Urgent choking sound after drinking/lethargic

[millie3762]

Ever since we adopted this parakeet three years ago, my parakeet, Mac, makes this weird noise EVERY time he takes a drink of water. Here is the link to a youtube video of him exhibiting the behavior - Odd parakeet behavior after every drink - I hope you can all see it. A about a month ago, Mac started to exhibit extreme fatigue and anorexia for three or four days and so we took him to an avian vet who did a bunch of tests (x-ray, gastic yeast PCR etc) and couldn't figure out what was wrong with him. He prescribed metoclopramide Syrup, 0.02 ml twice a day for five days. Mac recovered, however, a month later he is starting to exhibit the same symptoms again. His droppings are very tacky and firm and he struggles somewhat to pass them and he is eating less. He is lethargic.

For the past few days, when he makes the choking noise after drinking (the same one that he always makes) he makes it for a little longer than he used to and I'm wondering if anybody can tell me if this is a pathologic behavior that is maybe an indication of something. (The avian vet couldn't figure it out.)

Like everybody her, I love this bird dearly and I have been worried sick about him.

 

[Peachfaced]

It almost seems like sneezing? Is there any discharge coming out of his nares? Any liquid coming out from his beak?

 

[millie3762]

It almost seems like sneezing? Is there any discharge coming out of his nares? Any liquid coming out from his beak?

Thank you so much for your message. No, his nares are totally clear and no liquid leaves his beak or nares as this happens.

 

[Emma&pico]

I would agree with @Peachfaced it’s sounds like sneezing
How deep is his water bowl maybe you could try less water see how gets on with less water in bowl maybe ?

 

[millie3762]

I would agree with @Peachfaced it’s sounds like sneezing
How deep is his water bowl maybe you could try less water see how gets on with less water in bowl maybe ?

I will try that for sure, thank you for the idea!

 

[Emma&pico]

I will try that for sure, thank you for the idea!

Just an idea pip sticks his head in sometimes and sneezes
Does he sneeze after a bath ?
How long you had him ?
Diet is he on etc ?
@Pixiebeak any ideas sorry I know your not well

 

[Emma&pico]

Oh sorry 3years just re read it

 

[millie3762]

Just an idea pip sticks his head in sometimes and sneezes
Does he sneeze after a bath ?
How long you had him ?
Diet is he on etc ?
@Pixiebeak any ideas sorry I know your not well

He never does this after a bath but always after a drink.
He is on a seed and pellet diet but like so many birds he hates pellets.
I used to give him fruit veggies every day but then he had this bad bout of constipation and I got worried that the fruit/veggies were causing it (because he never used to get like this). But its been about a month since giving him vegetables and he is starting to get the same symptoms as before.
Today I gave him Spinach and carrot greens. This was a few hours ago and he is now more lethargic than ever and still constipated. I'm worried I made a mistake by giving him veggies.

And, of course, still doing the weird drinking sounds when he drinks.

Thank you so much!!!

 

[Pixiebeak]

This is bizarre. To me somehow his crop and airway /sinus/ or soft pallet have a connection..like he aspirate the water when drinks ..you can see little sneezes and maybe I see little water come out nostrils?
perhaps this was a birth defect? And he manages except for liquids
and might drink less because of this ?

 

[Emma&pico]

This is bizarre. To me somehow his crop and airway /sinus/ or soft pallet have a connection..like he aspirate the water when drinks ..you can see little sneezes and maybe I see little water come out nostrils?
perhaps this was a birth defect? And he manages except for liquids
and might drink less because of this ?

I was thinking maybe aspirating when drinking too

 

[Pixiebeak]

This structure, something may be malfunctioning

The Modern Apprentice - Choanal Slit

.

 

[millie3762]

This is bizarre. To me somehow his crop and airway /sinus/ or soft pallet have a connection..like he aspirate the water when drinks ..you can see little sneezes and maybe I see little water come out nostrils?
perhaps this was a birth defect? And he manages except for liquids
and might drink less because of this ?

Thanks for your reply. I do wonder if it is a birth defect because he has done this ever since I adopted him. I think he does drink less because of it and when I took him to the avian vet a month ago, the vet did say that he was dehydrated. But he was pretty sick that day and hadn't been drinking so I'm not sure if he meant chronic dehydration or acute dehydration. He normally eats a lot and has no problem with that. Vet said maybe this behavior was behavioral but I wonder if it is connected with his constant constipation problems (like chronic dehydration is the cause).

I appreciate any ideas you have. The vet told me to monitor his weight and to call them if he loses too much weight but he has been fine with that.

Thanks again.

 

[millie3762]

This structure, something may be malfunctioning

The Modern Apprentice - Choanal Slit

.

This could be involved for sure.

He even does this behavior while I'm holding his water dish - I am able to see at that point that no water is visibly leaving his beak or nares.

The avian vet really doesn't have any ideas about what to do although the metoclopramide Syrup he gave me did seem to help when he was at his worst.

His constipation scares me - do you think there is any risk in giving him fruit or vegetables? I'm concerned he's constipated because he's dehydrated and maybe giving him fruit/veg will make the constipation worse.

Thank you so much!

 

[Pixiebeak]

If he has a problem drinking water and dehydration. You can soak and serve seeds , and sprouting. Soak the seeds and drain like fur sprouting, and serve just as they start to swell and open .
@Mizzely does a lot of grain soaks and seeds and sprouting I think ?she can probably share tips

Eating more veggies will have more moisture as well and some fruit but be careful of giving to much sugary fruit and causing imbalance in gastric flora like bacteria bloom or yeast overgrowth.

Constipation is a rare problem in birds because their combined system of urine and poop exiting the cloaca. Constipation is usually caused by abdominal mass, or in female an egg can cause .
Can you share poop pic?

Those are ideas , I don't know exactly what's going on , talk out ideas with your vet

 

[Zara]

Duplicate threads have been merged to contain all of the responses here in the same place.

 

[millie3762]

Duplicate threads have been merged to contain all of the responses here in the same place.

Thank you so much! I'm new to the site and trying to get a hang of it!

 

[millie3762]

If he has a problem drinking water and dehydration. You can soak and serve seeds , and sprouting. Soak the seeds and drain like fur sprouting, and serve just as they start to swell and open .
@Mizzely does a lot of grain soaks and seeds and sprouting I think ?she can probably share tips

Eating more veggies will have more moisture as well and some fruit but be careful of giving to much sugary fruit and causing imbalance in gastric flora like bacteria bloom or yeast overgrowth.

Constipation is a rare problem in birds because their combined system of urine and poop exiting the cloaca. Constipation is usually caused by abdominal mass, or in female an egg can cause .
Can you share poop pic?

Those are ideas , I don't know exactly what's going on , talk out ideas with your vet

Yes, I am trying to upload a picture of his poop to the site. It looks pretty normal but it is a little darker green and less frequent.

I have shared a picture to the thread.

 

[Pixiebeak]

Thank you so much for your message. No, his nares are totally clear and no liquid leaves his beak or nares as this happens.

He could still be swallowing liquid back down from sinuses.
I don't think this is just a behavior he does, there is some cause

 

[Zara]

No problem at all. Welcome I'm sorry the vet couldn't give you a more concrete answer.

 

[millie3762]

@Pixiebeak