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Jules Health

7K views 83 replies 13 participants last post by  kpenguins48 
#1 ·
For about a week Jules has been increasing lethargic. She developed a poopy bottom that kept fowling, very wet droppings. Today I started hearing clicking sometimes when she breathed. Took her to the vet. With COVID restrictions this was a 9 hour affair.
Seems she has some sort of gastrointestinal infection. As well as inflamed air sacks. Sort of birdy phenomena with a stomach infection.
She is now on two different medications and a probiotic, as well as confined to cage. She is not a happy camper. It will be an interesting week as I force her to eat her medication.
We have had her 7 years, so she is older than that. Probably about 10 years old so she is no longer a young strong bird. Wish us luck. If it goes bad it will be rough.
 
#2 ·
I hope Jules gets through this! It sounds like the vet is a very knowledgeable vet and covered all areas of infection. Probiotics can really help stabilize her poo do's, depending on what the other meds are.

Come on, Jules! You can make it! You are in the best of care.


David and Vicki;):rolleyes:
 
#3 ·
Ozzie, my gosh, a nine hour wait - you certainly need to be commended for that! Jules is lucky to be in such good hands. I am definitely wishing and hoping that Jules has a quick recovery. And, I hope she doesn't have to stay too long in her cage. Poor little thing. Hope she is better soon! Keep us posted on how she is doing!
 
#4 ·
She has this forum to thank. Years of being on here has taught e what to look for in a sick birdy. I suspect without everybody’s experience I have read over the year I would not responded in time to give her a fighting chance.
 
#5 ·
They are giving her
Baytril
Flagyl
Benebac Pet gel

These are general meds given on the short term test given. More involved sample test results should be back next week and meds adjusted.
 
#6 ·
Good stuff! I totally agree with you! When Bogie started acting a little lethargic, I paid close attention to everything he did, said and how he acted. This made me and my wife go on alert when he ' changed ' just a little out of kilter. We took him to the vet and the fight was on!


I learned to closely observe him from the members of this forum! Experiences help out a lot.


David and VIcki;):rolleyes:








 
#8 ·
Gave Jules her morning doses earlier and it went surprisingly well.

I have to thank the forum for that.

Years ago a member suggested teaching a "hand cave" and handling regularly in case of medical or emergencies. I work with Jules daily with surrounding her in my hands and carrying her a bit. When she wanted out I would let her go, no struggle. Usually a treat was involved. It got so she liked the "hand cave" for short times like minutes at a time. Since she first came to us as a cage bound, hand hostile creature, it took a lot of tolerance and trust on her part to allow me to hold her. It also taught me what she would and would not tolerate when I held her.

It has been useful over time but today it really paid off. I held her today in the hand cave as she took her full doses of meds. I remember trying to do the same with her mate, Bo, 7 years ago and it was a losing fight. I am not sure I got much into him then. Not so with Jules, she took them with no resistance at all. Not sure she is happy about it but the trust and bond held. Afterward she crawled up to my shoulder and cleaned her beak to show no hard feelings.

So far all is well. I have to recommend hand training for everybody with birds.
 
#10 ·
That's such good new! Way to go Jules! Woo Hoo!

And, she's continuing to use you as a human napkin - that's definitely a good sign!:rolleyes:

That's awesome that you can hold Jules around like that. I've been kinda working on that with Cleopatra. I'm at the point where I can pick her up from somewhere I don't want her to be, and move her some place else, but that's it. It's just for a few seconds and she doesn't have any problem with it - I place my fingers under so she can step onto a finger. The next time I pick her up, I'm going try more of the hand cave approach and hold on to her longer and see how she does.
 
#11 ·
The hand cave has a lot to recommend it. In our case once I got Jules used to my hands to the point that I could enclose her she lost almost all fear of my hands and allowed me to manhandle her more than she would ever allow anybody else. That is another aspect, least for us, it is very person specific. What Jules allows me to do does not directly translate to what she lets my wife or others to do to/for her. Jules will not allow my wife to do hand cave, manhandling, or nite/nite. But my wife has not put time into trying those things. Odd birds parrotlets, but when they do trust it is an honor.
 
#12 ·
When I got Ricochet from MamaB, he could be held in my hand, turned upside down on my palm and I could open his wings, spread his tail feathers and turn him upside down! I never had any bird like that! This was on the first day that I had him! Even Bogie had some limits to what I could do. He would never let me open his wings at all, but I could grab him, lay him on his back in my palm, and he would accept meds.


MamaB fed Ricochet from birth and hand trained him. He was soooo friendly until puberty. Then, he became a biter, but I could still handle him okay.


Ozzie is correct about getting the " Hand cave " going on. I could cup Bogie or Ricochet and they would calm down....Bogie would take a nap.


David;)
 
#13 ·
Hand cave worked again though Jules was a bit more resisting, which may have been our fault in rushing the timing. She no longer seems to be staining during droppings so are a bit hopeful.
 
#14 ·
That's so good that Jules is showing more signs of improvement! I can just imagine how worried you've been about her. I'm really praying that she's completely well soon!

Tell her that Auntie Anya says she has to be a good girl and take all her medicine! ;-) Seriously, though, I'm really happy to hear more good news.
 
#16 ·
Third day of meds went really well. She is still fluffed more than we like and seems a bit weak though she perches well. I was in a meeting this morning and she left a dropping on my shirt that looked very normal. Funny about being happy about a bird pooping on your shirt but I was.
Life goes on.
 
#18 ·
Basically making a cup in your hands around a parrotlet. For us at night it is her sitting on my chest and I surround her in my hands. Usually her head can look out. She has gotten so she will sleep that way for a few minutes at a time. A variation of it is when my hands are cupped below her and by other hand is over her so she can look out. You want them to be very comfortable in this position and not pressure is applied.

The name sort of started with another member and I was discussing the training. To start I was making a cave with my hands and hiding a treat in it. putting the treat back a bit further over time so Jules would venture a bit further each time and understand that MY hands were not like other grabby hands.
 
#20 ·
Glad Jules is taking her meds better. Good girl, Jules!

Ozzie, guess what? I used the hand cave technique on Cleopatra. To my amazement I picked her up the way I usually do it, but then turned her over and she was perfectly fine! It was kinda funny because she gave me this look like "Whoa, wait a minute here, what are you doing??" I've never attempted to hold her upside down like that in my hand before. But she didn't bite me or anything! She trusts me! I feel so honored!

But, I know if I have to give her meds with a syringe one day she is going to freak out, so I need to get her familiar with one. I guess I'll just place one down where she hangs out so she can get use to it.
 
#22 ·
You could try feeding her favorite treat. I think that is what meds easier for Jules. She was used to eating while in a cave.
 
#24 ·
Glad Jules is taking her meds better. Good girl, Jules!

Ozzie, guess what? I used the hand cave technique on Cleopatra. To my amazement I picked her up the way I usually do it, but then turned her over and she was perfectly fine! It was kinda funny because she gave me this look like "Whoa, wait a minute here, what are you doing??" I've never attempted to hold her upside down like that in my hand before. But she didn't bite me or anything! She trusts me! I feel so honored!
You should be honored. That is a great deal of trust for a little bird to give. Not sure we (Jules and I) will make the upside down stage.
 
#21 ·
Hi, sorry to hear about jukes not being well but glad to know she seems to be improving!

I am also on Avian Avenue, and a number of people there are teaching their birds to accept syringe treats. They offer Apple sauce etc, as a treat and gets the bird used to eating from the syringe so that if they have to give them meds, it is less stressful on the bird. Have not started with my love bird but then he loves snuggling down in my hand and sleeping so no problem with holding him...

hope she is back to her old self real soon.
 
#28 ·
She still on her meds and so far taking them well. Only had one day she was uncooperative and that may have been our fault in that we hurried the situation instead of all being in a peaceful mind.

Her droppings have improved in shape and context. She is no longer straining and does not seem to have a poopy butt. She seems less fluffed as before so that is good. On the bad side she is still sleeping alot, serious neck tucked type of naps and she seems a bit weak and unsteady at times. We have a vet visit this week and hopefully some test results back. I suspect we will get another round of meds that are more aimed at the issue with the results. So we shall see.
One point of concern is that we have a vacation at the end of the month. We normally take her with us. Now we are in a quandary as to take her or leave her. Which would be best for her.
 
#29 ·
Yes, you do have a bit of a dilemma on what you should do when you go on vacation. Just listen to what your vet has to say about it when you see him this week, and then listen to what your gut tells you. I’m sure that whatever decision you and your wife come to will be what’s best for Jules.



I’m really hoping that you guys can take her with you.
 
#30 ·
Unless she is really bad I suspect we will take her. She travels well and the stress of being away will most likely be greater than the stress of leaving her. Outside that our normal person she is used to being housed with when we travel is going with us so she will have to be housed with a stranger to her and them.
 
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