auntphibian Posted November 16, 2012 Share Posted November 16, 2012 My 9 year old African Grey, Red, has recently gotten ill. It started when I noticed he stopped talking. Then, the other day, I got to pick him up off the floor (he usually won't let me touch him). I noticed his keel bone was very prominent. His weight was 236g, which is much less than his normal weight. He was eating all the time, and acted perfectly normal, which I know they mask, but he is perfectly normal in every other way. Today, he stopped eating, but I started syringe feeding him a couple days ago to get his weight up and getting the proper nutrients. He loves to be syringe fed! I'm amazed by that! I took him immediately to the avian vet and he was tested for PDD (due to a possible exposure and his symptoms). That came back today, as negative and they did the test 3 different ways. They also did a full blood panel. The only things in his blood were a slightly elevated white count of 19.000 (which could be stress related of giving blood) and a low Albumen and low Cholesterol. The vet believes this is gastrointestinal due to the symptoms, but so far we cannot find a cause. Tomorrow, Red will get an x-ray to see if he has a tumor or something causing him to be sick. His weight is now holding steady at 276g and there have been no other changes, other than he doesn't eat anymore. We're baffled and I'm wondering if anyone else has dealt with this? He doesn't have symptoms for aspergillus, so I think that is out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
judygram Posted November 16, 2012 Share Posted November 16, 2012 I am sorry to hear Red is ill but you did the right thing in taking him in to see his avian vet, hopefully he will find out what is wrong and do whatever he can to remedy the situation and get Red on the road back to full health, please keep us informed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jayd Posted November 16, 2012 Share Posted November 16, 2012 Our heart goes with you and yours, please keep use posted....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
auntphibian Posted November 16, 2012 Author Share Posted November 16, 2012 I will! I've got a lot of questions for the vet tomorrow, just in case he doesn't find anything in the x-ray. It's been a very rough couple of years. My 21 year old cat died, my health has not been good. In July, my service dog, Zeus, was diagnosed with Lymphoma. He died in August and now Red is sick. My pocketbook has moths in it! I used to work for an "avian vet" until I found out she did not know what she was doing and I turned her over to the vet board, who has let down every animal that walks through her door. She is the own that carelessly exposed my whole flock to PDD, so when Red got sick and had the symptoms, I was so worried about the whole flock! I hope at least whatever is wrong wtih Red is not contagious! Red eats only from the syringe and he really likes it. I thought for sure he'd take off my finger, but he's been easier to handle sick. At the vet he clung to me so hard, I had to pry his feet open. I thought for sure he would take a finger, but he never tried. He loves me...even though he has a hard time showing it. I do miss him talking, though! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turtlepunk Posted November 16, 2012 Share Posted November 16, 2012 I am so sorry about everything you have gone through, I truly hope they find out what is wrong with Red so you can fix it fast! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aerial.2000 Posted November 16, 2012 Share Posted November 16, 2012 awww I am so saddened to hear your story ... I sure hope they find out whats wrong w/Red for you ... keep us posted! xox Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
auntphibian Posted November 17, 2012 Author Share Posted November 17, 2012 We went back to the vet and got xrays. The vet is going to email them to UT in Knoxville for a consult. There are 2 things of concern. We got negative results for 3 PDD tests, but the proventriculus looks enlarged, which would mean PDD. And, there is some kind of mass in his abdomen, which he could easily feel on exam. Hoping to get an answer on Monday, but we may have to take a quick 3 hour drive to Knoxville so he can be scoped, which means we'll need some donations if anyone can help! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
auntphibian Posted November 17, 2012 Author Share Posted November 17, 2012 Thank you! Me TOO! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
auntphibian Posted November 17, 2012 Author Share Posted November 17, 2012 Thank you! From your lips to God's ears! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danmcq Posted November 17, 2012 Share Posted November 17, 2012 Praying for the best results and recovery. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aerial.2000 Posted November 18, 2012 Share Posted November 18, 2012 oh goodness ... I do hope he will be ok! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
auntphibian Posted November 19, 2012 Author Share Posted November 19, 2012 Red Update: The vet decided to start Red on Metacam, since he has some symptoms of PDD, even though all three tests for abv came back negative. Tonight was his third night on the medication. Last night, his weight was up to 296, so he has gained back 60 grams. He seemed to be a different bird last night. He was chewing cardboard and even made some noises for me. I got to give him scritches and he kept bowing his head down for me to do it. He is not a friendly bird, so this is a huge step! He then started regurgitating food, in the mating kind of way. He wasn't vomiting, just bringing up formula from his crop. I'm not sure whether to be concerned about this. Today I gave him his bell and he regurgitated for it, as well. Since he's doing better on the medication and he's now bringing up food, I'm concerned we may have PDD after all, which he would have gotten from the careless vet I used to work for. I have 8 parrots in my house, if Red has PDD, I'll have to worry about everyone else. I ended up in the ER last night, I felt like I was having a heart attack. It was stress, thankfully. Vet should tell us if we have to make a run to Knoxville. Please pray for my whole flock! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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