Max Pionus Skin Biopsy

[Lynjupiter]

Biopsy results are back. What it showed was numerous ( some big long word) lesions. The lesions are due to hypersensitivity. In other words Max has some major allergies going on and she is very itchy.
There is no way to do allergy testing to see exactly what she is allergic to. But most bird allergies are allergies to seed, nuts and corn. Max is going on a Harrison Mash diet. I take the mash, mix it with organic applesauce and make little cakes from it. Max can also have all the fresh fruits and veggies she wants. She will also get antihistamines in her water daily. The vet said he has a lot of success with Harrison's mash which is made out of buckwheat and chia So we will give it a try.
This is the first step to getting Max back to a normal pionus! So glad we got some true results. I knew Max was not psychotic. She is way to sweet. Once we get her eating a good diet she will be feeling much better!

Have you ever had a really bad rash that makes you want to rip your skin off? One were your skin feels like it is crawling? I have and I understand how she feels. Poor Max! She was ripping her skin off because it hurts her!
Lynda

[homebird]

Yes I know how she feels. Sometimes it seems simpler to get rid of the skin.

What I do for my skin care - maybe it will help Max ...
I use vitamin therapy to help me - the D vitamins + fish oil & B vitamins. Another thing I take is cider vinegar. I also use liquid sulphur 30C under my tongue or washed onto the sore skin. My Naturopath thinks its yeast based & also has to do with my blood type & digestion - Keeping your system alkaline. Lemon juice in water [really lemony] will help the gut become alkaline, as will the cider vinegar. there are Veggiezyms out there that work towards de-yeasting as well [don't you just love my use of medical jargin??}

If any or all of these naturopathic treatments help her - go for it. I don't know of any oils save the grapeseed oil that might help her skin & not harm her gut. I use Jojoba Oil [don't know if it would be Ok with birds]with the sulphur directly on any raw skin. I also use other crerams but they don't seem Ok for bird use

[Lisa B]

Glad your getting answers....and that Max is on the road to recovery!

[Winged_Victory]

Thank you for caring Lynda!

[Doyle'sMommy]

So that is kind of good news, right? Hopefully a new diet will really help her be alot more comfortable and happy. I am so glad there are people like you who care for these animals, it is so scary to think about what would have happened to her without this care. (((HUGS))) to Maxi!

[Buteo]

I was wondering if some of that plucking wasn't due to an allergic reaction.....

and OH BOY do I ever know about them "it feels like there's millions of things crawlin under ma skin" type reactions....
just thinkin about it makes me want to scratch...

The "skin crawlies" is a common immuno-response to yeast & fungal based infections like Candida

[Ingrid]

I sure hope all goes well with the new change in the diet....crossing fingers

Kally our YCM had a skin biopsy a few months ago, it sure is not easy on these little babies eh

Good luck
Ingrid

[bustersbuddy]

So glad to hear Max is doing better and that some of the questions have been answered! We know so little about the Pionus diet and very little about their natural habitat. There is a research project being carried out in Ecuador on the birds, so hopefully we will have better information soon. Feeding a fresh, neutral diet is a really good idea. You should be able to identify at least a few of the allergies by process of elimination. That's a painstaking way to do things but probably necessary just as it often is with humans. I'm sure you have, but just in case, you might want to contact the Pionus Breeders Assoc. and see what information they might have about any common food allergies they have found in these birds. Thanks for caring so much and taking the time with this wonderful fid. I hope everything goes well for both of you from here on.

[Lynjupiter]

I use organic apple cider vinegar with all my rescues. Unfortantley I will have to stop with Max since she will have antihistamine in her water. You can't put ACV in water that has meds in it.

Max can still have her redpalm oil and pasta. The red palm oil we use with the same concept of the D and B vitamins and fish oil. The vet thinks red palm is the best to use for Max. It is helping her recover malnutrition.
I have a vet prescribed soothing spray to help with the itch but I knew it was not working well.
Thanks!
Lynda

Originally Posted by homebird

Yes I know how she feels. Sometimes it seems simpler to get rid of the skin.

What I do for my skin care - maybe it will help Max ...
I use vitamin therapy to help me - the D vitamins + fish oil & B vitamins. Another thing I take is cider vinegar. I also use liquid sulphur 30C under my tongue or washed onto the sore skin. My Naturopath thinks its yeast based & also has to do with my blood type & digestion - Keeping your system alkaline. Lemon juice in water [really lemony] will help the gut become alkaline, as will the cider vinegar. there are Veggiezyms out there that work towards de-yeasting as well [don't you just love my use of medical jargin??}

If any or all of these naturopathic treatments help her - go for it. I don't know of any oils save the grapeseed oil that might help her skin & not harm her gut. I use Jojoba Oil [don't know if it would be Ok with birds]with the sulphur directly on any raw skin. I also use other crerams but they don't seem Ok for bird use

[Lynjupiter]

I just knew it was allergies. Mostly because she is missing feathers over her nares. That was from constant head rubbing. When there is no one there she rubs and chews at herself. We know it is not a fungus, yeast or bacteria based problem. We had the biopsy done to rule out anything like that.

I was thrilled to get a diagnosis of allergies back. It means Maxi may someday have a life without the collar. The vet said we would give it a few months and if she was doing OK we could remove the collar.

If it had come back negative for everything then we would have faced either putting Max on behavioral meds or faced her being collared for life. Neither was a happy or pleasant option.
Thanks!
Lynda

Originally Posted by Buteo

I was wondering if some of that plucking wasn't due to an allergic reaction.....

and OH BOY do I ever know about them "it feels like there's millions of things crawlin under ma skin" type reactions....
just thinkin about it makes me want to scratch...

The "skin crawlies" is a common immuno-response to yeast & fungal based infections like Candida