Please Read! need everyones opinion and help!

[kathykay]

Hi there \m/ need everyone's help and opinions. Well I have 2 budgies who are both 6 years old. A boy and a girl, and for years they have been healthy budgies. For the past month little Joey has been sitting on his perch, most of the time he is sitting all fluffed up and when he is not doing this he sleeps. Most of the day he is sitting sleeping but is really fluffed up. I took him to the vet and the start of the month, really immediately when I saw the signs of illness. The vet was really worried about him and said he had a wild bird disease. He gave me antibiotics to put in his water each day and that I was to phone him and say how he was doing. Well after a week, there was no change in my wee Joey. He usually sits jumping around singing and screeching his head off happily, but he just sits on his perch all day everyday, he does eat though. I phoned the vet up after a week and he doesn't know what to do.

Joey wasn't eating before he got the medicine but after taking it he started eating. The vet said there was nothing else he could do except wait and see if he gets better. Well its been about 3 weeks now and little Joey hasn't changed in fact I think he is getting worse. He does still eat though, but during the day he sits fluffed up not moving from his perch and sleeps most of the time. The other budgie is happy though. She jumps about, screeching and singing but little Joey just sits there. My mum said that she's afraid one morning she's going to come in and see him lying at the bottom of the cage. The vet did say how on earth did he get a wild bird disease, well we had the cage in the conservatory, it was warm in there but midges came in a lot and the vet thinks that's how he caught it from a midge....? Well I just need to know everyones opinion cause I really hate seeing him in pain and I have tried to help him but nothing seems to work. Each day he doesn't seem to get better and I'm afraid to take him back in case the vet puts him to sleep, because he's still eating and has the odd tweet here and there and he isn't getting any better. I feel he's dying, but there must be something I can do to save him. So Please give me your opinion and help thanks!

[outnumbered]

Hello and welcome to the forum. I wish i could help you but I am not experienced enough. I can tell you though, there are lots of very knowledgable and kind members on this forum so hopefully you will get help soon. I can tell you love little Joey as you have done everything within your power to help him. I pray he recovers and will be keeping an eye on his progress. Good Luck x

[Hezz]

Sorry, Kathykay, I am of no help to you either. Did the vet give a specific wild bird disease that he thought Joey had? If we know what disease, maybe someone will be able to help.

I am sorry little Joey is unwell, and hope you have some luck with getting opinions from more experienced members. Are you able to put up a photo of Joey, so we can see how he is looking?

[samwiseg]

Hi and welcome

Sorry to hear about little Joey, we are not vets but can offer the baisc advice.

Just something that may assist whilst he is on meds is keeping him in a seperate cage (what we would call a hospital cage) for the time being away from your other budgie and keep Joey warm by putting warmth near him i.e. hot water bottle in blanket/towel under him (so he doesn't burn his feet) or near a radiator. Keep him fairly covered and quiet so he can rest and try to recover.

I hope that helps, and I will keep my fingers crossed for your little guy. Let us know how he gets on and post pics if you can.

[sarah*glittergirl2212]

I'm sorry- I wish I could help... If your vet isn't an avian one, maybe see another vet and get a second opinion... It seems like he needs a specific treatment to help him not just the general meds he's been given which aren't making him better by the sounds of things. Best wishes, I hope everything turns out well

[nat]

Hi there and sorry to hear your bird is unwell. The problem with alot of vets who don't deal with birds often is they will give antibiotics (usually baytril) for just about any sickness and hope it sorts it out. Unless you go to an avian vet who can perform a crop swab to check for parasites, bacteria and fungal growth then you and the vet will be really none the wizer. The vet has probably given you antibiotics which will only be good for a bacterial infection.
You can elliminate some things by treating for parasites internal and external by using 'Ivermectin' which you can get online with no prescription. You can also buy treatment for Canker online. (also a parasite that resides in the birds crop)

[moonkira *Julie *]

Thing is,: by the time people send off for things online the budgie is getting sicker by the day and they say a day to a sick budgie is like a week to us as they go downhill very quickly,, I would always try and find a vet asap rather than take a chance by guessing whats wrong as you could be treating the budgie for something thats completely diffferent to whats wrong with him.

[milliej]

Oh Dear, I do hope Joey recovers, my budgies have been sick before and recovered so there's always a chance given time and care. My thoughts and prayers for you and your little friend. [']

[kathykay]

Hi everyone sorry for the late reply. Thanks everyone for your help so far. Just thought I'd let you all know how he's doing. Well this morning my mum woke me up right away and we saw that wee Joey was sitting at the bottom his cage. So I took him back to the vet right away. The vet gave him more antibiotics and I've to take him back to the vet in a week. I also found out that the wild bird disease he has is called protozoan disease and affects the liver of the bird. She said its quite rare for a budgie to have this but its known that a lot of budgies in the West coast of Scotland can get this. So I've put him back with the other budgie, the vet did say just to leave him they're just now, I cleaned his cage out gave him fresh food and put his medicine in. If anyone has any information on this disease please let me know thanks.

[stace]

If your vet has diagnosed correctly, this is Trichomoniasis.

In Australia, birds are treated with a med called Ronidazole (Ronnivet-S) in their water. Antibiotics like Baytril won't fix it.

You need to clean the cages thoroughly daily and then disinfected. If your bird is very thin, he might need some high energy food supplements.

In the meantime. Keep him warm. Put a blanket around his cage and provide a heat source, like a 40 watt light globe.

Someone who knows more about UK treatments should be able to help more and tell you exactly what the UK meds are.

[nigelsstud]

what people and vets dont always realise a lot of virus can be carried on the wind in dust particles

[outnumbered]

Jan 24, 2013 11:34:08 GMT kathykay said:

Hi everyone sorry for the late reply. Thanks everyone for your help so far. Just thought I'd let you all know how he's doing. Well this morning my mum woke me up right away and we saw that wee Joey was sitting at the bottom his cage. So I took him back to the vet right away. The vet gave him more antibiotics and I've to take him back to the vet in a week. I also found out that the wild bird disease he has is called protozoan disease and affects the liver of the bird. She said its quite rare for a budgie to have this but its known that a lot of budgies in the West coast of Scotland can get this. So I've put him back with the other budgie, the vet did say just to leave him they're just now, I cleaned his cage out gave him fresh food and put his medicine in. If anyone has any information on this disease please let me know thanks.

Hi,Like everyone said if it is canker Baytril is no use. The same happened to me with Kiwi who died December. i was given Baytril it was useless and run about trying to find Trico plus locally but I had to order it online, sadly, that was too late for Kiwi. I am surprised he is in with another Budgie if this is canker??? Maybe some of the more experienced members can clarify this for you. I really hope he recovers. Please order Trico plus now. Thinking of you both xxx

[johnh]

Hello Kathykay,
Sorry to hear about your pet budgie Joey, I too have a poorly budgie by the name of Joey ( see post 11 year old Joey ).

My budgie has been poorly now with symptoms very similar to your budgie for about 2 weeks, we took him to our local vet here in Sheffield and the vet had no idea whatsoever, I've been sat at the computer for hours on end both day and night until my eyes were nearly popping out of my head trying to find some information.

Some people said my budgie had Canker - some said he hadn't got Canker ?

What I suggest is that you contact www.budgerigarsociety.com there you will find quite a few experts who will answer your questions with no fuss.

I have contacted them myself regarding my pet budgie Joey, they have said he hasn't got Canker, its sound like he has Sour Crop and they have advised me to put a pinch of Epsom Salts into his fresh water daily - don't waste your money on purchasing Canker treatments which has a short shelf life if your budgie Joey hasn't got Canker.

Hope he returns to his normal self soon............its a worry seeing them struggling for survival and you can't do much for them.

JohnH