CrystalinNC
03-11-2008, 03:53 PM
Keep in mind that I am scheduling a vet visit for Friday in case there are no improvements, but I wanted to know everyone's opinion here. I know there are several experienced people, and wanted some possible insights on what this might be...
Whole story:
I bought Buddy at a local pet store, and the owner was telling me about birds. She mentioned that they were no where near as fragile as you would think because just the other day, one of the dogs chased one of the cockatiels, and got it in his mouth.
I didn't think much of it, and took the little guy home and started spoiling him right away along with the other cockatiel I had at the time.
After his quarantine period, I checked to see how they would get along, then placed them in a cage together. I noticed that it didn't take long for Buddy to start kind of being depressed...so I paid more attention, and realized that he had lost weight. I didn't have scales at the time, but could feel the keel bone sharply through his chest. I immediately put him in another cage and watched droppings and eating habits. I made him an appointment to a vet when I saw that his droppings looked green and almost fluffy...for lack of a better word.
I called the owner of the pet store, because she had asked me to call her if there were ever any questions or issues. She told me to bring Buddy to her, because she could do anything a vet could do, but wouldn't cost me a dime...not to mention, she said that she guaranteed her birds and would do what needed to be done, and that I shouldn't have to pay.
I took her at her word and placed Buddy under her care. I would call daily and visit to see how he was, and she would assure me that he was fine, and had been eating up a storm.
A week went by, with daily phone calls and visits, and on a Thursday, I went to check on him and he was sitting on a perch just fluffled up and shaking. His droppings literally looked like green marshmellows. Alarmed, I called a vet immediately and took him in. The vet's office told me when I called that they did indeed see birds, and the avian vet was in, to just bring Buddy in.
I have to say that at this point, I didn't think he was going to make it. The vet took a stool sample, and claimed that it was helicobacter (same bacteria that gives you ulcers) and prescribed, in one bottle, three antibiotics.
I started giving Buddy the antibiotics and noticed that when I would come home, his feathers would be plastered to his face, and I put it off as being just the meds (you can see all the mistakes I made as a new bird owner can't you?). I soon realized that he was throwing up after the medication was administered. I called the vet and he told me to just give him less at a time, but more often, and he should be fine.
So I did.
His last dose on the 9th day, almost killed him. He started having seizures and throwing up...I cried and cuddled, and stayed up with him all night. He improved quickly after I stopped the meds, and gained a couple of grams, but never reached the 90 he should have been...he stayed between 82 and 85 grams.
He has been normal with normal droppings, and no weight loss for months.
I recently purchased a new cage, and started housing Buddy and Charlie together again.
Lately, I've noticed that Buddy isn't as active as he was...and tends to eat in spurts. He will chow down as if he's starving, then stop quickly, and get really still...as if his tummy is upset (it's the way he would act after taking the meds)
He's not throwing up.
He's not losing weight.
His droppings are the same as always (smaller than Charlies, but normal)
could this simply be a yeast issue?
Or perhaps he's not a happy roommate?
anybody have suggestions? I'm at a loss...
Whole story:
I bought Buddy at a local pet store, and the owner was telling me about birds. She mentioned that they were no where near as fragile as you would think because just the other day, one of the dogs chased one of the cockatiels, and got it in his mouth.
I didn't think much of it, and took the little guy home and started spoiling him right away along with the other cockatiel I had at the time.
After his quarantine period, I checked to see how they would get along, then placed them in a cage together. I noticed that it didn't take long for Buddy to start kind of being depressed...so I paid more attention, and realized that he had lost weight. I didn't have scales at the time, but could feel the keel bone sharply through his chest. I immediately put him in another cage and watched droppings and eating habits. I made him an appointment to a vet when I saw that his droppings looked green and almost fluffy...for lack of a better word.
I called the owner of the pet store, because she had asked me to call her if there were ever any questions or issues. She told me to bring Buddy to her, because she could do anything a vet could do, but wouldn't cost me a dime...not to mention, she said that she guaranteed her birds and would do what needed to be done, and that I shouldn't have to pay.
I took her at her word and placed Buddy under her care. I would call daily and visit to see how he was, and she would assure me that he was fine, and had been eating up a storm.
A week went by, with daily phone calls and visits, and on a Thursday, I went to check on him and he was sitting on a perch just fluffled up and shaking. His droppings literally looked like green marshmellows. Alarmed, I called a vet immediately and took him in. The vet's office told me when I called that they did indeed see birds, and the avian vet was in, to just bring Buddy in.
I have to say that at this point, I didn't think he was going to make it. The vet took a stool sample, and claimed that it was helicobacter (same bacteria that gives you ulcers) and prescribed, in one bottle, three antibiotics.
I started giving Buddy the antibiotics and noticed that when I would come home, his feathers would be plastered to his face, and I put it off as being just the meds (you can see all the mistakes I made as a new bird owner can't you?). I soon realized that he was throwing up after the medication was administered. I called the vet and he told me to just give him less at a time, but more often, and he should be fine.
So I did.
His last dose on the 9th day, almost killed him. He started having seizures and throwing up...I cried and cuddled, and stayed up with him all night. He improved quickly after I stopped the meds, and gained a couple of grams, but never reached the 90 he should have been...he stayed between 82 and 85 grams.
He has been normal with normal droppings, and no weight loss for months.
I recently purchased a new cage, and started housing Buddy and Charlie together again.
Lately, I've noticed that Buddy isn't as active as he was...and tends to eat in spurts. He will chow down as if he's starving, then stop quickly, and get really still...as if his tummy is upset (it's the way he would act after taking the meds)
He's not throwing up.
He's not losing weight.
His droppings are the same as always (smaller than Charlies, but normal)
could this simply be a yeast issue?
Or perhaps he's not a happy roommate?
anybody have suggestions? I'm at a loss...