FINCHforum

I have a zebra finch who is 9 years old according to his leg band. He has had chronic health problems since I bought him, though none of my other finches seem to be affected.

While he was breathing through his mouth and clicking, I took him to an avian specialist vet to have him looked at, and she declared him to have ASM or air sac mites. She prescribed ivermectin, one drop to the back of the neck, every two weeks. We treated both birds we had at the time, Scrambles and Weeb.

This problem cleared up, but afterward, he immediately lost his voice. She let us know, over the phone, that there was no need to bring him in, as the mite die-off will have caused a bacterial infection. She prescribed us amovet, or amoxicillin, and had us keep it in his water supply for two weeks. We did so, and he slowly gained his voice back.

Not a month later, Scrambles started gasping for air again, so we contacted the vet. She simply had us repeat the treatment, and we did, following up with amoxicillin until he was back to his normal self.

This happened again a few months later, and, declining to do a syrinx swab at my request (I was starting to suspect aspergillosis), instead gave me solamectin. Solamectin for dogs. D: it was at this point that I began to lose trust in my vet, but I did what she instructed, the amount instructed, etc. He cleared up again, and then two weeks later, has lost his voice almost completely. He currently sounds like a small and broken squeak toy for cats and instead of a beep, all my wife and I hear from him now is an open mouthed 'pt.' This was very confusing and stressful for me, as the person I bought Scrambles and Weeb from had lied to us and told us they were just over a year old.

I just want my Scrams to be comfortable and happy, and he doesn't feel well nearly half the time. Is there some way I could send a cloacal/trachea swab through the mail somewhere else or get an antifungal medication without a rx? Should I just barge into her office and demand one? Am I being a bit too aggressive and blaming the wrong person?

I have just never heard of a bird having to go through such intensive treatments, the same ones, over and over again and not have the treatments last longer than 65 days or so. I feel all I'm doing is building an amoxicillin-resistant strain of whatever he has. I'd love to hear your opinions!


https://www.dropbox.com/s/71u51y4o6amn1 ... b.jpg?dl=0 Sorry, I can never seem to figure out images...

MisterGribs

Here I am probably the most critical of some vets and their inflated prices and needless expensive preventatives.

However, in this case, my dear, I think she is trying to tell you......he's old. Aging birds, just like people, have different ailments that trouble them as they get older. She may feel that constantly medicating him will do more harm than good at this stage. Or she may be at the limit of her capabilities.

Babs

They are gorgeous looking birds!

Ia your vet an avian vet?

Not sure why your boy keeps losing his voice. I did find this site, where you can ask questions of an avian vet. Maybe will be helpfull...

http://www.birdhotline.com/vet.htm

I can tell you what I would try in this situation, but I honestly can't say if it would work or not, be beneficial or not. This is just me thinking....

I would try a bit of steam, like in the bathroom after a hot shower.
I would also try a tiny bit of natural unpasturized honey, melted into his drinking water.

As I said, this nothing that a Vet recommends, just something that I would try, if all other things have not worked.

MisterGribs

Beautiful Zebras!!! I do hope that he gets his voice back.

I also like the cardboard creations in their cage !!!

Babs It kinda seems like bad practice to not discuss this with me instead of her just choosing not to assist, or to deliberately prescribe me the wrong medications. I think he should still be made comfortable and himself as much as possible, even if he's a decrepit old fart.

And yes, she is an avian vet.

lovezebs what do you know! I do steam him almost daily. I have a nebulizer as well, but it doesn't seem to work as well as simply holding him near a cup of hot water. He isn't tame, but he loves that steam. Closes his eyes, puffs up, wiggles his throat and goes limp in his little sauna.

lem2bert thank you! My wife in an expert finch furniture designer, lol.

MisterGribs

How is the little fellow doing?

Any squeeks coming out yet?

lovezebs It comes and goes. He seemed to be doing really well yesterday, and he does try to sing with his rusty little wreck of a voice.

Yesterday I was able to go shopping and picked up some more herbs. I use a special tea when I steam him and it seems it makes him feel quite cosy.

1 tbsp dried oregano
1 tsp cinnamon
1 finely ground pinch of thyme
a pinch of salt
About 1/4 cup of boiling water

Then I catch the little bugger and hold his beak between the edge of the glass jar I brewed it in and my hand with enough room that he can pull away if he's not enjoying himself. It's important not to get his eyes in the steam where he can't escape, as the thyme can be kind of intense.

As soon as that steam comes into his lungs, he goes all loose in my hands and the head feathers come up. Once he's been in the steam for a few minutes he comes up for air, then sticks his beak back in all by himself. It would be super cute if he wasn't suffering. When I let him go, he has a good sneeze and grooms himself.

I finished up today with diluted honey, about half water, on the tip of his beak until he swallowed a few drops. His voice comes back almost immediately after the steam potion, but unfortunately it's gone again by the next morning.

MisterGribs

I wonder if it could be age related.....
Maybe something to do with muscles becoming lax weak with age (?)

How is the humidity in your house?
Is it fairly humid, or quite dry?
I know here in the winter it's so dry, that half the time your skin cracks, and your throat gets so dry that you find yourself making noises that should be coming out of a cat who is trying to cough up a fur ball.

lovezebs It's fairly humid, our window has to be wiped of condensation on super cold days, so it's at least 45-50 percent.

He seems to be doing a little better today.

MisterGribs

Good news!

With the addition of a lemon balm plant for him to nibble and honey-oregano tea instead of water, he's got his beep back.

His song still sounds like a rusty weathervane, but he seems to be more active. I think the honey really has been helping him, thanks lovezebs.

MisterGribs