Open Beak Breathing?

[princelowell]

It's an unfortunate introductory post, but I was hoping to get a little advice before calling up our vet again. I'm totally new to birds. My grandfather died in December 2015, so my family took in his male zebra finch (a gift to him not long before his hospitalization in the fall). We then came in possession of a female society finch in January this year.

Our little lady was puffed up, breathing while opening and closing her beak last Wednesday. The vet got her in on Friday and suspected a seed stuck in her throat. Sure enough, she coughed that up during the visit. He also said the fecal sample showed signs of infection, so she's been on Baytril (0.05 mm twice a day) since. Trouble is, she still seems to be breathing with her beak open. Sometimes quite a lot, other times not much. Sometimes she's puffed up, and sometimes she's not. I can't get a read on whether she's recovering and what to do for her.

She's in a hospital tank with a heating pad (we don't own heat lamps and the parents are not enthused about buying something, considering the vet was $100 already). Has been eating, drinking, and eliminating normally the whole time. Definitely active, though not chirping at normal frequency or volume. Vet said lungs sound clear, but she does occasionally click when opening and closing the beak. Should we just ask the vet for advice/reevaluation? I'm at a loss.

Thanks in advance for any reads and replies. My messages tend to get long!

[wildbird]

Where did this bird come from and was she like this when you got her? Are you sure that was a seed that was stuck, or could it have been a tiny cheese colored plaque that was mistaken for seed. Sometimes plaques form inside the mouth and throat. This can be seen when the beak is opened. Possibly a yeast infection? Did the vet say what type of infection was present? Was she checked for yeast? How are you giving the Baytril?

[princelowell]

The society is from a chain pet store. She definitely wasn't like this when we got her in January, it started up just last Wednesday.
Seems to have been a seed--I believe it matches ones found in the food they were getting. At this point, we're swapping brands. I do have a picture of the 'seed' if you'd like.

Vet didn't say what type of infection, and I doubt she was checked for yeast. He basically used a stethoscope, listened to her breathing, looked her over, and took a fecal sample. He asked us to catch her and give the Baytril directly by slowing putting dribbling it in her beak. She's getting 0.05 mm every 12 hours via the syringe. She's not enthusiastic about it (unsurprisingly) and tends to make faces and/or shake her head after.

[lovezebs]

princelowell

Personally, I would check the temperature in the fish tank she's in. Don't like birds in fish tanks. Gets too hot, and not enough air circulation in there.

Birds that are too hot, will often breath with their beaks open (like dogs panting).
Also birds who are stressed and anxious, will breathe with an open beak.

I would place her in a cage, with a small goose neck lamp at one corner with a regular light bulb in it. This will offer more than enough warmth, and won't take a lot of power.

Offer shade at the other side of the cage (with a small face cloth over that end), so that she will have a choice in sitting under the light, or in the shade if she gets too warm.

Offer a good diet, (including some greens and egg food [ a bit of hard boiled egg will do nicely] ), tepid water for bathing, and fresh cold water for drinking.

Let us know how she does.

[wildbird]

Pretty bird, and appears to be in nice condition. As in the above post (Lovezebs), she could be too hot. I see her beak is open, but she doesn't look sick, just maybe hot. She looks a little stressed too. A cage would be better. Other than that she looks good.

[princelowell]

She's finished up her antibiotics course, so my parents went ahead and returned her to the cage. We did put a little heat source on one side and a darkened corner apart from it in case she still needs it, but otherwise I suppose we'll just be watching? I do hope she'll be back to normal soon and the danger passed.

The cage we were given when we took in the male was not great, and that's the only cage we have other than the one she normally lives in. It's a small hanging cage with an odd shape (tall, bigger on top) and it was held together by tape and glue in places. I keep rodents and I've got tanks around, so when I saw she wasn't doing well I figured it'd do. I'm in high school and I live with my parents; I'm at their mercy money-wise. It's a makeshift hospital, but it did make it easier to catch her for medicating.

She's starting to chirp a bit again. It's very quiet, but I'm glad to hear her try. I'll post back soon about her status. Hopefully I can show you a fuller, more comfortable lady soon.

Thank you for being patient with me. The birdkeeping was sort of thrust on us when my grandfather died and we've been trying to learn as we go. These two (Chico and Cricket) are the first birds with us in 15+ years.

[princelowell]

Sorry to say, after returning her to the cage her state declined quickly. When I saw her today, she was bent over gasping and clicking. We called the vet but it was too late, and we found her dead just a minute ago when she was alive not long before. Since the antibiotics didn't work, I'm dreadfully afraid it was mites.

We only had her for a couple of months, and I'm so upset knowing she suffered and died so young. The vet hadn't even checked for mites. Now we have to decide how to protect her partner. I'm worried about whether we should be finding him someone new. This is just about worse case scenario...

[Icearstorm]

princelowell
Sorry for your loss. I also lost one of my juvenile female societies to a respiratory problem shortly after I got her. I never learned what it was and the necropsy I performed was inconclusive, but I strongly suspected air sac mites as well. None of my other birds got ill, so it was most likely a genetic weakness.

[Sally]

princelowell

So sorry you lost her. Finches hide illness so well that by the time we realize they are sick, they are often past being helped. It is often very difficult to know exactly what caused death, even a necropsy by a vet doesn't usually give us answers.

The one thing I would suggest having on hand is an air sac mite treatment such as Scatt. It is one of the few things I use to treat new birds, as it doesn't hurt them if they don't have mites, but it can nip a problem in the bud.

There's lots of good reading at www.finchinfo.com, where you will find many articles on finch care. If you put your general location in your profile, it makes it easier for members to direct you to where to get supplies. A really good size cage for two finches is 30"x18"x18", with 30 being the width. If you check craigslist, you can sometimes find good deals on used cages. Petco often has good sales on that size cage.