBIOLOGY
Giardia Microplate assay for Giardia was Negative
Harlie & Ollie written on pot

13/3/13

Flagyl 5 day course both birds

[marie83]

Sooo Ollie started his "in pain" scream again last night which went on for about 30-45 minutes.

Harlies poop which had returned to complete normality is runny again today and the urates are a greeny/yellow.

Bunny seems to have returned to his usual self.

Between them they are going to kill me off I swear.

[marie83]

Thought I would give a quick update, things have been pretty good here atm. Ollie does the odd in pain scream here and there but mainly at night, Harlie still seems to "fuss" under her wings and crop areas but very rarely calls out. They still have random poops but seem active, eating normally etc etc.

[marie83]

Yesterday I noticed a sore scabby patch right between Ollies toes on his right foot. Overnight he seems to have developed another sore patch, with no scabs/dry blood on his leg. I'm baffled as to where they have come from, they were fine a few days ago as I trimmed his nails and there was nothing wrong with his feet then. I know I didn't accidently nick him with the clippers as he was very well behaved and I double check each nail afterward so would have noticed, plus why would the sores only just come up?