Vonn

Hi doraemon82 A big welcome from me! Luv Vonn

I also shed a tear when I opened the card, birdluv. Like you, I just wasn't expecting it. I think it is a lovely thing for them to do. It means so much. Luv Vonn xx

It was so sweet of you to try and send me one! Thank you! I will definitely look for them next time I go shopping as it'll be nice to know who stocks them in my town. I will also have a look at the ecard ones. I have had a lot of problems with my email account and I am now going to change it. I used Outlook Express. So many people never get my mail and I don't get theirs. Very frustrating. Thanks for the reply, Elly, and LOTS of hugs to you too. Luv Vonn xx

Thought I'd tell you that I received a lovely sympathy card for the vet this morning! I thought it was such a thoughtful thing to do. They are very caring at that surgery. I didn't realise that you could buy sympathy cards for the loss of a pet. I will always send one, from now on, if anyone I know loses a pet as this one meant so much to me. Luv Vonn xxx

Thanks for saying that, Elly. It is a comfort to know we did the right thing for our little Lukie - I couldn't bear him to suffer. Luv Vonn xx

That must have been so hard for you Phoebe. Thanks for telling me about them. Can't believe that the mother bit the toes off her baby!? I wonder what on earth would make her do that! How strange that he had cirrhosis of the liver despite a good diet. I wonder why so many budgies are prone to tumours - I wish we knew. I am so sorry about your loss. My husband and I are coping much better. We are destroying everything today,as well as the cage, as my husband & I can't bear to look at it, anyway. I am going to try and learn all I can about budgies now and especially all the things that can cause ill health etc. Thanks again for sharing this with me, it must still be hard to talk about. I appreciate it. Luv Vonn xx

Oh Elly, how absolutely awful. I am so sorry. I do understand what you mean. The first few days are the worst and then you find you are not crying as much and each day gets less painful. But it never goes completely, as you say. It makes me realise how lucky I am not to have endured as much pain as you. Doesn't make me feel any better, as my heart aches for you. Lots & lots of hugs to you.LuvVonn xx What was the final "diagnosis" Vonn? If it was "mega" it NOT bacteria. "It has now been positively identified as a yeast and is NO LONGER named "megabacteria". Its new name is Avian Gastric Yeast (or AGY)". This is important as if any vet is recommending anti-bacterial treatments or disinfectants they will have little or no effect. The research paper is here: Studies on Megabacteria (Avian Gastric Yeast) by Dr. David Phalen, Dr. Robert Moore, Dr. Betty Tomaszewski.However I totally agree to get rid of all the old toys etc. It makes it easier to make a totally fresh start when you're ready for a new bird. I found it hard to re-use my much loved but departed German Shepherds collar on a new dog ... seemed like a betrayal.KathyW.Yes, it was Megabacteria - my vet called it Macrorhabdus. I made a mistake calling it a bacteria, you are quite right it is a yeast. I was sad to hear about your German Shepherd and I feel just like you do about some of Lukie's things that he particularly liked. Our pets really capture our hearts, don't they. Thanks for your reply.LuvVonn

I totally agree, birdluv, it doesn't actually heal, you just learn to cope better as the hurt is not quite so 'raw'. I'm so sad to hear that you have lost 3 pets, Phoebe - that must be so tough. How did you lose Rosie and Jodie - as long as it isn't too painful to talk about.? Thanks for the PM, Elley, and the hugs. I received an email from my avian vet yesterday, telling me how sorry he was about Lukie and warning me to burn the wooden playgym and all wooden toys, and safely dispose of all porous items eg toys etc., which cannot be burnt ! So you were both right to tell me to get rid of everything. He must have read my mind! He said that this bacteria is particularly difficult to get rid of - especially on porous surfaces. I had only recently built Lukie another playgym from a kit I had bought, as an alternative to the one he already had. He had only used it twice! I would never want another bird to go through what Lukie went through, though, so burning the item it the safest. If I discard it at a rubbish site, someone may be tempted to take it, thinking that it just needed disinfecting and would then be fine. Likewise I will destroy the toys, as far as I can, to prevent the same thing happening to them. Luv Vonn

Thanks, Phoebe and Elly. I will do that - it will be so costly as Lukie had a packet full of toys, which I imported for him!! Oh well, it far worse to pass on the disease to another bird. I am starting to feel a better - finally stopped bursting into tears at any reminder of Lukie. I am now concentrating on the happy times I spent with him. I miss him dreadfully. Much luv Vonn xx

A very big thank you, to each and every one of you, for your sympathy and lovely kind words. It is so comforting to know that you care. Thank you for all your support and help through this, as well. I always felt there was someone to turn to, who knew what we were going through, trying to save our little budgie, and would do their best to help. I couldn't write anything yesterday as I was in tears on and off throughout the day. The living room was so terribly empty and the house so quiet. I found myself walking to the livingroom to sit with Lukie without thinking, and then realising he wasn't there any more. My husband has been so supportive and went and bought me a huge bunch of flowers - he's such a darling. Today I am feeling a little more in control and I am keeping myself occupied so I cannot think too much. I will get over it, it will just take time. I never realised I could love a little bird so very much. I will keep popping in to the forum to read the posts and, one day, I'll have another little budgie, but not for a while. I have learnt so much about these little birds. I now realise that it is not just provision of seeds, water and love that they need, but involves so much more. What a pity the pet shops (I will never buy a bird from them again) do not have a leaflet explaining all this to prospective owners. If I do get another bird, I will always buy from a reputable breeder and I will want to see how he cares for his birds first, as well. Another thing I know is you need to have a reasonable amount of money saved for vet bills, before even thinking of getting a budgie, if you are in my situation. Everyone needs to be aware of the costs of vet bills for birds before they get one. I will also make myself aware of the diseases and illnesses that budgies can get and the first signs and symptoms, before I take on another little bird. I am going to try and trace the breeder of Lukie and tell them about the disease and suggest that they treat their flock immediately. Although they probably would have found out by now. I will contact them, anyway, just to be sure. Lukie had the signs from the beginning, had I only known how to recognise them. One thing I want to ask is how do I go about sterilising all Lukie's toys perches etc etc? Do I wash everything in soapy water and then spray with F10 disinfectant? Should I use the strongest solution or would this leave a toxic residue? I want to be sure this bacteria is wiped out. A number of the toys are wooden and cannot be soaked in a sterilising solution. Would washing and spraying with F10 be sufficient to kill the bacteria completely? I loved this forum and spent many hours reading the posts. I so enjoyed reading about your budgies and the cute things they did and also sharing Lukie's little quirks! I will always be grateful for all I learnt about budgies from you - I was so uninformed about budgies and their needs. Awful to admit, but true. Thanks once again to all of you. You really are lovely, caring people with big hearts. Much love Vonn xxx

Hi everyone Well, our darling little bird is suffering no more. He was put to sleep this afternoon. We took him to the vet and I felt I would cope better going in on my own with Lukie. Seeing my husband so upset would make me fall apart. He is heartbroken, as am I. I took Lukie in and was determined to be brave, but Lukie was looking very nervous and that shattered me. He kept making his little 'I don't like this' tweet. I tried to comfort him but he seemed to know something was up. I really wanted to be brave, I really did, but I only just got the words out to the vet. He was very kind to me and said that he would make sure Lukie didn't suffer. Unfortunately, due to health and safety regulations in the UK, I was unable to be with Lukie when he was put to sleep. I found this so hard as I just didn't want him dying in a strange place with people he didn't know. He gets so frightened. The vet gave him some gas to put him to sleep, before he gave him the injection. so he wouldn't feel the pain of the injection I sat in the waiting room crying my eyes out. I couldn't talk to anyone as I was just too choked up. I took Lukie home in his box with his favourite toy with him. I held Lukie and he was still so warm. I had always wanted to kiss his soft little chest and head and I was able to do this. I told him how much he was loved and how much we will miss the sunshine he brought into our lives. I tucked him up in the box with his favourite toy. We buried him under the tree that he liked to watch in the garden. I put some plastic around the tissue covering him as Lukie always hated getting wet and we have had heavy rain here. I hated burying him as he was always so scared of the dark. I just hope that there is light all around him now forever and that someone up there will take care of our little angel for us. Thank you for all your support and kindness. You are all very special to me. Luv Vonn xxx

Thank you so much for your concern - it's such a comfort at this time. Kathyw, I was so very touched by you considering to post the drug to me - what a kind, caring person you are and I thank you very much. I feel that Lukie is too weak now to go through the treatment. It is a very toxic drug and I feel the bird needs to be in reasonable condition. Lukie isn't even attempting to eat. I think he just wants peace now and freedom from the suffering. I think the honey idea is an excellent one, but it would have to be fed by crop tube as Luke wouldn't drink it I am sure. He is just feeling too ill to try anything If he was better than he is, I would try this and use Manuka Honey from New Zealand. This is the purest honey, as there is no pollution in the area where they have the bees. It also has the more antibiotic and antifungal properties, I've been told. I really think it would be soothing as well to his crop which gets inflamed. Even if the vet managed to pull him through, the damage to his proventriculis will be ongoing. There must be damage to it now and it may be significant, as he has had this illness for months. Sometimes it even gets into the liver. I read about acidifying the water with citric acid. Evidently this does help control the symptoms but is, of course, not a cure. As you can see, I have been doing my research! I have convinced my husband that we should have Lukie put to sleep and he is so upset. He loves this little bird as much as I do. I think seeing Lukie this morning made him realise it is all too much for our little boy. I just hope the vet doesn't undo all my hard convincing and tell him to try treatment. My husband will grab at any straws offered. He may even change his mind on the way there, but I hope, for Lukie's, sake, he won't. I cried all night - just couldn't sleep. The thought of going to the vet this afternoon and having the deed done is too awful to contemplate. I will let you know the outcome of this visit to the vet. Please pray for us. Thank you for all the wonderful support you have all given me through this. You cannot imagine what a help it has been. Much luv Vonn xxx

Thanks, birluv. He went to the vet today and had a crop feed, which he will have every day, while we wait for the drugs to arrive. They did not have them in the surgery for some reason. Lukie is not eating anything now and is going to be kept alive with crop feeds. Evidently, Megabac-S has been discontinued by Vetafarm due to the cost of production. I have just read that amphotericin B (Fungilin) has been unavailable in the UK since 2006. I do not know the reason. These are the most effective drugs for this condition. I am not sure what the vet is going to give him. I feel it is too late. My husband refuses to accept it and keeps saying that Lukie will pull through. I love this little bird too much to let him suffer. If it was just me, I would have him put to sleep, as hard as this will be. He looks so miserable and I can't stand it. I want to try and convince my husband that it is time to let him go but the vet keeps saying to him that there is hope. I don't believe there is hope, somehow. Another thing that upsets me is that the type of drugs used for this condition, are very toxic and will make Lukie feel very ill. I am just crying all the time. Luv Vonn

My poor little Lukie is not well today. He has been fluffed up all the time and has started vomiting. (He started vomiting, after a week, on this antibiotic the last time. I don't think it agrees with him at all.) He keeps asking for more seed and gets quite worked up if we don't get it quick enough. He wastes most of it and is not eating much as his droppings are few. They don't look all that good anymore either. They seem a little looser today. I phoned the vet first thing, but he has only just returned my call, as he had a very hectic day. He sounded so tired. I am taking Lukie in tomorrow and he will decide what to do. I have asked him to treat him for megabacteria and he has more or less agreed to do it. He says he will decide which drug to use but I want him to use Megabac.! It seems the best one. I also asked him to please give Lukie the first dose, at least, by injection. He said it is too toxic that way. He will give it to him in his crop with a feed each day. It means many long hours travelling but that doesn't concern us. We want to give Lukie the best chance. If after five days of treatment, there is no improvement, then he wants to put Lukie to sleep. I can't bear it. My precious little boy. Luv Vonn

Yes, I got the vitamins. The vet asked me to use Avipro as he says it will help Lukie cope with the effects of the antibiotic. It can give him a yeast infection and taking the Avipro may stop this happening. It's a good idea about the pellets! I will get some. I was going to wait until he is well. I'll let you know how things go. Luv Vonn