Has anyone seen this kind of spots on feathers before?

[Morana]

Hello. I have an 8 year old affrican grey and about a year and a half ago he started to have a spot or two on his feathers. I wasn't concern until 8 months ago because I thought it was limescale from the bathing. However, 8 months ago it started to occur faster and since then the spots are progressing rapidly covering more of his feathers. First it appeared on the longest feathers on his back and now it starting to go towards his head. I allready spoke to our veterinarian, and brought a feather for analysis and she said there were no parasites, no bacteria or virus and under the microscope the spots look like holes. The feather is healthy except from this holes. She doesn't know what it is and it appears it is not affecting his health but it certainly doesn't look normal. I am extremely worried and I have no idea where to turn any more. I can't figure out what is causing this and why is it spreading more and more. I thought maby he was slowly poisoning himself with something which I am not aware of. Please help and thank's for any help.

[Dave007]

I've seen them before and it was caused by a vitamin deficiency. Vets have also said that a slightly elevated white blood count and increased globulins which could be the cause. There's a product called Nekton S which deals with viamin definicy and unknown stress. The bird doesn't have to look stressed but it's possible that your bird may need vitamins. Since you say that nothing seems to be unusual with your bird, you can also wait until your bird molts them out and see if the spots are still there on new feathers. There are times when it has to do with genetics. I doubt that he's poisoning himself. You may wanna try a different type of diet which includes increasing the veggies amount.

I don't know how difficult this may be but you may have to find another avian vet especially if the present vet isn't an avian vet.

[Morana]

The present vet is an avian vet and she is the best I know. The theory of the vitamin deficiency sounds reasonable because he just won't eat the evggies and since in my country there is no pellets my bird has been on the seed diet for ever. Only when I have money I can import pellets from US or UK but since I've known for pellets just over a year, and I am a student with virtually no (stable) income, it is very rarely he gets them so that could be another reason. For the same reason he didn't have the full spectrum lighthing till last month.

Recommendations how to get my bird to eat more veggies and which veggies in this case exactly?

Could you please tell me more about slightly elevated white blood count and increased globulins?

PS: are country and me (until a year and a half ago-and still discovering) are still in the Stone Age about toys, perchis for gooming,... pretty much anything concerning birds (as pets). The literature I read before I got him

 

PPS: when he molts new feathers have maby one spot on them but soon they become like the rest

Edited December 25, 2010 by Morana

[Morana]

Wait, I just remembered!- I did buy him vitamins for a year, a few years back but he would not take it. He wouldn't touch his favoruit fruit if I sprinkled vitamins over the fruit and he didn't want to drink water with vitamins in it so eventually I gave up because I couldn't afford the vitamins any more.

[Dave007]

Well, we're not vets here so it's really difficult to give out possible diagnoses on different problems. I do understand your financial situation and it may hamper you from what you need to do

 

******I allready spoke to our veterinarian, and brought a feather for analysis and she said there were no parasites, no bacteria or virus and under the microscope the spots look like holes. The feather is healthy except from this holes. She doesn't know what it is and it appears it is not affecting his health but it certainly doesn't look normal. ********

 

There's certain illnesses or abnormalities that a bird can get and visually, answers don't happen.

What I can tell you is what the great majority of people here would do if something can't be diagnosed and treated. They normally go to an avian vet who does a small exam to determine the general health of the bird. After that, a complete exam is done which involves many tests. Blood is usually taken. Stool is examined. Because this is a grey that we're talking about, calcium levels are checked. Other tests are done to determine other internal problems. Cultures are taken. This is whole routine is called a workup. It's the same thing that's done to a person who has a medical problem where the cause can't be seen but needs to be located. The problem could be anywhere. The same thing applies to parrots and other animals.

I truly feel that your bird needs a complete workup to test for various things. Obviously, something is wrong or abnormal.

I'm not insulting your vet but I can tell you that a simple external exam of a feather put under a microscope is not a complete workup. The problem may be coming from the blood stream. The feathers you're pointing out have a constant amount of blood in them. There could be a lack of vit A or vit E. You said it yourself ""I can't figure out what is causing this and why is it spreading more and more."" On this board and other boards, you'll get opinions but those opinions are just that, opinions. The vet gets the final results with extensive testing

and yes, sadly, a workup is expensive but in many cases, they're extremely necessary.

Sorry, wish I could be of more help.

Edited December 25, 2010 by Dave007

[Morana]

Hello again:-)

You were extremely helpfull. Every year in Fabruary I do what you call a work up (except I don't think we checked calcium levels:-S) and last year everything was fine. Of course, it doesn't mean that automatically everything will be fine this time too. Again unfortunately, for money reasons, I will be forced to wait till Fabruary:-(

But thank you for the advice. You reminded me that there are much more tests that could be done and determine what is the problem :-))))))

 

PS: is there somewhwere a specific list what would a thorough work up include?-because I don't think I've been testing everything I sould have. Sorry if I am badgering you. I just don't want to find inconclusive or misguiding information on the web and I don't wan't to relinquish this decision to my vet this time

[Dave007]

Well, you can avoid wing clipping. You can avoid claw trimming. You can avoid beak filing ( unless you've been told in the past that your bird has a growth problem with the beak.) If you're not positive of your bird's sex but don't care, you can avoid DNA tests which determine males from females. You can avoid having the sexual organs examined since that won;t have anything to do with his feathers. You can avoid sinus examinations unless the vet says it's necessary. All of these tests are expensive. Different vets charge different amounts for these things or the workup may include all of these tests free of charge. It's hard to say how a million vets deal with different situations.

Because you're low on funds and because in every other way, your bird is acting very normal, has a good appetite, is generally playful, doesn't sit on the floor of the cage and is isn't constantly puffed up and very quiet ( that's a sign of digestive or liver problems) I would wait ubtil the next molt and afyer he drops those feathers, check th4e new ones. Those feathers may die and fall out by themselves or fall out with the rest of the feathers. Neither means any trouble. Birds lose feathers like that all the time. Try to think about when his last molt was and you can roughly judge when the next molt will be. Some birds molt 2x a year--some 1x time a year--some 3x a year. That all has to do with the surrounding humidity that your bird lives in all the time. The less humidity, the more molts per year. Try to relax a bit because you say that other than this feathersituation, the bird is fine.

I wish I could be of more help but different countries deal with problems differently.

Edited December 25, 2010 by Dave007

[Morana]

Uh, I would never clip my birds wings and I know his sex- it's a boy:-) He certainly doesn't need beak filing.. He really is fine other than a feather condition. I'll wait for the funds and then get him to the vet. In the meantime I'll keep up monitoring his feathers. I am worried but I hope he'll be fine:-)