Chipper Update

[spiritbird]

Ever since I started the ACV on Sept. 3rd Chipper has not vomited or had sticky feathers on his face. I realize ACV does not kill the yeast cells but this therapy has sure made him feel better. This coming Monday is our avian vet consult appointment and I have a long list of questions to take with me.

[kendrafitz]

Oh, I'm so glad to hear this!!

[plax]

I realize ACV does not kill the yeast cells but this therapy has sure made him feel better.Dianne: While I can't speak specifically to organism strains in AGY, many sources claim that ACV will kill yeast organisms. Here's a quick search example statement to that effect:

From: [Users must be registered and logged in to view attached photos or hyperlinks]

Apple Cider Vinegar

Raw apple cider vinegar is very effective. Make sure to get organic apple cider vinegar, which contains "mother" of vinegar. The mother is the enzyme that settles at the bottom of unpasteurized apple cider vinegar and actually produces the vinegar.
Apple cider vinegar kills yeast and is very soothing. It is very strong however and may burn if directly applied to the yeast infection. Try diluting in at least a 1:1 ratio or better yet, drawing a bath and adding a cup or two of apple cider vinegar.


I'm so happy to hear that some of Chipper's symptoms have diminished :)

[Lady]

It's wonderful that Chipper is feeling better! I am sure it makes you feel a bit more at ease. Hope the vet visit will be a success.

[2birds]

I thought the ACV kills yeast organisms as well. I don't know how they would be able to thrive in such an environment.
I'm glad to hear that Chipper is doing much better. I could see where they would be hard to treat for anything, they are such little guys.

[spiritbird]

I am told by the people that have been though GYI with their birds that ACV will not destroy yeast. I will find out this Monday. Please see update in the other thread I Don't Know What to do". thanks all Tony could you please give me the link where you got the info. on ACV saying it will kill the yeast cells.

[plax]

Tony could you please give me the link where you got the info. on ACV saying it will kill the yeast cells.Certainly, Dianne. Here it is:

[Users must be registered and logged in to view attached photos or hyperlinks]

[Macaw Lover]

Breeders use ACV to clear up the yeast in crops or if the crop is slow, they need to be given the yogurt to balance out the good bacteria the body needs

[spiritbird]

There is so much information on the web about avian yeast infections one hardly knows what to believe. That is the main reason I am seeing this avian specialist. Here is another product that also drops the ph thus making a more acid environment. [Users must be registered and logged in to view attached photos or hyperlinks] I have a bag of this too if the vet says it is better to use than ACV. I am getting an herb salad mix very soon in the mail from Wisconsin. I spoke to the person, in detail about Chipper, who processes this product and she believe the yeast will be gone if my budgies eat it. That is a If too. Off subject but this person told me the best thing for calcium is egg shells. We all know about that but I did not know to boil them after removal from the egg and then bake in the oven at a low temp until very dry. This way one knows they are clean and safe to feed.

[spiritbird]

Spoke too soon. Chipper has been head bobbing just about every day. Is it vomiting? Is it a learned behavior? It is not regurgitation because no food is brought up.
Since it is time to get one more bottle of the amphotericin B medication I decided to call the vet and talk with them. It was suggested I make a follow up visit and I did that today, Friday the 10th, Oct. Chipper did the head bobbing right in front of the doc and he said it looked like it could be either one of the previous suggestions. Doc did a crop swab for two test, gram stain and PCR. The PCR will not be back until next Wednesday. At that point he will prescribe more amph., perhaps compounded with Nystatin depending upon the results. Or we can stop all meds if test are negative. Interesting doc said yeast is usually easily treated in the big birds but not in the litte ones. Sometimes the yeast can never be killed so the bird lives with it and if symptomatic you treat with the antifungals again. So things are still up in the air until test results.

[Pinkbirdy]

I hope things stay better for him . Feel good in knowing your doing all you can :)

[plax]

Please continue to keep us updated, Dianne.

[spiritbird]

Overslept this morning because I stayed up late watching the baseball game. He did not get his meds on time and boy was he vomiting this time. Poor guy, I am sorry I did that. Should have recorded the game and watched it today. Go O's.

2400

[spiritbird]

Got a call from vet today and Chipper remains positive for gastric yeast in both droppings and crop. Now he will be getting more amphotericin B compounded with Nystatin. We will see how this does for a few weeks and then run more swabs.

[froggij]

So sorry to hear that Dianne! I hope this round gets it taken care of. Poor Chipper.

[plax]

I'm as well sorry to hear about Chipper's status, Dianne :(. Hopefully the next test will show marked improvement.

[Lady]

Drat that pesky infection,

Dianne, I know you have an open mind and I am going to leave a link to an article about a budgie owner, Bettina Buckermann from Germany who had successfully used thyme tea to aid her buggie of the infection along with medication she was giving under the care and direction of her vet. I hope it may help.

[Users must be registered and logged in to view attached photos or hyperlinks]

Hugs to little Chipper and you~

[2birds]

Drat that pesky infection,

Dianne, I know you have an open mind and I am going to leave a link to an article about a budgie owner, Bettina Buckermann from Germany who had successfully used thyme tea to aid her buggie of the infection along with medication she was giving under the care and direction of her vet. I hope it may help.

[Users must be registered and logged in to view attached photos or hyperlinks]

Hugs to little Chipper and you~


Thyme does have anti fungal properties.

[spiritbird]

I made tyme tea and put it in their water dishes for 1 month. I also dried it and put in their food and still do. There are a few herbs that are supposed to help rid the body of yeast and my birds are getting them. Another is dandelion greens. Thank you very much for the link - I will read it right now.

Later: that is a very good first hand article. I have been to 2 vets and neither one of them had any knowledge of herbal medicine. Basically for dosages you only have the internet to go by. Chipper does eat the herb salad. He is now spitting up seeds in thick mucous, on my arm. The doc told me that sometimes the birds with AG yeast are on the amph. for months and months. I will not let him suffer and go into the body wasting part of this disease where they can no longer absorb nutrients and start with wt. loss. Last wt. was 46 gms. a bit less than the time before 54 gms. Vet was not concerned.

[spiritbird]

Update Oct. 21st: Chipper continues to be vomiting every morning when I remove the cover from the cage. Took a photo today so you can see how he is looking. Not too good if you ask me. I hope no other small birds get this terrible yeast. He seems to perk up in the late morning to afternoon and exercises with Daisy and eats well. Please send him all the healing prayers you have. The medication is still in use and the enhanced diet is consumed.

2430

[plax]

A[Users must be registered and logged in to view attached photos or hyperlinks] that poor sweet little guy :(. Have you found many (or any) case accounts of budgies who've contracted AGY and have fully recovered from it? Have you tried adding anise to the thyme?

Below is an article quote from a case account of a budgie with AGY who apparently overcame his AGY symptoms and sustained a healthy life thereafter. Note the herbal treatments (thyme and anise) and their proportions and means of delivery. Maybe you've already seen this but I thought I would post it in case you haven't...


Supporting therapies and treatments for megabacteriosis/GL patients

The budgie owner Bettina Buckermann from Germany received the diagnosis GL in autumn 2001. Her male budgie Pierrot became sick and the vet found out that megabacteria caused his severe health problems. From this day on, Mrs. Buckermann tried to support Pierrot's organism by the aid of some additional treatments. She wanted to share her knowledge and experiences with other bird owners:

"The first treatment in the avian clinic was successfully, but 9 weeks later Pierrot suffered a relapse. The second treatment followed, and 5 weeks later another relapse weakened my bird. We could not take the responsibility for another treatment because of side effects of the drugs we used to cure the bird. Pierrot looked very agile and active despite he was suffering from the infection with megabacteria. I was wondering what I could do for him and therefore I read a book about the medical use of herbs.

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."

Certainly you have to make sure your bird accepts the tea. If so, you can try to prepare a mash from the herbs and serve it to your bird. Mrs. Buckermann's budgie Pierrot accepted this mash and she noted: "You should not serve too much mash to your bird. Otherwise problems with kidney (due to proteins) and liver (due to fat) can result from this special diet. As Pierrot has been regularly weighted and checked (the values were listed each time) I have been able to learn quickly from the thyme therapy."

Certainly thyme and anise don't replace any kind of (preceding) treatment with antifungal drugs, but it seems as if these herbs really have a remarkably positive effect on a bird's health.

Mrs. Buckermann continued: "The mash I prepared for Pierrot consisted of a small quantity (like a pea) of low fat curd cheese (most probably to many proteins in the long run) and cereal baby food (without sugar and milk) and a pinch of thyme and anise tea. For feeding I have invented a special procedure. I put the mash on the tip of my finger and put it into Pierrot's beak. Well, a lot of patience was needed! Even after he had recovered, I was still feeding Pierrot with this thyme-mash from time to time (not daily)."

Mrs. Buckermann wanted to point out that this herb mash is not the one and only treatment for GL patients. And furthermore she said: "A correct dosage is of high importance, because other health problems can appear in case of an overdose. You should start the therapy with just a small quantity and a light thyme tea. I primarily watched the consistency of Pierrot's droppings, weight and health conditions every day and documented it. You should not feed your bird just on this mash, this would be far too one-sided. I served a lot of fresh food like fruit, vegetables, and occasionally a little bit boiled yolk and sprouted seeds as well. Do not feed a bird too much in spite of you mean well. My budgie gained weight and suddenly he was overweighed!"

From: [Users must be registered and logged in to view attached photos or hyperlinks]

[froggij]

Oh that poor little guy. Good thoughts and healing prayers headed his way :( Poor Chip

[spiritbird]

I have been supporting his immune system with herbal medicine such as Thyme and Dandelion. I am currently putting potassium benzoate in his drinking-water. Before that I gave him thyme tea for a month. In between that it was apple cider vinegar in the drinking water. He is eating the herb salad well. Also giving him Dr. Hervey's supplement. It is called WFS plus. Natural Food Treats and Supplements for Birds - Dr. Harvey's ([Users must be registered and logged in to view attached photos or hyperlinks]) At the end stage of yeast the bird can no longer absorb nutrients and they begin to loose weight and energy. It is called wasting away. It is at that point that I view him as suffering and will then end his precious little life. What would you do? What else can I do?

I have been buying fresh Thyme herb and hanging it in the cage but they do not eat it. So I dry it and put in the food and mix in herb salad. Tony my avian vet did say it is the little birds that have a very difficult time fighting off the yeast once it gets settled in the body. He still have a few weeks left of the amph. and nystatin mix. It is also much easier to give a large bird like yours the medication. Chipper will sometimes hold the med in his mouth and not swallow then later spit it out. That may be part of why it is harder on the little birdies. Thanks for the article above.

[plax]

Dianne: You are doing a huge amount for Chipper... I know that you love him and don't want him to suffer. My thought was to find other cases where budgies afflicted with the same illness (Avian Gastric Yeast - AKA megabacteria - AKA Macrorhabdus ornithogaster) were seemingly cured, and to learn exactly what their successful treatment regimens were. By reading the full article at [Users must be registered and logged in to view attached photos or hyperlinks] it became evident to me that there's disagreement among experts on the duration and dosage of treatment substances for AGY. That could be a factor. Of course each individual bird's severity of illness and its immune system status are absolute factors... which unfortunately may override everything else when a bird becomes ill enough.

So, Dianne, one of the things that stood out after reading the article is whether or not it might be worth adding the herb "anise" to Chipper's cocktail of herbs. That herb was part of the remedy that Mrs. Buckermann administered to her ill budgie (Pierrot) as described in the article. Could Chipper's consumption of ground anise along with thyme be an important curative element? I don't know. I'm simply wondering whether it might be worth trying.

I fully understand that the "Going Light" (or wasting phase) part of the disease is horrific and creates tremendous suffering. It would be wonderful to find a common denominator among budgies who have seemingly recovered from serious AGY infections and apply the same treatment measures used on them for similar success with Chipper. So I'm certainly not saying you've done anything wrong, Dianne.... it actually in fact sounds like you're doing everything right! I've merely been trying to ponder 'outside the box' (as it were).

[Lady]

Ah Dianne,
You are doing all you possibly can for your sweet little boy. I think you have to do what is in your heart. Not one of us would be able to watch our baby suffer and would due the same. I too will keep you and Chipper in my prayers.

[spiritbird]

I read the article a while ago and did not focus on the anise. You are so right Tony about the information on the web is all over the place with treatments. The success stories on other forums are usually the big birds. Treatment with the anti fungal seem to be repeated several times and some birds have not had the yeast return and others relapse. I will look into anise. Thank you all.

[spiritbird]

[Users must be registered and logged in to view attached photos or hyperlinks] This is the herb salad my birds are eating. Click on herb salad and scroll down to what is included. Isn't licorice root the same as anise?

Better days.

[Users must be registered and logged in to view attached photos or hyperlinks]

[plax]

[Users must be registered and logged in to view attached photos or hyperlinks] This is the herb salad my birds are eating. Click on herb salad and scroll down to what is included. Isn't licorice root the same as anise?My information is that licorice and anise come from two different plants. I've read that some candy companies use anise as flavoring for their licorice since it has a similar flavor. Below are excerpts from the wikipedia definitions:

Licorice
Liquorice or licorice (/ ([Users must be registered and logged in to view attached photos or hyperlinks])ˈ ([Users must be registered and logged in to view attached photos or hyperlinks])l ([Users must be registered and logged in to view attached photos or hyperlinks])ɪ ([Users must be registered and logged in to view attached photos or hyperlinks])k ([Users must be registered and logged in to view attached photos or hyperlinks])(ə) ([Users must be registered and logged in to view attached photos or hyperlinks])r ([Users must be registered and logged in to view attached photos or hyperlinks])ɪ ([Users must be registered and logged in to view attached photos or hyperlinks])ʃ ([Users must be registered and logged in to view attached photos or hyperlinks])/ ([Users must be registered and logged in to view attached photos or hyperlinks])lik-(ə-)rish ([Users must be registered and logged in to view attached photos or hyperlinks]) or / ([Users must be registered and logged in to view attached photos or hyperlinks])ˈ ([Users must be registered and logged in to view attached photos or hyperlinks])l ([Users must be registered and logged in to view attached photos or hyperlinks])ɪ ([Users must be registered and logged in to view attached photos or hyperlinks])k ([Users must be registered and logged in to view attached photos or hyperlinks])(ə) ([Users must be registered and logged in to view attached photos or hyperlinks])r ([Users must be registered and logged in to view attached photos or hyperlinks])ɪ ([Users must be registered and logged in to view attached photos or hyperlinks])s ([Users must be registered and logged in to view attached photos or hyperlinks])/ ([Users must be registered and logged in to view attached photos or hyperlinks])lik-(ə-)ris ([Users must be registered and logged in to view attached photos or hyperlinks]); see spelling differences ([Users must be registered and logged in to view attached photos or hyperlinks]) )[2] ([Users must be registered and logged in to view attached photos or hyperlinks]_note-2) is the root of Glycyrrhiza glabra from which a somewhat sweet flavour can be extracted. The liquorice plant is a legume ([Users must be registered and logged in to view attached photos or hyperlinks]) that is native to southern Europe, India and parts of Asia. It is not botanically related to anise ([Users must be registered and logged in to view attached photos or hyperlinks]), star anise ([Users must be registered and logged in to view attached photos or hyperlinks]), or fennel ([Users must be registered and logged in to view attached photos or hyperlinks]), which are sources of similar flavouring compounds.

Anise
Anise/ ([Users must be registered and logged in to view attached photos or hyperlinks])ˈ ([Users must be registered and logged in to view attached photos or hyperlinks])æ ([Users must be registered and logged in to view attached photos or hyperlinks])n ([Users must be registered and logged in to view attached photos or hyperlinks])ɪ ([Users must be registered and logged in to view attached photos or hyperlinks])s ([Users must be registered and logged in to view attached photos or hyperlinks])/ ([Users must be registered and logged in to view attached photos or hyperlinks]),[1] ([Users must be registered and logged in to view attached photos or hyperlinks]_note-1)Pimpinella anisum, also called aniseed, is a flowering plant ([Users must be registered and logged in to view attached photos or hyperlinks]) in the family Apiaceae ([Users must be registered and logged in to view attached photos or hyperlinks]) native to the eastern Mediterranean region ([Users must be registered and logged in to view attached photos or hyperlinks])and Southwest Asia ([Users must be registered and logged in to view attached photos or hyperlinks]). Its flavor has similarities with some other spices, such as star anise ([Users must be registered and logged in to view attached photos or hyperlinks]), fennel ([Users must be registered and logged in to view attached photos or hyperlinks]), and liquorice ([Users must be registered and logged in to view attached photos or hyperlinks]).




EDIT: Great video, Dianne! Chipper is such a super cutie :D

[Lady]

Oh he is so sweet! He sure has plenty to chat about. Thanks for sharing the video. Prayers and hugs heading your way

[spiritbird]

I have been feeding Dr. Hervey's Parakeet food for a long time and it does contain anise seeds. Here are the ingredients:

Ingredients
White Millet, Canola Seed, Niger Seed, Canary Grass Seed, Oat Groats, Red Millet, Apple, Coconut, Carrot, Mango Dices, Hemp Seed, Sesame Seed, Flaxseed, Anise Seed, Poppy Seed, Caraway Seed, Banana, Orange Peel, Macadamia Nuts, Brazil Nuts, Filbert, Cashews, Almonds, Pine Nuts, Pecans, Walnuts, Pistachios, Soybeans, Broccoli, Zucchini, Green Beans, Green Bell Peppers, Red Bell Peppers, Freeze-Dried Peas, Spinach, Celery, Parsley

Thanks so much for checking to see if anise and licorice root are the same thing.

[plax]

I have been feeding Dr. Hervey's Parakeet food for a long time and it does contain anise seeds. Here are the ingredients:

Ingredients
White Millet, Canola Seed, Niger Seed, Canary Grass Seed, Oat Groats, Red Millet, Apple, Coconut, Carrot, Mango Dices, Hemp Seed, Sesame Seed, Flaxseed, Anise Seed, Poppy Seed, Caraway Seed, Banana, Orange Peel, Macadamia Nuts, Brazil Nuts, Filbert, Cashews, Almonds, Pine Nuts, Pecans, Walnuts, Pistachios, Soybeans, Broccoli, Zucchini, Green Beans, Green Bell Peppers, Red Bell Peppers, Freeze-Dried Peas, Spinach, Celery, ParsleyThat's very good, then :). But I suppose it as well begs the questions of... 1) whether or not he is consuming any of the anise seeds, and 2) if he is consuming them, whether the amounts he is ingesting happen to be near the equivalent of a treatment dose.


Thanks so much for checking to see if anise and licorice root are the same thing.You're quite welcome, Dianne.

[spiritbird]

Those questions I have no answer to. You left me speechless Tony. Chipper had a better day today. He looked better, had more energy and flew to my arm several times to give kisses. :loveit:

[plax]

I'm so glad to hear he had a better day today :). And I hope he has many more of them! Please keep us updated, Dianne.

[spiritbird]

Vet visit report Oct. 31: New
Vet visit report: Chipper has gone from 48gm. to 38gm. as of today. Quite a wt loss. The vet wants to "go back to basics in the diet". I am to stop all herbs, fancy foods and seeds, nothing in the water except ampho. He will be eating a rather plain parakeet seed and non sugared cereals. If eating from my plate he can have potatoes, rice or pasta cooked. Sort of like the diet a person with a stomach ulcer would be on. We do this for two weeks and then go back for a re-check on wt. and amt. of vomiting. Depending on how he is doing we may start (one at a time) reglan, flagyl and pro biotic. That way we can observe the response in a more detailed way. The amph. is in a powder form now and I mix it with only 4 oz. water then put 2 oz. of water in drinking cup which is not much at all. Will only have one drinking cup in the cage instead of 2. In this way the birds will be taking in the medication all day long as they sip the water instead of getting it by beak all at once twice a day. Vet told me duflucon would kill a budgie so that is out. He offered to test for giardia but the testing is much more than I can afford. Chipper does not have symptoms of that anyway. Giardia: Causes, Symptoms and Treatment ([Users must be registered and logged in to view attached photos or hyperlinks]) How does this play sound to those members with experience?

[plax]

Dianne: My guess is that your vet is considering the fact that it's impossible to know how much of the anti-fungal medication is making it into Chipper's system. Administering the amph B in his water is a sure way to know that he's ingesting it. And my suspicion is that your vet wants to be certain that there are no unknown negative effects from some of the unusual foods you have been feeding Chipper in an effort to help him. By eliminating the herbs and other items from Chipper's diet, it should be possible to see if the medication can be effective on its own without wondering if some interference is occurring from the herbs on a molecular level. At least that's the impression I'm taking from your vet's new plan.

I'm so sorry that Chipper is losing weight. Lets see how this new treatment plan goes. Please continue to update us on his fight.

[froggij]

Poor Chipper! Yes, I'd agree with Tony on that one - I know even in humans certain herbal supplements can undo medications (St. John's Wort, for example, can undo birth control medications as well as negate the effects of some other things), so that sounds like a reasonable thing. Giardia is apparently quite common in smaller birds and they don't seem to always have symptoms that make sense. We're fairly certain that's what Orsino had when I first got him, he would have some pretty major sniffling and good colds, followed by random vomiting fits where he'd have real problems for a few days and then it would go away. The over-the-counter antibiotics you can get for birds were recommended, but they tore up his stomach and started making him vomit more. The vet also told me about the expensive test, but since I didn't have money for it, he noted that an anti-parasitic injection was cheaper and really wouldn't hurt him so he went ahead and gave him that without the test, as well as a vitamin A shot to boost his immune system- Orsino's never even had the sniffles again ever since that round of shots, I've never had to give him medication again since. But it literally took a few years for us (and a switch of vets) to figure out that the amoeba was causing his immune system to lower and make him prone to infection, but he didn't vomit until the very last three times we had him into the vet for treatment. From what I gathered from my vet, it can sometimes be hard to diagnose and sometimes the amoebas won't even show up on the test, but every vet has a different strategy. Still, something to look into, the anti-parasitic shot. That website looks quite useful, too, they've got most of the stuff that my vet and I talked about during Orsino's episodes, as well as some extra stuff I didn't know about.

I hope Chipper feels better soon!

[spiritbird]

Thanks, all advice welcome. I do not want to jinx Chipper but after a few days of bland food and amphotercin B in the water he seems to act more energetic and his feathers look better. x fingers and pray.

[plax]

Thanks, all advice welcome. I do not want to jinx Chipper but after a few days of bland food and amphotercin B in the water he seems to act more energetic and his feathers look better. x fingers and pray.That sounds encouraging, Dianne! Lets hope he's on a good track!!

BTW, I sent you a thought in my PM response this morning. It's something you may or may not want to consider.

[Lady]

Everything is crossed except my eyes, it will be difficult to sleep this way tonight, but for Chipper no problem, I will persevere! Prayers will work better I think, they are on there way~~

[spiritbird]

Thanks both of you. I will work on a letter for that address Tony in the am. Oh one more thing I noticed Chipper is seldom vomiting now.

[plax]

Oh one more thing I noticed Chipper is seldom vomiting now.That is wonderful :D

[froggij]

Yay!

[spiritbird]

Vet visit Nov. 11 Saw a different avian vet in the same office. Since Chipper still vomits (not as much) female vet wants me to begin Flagyl. She thinks it will help him to feel better. Says it is a GI antibiotic. If I want I can give him a bit of yogurt if he will learn to eat it.
Also have Reglan for nausea and vomiting if needed. Will continue on the Ampho. in the drinking water for 14 more days and if he is not vomiting then will repeat the labs. Good thing is Chipper was up 2 gm. in weight to 40. [Users must be registered and logged in to view attached photos or hyperlinks] So it is back to giving meds by beak twice a day. Daisy had a check up today also and seemed to be OK. Her weight is stable at 45 gm. Thanks everyone for your well wishes, it means the world to me. [Users must be registered and logged in to view attached photos or hyperlinks]

[plax]

It's very nice to hear that Chipper is up a couple of grams. Apparently you have some very good vets for him... and of course you've been doing a terrific job with his care. Hopefully the improvements will continue and his suffering will diminish even more.

Thanks for the update, Dianne!

[froggij]

I'm so glad to hear that Diane! Such great news :) You do a wonderful job of being a "mom"

[Lady]

YAY~~~ oh how wonderful he has picked up some weight and Daisy is well too. I love to celebrate the little steps in life~

[kendrafitz]

What great news!!!

[spiritbird]

Today, Wednesday, Chipper acts like his old self. He cannot seem to keep his head out of the food bowl. He has only had 2 doses of Flagyl so far. :tickled_pink:

[Lady]

Awesome news~ :th_smile: for an awesome little guy and his family!

[plax]

Today, Wednesday, Chipper acts like his old self. He cannot seem to keep his head out of the food bowl. He has only had 2 doses of Flagyl so far. :tickled_pink:WOW! That's amazing!! I'm extremely happy to hear this, Dianne :D. You're doing such a wonderful job for him :)

[froggij]

Yay yay yay! Sounds like all those anti-nausea meds are helping. Good to hear! So glad he's feeling better!

[spiritbird]

Friday 11/21 Chipper is looking good, more active, talking like his old self and only 2 episodes of vomiting in the last 10 days. He actually looks so much better to me. The addition of Flagyl must be what was needed. Have another vet appt. next Tuesday and they may repeat the swabs I am thinking. Here is todays photo:

2541

[Mare]

He's looking GOOD, Dianne! I'm so happy to hear that his treatment is helping him :)

[plax]

Excellent! :highfive:. That's so great to hear, Dianne :). Chipper certainly has the best of care! His weight status should be an indicator of his ability to continue improving (or at the very least to sustain) with his current regimen. I'll be anxious to hear what the vet thinks.

[Animalman2046]

Dianne Chipper is so lucky to have you taking care of him. You sure do love him a lot. I hope he gets better soon. Prayers and hugs here.

[kendrafitz]

So happy he is doing better!!! He looks great!! Lucky boy to have such a good Mommy!!

[Lady]

This is awesome news :happy-feet:. He sure is a cutie. I'm looking forward to hearing what the next step will be. Keep up the great care you are giving him and let him know we are all rooting him on:th_cheer::th_cheer::th_cheer: !

[spiritbird]

Your positive remarks are very inspiring. Only on PP would we get such heart felt wishes for my little yellow man.

[spiritbird]

Visit to vet today. Sadly Chipper has lost 4 gms. He is now weighing only 36 gm. and I asked the girl to weigh him twice. Vet put him on a new antibiotic called Orbifloxacin. Not too much on the web about its use in avian medicine. Will continue the amphotericin in the drinking water and the Reglan for nausea and vomiting. She is sending away droppings testing for the continued presence of yeast. We will wait until the result is in for what comes next in the treatment plans. Poor little guy is being bombarded with medications .AGY is so frustrating to treat in small birds. He was a good boy at the docs, sang and talked big time. I had to ask the staff to remove the resident cats from the waiting room because they would not leave him alone. They did remove them. You would think in an avian vets office they would not have so many cats roaming around.

[plax]

I'm sad to hear about Chipper's weight loss, Dianne :(. How has his appetite been going? Has he been eating noticeably less and less? And how do his droppings look? And BTW, I really have to admire Chipper for maintaining his cheerfulness throughout this very difficult period of his life and during his veterinary appointments :encouragement:

I too find it strange that an avian vet would have cats running loose in his office environment :th_shakehead:

[spiritbird]

His appetite is good and he seems not to like any fresh foods as much as cage mate. His droppings look normal to me. That new antiB cost $68. On my bill. I was talking to the vet about how I cannot afford test and meds much longer. When I got home noticed a notation for $52. Discount on the new med. That was so unexpected and kind. Must remember to thank her. Living just on SS is a difficult balance. There is a very kind Santa on another forum sending Chipper a new toy. Bird people are very thoughtful.

[plax]

I'm so glad you received a discount. It was certainly a generous gesture on your vet's part.

If you find that Chipper's weight fluctuates in both directions to any degree it may be a good sign (as opposed to a progressive diminishment - i.e, a wasting scenario). I realize that Chipper is seriously ill... but still, you can never tell what may occur. Jack's weight always drops significantly in the fall and winter months. It then climbs back up around springtime. During the summer months he's always near his peak weight range. I'm remaining confident in Chipper's case!

[spiritbird]

Thanks Tony for all your encouragements. At least he gets his meds now only once per day.The new antibiotic is the consistency of honey so it goes in his mouth and does not drip out.

[kendrafitz]

Im sorry Chipper lost weight. How nice was it of his vet to give you a discount. I hope Chipper loves his toy from his Santa friend. :)

[spiritbird]

Today I am so happy I cannot believe it. Chippers droppings tested NEGATIVE for yeast. No more medications and stress for my little love. Please rejoice with me. It is a miracle!

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I must watch him closely and promote a weight gain. He started the day vomiting again and looking like he did not feel good.
As the day progressed he seemed more energized. I hope the test was accurate. The main doc told me in the beginning this test should have about 5 days worth of droppings collected together. The other doc took the droppings from the cage that day. If he keeps up the alternating of not looking good and looking just fine I may do the test again for the 5 days. Always a worried Mommy.

thanks so much everyone for your well wishes. I told him he has lots of friends rooting for him.

[kendrafitz]

Yayyyyy!!!! I am so happy for you and Chipper. What awesome news!!!

[plax]

WOW! That's amazing news, Dianne!!! The best of congratulations to Chipper and yourself :pinkgrin:. As you've mentioned, though, I think I would insist upon another fecal test using 5 days of his droppings. It's better to be safe than sorry and you said that Chipper began his day this morning by vomiting, right?

Nonetheless, this is indeed very GREAT news! :th_biggrin: ....I'm so happy to hear it!!!

[Cedardave]

I'm pretty sure the trick with acv is both using the organic as it contains the mother, and persistence.We have successfully eliminated ear infections in our dogs....the trick is dilute it and use it for a long time.Eventally all the annoying yeast will have an environment unsuitable for its growth.

[spiritbird]

Yes I used pure unfiltered apple cider vinegar for one month. Tony, I have already started collecting droppings and will take them to the vets office in 6 days time. As a retired nurse I know one test result may be false. The way chipper looked this morning and the way the test samples were collected by the female vet only allows a test on those droppings and no others. I am happily cautious now.

[plax]

I think you're proceeding quite wisely, Dianne. I'll be very anxious to learn the results of the subsequent test. We're all pulling for Chipper with high hopes!

[Lady]

Wow, what super wonderful news! Keep up the good work Dianne, I know it mustn't be easy. Sure seems like it is paying off.

[froggij]

Dianne, I'm so glad to hear that about Chipper. Hoping for more negative test results and lots more smiles :)