Problems with my budgie droppings.

[Ben]

Hi everybody !

Sorry for my bad english, it's not my first language !

So here's my problem : since the last week of september, my budgie droppings are abnormal. I have to say that I went to see an avian vet for that problem. It seems that my bird is having what is called polyuria. There is a big amount of liquid in his droppings.(see photo) My budgie seemed to have is normal behavior, except that he opened and close his beak like if he was "hot" and he seemed to drink more water than usual. His breathe doesn't smell like usual, it smells like tomato soup !!!

Upon consultation, the vet have found that the crop contained an abnormal amount of liquid. Possibly caused by an infection, so the bird was given some antibiotics (chloramphenicol) for a week. The vet also found that one of my budgie's toy have possibly been chewed by him and that it may have contained some lead or a sort of metal. So the vet prescribed DMSA for that. (She sais that is droppings was greener than normal wich may indicate lead poisoning.)

Two weeks later, my bird is still having polyuria. I've returned to the vet, she prescribed more antibiotics (chloramphenicol) but for two weeks. She prescribed an antifungal (amphotericin) because she analysed the doppings and found some fungus and of course some bacteria.

My vet send dropping sample to a test lab for further analysis. They didn't found anything else that could be identify as a bacteria or something else abnormal.

So the next step would be to take some blood sample and some radiography to see if my budgie would have something wrong, else than an infection of some kind. It has been like this for more than a month. I'm starting to be verry worried, though my bird seems to be in good health, he's weight didn't dropped and he's not dehydrated. He's eating normal, except he's still drinking more than usual. He's breathe is still smelling like "tomato soup"and of course, he's beak is opening and closing as if needs to cool down.

Does somebody has had a bird with the same symptom ?

Thanks for your help ! 

Benoit

 

[Shirls]

I can't relly help much Ben except to say that if he is drinking more than usual his poo will be wetter than normal. Is he eating more grit or cuttle than usual to make him thirsty? In my limited experience to start with I would give him some Guardian Angel, if you can get it, in his water.

But if he has an underlying more serious problem, then the vet is the best one to help. Hope he gets better soon.

[Marianne Marlow]

Has your vet tested the droppings/crop for trichomoniasis(the odd smell) or avian gastric yeast(the droppings). They would be my guesses, but I am not a vet and you'd have to consult with the avian vet.

My Sky had AGY and had droppings like that for a while before diagnosis, but I put it down to all the vegetables he ate.

[Deleted]

Please, can you try to put some print paper under your budgie before the night or during the day? It could be seen more visible.

[Hezz]

As your bird is under the care of a trained avian vet, I really think any questions you have should be directed to your vet. They are the ones trained to diagnose these issues. I would suggest that you bring up the subject of diabetes, as birds can suffer from this, just as humans can.

If you are not happy with what your present vet is suggesting to you, be prepared to get a second opinion, as you would for yourself.

[Ben]

Thank you so much for your answers !

I know that my vet (actually, I've seen two different but at the same place) is the person who's going to be the one with the answers, but I really appreciate your help ! That's why I've camed here, in case somebody has had the same issue with his budgie.

I forgot to say that Maki is a little bit older than 1 year old,we've had him since he was a baby. He's a male and he's eating mainly seeds and spray millet. Sometimes we gave him some fruit and veggies but he's not verry attracted. He likes to eat toast.

I'm pretty shure that my vet tested Maki's droppings for avain gastric yeast and for trichomoniasis. The only things they found was some bacteria (sorry, I don't remember their names).

The second time I went to the vet, she told me that Maki was opening and closing he's beak (like if he was feeling warm) because he had nausea. Some metoclopramide has been prescribed but it didn't do that much to help him with he's beak behavior. 

My vet is saying that it would be verry odd for a young bird like Maki to have problem with his kidneys.

Again, thanks a lot for your answers, I reall apprreciate ! I've included a photo of last night droppings on a sheet of paper, like ivanvanca asked me to do.

Benoit

[helenmat]

They certainly don't look good much too much water in them. Is the vet you saw an avian vet or just a normal small animal vet. In my experience you really need an avian vet if possible. You could email this picture to an avian vet and they would hopefully be able to advise you.

[Ben]

Nov 3, 2019 9:35:13 GMT -5 helenmat said:
They certainly don't look good much too much water in them. Is the vet you saw an avian vet or just a normal small animal vet. In my experience you really need an avian vet if possible. You could email this picture to an avian vet and they would hopefully be able to advise you.


Helenmat, yes, the two vets that I saw are avian vets. We're working on the issue, tomorrow is going to be the last day of the treatment with the antibiotics (chleramphenicol). Wheter it isn't the right antibiotic, or there ise something wrong with my bird anatomy.

It's been going on like this since the end of september 2019, Still my bird seems to have a normal behavior, he eats, drink (more than usual), speak and play with his toy. He didn't loose weight. The only problem is the polyuria and He's beak behavior. The first time we saw the vet, she found some liquid in his crop.

Again thanks everybody for your feedback ! I'm just hoping that my bird is not verry sick. I know they are good for hidding that they are nort well.

I will see for the next step. The vet suggest some radiography and some blood works. I'm a little bit nervous about that, I've heard bird that bleed to death upon a blood work and for the radiography, they have to put him on sleep with gas.

Just in case, I'm trying to have the more quality time possible with him. He's so lovely and he speak ! Anyway, we should all spend some quality time with our budgie, don't we !


Benoit

[Hezz]

If your vet is avian, there should be little risk with your budgie having an xray, if he is relatively healthy still. Yes, he will have to be anaethetised, but for only a very short amount of time and only enough to keep him still.

I hope you get to the bottom of his problems and can get him back to peak condition again. They do worry us, these little gems.