Zebra Wobbly Head

[Animalzoo]

Thanks Spreckles

The hen appears a little more lively today, not back to normal but not sleeping as often. The male just keeps on eating, which I suppose is his instincts but it's causing the left side of his crop to always bulge through his feathers. He still also wobbling his head.

I don't think it is an impacted crop. The lump is dark red and hard and off to the right side.

They are still on the coccivet which instructs a 5-7 day course of treatment. Perhaps that explains the hens improvement.

Their chicks remain healthy with the foster parents and are now starting to get feathers.

It is a shame if either or both of these zebras die. Considering how they breed I have kept my numbers fairly reasonable and only have 3 breeding couples and then a spare male and a jouvenile female. I appreciate all your help and Cindy has been invaluable.

Happy Easter to you all by the way too xx

[Spreckles]

Your very sweet. My ideas are sometimes far fetched. When something is at deaths door I am more willing to try. As a nurse for humans we used cola to in shop many clogged lines. If he is gorging with a full crop hold his feeds for awhile. Give him the medicine. He could be red from sour stuck seeds too. Is there any way to get some of it out of him?
Recently I had a sick bird. Actually took him to the vet who did not do finches. It was Cindy, Sally, and Debbie276 that got my bird through and that 8 year old made it. I hope they can help you.

Karen

[Animalzoo]

Spreckles I had him in a hospital cage for about 3 1/2 days and for the first 2 days I limited his food. The crop emptied a little but there was always food left inside on the right side. As he's back in with his hen if I take out the seed then she's without too. I'm happy to quarantine him in a hospital cage again but just not sure if its a benefit. He and the hen are cuddling and preening all the time on the perch (when awake).

Can I do the nystatin alongside the coccivet? I'd be nervous about trying cola not to mention I've none in the house just now. Cindy has been amazing although she baffles me with talk of the medicines sometimes. Very clever lady!

I've read about emptying the crop and I won't try this. I can't do something that I know could injure or even expedite death.

[cindy]

I believe this is an issue as described earlier "The wall of the crop can separate a bit and form a pocket, or it can also happened where a diverticulated esophgus has a pouch where the seeds can collect." or a tumor possibly a combination.

As I stated before do not withold food. Weaken the bird further he will go down hill faster. If he is passing dropping he is having some food go through his GI tract.

I would not start using products not recommended for birds...he has enough issues. The pouch if red is likely infected or fungal/yeasts have set in. The coccivet (contains no antibiotic) I am checking on whether it can be given together with nystatin without conflict.

If you can get trisulfa it has an antibiotic and treats cocci also, it can be given with the ingredients in ronex 12% or ronivet s12% and nystatin.

[Animalzoo]

cindy
I'll go see the avian vet tomorrow re. trisulfa. (closed today for easter) I'll see what a/biotics he has either way and bring something home. The male is still with me, still with the same symptoms, no change either god or bad. His droppings are still white/yellow and clog his vent so I'm washing him daily. I removed seeds overnight but have put them back in as normal now. I won't take them out again.

Female has perked up and is nice company for the male for cuddles and preening. She's still going through the same cocci treatment so she'll remain with him for now.

I haven't treated with nystatin but let me know if i could/should today or maybe just wait and see if i get the a/biotics tomorrow.

[cindy]

if he is on the coccivet we need to make sure it does not react badly with the nystatin some meds you can't mix.

the trisulfa is Trimethoprim (20%) Sulfaquinoxaline (13%)
Inactive ingredients q.s. to 100 g (the one we use here

also see if you can get Ronidazole 12% Not sure what you have available there. it treats Trichomonas, Giardia, Hexamita, and Cochlosoma. (you can treat all your birds with this especially the ones sick and fostering the young. If you can only get a 6% powder then you double the 6% powder to one part water since 6% is not strong enough for finches.

If the parents are ill and were feeding young they could have passed what is wrong onto the young when feeding them and now may have passed it onto the fosters. If parents are ill and with young generally either you treat the whole family or pull the babies (hand feed them out, treating them with meds as a preventative) and also treat the parents.

[Animalzoo]

cindy

ok I have got from the avian vet...

- ronidazol 200mg compressed tablets
- tratamiento sulfatrim (English = treatment Sulfatrim) Dose 4ml per litre of water

I wrote everything down and the vet new exactly what I needed even with the language barrier. He said both can be given at the same time. He said to pulverize the tablet and put into the water. One tablet per 1 litre. He said maybe half each tablet and use per half the water volume. Does this sound right?

I can do this now and stop the coccivet. Is this ok?

[Animalzoo]

Well I had to give them something so I put 1ml of the sulfa treatment into 250ml water along with 1/4 crushed tablet of the ronidazole. I've not used a drinking bottle but used a small bowl clipped onto the side of the cage near to where they are sitting and poured some of the 250ml into it. I took away the coccivet. I've not done nystatin yet. Maybe I now can along with these 2 other treatments at the same time? Just waiting for the nod from Cindy

[debbie276]

I would follow your vets advice and give the meds as he directed.
Best of luck for a speedy recovery

[peter121378]

Animalzoo

I'm gonna have to take my male Gouldian to the vet. After reading and following this post (hoping your little guy gets better) I noticed this morning and yesterday morning I go to remove the cage blanket and he's on the floor of the cage. But what got my attention is his wobbly head. No clicking sounds. He goes on a perch and tilts his head very strangely. While he was doing it at one point I put my hand in the cage to help him out and he flew and just fell to the bottom of the cage. Looks like a vertigo issue. I haven't examined him yet since I'm at work now but before going to the vet I'm going to take a closer look at him and check around to see if I notice anything out of the ordinary.
He's in the same cage w/ the female and she's fine. They're not breeding (yet) and I've had them for like 3 weeks. Bought them from Stewarts Bird Farm in Harleysville, Pa.

[debbie276]

Do they panic a bit when you cover them with the blanket?
Could he have hit his head?
Is this a new behavior or do you think you've just noticed?
If he doesn't fall over when he tilts his head maybe he's just looking at the top of the cage trying to judge how close it is.

[peter121378]

debbie276

Hi Debbie,

I did more research and think he probably has an inner ear problem(not 100% sure) since I've noticed for the last 2 nights they've had a little panic issue and he ends up staying on the floor of the cage. I don't know if it's a fright issue or the female letting him know to get off the perch. Normally they both like to sleep on the same perch a few inches apart.
You're right about not falling over but he does it on the floor sometimes as well as on the perch. What really got me scared was the way he fell trying to fly when he was twirling and I attempted to help, when I put my hand in the cage they normally fly across to the other perches but this morning he went to go fly and just fell to the corner of the cage in an attempt to fly to the other perch.

[debbie276]

I would leave the blanket off of the cage, just in case it's that that is scaring him to the floor. See how he does in the next couple days. If he whacked his head in fright it should clear up. If he keeps looking up but not fall over and/or flipping on the ground it may just be that the cage is different then he's used to and he's trying to adjust.
If it gets worse it's time to re-evaluate and possible vet visit time.

[peter121378]

debbie276

I'll do that Debbie, thank you. I really think he hit his head.

[Animalzoo]

Update on my guys.....they're still with me. The female is fairing better than the male. I'm not too sure if she's back to normal or not but both sit fluffed up on the perch cuddling.

The male still has his swelling on his neck and the crop is still full and showing through his feathers. He still wobbles his head which I feel is his way of passing food through his esophagus.

They've been on the ronidazol and the tratamiento sulfatrim medication now for 4 days so I'm not rushing anything and just letting them take their time. Vet said treat for 7 days. I'm giving them food all the time from seed and millet, salad and eggs. Poor babes, I think the girl will be ok but not sure how long the boy has.