"Going Light"

[Deleted]

Over the years I've had budgies that have been diagnosed by the vet with "going light".
I have only ever got one bird through this problem and when he got it again he never recovered.
I have done as the vet has told me and administered drugs and tonics etc but all but one of the birds have literally faded away before my eyes.
My qestions are....is the condition "going light" a psychological disorder a bit like anorexia in people....I still don't know enough about "going light" and wondered if there were different reasons why they get this condition or just one reason for it.
Is it contagious to other birds and should you remove the affected bird from the cage while they have it.
Should you just let the condition do what it wants rather than intervening with drugs and tonics only for the budgie to die anyway.

Thanks x

[Deleted]

i will be very interested in the answers you get ....
as iv never herd of the term going light ...

[stace]

Nov 3, 2012 8:13:42 GMT @mickmay said:

i will be very interested in the answers you get ....
as iv never herd of the term going light ...

It's Megabacteria, or AGY.(Avian Gastric Yeast). I don't know much about it. I think it's caused by a fungus? I know it's very difficult to treat and causes wasting. Don't quote me on this, but I think vets use an anti-fungus med (Fungillin?) or a product called Megabac-S.

Barrie would know. I'm sure he posted something recently about this, and mentioned another product.

[sarah*glittergirl2212]

Shows what I know- I thought it was just a term that meant the budgie was underweight due to any cause.

[dswift]

how do the birds get the fungus and what dose it look like so i know what to look out for

[Deleted]

Nov 3, 2012 8:37:14 GMT stace said:

Nov 3, 2012 8:13:42 GMT @mickmay said:

i will be very interested in the answers you get ....
as iv never herd of the term going light ...

It's Megabacteria, or AGY.(Avian Gastric Yeast). I don't know much about it. I think it's caused by a fungus? I know it's very difficult to treat and causes wasting. Don't quote me on this, but I think vets use an anti-fungus med (Fungillin?) or a product called Megabac-S.

Barrie would know. I'm sure he posted something recently about this, and mentioned another product.

thanks stace ....
great post ..... .

[stace]

There was a thread on here quite recently where Barrie was talking about a product for Megabacteria/AGY called something like Sodium Benzoate???. I can't remember whose birds or which thread though.

Sorry I can't be more helpful, or more accurate.

[ANDY MAC]

Have a look on Google,type in going light and have a look on the 6th web site down from the top, intresting read.

ps not sure on how to copy web addresses onto here.

[Deleted]

Is this the site hun?

www.birds-online.de/gesundheit/gesinfektion/gls_en.htm

Just wondered if anyone on here has tried the Thyme tea on their budgies....does anyone know if the lady in the article uses warm water to make the tea or just cold.

IT SAYS..QUOTE:
In this book I found the information that thyme has fungicide effects. From this day on I served thyme tea to Pierrot every day (2 small teaspoons of the herb for 250ml of water). Regularly the vet examined the droppings and he found out that the number of the pathogens decreased and finally disappeared till the 9th and 12th week. Because of a possible latent megabacteria infestation in the glandular stomach, I added 1/2 teaspoon of ground anise to the thyme tea."



Very interesting reading. thanks x

[Deleted]

Found the tea info if anyone is interested.

www.birds-online.de/nahrung/krankenfutter/tees_en.htm

[barrieshutt]

Treatment of Macrorhabdus ornithogastor with

Sodium Benzoate in Budgerigars (Melopsittacus

undulates)


Sharman Hoppes, DVM, Dipl ABVP (Avian)

Session #1315


Summary Style Manuscript

Affiliation: From the Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and

Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, MS 4474, College Station, TX 77843, USA.


Macrorhabdus ornithogaster is an important disease of many avian species, particularly the smaller species:budgerigars, cockatiels, lovebirds, canaries, and finches. It has also occasionally been seen in larger parrots,ostriches, and poultry. Clinical signs include weight loss, regurgitation, vomiting, diarrhea, depression, lethargy,and weakness. Previously the most effective treatment has been amphotericin B suspension given orally or gavage fed twice a day for 30 days–a costly and time-consuming treatment plan, especially for large aviaries. A large budgerigar aviary with a history of macrorhabdus and 20%–25% losses due to the disease was treated successfully with sodium benzoate, a less expensive and water-soluble alternative to amphotericin B. Treatment with sodium benzoate at 1 tsp/L (~5 ml/L) water for 5 weeks cleared the infection in non-breeding budgerigars. In budgerigars rearing chicks, a treatment with ½ tsp/L (~2.5 ml/L) water resulted in neurological signs and death

of the adult budgerigar due to increased water intake. The results of this study indicate that sodium benzoate can be used successfully in non-breeding budgerigars to eliminate Macrorhabdus ornithogastor infections but should be used cautiously in budgerigars rearing chicks.


Acknowledgments: I thank Schubot Exotic Bird Health Center for their financial support and Dr.

[Donna Lee]

One of my birds has been exhibiting those symptoms for about 2 weeks now. I'm so devastated. He's lethargic, fluffed up and weak looking. Sometimes he looks like he's trying to regurgitate but nothing comes out and he makes no noise. Now I don't know what to do

[barrieshutt]

Donna the bird at the first signs of illness should be in a warm place, isolated and on guardian angel

Listen for clicking noises in his crop.

have you iodine blocks available.

try the Sodium Benzoate for 35 days , 5 ml in one litre of water , available off e bay

[Donna Lee]

Thank you for the advice Barrie. I had the heating on almost constantly for him the last three days.
I just turned around and he has passed away. I can't believe it.

[barrieshutt]

Nov 6, 2012 12:35:36 GMT Donna Lee said:

Thank you for the advice Barrie. I had the heating on almost constantly for him the last three days.
I just turned around and he has passed away. I can't believe it.

So sorry Donna , can i replace him with one of mine , no charge ?