PLEASE HELP - ADVICE NEEDED - BUDGIE WITH PNEUMONIA

[Bev]

Can anyone give me some advice. I have two budgies (both male), Angel and Storm. Angel is three years old and has always seemed very healthy. About three weeks ago I noticed that he was just sitting in his perch and was very puffed up. In the mornings when I took the cover off the cage he was sitting right up against Storm shivering. I noticed that his breathing didn't seem good at all. I took him to a bird specialist who told me he seemed to have a cold. He gave me medication to put into his water and told me to keep a light on him all the time which I did. A week later when the medication was finished he still didn't seem better so I was given more medication. He still wasn't right so I took him to another bird specialist who diagnosed him with pneumonia. I have had to separate the two birds because the medication is very strong and Storm can't have it. I am just a bit worried now because Angel just sits there all by himself. Storm doesn't even chirp anymore. Its seems as though they are pining for each other, although I have the cages right next to each other so they are not totally separated. The bird specialist did say that the pneumonia is extremely dangerous and he will be on the medication for 10 days. I would just like to know what the chances are of budgies getting over pneumonia. He has also lost a lot of weight. His breast bone is sticking out. His beak is also quite blue from a lack of oxygen. His breathing does seem to be a bit better now though. Its just really terrible to see Angel just sitting there all by himself all puffed up. It really seems as though they are pining for each other. I was just wondering if there wasn't anything more that I could do for him. Please can you give me any advice that you have. Thanks :(

[The Outlaw]

I hope by bird specialist you mant avian certified vet. That's what you need. Keep your bird quarantined and warm. Provide extra warmth by way of lightbulb just outside of the cage or fill empty soda bottles with hot water, slip into a sock and put on the bottom of the cage.

Your bird is VERY sick and frankly may not make it. Has he been drinking? He may have to have some subcontaneous fluids administered via IV.

THE OUTLAW

[Bev]

I haven't noticed him drinking much water but he is definitely eating. I will be taking him back to the bird specialist. The guy I take him to is the Bird Specialist of the Western Cape so he is an avian certified vet. I have been keeping him very warm. I have him in a warm room with a light just outside the cage and the main light is on in the room as well for extra warmth. I have his cage covered nice and warm. The problem is the weather has been so icy cold lately which makes the whole house chilly as well (there are no windows open near him though). His beak has also gone a slightly blueish colour which the bird specialist said was caused from an oxygen deficiency. His breathing does seem a bit better though. I will definitely phone tomorrow and ask if they can't give him an IV because I'm worried about whether or not he has been drinking. I am also at work all day so I can't keep an eye on him. Maybe the vet could even keep him at his surgery so he could keep an eye on him for me as well. I know he does do that sometimes if the birds are really bad, and clearly my one is. Thanks so much for your advice

[The Outlaw]

Bev:

I'm not sure where you live, but we have a product called Pedialite that is used for children who become dehydrated when ill. I'd offer some of that in place of his normal water unless you are still adding meds to his water.

This will replace electrolytes that he may be low on. I always keep a bag of Lactated Ringers solution here, but you have to inject it and I don't think you know how. In any event, your vet or specialist needs an update on your bird. I'll say a little prayer.

THE OUTLAW

[Joel]

Hi Bev,

I agree with Nancy that he needs to be seen by a well experienced AVIAN VET. Just make sure (be absolutely positive) that is who you are dealing with. Sounds like you have already checked that out but I just needed to repeat that. I'm also wondering why Angel did not receive any injectable meds and injectable electrolytes already?? Could you please let me know (just curious) the exact names and doses of any and all meds you are putting into the water or having the vet inject him with. Thanks.

IMO & IME I feel that you need to be MORE POSITIVE that the sick bird is warm enough. Having the "main" over-head light on in the room does nothing for beneficial bird warmth. Continually changing filled containers with warm water for heat is ok (better ways though to insure proper constant warmth IME) but you need to stay on top of those (if using) 24 hours around the clock. I personally do not like or suggest that you keep a light bulb on for warmth as the light can be annoying even subconsciously while he is trying to get his well needed rest and sleep (I believe)......I suggest to purchase at least one, better two, quality thermometers to read & maintain a steady constant warm temp. 24 hours around the clock of about 85 degrees inside a home made brooder/hospital tank/cage. Since you probably don't have a professional brooder, I would recommend what I use and that is a 10 gallon fish aquarium or similar container that holds the heat well. I would put a heating pad(s) underneath the glass to cover about 1/2 - 3/4 of the area below the tank and I use the HIGH setting for that pad. Inside I put a layer of newspaper and above that a one inch layer of plain pine bark shavings. It will take a few hours at least for the temp. to regulate inside the tank as it warms the newspaper and shavings etc. so check thermometer continually. I also keep a second heating pad for the top to provide additional warmth in winter or very cold times of the day. Sounds like you will also need that second pad IMO........I buy my thermometers (indoor-outdoor variety with attached long wire probe) at Radio Shack and they are about $20 each. Make sure you put the wire probe dangling in mid air about the same height as the bird on the warmer side of the fish tank, do not lay it on the wood shavings........... You should have a wire top for the aquarium on which you can lay and move around some more newspaper to hold in/regualte easily the needed heat and also the wire top is good for an added safety precaution to keep out possible critters like mice or a rat which can find it's way into your place and seek out your sick bird. I know this as it happened to me once........ Those thermometers are very important so the bird also does not get too warm which is also life threatening. Of course if ya don't have all this stuff or can't get it soon then you need to just improvise.

My main point Bev is to get him in a hospital container/cage ASAP that HOLDS the temp. constant (evenly) all around his body..........You could also purchase a ceramic heat emitter that produces NO LIGHT or rig up something similar to provide constant heat around the clock which you would locate right next to one end of the perch in the cage you are already using so the sick bird can move towards the heat or away as he prefers. The only problem with that is that one side of the body will get/be warmer than the other which is not as comfortable as the same temp. all around the body (follow ?).

One of the most important keys to possible recovery in addition to food and proper meds is proper rest/sleep & relaxation so I want to repeat again that I don't feel that can be accomplished with a heat source that produces any kind of bright light . You should however keep a small dim 7 watt light on in the room to give JUST ENOUGH light so the bird can easily find the food & water after dark. It doesn't necessarily have to be right next to the cage but just close enough so he can find the grub.............

How do you know he is "definitely" eating as you said. Don't go by the actions of him nibbling at the food but do check the bottom of the cage under the grating (that hopefully you are using IMO) to see if the seeds are actually being broken open and the contents devoured. Also look to see if the other types of food are also being actually chewed on & not just dropped on the floor........ If he isn't drinking enough then he isn't getting enough meds into him I assume, so do mention that to the vet again and see if he can do some injectable meds and elecrolytes ASAP. I wish you & everyone would learn how to give the Sub-Q injectable electrolytes just under the skin in the right places. Please ask the vet while you are there if he would please teach you how to do that as IMO & IME is is quite easy and fairly safe if you have some confidence and if you have been shown how properly. A bag of lactated ringers solution (electrolytes) that I use and keep on hand (like Nancy does) only costs about $2.50 U.S. in my area but you need a prescription for that and you can pick it up at a local veterinary supply warehouse. The vet, if a nice guy, can just sell you a bag and save you the trip although he might try to charge you $699.00 or something like that. :( ..... The vet can also show you how & where to inject any beneficial I.M. meds directly into the muscle if needed. Pay close attention and write down everything he tells you and double check it before leaving his office. If the vet refuses to teach you any of these things, I suggest to find one that will in the future. Of course the vet needs to feel you are capable of doing it properly so make sure to show a confident attitude. You can do it, I'm sure.....

I would also put into the hospital cage/tank a very shallow vessel of his medicated water and a bunch of favorite foods: spray millet, crackers with no salt, corn on cob, some greens (well washed & crisp broccoli and/or romaine lettuce (change often) etc. etc.......Anything the bird has shown that he enjoys eating when he was better......I sure wish you were equipped and knew how to force feed directly into the crop with a gavage instrument. If you don't, too risky RIGHT NOW to try or learn on a sick bird. That is one advanytage of leaving Angel at the vet's office as they can get the formula into the crop as often as needed. Best if the vet has an assistant to come in at night or in the wee hrs of the morning to make sure everything is going well with all the critters being boarded there. I would ask about that too and maybe in the future chose a vet that does indeed check during the off hours...........

Change the water often & sterilize the water vessel with Clorox......The foods I mentioned earlier were suggestions not absolute musts but I do feel he should be getting more than just seed. Ask the Avian Vet for some more suggestions......Btw, the vets will usually keep your bird there if ya like but usually IME, charge way too much for that service IMO.

Hope some of this info. helps, feel free to ask if something needs to be made more clear. Good luck to your Angel...

[The Outlaw]

Joel has given you excellent advice. Another thing to try is strained baby veggies, like Gerber Nature's Harvest. He may eat some off of a baby spoon for you.

The best way to know whether or not he's eating is to examine poops. They should be firm and have 3 seperate components: clear (urates) white and either brown or green solids. If you aren't seeing droppings, he's simply not eating properly.

In the future, I advise you to place an order for Lactated Ringers solution from www.avitec.com. They will sell you the syringes and solution without a prescription. However, its really too late for that now. It would take too long for it to get to you for this case. Again, keep him warm and away from drafts.

THE OUTLAW

[Joel]

Thanks Nancy for teaching me a couple of new things. I did not know the ringers could be purchased without a prescription. I'll have to check out their price at the link you provided.

Thanks for the info. about the strained human baby veggies, I never used them myself before but if they work for you then that is good enough for me.

Thanks for bringing up the poops, I forgot to also mention that. :)

[Bev]

Hi all. Thanks so much for all the advice. Angel does seem to be a bit better than he was last night (although not completely). I have been checking to see that he is eating and his seeds have been opened up. The specialist suggested that I put two teaspoons of his usual seed in his dish along with two teaspoons of Nutribird B14. I'm not sure if you guys get that stuff over there (I am in South Africa). Each day when I clean out his food bowl and give him more, I have noticed that the seeds have all been opened and eaten. I have been keeping a very close eye on him to check whether he is actually drinking water and I have noticed him drinking (which is a relief). I have been given a medication called Baytril. I have to put 0.2ml into his drinking water (100ml of drinking water). I have also been given other powder called Medistatin which I have to sprinkle over his food. As for the ringers, I actually can get that. I actually volunteer at Sanccob on weekends (we basically rehabilitate sick, oiled and injuried penguins and other sea birds. We usually give them ringers when they are very week as well as darrows. I didn't know that budgies could have that so I will definitely ask them to give me some. I do know how to administer the ringers as well as other injections as I have been taught that at Sanccob and actually look after the sick birds in our ICU section on weekends. Sanccob actually referred me to the bird specialist who I took Angel to on the weekend because someone who works there actually takes their birds to this guy as well. Angel did receive an injection from the first guy who I took him to but he didn't seem very good. I have absolutely no idea what he injected him with, he didn't tell me and in my panicked state I didn't even ask (stupid of me). When I took him to the other bird specialist on Saturday he didn't want to inject him because he was extremely stressed out and he was worried that it would kill him. He seems to mainly have his bad times at night when it is so cold here but today when I came home from work he was chirping and running up and down his perch. He doesn't do that too often now though. I have been giving him lettuce which he loves. I will definitely take all the advice that you guys have given me. I will phone the specialist tomorrow morning and see if I can maybe take him in for a vitamin injection, at least then at the same time he can examine him again to see if he actually is recovering a bit. It seems to me as though he has but I would like him to check out his breathing just for peace of mind. Thanks so much for the advice given. I will keep you posted. Please keep my Angel in your prayers. :(

[The Outlaw]

Thanks, Bev for the update. The very fact that he's still hanging in there is certainly a good sign. Seems you have everything you need to help this little guy out. I am confused, however, about the Baytril being just added to the water. Usually, in my limited experience, it is given by mouth with a small syringe to insure that the bird is actually getting the proper dose. Baytril tastes awful (I know, I got some flung on me from my Severe the first month I had him) and I'd imagine that a parakeet would literally die of thirst rather than voluntarily drink water laced with the stuff.

Again, I have no credentials, but it seems unusual to me. Perhaps someone else could set me straight.

THE OUTLAW

[blueroseaviary]

In my expeirence medicated water does not get past the beak. I have always been instructed to give medications by the dropper.

To start I would put the bird into a hospital cage with no perches, provide heat (80 degrees minimum) and inquire about administering the medication. Give him a millet spray, it is easy to eat and will give him some energy.

I'll say a prayer for the little birdie too.