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Cosmo is sick


krosp

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I'm so worried.. everything has seemed fine... but suddenly this morning I saw cosmo doing a weird dance on his perch.

 

As I got closer, I noticed he had a fluffy pooey vent, and he was actually kicking it with both his feet. He's obviously really uncomfortable and trying to sort it out by kicking his feet up onto it.

 

I'm so worried because I know this is bad news.

 

The avian vet doesn't open until 9.... I don't know if I'll get an appointment, so I just have to go to school (I'm on prac as an education student)

Thought about bringing him but decided he's probably a lot better at home.

So my plan is to go to school, call the vet at 9 and take whatever appointment I can get and leave if I have to.

I'm so worried to leave him on his own.

 

 

He seems still his normal self apart from bothered by his vent.

 

I just can't help thinking I'll come home to him on the floor :)

 

Please give me any advice or reassurance or anything.

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Warm lamp by his cage and fingers crossed.

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Check that vent is not pooed up as this can be tragic. Heat and broad sepctrum antibiotics prior to getting him to the vet.

Make sure you give us some updates.

Edited by nubbly5
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Poor little cosmo, I hope he is okay :)

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Good idea to clean his bottom too... as mentioned... it's not good if he can't poo. Cleaning it with a cotton ball and warm water should help dislodge anything. I'm guessing you've already been to the vets by now. Hope he's feeling better. Please keep us updated.

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*UPDATE*

 

Took him to an avian vet... we took Piccolo too just to be safe.

 

She tested his faeces sample and crop sample and found nothing wrong. Felt him all over and there seems to be a mass near the vent. She also noticed that his cere is pretty dark so she seems to suspect testicular cancer... but she couldn't say for sure without doing x-rays and blood tests, which were around $300 all up so we decided not to do it. Instead, she has given him a lucrin injection in case there is some hormone/testicular condition... and will get two more. She reckons he looks otherwise okay besides the distended abdomen and so just to keep going as normal unless he worsens considerably.

 

My poor baby :D

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*UPDATE*

 

Took him to an avian vet... we took Piccolo too just to be safe.

 

She tested his faeces sample and crop sample and found nothing wrong. Felt him all over and there seems to be a mass near the vent. She also noticed that his cere is pretty dark so she seems to suspect testicular cancer... but she couldn't say for sure without doing x-rays and blood tests, which were around $300 all up so we decided not to do it. Instead, she has given him a lucrin injection in case there is some hormone/testicular condition... and will get two more. She reckons he looks otherwise okay besides the distended abdomen and so just to keep going as normal unless he worsens considerably.

 

My poor baby :D

 

 

So sorry to hear he is sick :D , hopefully it is nothing serious. I had a pet budgie with a lump too and he ended up living for 6 years after a vet said he had a tumour :D so chin up with your love and kindness he will be fine.

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hope hes okay i know how dear that little fella is to you

:D

Edited by birdluv
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What I find has stressed Merlin is a chilly day and a bad molt all the same time or a change in food. See if anything was different, the weather, a molt, food change and a warm lamp and making sure they are eating is the best thing you can do for them during this time.

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I hope he is okay. Is it possible he is overweight? Is the mass soft and squishy? Birds can carry excess fat down there sometimes? Does he enjoy fatty seeds such as sunflower and oats?

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Awww... hugs xoxo Please keep us updated

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How old is he ? :(

 

:(

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Liv - we discussed his weight and changing diet... I did think he's heavy because Piccolo is so so light that Cosmo just always felt heavy. But the vet said that he was very lean. So I guess he's not overweight? But we are working on improving the diet too....

 

But if it's just a weight/diet thing then why would he just suddenly have his poo so sloppy and sticking to him? :(

 

 

I really don't know what to do now. He's still eating, but he's constantly kicking his vent area, and now his claws are getting pooey too. But it's not like thick and caked on. So his claws still look normal, just a little green. And the poo isn't blocking anything... like, it's more that it's colouring the area rather than actually having lumps that stick if that makes sense.

 

So what should I do? Should I clean it or just wait until it looks too cakey? Because I really can't constantly scrub him.

 

Can anything be done about him kicking himself so much? I'm just worried that he's going to make the area raw and then the poo will infect it.

 

We're kind of prepared for the worst now... but still just want to do our best to keep him comfortable and with the hope of improvement if possible. He still does stuff... like, we get him out, he just flew to my shoulder and started nibbling the spots on my shirt. He's not so noisy anymore and doesn't bite us when he's had enough, so he's obviously sick.. but he still likes interaction and head scratches. The thing is that now he's so pooey it's not too nice to have him out on us either :(

 

The vet said I can call again. Will be going in on Thursday for the next injection but it's only with the vet nurse. She mentioned pain relief.. ?

 

Feeling so at a loss :)

 

And Kaz -- he's probably 18 months or a bit under.

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Common practice with birds with poopy bottoms is to pull away the feathers from that area to stop it sticking and to stop it irritating them. Quick pull...not big deal....like when you have to rip off a sticking plaster quickly is better than slow and cautious :(

 

Give him a warm lamp by the cage ( not the energy saver globes...the older ones ) .....warmth alweays makes them feel better.

Edited by KAZ
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Well from what I understand, sloppy runny poos often means enteritis (infection in the gut) and that can be caused by many things including a bacterial infection, maybe not something seen in a poo slide and crop wash....... The very few times my pet budgies ever got sick in that manner it was warmth and a few days dose on Sulfa-D (used to be red stuff coming in a little glass bottle). It was a general broad spectrum sulfa based antibacterial and generally helped out a lot.

 

And a big second to pulling the feathers from around the vent (although he might not like it) as this should help him feel more comfortable.

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Should I keep the lamp there overnight? Then he won't get any darkness to sleep in? My husband has put a lamp on top of the cage while I was out, and they both are sleeping right under it currently, but maybe because they like to sleep on the top.

Do you leave your lamp on all the time even when you go out?

 

nubbly5 - I am guessing I can't buy that sulfa-D stuff anywhere myself?

 

 

He's already kicked off most of his own feathers around the vent, but where it's getting stuck I have been pulling it off. He doesn't like my hands anymore :(

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Krosp...

 

I am so so sorry to hear about Cosmo...

 

I leave the heat lamp on 24/7, I did when I had a sick baby not so long ago, don't worry about them not getting any dark, he needs the heat more..

 

You should be able to get Sulfa-D in a big pet shop/Produce shop, if you have any problems getting it I can get it for you and bring it to you today (I notice your in Brissie too), there is a new "Backyard Farmers" shop right near me and I know they have it...just PM me.

 

Please keep us updated and I am praying and sending strong thoughts to you and little Cosmo..

 

Anne :(

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Should I keep the lamp there overnight? Then he won't get any darkness to sleep in? My husband has put a lamp on top of the cage while I was out, and they both are sleeping right under it currently, but maybe because they like to sleep on the top.

Do you leave your lamp on all the time even when you go out?

 

nubbly5 - I am guessing I can't buy that sulfa-D stuff anywhere myself?

 

 

He's already kicked off most of his own feathers around the vent, but where it's getting stuck I have been pulling it off. He doesn't like my hands anymore :(

 

 

Lamps needed for warmth are meant to be 24/7 no matter what. A tired budgie will sleep even with the light on. Light on also means they feed themselves through the night and that can be a good thing.

Sulha D is available at any bird store...also available as suplha 3 sulpha q sulpha quin etc. Triple C is also good.

Make sure the globe is one that puts out heat ( the old kind )..............most globes available now do not put out heat.

Edited by KAZ
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I agree with heat 24/7 and sulfa treatments.... good luck and i hope he is feeling better soon

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Hi everyone

 

Well... Cosmo is still pretty much exactly the same. He's still kicking himself and looking pooey, and still eating... not his bright usual self, but still relatively alert. (He sprung over to my hand to eat his veggies as usual this morning). I bought the sulfa treatment yesterday, and used it yesterday and today... but then this afternoon the vet rang me to check up on how he's going, and she said not to use it. She said she checked him and there's no infection and over the counter antibiotics will do more harm than good.

 

I'm a bit confused now... probably should take the vet's advice since she's the one who's actually examined him. But I like to feel that I could be doing something... on that "just in case" sort of thinking. I guess the possible bad thing about the sulfa D is if it upsets his gut or something.

 

 

Anne - my husband and I really appreciated your lovely comment and your offer.

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I'm glad he is still going okay, but sorry he's not doing much better. I can't offer any advice on medication, but just want to send big hugs to you and Cosmo for a speedy recovery. xoxo

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I'm still stumped about the antibiotics, but I stopped them because I just figured it's more sensible to do what the vet said who actually examined him, although I'm not totally sold on it... :) Anyway, he was on it for about 24 hours... Sunday afternoon to Monday afternoon.

 

 

Today there are still no significant changes.... still kicking himself, still pooey... but still eating and being fairly normal otherwise.

If anything he's a little better - he chirped along to some music tonight which he hasn't done since he first got sick on Friday. Does seem maybe a little sparkier than he was yesterday. But not enough for me to be certain that there was a change.

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keep him warm, make sure he continues to eat and drink, and watch his poos, sometimes it takes a week or so to get back to normal.

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Hi everyone

 

Well... Cosmo is still pretty much exactly the same. He's still kicking himself and looking pooey, and still eating... not his bright usual self, but still relatively alert. (He sprung over to my hand to eat his veggies as usual this morning). I bought the sulfa treatment yesterday, and used it yesterday and today... but then this afternoon the vet rang me to check up on how he's going, and she said not to use it. She said she checked him and there's no infection and over the counter antibiotics will do more harm than good.

 

I'm a bit confused now... probably should take the vet's advice since she's the one who's actually examined him. But I like to feel that I could be doing something... on that "just in case" sort of thinking. I guess the possible bad thing about the sulfa D is if it upsets his gut or something.

 

 

Anne - my husband and I really appreciated your lovely comment and your offer.

 

 

 

hi can i just say

that sulfa d wont affect him if their is nothing wrong and if their is then it will only help

just make sure he gets a course of probiotics after a full corse of sulfa d

 

i know its confusing when vets say one think and others say another

myself

i always go with my gut

if you even feel a tad that the vet doesnt really have a clue

and believe me unless she avian she probably doesnt

 

then i would give the sulfa d

 

hope the little blights doing better keep up the warmth and please keep up the fluids

most importantly

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No problem Krosp.....hows he doing today? :)

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