Spoonfull of sugar?

[Steve]

So, Izzy seems high energy still, except her poop has turned a yellowish color and her bubbles are still there (though they aren't in the green stuff they are in the clear liquid part of the BM).

I have 2 questions, the first one is Izzy won't take her medication. Even if it's her only source of water, the most she'll do is take a sip and then wipe her mouth off on the cage right away. As cute as it is, we can't get her to drink her medication. What should we do? It's already a cocktail (mostly water, some sugar, and some medicine) so she's supposed to want to drink it.

The second question is it possible this could be a dietary concern, and not a bacterial? Her slides came up negative for everything is the reason I ask this. Right now we're in a transition phase where she's eating food meant for... budgies I think it is. Her parrotlet food hasn't arrived yet. Could this discoloration be the result of malnutrition? She refuses to eat veggies or fruit so it seems like that could be a possibility.

Thoughts?

[skthurley]

What ingredients are in the budgie food? Just seeds?

[pletgrl]

With my litte gut Trooper, I took Him to two vets. One gave me a liquid antibiotic to use as his water. When I mentioned this to the other he was upset. The antibiotic I had been given was ment to be an injection and isn't absorbed well as an oral medication, and doesn't taste good making birds not want to drink. He prescrbed me an antibiotic that I give one drop a day to my bird from a needless syringe into the mouth. You might call the vet and ask if he can give you an antibiotic that can be administered in that manner. I hope this makes sense!

[Steve]

What ingredients are in the budgie food? Just seeds?


I know that pellets and corn chips can create digestive problems and this food has both, though she doesn't eat the corn chips. Beyond that as far as I can tell a variety of different seeds.

[chapala]

I think the food must have cracked corn? When I think of corn chips, I think of Doritos, etc., and I'm sure that's not what you mean!
Reta

[unpoquito]

Why is there sugar in the water? Did the vet prescribe this? You might be over worrying that she isn't getting her medicine. If she is drinking at all, she's getting it. Parrotlets don't drink a lot.

[Vegasmom]

I agree with pletgrl and the second vet! First off, antibiotics work when given in measured doses for a proscribed amount of time and even given at the same time each day is best. That way it can't fluctuate and give the bacteria enough chance to mutate into a hardier strain. This is impossible to do when given in the water because it relies on how much the bird drinks if it drinks any at all. Which is another reason to give clean fresh water. Illness is a critical time for keeping the bird hydrated. When meds or vitamins are added, the water sours quickly and you end up dumping more meds than the bird ingests.

[montgomery2007]

Hi Steve,

I have had to orally medicate on of my plets for almost 6 months now. It has been very successful and my bird got used to it after a little while. It is the most direct and controllable method to give them what they really need. I would talk to the vet about it. I have a pic of it in the photoplog.

Eric

[raiven]

After Sadie's accident, I was giving her an anti inflammatory/pain med from a syringe in measured doses. The vet can show how. She was obviously hand fed as a baby and she accepted the meds very well from the syringe and it was not too big of a deal.

[JoJo's mom]

I am giving JoJo his antibiotic in a syringe under his tonge and he is taking it very well.We're hoping that this will help him get better. So far he is eating well. But still not playing or talking.