Thanks everyone for your thoughts and prayers.

 

Cosmo is back home!!!

 

He's not really better though - HEAPS better than Monday of course, but he's lost a lot of weight and he's still kicking his bottom a bit although the poos are getting more and more solid. The crop is fully down and has stopped filling with air. He just seems a bit little and frail. But he has got some of his spunk back, haven't heard him talking yet though.

 

He was very happy to see us a bit stressed by the vet nurse trying to catch him so in the clinic he was just a bit shaky but the second we got to the car the first thing he did was fluff up his head to my finger that was holding the side of the carrier.. and he received a continuous head scratch for the entire 25min drive home, stopping only to preen me. He's usually pretty tame and friendly but not quite that affectionate so maybe he was just really happy to be taken home.

 

Piccolo missed Cosmo... but Cosmo didn't miss Piccolo. As soon as Cosmo was back in the cage he just wanted some peace and space but Piccolo followed him around everywhere like an annoying little brother. I felt a little bad.... it's like Cosmo is more bonded to people than to Piccolo, but the main reason we got Piccolo was so Cosmo would have a friend.

 

Anyway.... I have got digital weighing scales and his weight is the same as last night, I will keep checking on him and hope he starts gaining more weight on his own. He's only 42g at the moment.... that's so light for him.

 

The vet nurse didn't have anything she said I should take- I asked for probiotics and she said that he'll be fine and the only good thing they can have is pellets. Sooo.... any tips??

 

I want to avoid him catching anything again especially because Christmas is approaching and he'll be staying with my parents for 10 days while we go on holidays.

I asked for probiotics and she said that he'll be fine and the only good thing they can have is pellets. Sooo.... any tips??

 

 

PELLETS ? what a load of @#$$##%^^ ( are you beginning to think Vets and vet staff have been brainwashed en mass by the pellet companies ? )

 

Bes tof luck with him.............do you have a cage for him alone where he can rest away from Piccolo ?

Edited November 26, 200915 yr by KAZ

Yeah we do... but I'm thinking maybe of putting Piccolo in there so Cosmo can be in his own home. I kept a good eye on them last night and they are acting normal again now, so I'm not sure if they need to be separated or not

 

Yeah I know, it's really tricky with the pellets.... they did such a good job with him, but I have had this sense of "well, no wonder you're having problems, he's on a seed diet" attitude from a few of the staff there...

Great to hear Cosmo is improving, hoping for more good news!

Yeah we do... but I'm thinking maybe of putting Piccolo in there so Cosmo can be in his own home. I kept a good eye on them last night and they are acting normal again now, so I'm not sure if they need to be separated or not

 

Yeah I know, it's really tricky with the pellets.... they did such a good job with him, but I have had this sense of "well, no wonder you're having problems, he's on a seed diet" attitude from a few of the staff there...

 

birds eat seed their idiots you dont find pellets growing out in the wild do u

just as you been doing and extra stuff as per norm why no to probots i dont know why the lady would say he didnt need them

well great to hear hes home

GenericBlue - I don't think they sell it. I'd like to try and get some though, I think..

 

I've separated them for now because Piccolo was disturbing Cosmo from eating.

 

I think Cosmo's balance isn't fantastic still maybe that's just part of being weak? He's not like falling or anything but he needs to put his wings up if I'm carrrying him around anywhere, and he jerks a bit if there's a breeze

Give him time. They are such frail little things that when they go close to the edge it takes a little while to come back.

I'm so glad he's home. I'm sure he'll be fragile for awhile. Perhaps you could keep them separate but give them time together, inside or out of cage, depends on what you think Cosmo can handle best. Does he like millet and sunflower seeds? If so I'd make sure he had them... I know when I had sick birds, eating millet was always a positive sign and a big hit.

 

If his balance is off, you could give him a thicker perch inside his cage, so he doesn't have to balance as 'full on', this is unless adding to his cage might freak him out, as changes probably aren't a good idea. As to the pellets... changing his diet now would be stupid!!! Not that you are going to . You could always have some in another dish if you like.

 

The probiotic could be worth a try to if you want. If it were me, I'd probably see how he goes for a few days, and if he's putting on weight and seeming better, then I'd add it. I'd hesitate to add it straight away, only because adding it to his water or food may put him off it, which you don't want. I've used it in the past, and it seems to have helped.

 

I'm still keeping your little fella in my thoughts and hoping he keeps on improving.

I have a hen with an enlarged crop and am taking her to the vet this afternoon (he is an avian vet specialist).

 

I will let you know the results of his analysis.

Thanks renee, I hope she is okay.

Cosmo had some bacterial infection, I think it was called a gram negative ?? does that sound right to anyone else? Whatever it is, I guess the most important thing is they treated it.

 

Maesie - he does have one thick perch and now you mention it he is spending most of his time on it. I have given him millet and he devoured it (weight is still the same- not up or down) and I also just gave them some spinach which is his favourite food. I think he's doing fine but as you say he is still really weak. that the worst is over ....

Thanks renee, I hope she is okay.

Cosmo had some bacterial infection, I think it was called a gram negative ?? does that sound right to anyone else?

 

So glad to hear he's on the mend. He's very lucky to be so well loved!

 

I'm a microbiologist so yes, the gram negtive part is correct...it refers to the staining characteristics of the bcteria itself. Typically, the vet would have used the term gram negative to refer to enteric bacteria.

 

Hope that helps

I'm so happy to hear that Cosmo is feeling better ... here's to a speedy recovery little one.

I have a hen with an enlarged crop and am taking her to the vet this afternoon (he is an avian vet specialist).

 

I will let you know the results of his analysis. :thumbs_up:

Well I'm back from the vets.

 

Diagnosis: Yeast infection

Meds: mixture of Amoxil and Nilstat

Treatment: wait for crop to empty completely (ie. withhold food for 12 hours) then 4 drops direct to crop (crop needle) 3 times a day for 5 days.

 

I am feeling a bit foolish 'cause my interpretation of vet speak is diagnosis Megabacteria, treatment Fungilin .... in fact the tiny bottle of meds I have just picked up has a remarkable resemblance to the larger bottle of Fungilin I have in my fridge ....

 

You live and learn! :hmm:

Fingers crossed he rebounds and is healthy this time for good :thumbs_up:

Gahh... Cosmo has put on all his weight and been his old noisy friendly self lately.

 

Now I've noticed his crop seems misshapen a little on one side hope it's not all coming back

 

We were meant to have our follow up consult and blood test this Wednesday but they rang and said the vet won't be in so we changed it to next Monday. Bummer I'd prefer an appointment on Wednesday than waiting another week in case it is coming back.

 

At least it's happened at the start of the week this time - the last two times he got sick was on a Friday and we couldn't access the vet all weekend... we can keep a good watch on him now.

Edited December 7, 200915 yr by krosp

We took Cosmo back to the vet and had a follow up. Cosmo's crop is big again, but this time it's not fluid, it's just air. The vet thinks he may be sucking it in as a habit for anxiety. He thinks that Cosmo does not know he's a bird - he is more bonded to people, and maybe the stress of me being away from home 6 days a week during October, combined with mating season, might have had something to do with the stress that brought on the sickness. He also thinks perhaps if Cosmo is anxious enough it could lead to overeating which could lead to liver disease which could explain why Cosmo is getting so fat and unhealthy.

 

Just a theory for now, but we've done general bloods and will find out the results tomorrow or wednesday.

 

It's true that Cosmo is far more bonded to us than he is to Piccolo.... but I never thought of him as anxious. Piccolo seems more anxious to me in that he is easily startled.

 

Plus one more thing - Cosmo's feathers have changed colour, he seems to be turning blue again! This does not make any sense to me at all. Does that ever just randomly happen to yellow face type 2 budgies?

Can't help with your questions unfortunately, but thanks for the update & looking forward to hear the test results...

Nothing abnormal in his bloods except raised cholesterol, which the vet attributes to a seed diet...

 

My husband took the call, I was at work... I would have liked to have asked what exactly has been ruled out, and what his hypothesis is now. The only thing he said was that it's not a liver problem.

 

Cosmo looks so weird though... his crop is so full of air on one side... wish I had the explanation!

Having no answers is so hard!!! Do you trust your vet? Not saying you shouldn't, but just wondering if there is another avian specialist nearby for a second opinion??? I'm sure everything is being done that can, but often a fresh set of experienced eyes can do wonders.

 

Sending hugs to you and wellness and health to your special little man. Get well soon Cosmo xoxoxoxoxox

hows cosmo going now, he still okay?.