Feb 6, 2021 16:27:03 GMT
opalbirdie
Brand New Budgie
Posts: 32
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Post by opalbirdie on Sept 6, 2021 0:18:12 GMT
Hello all, I am hopeful you can help me with a first-pass evaluation of Opal's face-feathers. Over the last two days I have noticed that when she wakes up, her facial feathers around her left eye are... rumpled? out of place? I cannot see any drainage from the eye nor swelling or other glaring abnormality, her right eye and feathers appear perfectly normal, and otherwise behaviorally she seems absolutely as usual, playing and flying around the room and eating and drinking normally. Nothing else at all jumps out at me except that the feathers are rumply and she rubs her face (whole thing, both sides and top) on her perches occasionally as if to scratch an itch. I cannot tell if she's getting new feathers around her eye? She's got a few random pinfeathers on her head and back but doesn't appear to be *in* a full molt, I do think that occurred maybe two months ago. I've attached a couple of photos hoping someone will be able to look at them and say "nah, looks like a molt" or "you need a vet yesterday." In terms of cage hygiene I do my best to keep everything clean and free of poops, change out the liner several times a week, change out the water and wash bowls multiple times per day. I have not given all perches a deep-clean scrubbing recently but when those appear to have collected any stool I do scrub them as I see they need it. Foodwise, she's still on Harrison's super fine pellets + Dr. Harvey's seed mix + fruits, veggies, and occasionally hard-cooked egg. Weight's been stable, sleep is 12-14 hours nightly. What do you all think? Am I overthinking this? I don't want to miss early signs of something funky going on, but also know my own proclivity for sky-is-falling thinking and don't want to get crazed over something that's a non-issue.
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Feb 6, 2021 16:27:03 GMT
opalbirdie
Brand New Budgie
Posts: 32
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Post by opalbirdie on Sept 6, 2021 1:56:37 GMT
Oh, and here's a photo of her other eye, for "normal" reference, and one more just because she's got her head tilted and it's cute:
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Post by tweetiepiesmom on Sept 6, 2021 4:59:24 GMT
Very cute picture! I'm not sure what's going on. There might be a little irritation in that eye, especially the corner of the eye closest to her beak so she may be rubbing it more on her perches. Hopefully others will have a better idea.
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Feb 6, 2021 16:27:03 GMT
opalbirdie
Brand New Budgie
Posts: 32
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Post by opalbirdie on Sept 6, 2021 19:06:10 GMT
Very cute picture! I'm not sure what's going on. There might be a little irritation in that eye, especially the corner of the eye closest to her beak so she may be rubbing it more on her perches. Hopefully others will have a better idea. I’ve decided to contact the local avian vet for more help. There msy be some scant yellow discharge now and she’s definitely rubbing her face more on perches. Not sure what is happening but I’d rather get a jump on it, I think. Will let you all know what happens! I was able to start with a “virtual” consult so sent the vet some photos and a description, and a $35 fee. We shall see..
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Post by tweetiepiesmom on Sept 6, 2021 19:24:52 GMT
It is best to see the vet for something that is not obvious but is causing the budgie to act different than normal. I see you are in CA, do you mind saying who your vet is? I find the avian vets near me are so busy!
Interested to hear what the vet says.
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Post by Hezz on Sept 6, 2021 22:49:57 GMT
It does look like there is a small amount of discharge in the first photo, and now you have confirmed it. A normal eye irritation can be eased with a damp tepid black tea or chamomile tea bag used as a compress. If the vet thinks it necessary they may give you a topical ointment to put into the eye. If you do go down this track, make sure you do not actually touch the eye with the nozzle of the tube as this will contaminate your ointment and keep the infection occurring.
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Post by ffiscool on Sept 6, 2021 23:11:06 GMT
Isn’t there that stuff called golden eye?
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Post by Morgan on Sept 7, 2021 6:19:21 GMT
Isn’t there that duff called golden eye? Never heard of this, and nothing pops up when I Google it - can you tell us more?
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Post by jellybean on Sept 7, 2021 7:28:19 GMT
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Post by ffiscool on Sept 7, 2021 8:19:29 GMT
Thank you.
I know I’ve read people use it on budgies
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Post by Hezz on Sept 8, 2021 1:04:15 GMT
There are many names for basically the same topical eye ointment that is safe to use on budgies. The original was taken off the market because it contained mercuric oxide, the new ointment with the same name does not. Over the counter treatments such as this are generally antiseptics and disinfectants rather than antibiotics.
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Post by Morgan on Sept 8, 2021 8:50:48 GMT
There are many names for basically the same topical eye ointment that is safe to use on budgies. The original was taken off the market because it contained mercuric oxide, the new ointment with the same name does not. Over the counter treatments such as this are generally antiseptics and disinfectants rather than antibiotics. Do you know what other names it night be sold under, particularly in the states? Goldeneye doesn’t seem to exist here as far as I can tell Seems like it might be a good thing to have on hand, for myself also, cause I tend to get styles from wearing contacts for many years. I can’t even wear them anymore now. 🙃
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Post by tweetiepiesmom on Sept 8, 2021 15:54:11 GMT
Sorry I don't have any suggestions.
Next time you are in the drugstore, ask the pharmacist what they recommend.
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Feb 6, 2021 16:27:03 GMT
opalbirdie
Brand New Budgie
Posts: 32
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Post by opalbirdie on Sept 8, 2021 16:53:34 GMT
Hello all, here's an update! I scheduled a phone consult with the local avian veterinarian, and I was able to send her a message with full details of what I was observing, plus a pile of photos. She initially suggested sterile saline eyewash and then if it persisted after a few days to consider terramycin ointment for the eye. Oh, and she encouraged me to leave the blue UV bird-bulb on throughout the day, I have one of those featherbrite combo lamps so can use both bulbs together or just one as needed. I looked at some of the saline eyewash type products available through local pharmacies and did not find a sterile saline that made me happy - all had preservatives or some other odd ingredients I wasn't comfortable putting in her eyes, so I ordered some saline ampules from amazon instead. However... the next morning (yesterday) when I woke her up, the feathers around her eye were noticeably more disheveled with more yellowish drainage stuck. That said, her eye itself was clear and bright, and I could see no sign whatsoever of actual eye irritation despite all the drainage around it. Very odd. Then, she took a bath in her little fountain, and while I know feathers always look a little wacky post-bath, the ones that normally cover her little ear were sticking straight out and I had a direct view down into her little earhole. EEK! Not really knowing what that's *supposed* to look like, I was concerned it looked a little inflamed perhaps. I have also noticed a very, very slight uptick in how often she's "swallowing" or moving her mouth. Not crop adjusting, but almost like the movement she makes when drinking water. A change from the usual, though. So between the visuals, the drainage, and knowing that birdies like to go from 0-60 with illness very quickly, I opted to call the vet back for an office visit. My thinking was either something stuck in her crop, sinus infection, ear infection, or.... ?? They are still handling their office with COVID-19 precautions which is both a blessing and a curse I guess - they're not doing new bird/well bird exams, but are leaving a ton of availability open for sick birds, so I was able to bring her yesterday afternoon. The long and short of it is: - lovely vet. avian specialty office, pictures of parrots and chickens and allsorts all over the office - she examined stool on a slide and took a throat swab and found nothing concerning in either - based on her examination this represented neither an eye infection/conjunctivitis nor an ear issue, but likely a very early, very mild possible sinus infection, which would also explain the "swallowing" - perhaps a little post-nasal drip? And the drainage maybe from how she sleeps and nose running onto her face. ew. - we received an Rx for Baytril, which I am to add to her water daily. she agreed with me that since it did appear so mild we could start with a more handsoff/conservative approach and see how the next few days go - if no improvement by this weekend, we may move to adding an eye ointment and direct administration of meds rather than in the water. I was concerned to bring her to the vet because the trip itself was probably terrifying, but she did great! and this morning seems improved and the drainage around her eye appears LESS than yesterday. i started the antibiotic last night, not sure if it's even possible for that to give an effect so quickly, but so far i am optimistic this will do the trick. she also recommended i hold off on "wet" foods for now to encourage her to go to the water dish for hydration, and boy she's not pleased! her fancy breakfasts are on temporary hold in favor of medication. here are some more photos for you, all from yesterday except the last one is from this morning:
^this - evidence of not feeling too rough! after return from vet, sitting with her bell-hat on by the window...meditating into the void, i guess
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Feb 6, 2021 16:27:03 GMT
opalbirdie
Brand New Budgie
Posts: 32
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Post by opalbirdie on Sept 8, 2021 17:01:14 GMT
It is best to see the vet for something that is not obvious but is causing the budgie to act different than normal. I see you are in CA, do you mind saying who your vet is? I find the avian vets near me are so busy! Interested to hear what the vet says. Oh. Her name is Dr. Jeanne Smith, of Avian Health Services in Diamond Springs, CA. Honestly her behavior was not much different from "normal" other than a slight increase in head-rubbing and then the "swallowing" type movement. Certainly not lethargic or not eating or anything dramatic like that. I am a registered nurse though, and maybe a little bit of a worrier - so ultimately decided the stress of travel and vet exam plus money spent was a better choice than watching something progress to a much more challenging problem.
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