What do these test results indicate?

[The Outlaw]

Joanie:

Dayna has just had her Amazon tested. What do these test results indicate, please:

Amazon Blood work and culture results in.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Here are the results:

Glucose 134L Normal Range is: 200-320
Calcium 10.0H Normal Range is: 7.5-9.9
CK 505H Normal Range is: 55-345
Cholesterol 410H Normal Range is: 150-300

Gram Stain:
(I copied text from the fax exactaly)

LIGHT CELLULAR DEBRIS
MODERATE GRAM POSITIVE COCCI
RARE GRAM POSITIVE RODS
RARE GRAM NEGATIVE RODS
*
SOURCE: CHOANA
*
Gram stain review: the gram positive cocci previously noted resemble fat coccobacilli (Acinetobacter). They were originally thought to be overdecolorized.
*
ACINETOBACTER BAUMANNII/CALCOACETICUS
Moderate growth
sens: BAYTRIL

STENOTROPHOMONAS MALTOPHILIA (XANTHO. MALTOPHILIA)
Light growth
sens: BAYTRIL


END REPORT.

Any thoughts anyone?

Obviously we have her on Baytril, and benebac.
__________________
Dayna
Juneau, Alaska
www.****************

[The Outlaw]

Joanie replies:

First I want to say that I am not a vet so am answering your questions as a lay person. I strongly
advise people to ask their vets what their tests mean....not just the numbers but why and if they
need to be concern of about some of the readings. I do like the fact that you show both what your
bird is and what the range should be as well as giving you the indication that it is high or low.

High calcium levels can lead to renal gout and visceral gout as well as hypercalcemia. It can cause
the bird to not eat as much as it should. High calcium levels can through off the ratio needed of calcium
to phosphorous. It can also cause deficiencies of magnesium, iron, iodine, zinc and manganese.
This does not mean that your bird has gout but it means that it could be compromising the absorption
of some of these other minerals.

A high cholesterol in birds is similar to what happens in people with the same problem. I have had
two Blue Fronts that I had to watch the cholesterol level. They were father and son. I was able to
control it through diet. Pellets with a lot of eggs or meats that are used for the protein portion may
be too much for a bird with a cholesterol problem. My BFA Kodiak is controlled with exercise and
diet. I have taught him to flap his wings while held on a perch and he is exercised this way to make
sure he is getting enough physical exercise.

It looks like the bird has a gram negative bacteria and they have found something that kills this
bacteria. They list Baytril, and since you are also using benebac, I would say that the vet has this
bird right on target for improving his health. I would also caution you in that any raw veggies and
fruits that are being fed this bird be washed and peeled before he eats them. Veggies and fruits
are stored in warehouses before and during their route to being purchased. Rats and mice
run over these in the large warehouses and urinate and deficate on them. Birds can pick up a
lot of bacterial infections through unwashed and unpeeled fruits and veggies bought at grocery
stores.

I think that you will soon be able to get rid of the bacterial infection and that you really need to
keep your eye on his cholesterol level by watching his diet and getting him to exercise more.

Joanie Doss
The Amazing Amazons
http://www.parrothouse.com