Zebra Wobbly Head

[lnlovesorange]

You can add the ACV to his water. And again I think applesauce might help too if you have that.... Um Sally lovezebs am I remembering correctly? At least you have the mat to keep him warm, i was just trying to help out, letting you know you didn't need to buy anything special, a regular light bulb would do in a regular lamp pointed at him, but if it feels warm, then that's sufficient. Good Luck, and again keep us posted, I'll be thinking about your little buddy, hoping he gets better....

[Animalzoo]

Cindy

Thanks for your help. Any clue with these photos.

As per your thoughts on grit I shall be removing this from all my Zebras and Societies pronto!
Does this apply to Gouldians and Javas too?

His left side...



Another view left side.



This is the right side. He's had seeds in this side like this for 3 days now. I removed all food 2 hours ago.

[Animalzoo]

Morning.

He has survived the night. His lump is still there. The crop emptied slightly but there is still that small amount of seed around the very back of the crop on his right side.

I'm in a pickle today as work has called and I'm going to be out all day so I can't monitor him.

I have provided him a few sprinkles of egg which was made for my other birds, a few tiny sprinkles of the tips of broccoli and I have pulled off a couple of springs of millet from a stick. He is currently nibbling on this. I also had to clean his vent again fora mild buildup of poop but it was no where near how bad it was yesterday. The poop is mostly white with yellow. Could he be passing yeast possibly?

I'll add the vinegar to his water in a tiny proportion as if it won't harm then ok.

He just sang. Oh my heart melts for the little boy. He's dying to be normal but in this tiny hospital cage hes so confined but i know its for his own good.

If anyone can offer anymore suggestions I'd like to try anything herbal or organic as I can't get to a chemist today even for a cheap medical suggestion. Thanks.

[peter121378]

Animalzoo

Hi Sue,

Sad to see the little guy in that condition. Please keep us posted of his condition. Also, have you checked your other birds to make sure they're not experiencing the same symptoms and check to see if they have or don't have the same type of lump but smaller?
Hope little guy gets better soon!

[Animalzoo]

peter121378 Thanks for your support.

Other birds are all really well. My little boy is still ill. Managed to get to a chemist today and bought the Nystatin for fungal infections. Its in liquid form so I've applied a few drops to his water and I've minimised food all day. I've just offered millet which he ate with gusto but the original seed in his right crop remains and still hasn't been digested.

Bless his cottons he's still singing and trying to be normal but his meeps still muffled.

[lovezebs]

Animalzoo

Hi Sue,

I do recall reading something somewhere, that you can very very gently massage a crop. I'd have to look up more information on it though, and I'd be very careful doing this as a last resort.
I'll see what more I can find about it.

[Animalzoo]

lovezebs I've been rubbing the seeds in his crop very gently as I've been inspecting him. I can gradually move them around the front a little but then I get scared I'm doing more harm so stop. The seeds then more back around to the side-back of the crop.

[lovezebs]

Animalzoo

Have you offered some organic baby food apple sauce? I've mixed with a tiny amount of egg food (needs to be eaten quickly or removed promptly as can sour rapidly ).

[Animalzoo]

lovezebs
No, I dont have any. I have the cider vinegar and had that in from 10 this morning until I got back with the Nystatin which is in the water.

I have exact hand feeding formula, is it overkill to give him this, made up into a thick mash instead of seeds.

From the photos do you think it is fungal buildup. The lump is dark and hard, thats why i went with tumor or infection initially.

[Animalzoo]

Still the same this morning.

Yesterday I limited his food and he was starving when I finally added some millet. His crop still has some of that in it this morning though. Lump is the same. What do I do!?

[cindy]

I would not limit the food... part of his crop might be functioning... looks like some sort of tumor in that area...going to send this off to a friend that has vet medical background. Let you know ASAP..I would not massage or move it to much. If the crop has not grown and has stayed the same size and he is still eating I would let him be for now.... little afraid that rubbing it could rupture blood vessels or the crop itself you do not know what is under the area where the crop is full. If this is a tumor it may have closed off only a small portion of the crop the bird may still be able to eat and drink... is there any area on either side that fills with food and empties?

[cindy]

I've been rubbing the seeds in his crop very gently as I've been inspecting him. I can gradually move them around the front a little but then I get scared I'm doing more harm so stop. The seeds then more back around to the side-back of the crop.

I would not do this.... to much of a risk of damaging the crop since you are dealing with seed not impacted formula like in a baby that is hand fed.

[Animalzoo]

cindy You are very kind to do this. I haven't had too many replies so I think most people haven't a clue what's wrong with him.

My understanding of the crop is that it wraps around the neck. So when it's full you can see food from the sides of the birds neck and all around the front. As the food is digested it empties. In adults you don't normally see this under the feathers.

In this bird, I saw protruding through his feathers one his right side, the food he had eaten in a bulging crop. The lump is on the left side. After eating I can see some food on the left side where the lump is just underneath it.

As I have not been feeding him the crop still isn't empty. There is always some food left over on the right side.

I've been out a lot today and he had finished the millet and his crop looked quite empty but still had food on the right side. I've made eggs and will now slowly start feeding him. I'm going to mash up some brocolli and romain lettuce too. Then add a few seeds and millet again.

Like you I came to the conclusion he needs to eat. He's been on a very limited diet for the past 48 hours and its made no difference so i'm going to attack the other way and feed protein and water enriched salads.

Would a tumor grow that quick? Obviously it may have been there a long time and became visible as it just got to a certain size. You can see an obvious lump in his profile.

He still wiggles his head after eating too. I think he's doing this to pass food through what I assume is a squashed throat. His meeps are muffled so I think all the tubes and his voice box in his neck are being squashed.

I've not been rubbing his crop much and have been very gentle when handing him. If you require any more different photos please let me know. For now he is confined to a tiny cage to restrict movement and energy consumption. He has fresh clean water with no supplements of medicines.

[cindy]

there are about 3 different possibilities.... will need to write it up from the notes I have...in the mean time a few questions...is this bird passing droppings and would it be possible to get a picture close up of the droppings?

Are you feeding grit and or eggshells?

Not sure what you have as far as meds available but can you get ronex 12% or ronivet S 12% active ingredient Ronidazole 12%

you already have the nystatin... typically we beak dose that here. not sure what your vet suggested.

Let me write this up for you in a bit and will either post or pm it to you...going to run it by one more person for you.

[lovezebs]

Animalzoo

How is our little boy doing, Sue?