Any experience with Avian Medicine Chest?

[samiam1022]

Does anyone have any experience with the products offered at
www.avianmedicinechest.com? I have a budgie who has chronic sinus
issues and regularly gets sick. His cage mate is very healthy. I
feed them Harrisons pellets with occasional seed and millet and try
very hard to get them to eat veggies (tough to do!).

I'm wondering if anyone has had any success with the supplements
offered on this site. The testimonials seem promising, but I'm
always skeptical...

Thanks for any info!
Heather

[Joel]

Hello Heather (welcome to the Board),

I would suggest you get that poor bird immediately to an Avian Vet or regular vet with plenty of bird experience. Sounds like it may need strong antibiotics possibly and maybe some bird keeping changes on your part possibly? Where do ya live? Where is cage located? What type of sunshine or lighting does it get? Exact diet in totality, anything else ya feed besides what ya mentioned, cuttlebone, eggs, crackers, breads, etc.) ? Can you provide a picture for us of cage & it's location, pic of bird also etc...? Is it clipped or fully flighted? How old is it? What sex? What are your cleaning practices? Does the cage have a grate on the botom, if not what are ya using on the bottom that the bird has access to? What type of food & water vessels are ya using (glass, stainless steel, plastic etc.?). Any sprays used in the house of any kind, scented candles, etc................. Etc........?

[samiam1022]

Joel,

My sick budgie has been to the vet and is currently on baytril and nystatin and doing better. The cage is pretty large 25X21X63 (Ferplast Brio aviary). There is no grate on the bottom, but my 2 budgies don't go to the bottom of the cage. I should mention that they are both male splays (SPCA rescues) so they do not perch. The cage is equipped with platforms for them to rest on. I have a humidifier (slant fin) running 24/7 in the room in the winter. They get partial sunshine during the day. They are fully flighted because that is how they get around their cage, except for climbing on the cage bars. They have a cuttlebone in their cage and are fed Harrisons with occasional seed and fresh veggies when I can get them to eat them. I wipe down the cage and change papers daily and deep clean the cage weekly. My house is free of teflon and anything scented, including cleaning products (I don't use perfume or scented soaps or shampoos).

My avian vet has said that once a bird gets a sinus infection, it is common for the bird to have chronic problems in that area. I am looking for a better way to help him with this problem.


Thanks

[The Outlaw]

If memory serves, I think that about a year and a half ago, they were in litigation about their medical claims for their products. Apparently, they just couldn't prove that the products actually worked. Since I can't find the article at the moment, you might want to do a web search. I'd hate for a good supplier to get bad reviews unless its deserved, but I do remember reading something.

THE OUTLAW

[The Outlaw]

Sam:

I'm glad I did a little surfing. It was a different company that was sued. Here's the info on that one.

http://www.state.ia.us/government/ag...icine_suit.htm

[Monica]

Nancy, that is the same company... Pet Medicine Chest is the company that runs Avian Medicine Chest, along with a couple others. The official name for the entire site is Pet Medicine Chest as it deals with birds, cats, dogs, and reptiles, I believe...

I've been wondering if their items really did help any of the animals, or not. I figured that with every person who loved the site, there would probably be someone else that would say that the site is unjust.

I would have tried their products except for the fact that I didn't know anyone else who has used their products (except for maybe one person who used some of the products on one of their cockatoos and noticed a big change) and add to that, it's just too expensive for me to buy any of the products.

[The Outlaw]

Monica:

You beat me to it (LOL). I just followed the link and you're right, it did take me to the Pet Medicine Chest. I think I'd pass on their products.

THE OUTLAW

[samiam1022]

Thanks to Monica and Outlaw! Very interesting. It did seem a little too good to be true.

On another note, my avian vet did say that he puts his African Grey on a treatment of Lacto bacillus for two weeks and then an apple cider treatment for two weeks about 3-4 times a year. He said that it acts as a kind of tonic to keep the bird's intestinal tract healthy. I started this with all 3 of my birds (I have a parrotlet too). Hopefully this will help keep them healthy.

[samiam1022]

Actually, here is another link regarding the lawsuit:

http://www.prettybirds.net/pet_medicine_chest.htm

It appears to me that they are still selling these products online, apparently ignoring the injunction.

[Joel]

Sounds like ya got it together Heather, budgie is in good hands.

Just curious on a couple things: Is that daily sunshine the direct bright yellow stuff, able to hit the birds body for hours if it so chooses and not thru glass? Also wondering why the bird is on Nystatin instead of Diflucan (fluconazole)? If ya don't mind could you ask that to the vet for me? Also I would appreciate knowing the dose of each (a pm is find if ya prefer that and the type of Baytril - injectible or in water).

IMO, that size cage is kinda small in length for two flighted budgies if the height is the 63" measurement (do they fly a lot or just occassionally, does he still play with toys in his condition?)...........You NEVER EVER find the budgies on the bottom, even with splayed legs?....... May I ask what part of the country ya live in? I assume the humidifier is absolutely necessary according to the A.V.? Do the birds ever bathe on their own (if somehow capable to do that) or do ya mist them? Any chance of an allergic reaction to the fresh pellets? If it was my bird I would maybe try eliminating the pellets for awhile and go with seed and veggies/fruits only (JMHO). What veggies do they eat when ya get them to eat them?

Hope ya don't mind all the questions, I am just that way, I try to figure out the cause of things. No hurry on the answers, whenever ya feel like it & if ya don't mind.........Best of luck and success with your guys.