respiratory infection

[marie83]

Ergh vets can be a nightmare with waiting for call backs, cant imagine what its like waiting for two of them....... I think I would start to put some light pressure on them now. Surely any pharmacy or even the vets themselves are able to order in the drugs they need.

It really is a good thing that your bird hasn't got any worse and it sounds like it is worth perservering a while longer. Good luck with everything.

[terri]

AAhhh! I would be hopping mad! Blood test are very important in finding out where ,and what your birds problems are.[Whats the problem]Harlow had blood tests done alot [even when she was pretty bad].They clipped a nail and with pressure got some blood from it.I was surprised it didnt seem to bother her.My gut feeling that the right medicine would make a big improvement.Shes been on that other medication for awhile now and its not going anywhere.[Its not strong enough]As for the oxygen thing ,I think they just want your money.Im going to say this because Ive been there[Those stupid vets that I believed in.]I would take matters into your own hands.Start by saying I NEED YOUR HELP MY BIRDS DYING.Ive tried everything you wanted me to [and theres no improvement]I want to explore other things and with the condition of my bird and the lack of a prompt response I want to see what Dr Morrisey has to say.Red flag they wont even do a blood test!! Dr morriseys concern for my other birds and it being cost effective,[was impressive] he gave me medication for my other 8 birds for 2 months and it was only 16 dollars.[just to be safe].Dont be the nice guy [call them on it ,its your bird].

[Baylee4ever]

Take her off Baytril, I have a lovebird that had a respiratory infection vet at at first told me that only 7 days of treatment i used Anti-CRD which is the same as Baytril. (Enrofloxacine). Vet told me birds should never be more then 10 days with this med. That was the time Baylee passed on meds 10 days. She is doing way much better and eating like a pig lol. Its been 3 days since she went off her meds to her vitamines. Baylee's vet is an Avian Vet and he was Hawkner and Falconer once.

[jacquie]

I cried a lot last week. Talked to the avian vet and she said that if voriconazole hasn't worked by now, then it is time to put her to sleep. I have taken her off meds. She's been on a lot of them for over a month now and I want to see how she is once detoxify her liver (it could be enlarged from the meds and causing pressure on her air sacs and putting her off balance. she has been med free for a couple of days now and seems perkier. I don't want to read too much in to that but I am not going to rush out and put her to sleep right away. She is not in pain and I want to see how she does for a few weeks.

I'll update in a week or so.

Thanks,

Jacquie

[marie83]

What tests has your bird already had done?

[terri]

Dont put her to sleep yet.If she hasnt been diagnosed with a fatal bird disease.

[jacquie]

Thank you. No. I am not putting her to sleep until I feel that she has no chance of recovery. Here is how the avian vet explained it: We could do an x-ray, but it may or may not show the problem. If it shows a fungal granuloma in her airways or a tumor of some sort then at only 108 grams/3.5 oz Sunny would have a slim to none chance of dying during the surgery/anesthetic. She felt the same about blood tests. She said the blood tests will either point to some sort of liver disease, cancer or an infection and the fact that Sunny has been on broad spectrum antibiotics and antifungals and anti-inflammatory medications for at least 5 weeks should have showed at least modest improvement and not just keeping her living. Since she has never been able to walk more that a few steps without falling over since I've had her for a year, she likely had some long standing condition. I made guesses and steps to remedy this thinking it was the fact that she was malnurished when I got her, or that she was cage bound for 4 years, or it was because her primaries and secondaries were chewed right down when I got her. But who knows who was right now?

I am going to give her more time. In the end though if she can't walk, fly or perch what kind of a life is that for a bird. I know it would make me happy to keep her cute personality around as long as possible, but I know it is not fair to her and she is more important that my feelings of loss. I suppose the other option is to keep her and care for her until she is either most definitely struggling or in discomfort before I put her to sleep or to let her pass away naturally as long as she is not in pain.

Jacquie (and Sunny)
PS: I was saying to my husband how I miss Sunny's little trilling dove coos when she is getting her neck rubbed. She hasn't been able to do them since her voice changed a month or so ago. The day after I talked to the vet and she suggested putting her down. Sunny mustered 4 coos in a row. It is almost as if she new how upset I was and was granting me my wish.

[terri]

Bloodwork and xrays are not invasive or detromental to her current state.{what is the deal with this vet?] Also 2 things if the liver is infected with the right medicine it can heal itself .I found out younger birds are very unlikely to develop cancer.[I bet Sunny is still a younger bird] Its like there randomly treating without diagnosing the problem first.

[terri]

Is it Aspergillosis?

[marie83]

Of course any anesthetic is a risk, especially with a bird that is already poorly but I just wanted to reassure you that for blood tests/xrays the birds are not out for that long, the less time they are under the lower the risk. Also as Terri states, the tests are not invasive so its just the anesthetic thats the risk really.

I wouldn't like to say your vet is wrong for not wanting to investigate this further for only s/he has seen your bird and knows how strong or weak she is but it might be worth seeking another opinion. At the very least her poop should be tested for everything possible, if all it does is rule stuff out then so be it, but if theres a chance of helping your bird then I fully believe you should take it.

If it is bad news then at least you can make a decision based around that, either make your bird more comfortable, try to treat or help her move on but at least you will know and there may well be a chance of improving her quality of life even if she cannot be cured.

I'm also a bit reluctant to say this as it is quite a sensitive subject and I certainly don't wish to upset you any more than you already are. From what you have said it already sounds like your bird is suffering to some degree, how little or how much I don't know but I'm going to offer my perspective on things as if I were in your shoes. If it were my bird I would rather take the chance of easing any future suffering by having more testing if it were available, I would absolutely be angry at myself for putting my birds through it if they died whilst under or if nothing came good from the test results but at least then I could say I had done the best I could.