Urgent Cockatiel losing weight, sleeping all day, don't look good

[vbogoev]

Hello,

I have 5 years old female cockatiel which suddenly started to losing weight, sleep whole day with head on its back and when it try to fly immediately is falling down (feeling and looking really weak).
We went to the vet, no egg retention, throat microbiology shown nothing, chicken droppings have little to none bacterias(good and bad) which is indication of dysbacteriosis based on my vet opinion. So in order to keep it alive I started to hand feed it 4-5 times a day with 5ml NutriBird A21 baby food by Versele-Laga including Oro-digest and Proby-Zyme. Giving all this for 10 days now but I don't see any improvement and I am starting to worry again. Anyone had similar issue? This happened in the beginning of April, and until then the chicken was in excellent health. Now the keel bone sticks out, weak, non-stop sleeping... Current weight: 66 grams

Any ideas and thoughts?
Thanks!

 

[Zara]

Go back to the vet. Something is wrong. If they don't seem helpful you can try visiting another vet.

I really hope they can figure out what's wrong quickly.

 

[sunnysmom]

I think you should also contact the vet. Did the vet do a gram stain? When my bird had very little good bacteria, my vet put him on probiotics. That might be something to ask your vet about also. I hope she'll be okay.

@Pixiebeak ?

 

[Pixiebeak]

This is a very sick bird !!! you have done remarkable to keep alive .

You need to find a new avain vet. Going to need to run blood and chem panel. Bacteriaal infections are not confined to crop or gi, thst isn't the only way to pick up health issues.She could have a kidney infection, a liver infection, a respiratory infection, or a systemic bacterial infection like avain clymadia .
It could be something else like gastric yeast
Or one of the viruses
Mycobacterium
Depending on your location, parasites
Something is going on
It is not just low bacteria flora
You need a new vet quick!!!

 

[vbogoev]

Thanks for the replies. The problem is where I live there are little to none avian vets, also it is Easter and most of the clinics don't work at this time for a week... I am giving the probiotics as I mentioned "probi zyme". I am trying to do best I can for her, but everyone is giving up unless the vet I am currently working with, who is trying to do his best. Gram stain shown nothing, it was clear. The bird is breathing normally, no coughts or something. However the temp is low, round 39.6C (103F). If she survive the holidays I'll try the blood test, but currently it is impossible, unfortunately...

 

[Pixiebeak]

I'm sorry, so worried.
Sometimes trying antibiotics if nothing is clear can be warranted..up to your veterinarian. I like azithromycin as a broad spectrum antibiotic with the benefit of only having to be given every other day , not as harsh as baytril and less likely to cause yeast overgrowth.

Temp can drop as body is overwhelmed with the starvation and what ever is the health issue.
Supportive warmth , I do for all sick birds regardless of home temperature.

If you are support feeding, which I think you said you are? I would do 4 times a day during day and let sleep at night as normal. My 100 -125 gram quakers took an average of 7ml per feed . I made formula a little thicker than is done for baby birds kinds Greek yogurt thick.

I weighed before and after each feed, the before was to help me know things were moving. So if first thing in morning she was 100g , I fed 7 ml ( my formula made up was 1 gram per 1 ml) so after feeding she weighed 107, by the next feed would have dropped to 103-104, and go up by amount fed next . I did feeds at 7, 11, 3, and last at 7,pm or there about. After the end of the day last feed weight she would be st 110g . The next morning 1st pre feed weight she would be back at 100g . Now as I needed to her actually gain weight not just hold , I played around letting her take a little more if she wanted on some feeds , I was fluid and adjusted to her . 7 was the average, but dime feeds she wanted ten ml , some she only took 6ml. When I had her gaining, the average would be a one gram , or two grams a day and a hold then a gain again. So like the next morning her first weight before feed would be 101 grams.

I also used her poop as guide . The amount of fecal content, the amount of liquid content in poops , the frequency of poops. If there is scant fecal matter in poop need more food volume , but also makes sure this isn't because things aren't moving through digestion systems..so the weight checks and crop checks help. Adult crops don't stretch , they do not stretch like a baby , so you do not want your feeds making a big crop. If the poops have a lot of excess liquid you could be making the feeds to wet , or it can be true polyuria a symptom of their illness . It is a bit of an art. But before starting support feeds , you should have an idea of what's going on , tho it can be slightly disguised if they haven't been eating or drinking enough prior to your support. Prior to support, tiny pops with little fecal content , Little to no urine and little to no urates is usually due to not eating and drinking enough.
The very first support feeds in that situation should be formula made up thinner and less volume offered. So my first feed for a 100 gram bird might only be 2 ml , and not made up to Greek yogurt thinkness but thinner . To help rehydrate them and get things going again. But do not do straight water as dangerous choke aspiration hazard. Then I would do 2ml again in a couple of hours . And again in a couple of hours that first day . And evaluate how they are responding..of responding well the last feed I would thicken up slightly and allow to take 3-4 ml . I work up to the Greek yogurt thicknes and volume they take at each feed. Evaluating.

 

[vbogoev]

Thank you for the detailed post Pixiebeak. I read it the next day, but wasn't able to reply. So the things are getting better. The bird started to gain weight, from 64 grams now it is 71 grams in the morning before the feeding. Have more power to fly, it is not instantly dropping to the ground without any chance to fly. I started to mix some apples, carrots, (grounded) pellet food, eggs to the nitrition and it seems that this have a good effect. Regarding the antibiotics, I discussed with the vet and since it is gaining weight and feel better to wait until the bird gets around 77-80 grams and then we could try Baytril, just to have some power in it, otherwise the antibiotics could do more harm than good. Also we discussed a possible blood test before the antibiotics to be sure what's exactly is happening with the bird, but we're bound to one other vet that have the machines to do the testing.. I'll keep you informed with the progress, once again thank you very much.