2 Fretful Bird Mother Questions

[PrettyPax]

Hey there y'all,

I'm writing this because I woke up this morning and noticed that Pax has several nic(k?)s - you know, red marks above her beak (skin is open) and to the side near her eye. Also, I should mention that since she is molting, her skin is especially dry at the moment.

So,my first question is, 1.) What is the cause of the nicks?

2.) Her dry skin is really bad right now. Antibiotic and commercially bought avian aloe spray are not working. What can I use that would help to relieve the itching?

[Dave007]

It would be best to submit a closeup picture of the area you're referring to. The nicks could be from scratching making them look like they're open.

 

Dry skin/aloe vera juice----

Any aloe juice that's used needs to be put on a bird so that the skin is saturated, not just external feathers. For some birds, it's a bit of a chore to accomplish this. Even when bathing a bird with water, that water must saturate the skin. Feathers are waterproof. The only way to get success with bathing with the juice and/or water is to repeatedly do it. Neighter is a quick fix concerning dry skin. After a bird is saturated, an easy way to see if the job was successful is that your bird should be dripping wet for at least an hr or more. After a certain amount of time a bird will begin productive preening while it's still wet. Towels shouldn't be used to remove excess water. Saturated skin eventually softens up after many uses.

 

Antibiotic---where did you get it? Who recommended that you use it? Are you using it as a topical?

[BaxtersMom]

If she has nicks and red marks I would say something happened to her. Maybe she fell or got caught on something and banged herself up. You need to check the area out and see if there are any safety hazzards.

 

I am not sure why you have Pax on antibiotics...Is there something else wrong?

 

If Pax's skin is that dry that the aloe spray is not helping, first I must ask, are you spraying and soaking all the way down to the skin? Her skin needs to be soaked so it can get in and moisturize the dry areas. I would recommend doing this atleast twice a week or more untill it gets better. If that isn't working, it sounds like a visit to the vet is in order.

 

If she didn't fall and get banged around then it sounds like there are some serious issues going on with her skin and I would go to the vet right away. If she did fall, It may have been a fluke but she may have got caught on something too. I would check the cage or area she was in where this has happened and make sure there are no safety hazards so it doesn't happen again.

 

I'm sure others will have some great advice to offer. Keep us posted.

[PrettyPax]

I just took this picture. I'm sorry if it's too small, it's the nick above her beak (that looks like a dark line) that I was concerned about. To answer your question about the antibiotic, it was prescribed by my vet several months ago for her dry skin. It is called Doxepin HCL and is taken orally in .03 cc.

[PrettyPax]

No safety hazards in or around her cage. She does have the tendency to be pretty klutzy when she flies around and there is a strong possibility that she banged herself up.

The antibiotic was discontinued by me about a month ago. She was on it for the prescribed 2 weeks and that was it. She's struggled on and off with the dry skin ever since last summer. It's fair to say that she gets a few conservatively sized squirts of the aloe spray every day, but I haven't saturated her with it as you recommended. I think I'll try doing that ,as you said, a couple of times a week.

I will keep you posted, and as always I welcome more advice.

[Dave007]

That cut was made by either your bird scratching itself in that area with a sharp claw or by him scraping his face against some jagged in the cage or having a serious fight with a toy.

 

The antibiotic--official description

 

Doxepin is used topically on the skin to relieve itching associated with certain skin conditions.

 

This medication is for use on the skin only as directed. To use, clean and dry the affected area. Apply a small amount of cream to the skin area to create a thin film. Wash hands thoroughly after use. Do not use large amounts or use this more often than prescribed since the chance for side effects may be increased. This is usually used for not more than eight days. Taken internally, this antibiotic is used as an antidepressant.

 

The type of skin dryness your bird has is the kind that's all over the body, not just in small spots. The topical above isn't used for skin that's itchy, scaly and dry from molting. Stop using that and follow the directions concerning the use of the Aloe Vera Juice. As far asthe cut he has, go to the drug store and purchase a bottle og Aloe Vera Gel. Put a small dab on that area. It won't hurt the eyes and it'll sink in and help the wound to heal. You'll be using this gel in the future for dry scales bruises or irritations, spot injuries from toys, minor cuts and scratches etc.<br><br>Post edited by: Dave007, at: 2009/01/13 00:34

[PrettyPax]

Dave, I wanted to thank you for your very informative post. I discontinued the doxepin several months ago, and even though the bottle says that it's to be administered orally, I can see why it has been ineffectual. My vet and I were clueless that the molting was the principal cause of her dry skin. (Last appt. was Dec. 10)

I brought Pax a bottle of Aloe Vera Gel and Juice just today. I will keep you guys informed as to how everything goes. Thanks a bunch,for me and for Paz because I think she will be a much happier bird!

[BaxtersMom]

I think Pax will be on the road to recovery now:) Please keep us posted.