[CALVINS MOM]

I received a call from an old friend today. Approximately 3-4 years ago, she purchased a male Eclectus from a bird store. Hemmingway has been suffering with chronic yeast infections over the past 12 months and also had fatty liver disease. Over the weekend, she found him to be somewhat lethargic and a ton of vomit on the bottom of his cage. She immediately took him to the vet and an xray showed an enlarged proventriculis, which, as we know, can be a sign of PDD. He also went from 513 grams to something like 417 inside of a day or two.

Her vet put Hemmingway on Nystatin for yet another yeast infection and prophylactically started him on Metacam.

What scares me is that she also purchased an Illiger's macaw from this same store. That bird died at the young age of one year. Right around the same time as her Illiger's death, a clutchmate to the Illiger also died with diagnosed PDD. The Illiger was exposed to Hemmingway for the six or so months prior to this death. This was about a year and a half ago.

I know for a fact that several birds from that store have died of PDD.

So, she wants my assurances that it is not PDD. I hope and pray it is not. I am asking for your prayers too.

I realize that, with the tremendous help of Lisa B, I just held a huge fund raiser for PDD at my store in June. Unfortunately, I was not present for Dr. Ritchie's entire lecture so I am looking for answers here.

I know that birds with an enlarged proventriculis do not necessarily have PDD. Does anyone have any information on birds with chronic yeast infections having an enlarged proventriculis? I know I am grabbing at straws here hoping to find something positive. She did say that Hemmingway appears to be feeling better today and is much more active. So that's a good sign, right?