Parrot fever (not the good kind)

[LunaLovebird]

I took the birds to the vet last week for an annual check up. We got everything tested since it was the first time for both birds. It went pretty smoothly. Luna wasn't very happy about the travel cage situation, to put it mildly. I ended up having her snuggled in my shirt asleep on the drive there (I wasn't driving) because it was getting a little stressful for both of us. Anyway, we made it, got all of the tests done, went home. A few days later my vet called to say that Anakin had tested positive for psittacosis. Luna was fine, but antibodies can take a few weeks to appear and she's barely been around Ani for 3 weeks.

So, we started treatment Thursday just gone. We have 5 more weeks of shots to go. I decided to get both treated just in case, particularly because Luna and Ani have been regurgitating food for each other and spend a good portion of their day playing out together. Thankfully, it has been caught early and neither seem to be reacting badly to the injections. I was warned there would likely be some necrosis, but even that seems not to have happened. Just a little tender and sore around the belly.

Everything seems to be going okay given the situation, so I'm not as stressed or as worried as I was last week. It's just going to be an expensive, exhausting month. :dispirited:

[mdg1109]

I am so sorry that you and your fids are going through this. I hope everyone makes a speedy recovery and you can relax and get back to normal sooner rather than later :big_hug:

[Sucre]

So, I don't know a lot about diseases in birds, but I'm so glad you caught this. I still haven't made it in with Sookie, but your post reminded me of that. I need to get her checked over this week.

Do the injections have any other adverse effects? (Necrosis is bad enough!)

[PlaxMacaws]

That's a horrible thing to hear from your vet. I'm glad to know that your treatments are at least progressing relatively well. I'm sure you know that psittacosis is also contractible by humans... so it's good for everyone's sake that you're taking steps to eradicate the pathogen. The only other thing that may be/might have been a good idea would be to order a second test to rule out any chance of a false positive.

Best of luck to your feathered crew for a full and smooth elimination of the pathogen!

[LunaLovebird]

So, I don't know a lot about diseases in birds, but I'm so glad you caught this. I still haven't made it in with Sookie, but your post reminded me of that. I need to get her checked over this week.

Do the injections have any other adverse effects? (Necrosis is bad enough!)

There were a bunch, but I don't remember them all. My vet said that the very bad ones were all extremely uncommon.

[LunaLovebird]

That's a horrible thing to hear from your vet. I'm glad to know that your treatments are at least progressing relatively well. I'm sure you know that psittacosis is also contractible by humans... so it's good for everyone's sake that you're taking steps to eradicate the pathogen. The only other thing that may be/might have been a good idea would be to order a second test to rule out any chance of a false positive.

Best of luck to your feathered crew for a full and smooth elimination of the pathogen!

Trust me, I am well aware. I spent half of last Thursday disinfecting everything, and tossing what couldn't be soaked in F10. At this stage, it is about the same for me cost wise to continue treatment as it would be to have them retest. Since both of them are travelling okay with the shots, I think I'll just keep going with them. Thank you for the advice.

Anakin came to me from a shelter as stray, and probably not from a good home. His beak has an old bruise on it, his nare is somewhat scarred and one of his toes is missing. I suppose it's not completely out of the realm of possibility that he was exposed to disease too, wherever he came from. I called the RSPCA where I got him from to let them know as well. I stressed the danger of the disease pretty thoroughly, so I'm hoping they took my advice to contact the owners of the birds that where there when he was, and potentially any birds after he left if they didn't clean his cage properly between birds.

[LunaLovebird]

Oh, I should add, the vet clinic does their testing in-house. They are very reputable and good at what they do, so I feel / hope I can trust that they did the test as it should have been done and interpreted it correctly.

[Lady]

Oh goodness. I am glad you are taking good care of your babies and following up with the treatments. I have hope that all will have a good outcome. Keep us posted as you see fit.

[Casper's 2nd best friend]

I do hope that it was a false positive and that they are both going to be fine. Do they do another test at the end of the treatment?
There is an excellent article about the disease and its treatment here: [Users must be registered and logged in to view attached photos or hyperlinks]

[spiritbird]

Good thing you took them to the vet for an exam and labs. Its really exhausting and stressful to go through this. I am very sorry. It does sound like you are doing everything that should be done. Early detection is on your side. Good luck and please keep up posted.

[LunaLovebird]

I do hope that it was a false positive and that they are both going to be fine. Do they do another test at the end of the treatment?
There is an excellent article about the disease and its treatment here: [Users must be registered and logged in to view attached photos or hyperlinks]

Thanks for the info. I actually already came across that link before I even went to the vet. It's a good resource. I do not know if they retest at the 6 week mark, but the last injection is another appointment with the vet rather than the nurse. I imagine we'll probably do another antibody test then.

[LunaLovebird]

Injection two down, four more to go. It really does not seem to bother Anakin, except that the pain killers make him drowsy. When we got home tonight, he was so out of it and tired that he didn't even try to get away when I took him out, and even perched on my finger without flying off. Poor guy. Went straight to sleep when I put him to bed.

On the other hand, Luna hates everything about it. She hates the car trip and will refuse to sit anywhere except on my fingers through the cage bars. She hates waiting in the vet office. She hates being held for the needle and she HATES the needle. Thankfully, I trained her to take liquid from a syringe a while back, so accepting the pain killers has not been as problematic as it might have been otherwise. About the only thing she does like is the small window where she gets let out and can fly to me before the nurse can weigh her. The worst part for me personally is that after the injection, she holds her little wings out a bit from her body and starts to shake, which is hard to watch but I'm told is completely normal. She got a lot of cuddles when we got home.

On the plus side, neither bird had any signs of necrosis, and they are both responding well after the fact.

[The Pinkertons]

What an ordeal...as Dianne said, it's good you caught it in the early stages.
Keeping you in my thoughts for a positive outcome.

[Lady]

The updates sound positive. Keep strong and think positive, I know we all are!

[Sucre]

So glad everything is going as well as it is! And you really have me wondering if my vet could even come close to handling something like this, so I am putting a lot of thought into looking for another one. I know we do not have any avian specialty vets within a couple of hours drive. But maybe I could just find one (at a distance) for regular check ups and emergencies.

[LunaLovebird]

Injection 3 was done last Thursday. Luna is much better in the car, but she hates the travel cage and puts up a huge fuss about going in. Anakin is fine with it, even if he is against having to be manhandled in. I tried coaxing him with sunflower seeds, but he knows what the green cage is for and won't go for it.

Still no tissue necrosis or other side effects. Luna was still holding her wing out and shaking a little hours later, but was fine by the morning. Anakin was once again very drowsy. I was able to snuggle him gently against me and give him scritches when we got home, which is a first. He turned his head into it, so I am taking that as a positive.

Can't wait for this to be done with.

- - - Updated - - -

3995

From yesterday. :)

[PlaxMacaws]

I'm happy to hear that the treatments are continuing to go well for Luna and Anakin. I'm sure that all 3 of you will feel relieved once the regimen has ended.

Thanks for the update. They are looking great :D

[The Pinkertons]

They look very happy

[Lady]

They are so cute, one would never know all that you guys are dealing with. Great job!

[LunaLovebird]

Thanks all for the kind words. They're both doing pretty well. Shot 4 was last night. Luna was much better in the car and travel cage. Ani escaped in the office, but was pretty easily caught. No necrosis at all. I have one more with the nurse and then a final with the vet.

3998

[Casper's 2nd best friend]

Luna doesn't look too worried there, busy stuffing beak full of goodies. If anything Anakin looks trepidatious. Great photo of them. Glad all is well. :)

[LunaLovebird]

We're all done! The birds didn't give a damn when I told them, so I'm excited on their behalf.

4050

We had the vet this time around. She checked their poop and made sure they didn't have any yeast infection in addition to a general look over. She was extremely impressed with how Anakin was looking compared to last time she saw them, which wasn't long after we got him. I haven't noticed his appearance change much except for the bruise on his beak disappearing, but I guess I see him every day.

[PlaxMacaws]

Excellent! And they're looking very good, indeed :D. It has to be an awesome feeling of relief for you (on their behalf, of course ;)).

[Mare]

Yay!! Good news! I'm glad it's over for all of you :)

[kendrafitz]

Awesome!