Basil isn't well despite meds...

quick update..

Basil has perked up for a little bit this evening but seems to take 'naps' often which I suppose is not a good sign? Do any of you know if it's a bad sign that she's not too interested in eating her regular food? (She will eat some, but hardly any.. definitely more interested in her millet and if I try and hand feed her some fruit and carrots) I am unsure if I should take her to the vet but it sounds like you all agree that it should be done.

A learning experience since Basil gets sick often.. wish I knew why, but I need to buy her some electrolyte for times like this. Is there any way of making one? Is AVC in her water a good idea?

Thanks for the well wishes and no problem that you moved this..thanks! Will keep updating. I did find a ride to the vet should I decide to take her. (That saves me $80.00 in taxi fees)

Basil sends her kisses.

ps- She's been on the enrofloxacin for nearly 2 weeks and she's really starting to fuss when I give it to her. She's making it hard on 'momma bird'. She squaks like it's the end of the world..poor honey! I stay as calm as possible for her but she still fusses so much.

Thanks!

Thank-you Faery-Bee.. you're right, my vet knows her best I suppose but she's only been to this vet once before. I used to go to one across the river from me in another province but then I switched because I can only access this 'Farley Fund' by going to a vet in the same province I live in. So, we've started a new 'relationship'. The good thing about likely taking Basil in tomorrow is that the vet working tomorrow is the 'top' avian vet at that clinic..the one that has trained the other avian vets. I had actually recognized her name tonight and she was the one who looked after my previous budgie and I re-call her being really helpful. I wasn't happy the last time I went in with Basil in the summer.

Thanks for the ACV tip, I had only a tiny amount in her water this whole time. If I make the recommended dilution she doesn't like it too much. Fussy Basil!
Time for her night time meds, wish us luck! (I'll stop the ACV right away)

When I called the vet they just automatically say to bring her in but I'll call in the morning and see if they can talk to the vet and let them know what's been happening since she's on meds from them! (sorry to write so much)

Back from the vet

Hi everyone,
Basil and I are back from the vet. She was very good and I'm glad it was this vet whom I'd taken my previous budgie to see. She was open to the many questions I had. Basil was a little monkey putting on a show for us, doing flips in her travel cage. If only I could train her to do these flips at home!!

The vet talked to me about her diet and about switching to a pellet diet would be better for her health and gave me a few ideas for a fussy budgie to change her over. I don't know about this pellet diet because of cost, but perhaps I could at least, somehow, make it a good part of her diet and still serve her seeds. I'm definitely going to try more veggies and fruit with Basil and see how that goes. Hopefully I can find some info about this on here.

The vet put in a request to 'The Farley Fund' on my behalf so Basil could have a Fecal Gram Stain/Smear and Crop Smear, and for more Enrofloxacin and if required Amphotericin as they are testing for some kind of yeast infection. Unfortunately we did not hear back in time before the 'Farely Fund' place had closed for the day. The vet will call me once they hear back in the morning. She's confident these will all be covered.

We have an appt for tomorrow afternoon to have the tests done and thankfully I'll have a drive again. If the funding does not come through the vet will continue the enrofloxacin and add a different medication (which is $70. cheaper) to treat the possible yeast infection.

Thing is, which is good, Basil's weight remains stable, her heart is good ect.. the physical exam was great and Basil had tons of energy at the vet. She's certainly made up for it once we got home! She was even too tired and stressed to eat, but finally ate after 6hrs of not eating. She has me worried. I hope she can handle another trip to the vet tomorrow. I suppose being extra close to her and extra attention would help. She's been sleeping most of the time since we've been back 3.5hrs ago. Thank-you for the well wishes and support through this. It's much appreciated.

Funding came through, off to the vet in less than 2hrs!

Thank-you each of you for your messages, and the good thoughts and prayers. It's so much appreciated. Faery-bee, I'll respond to your msg another time but I will be bringing what you wrote up with the vet today. I've written your suggestions down. They did give me a sample of the Harrison's High Potency pellet but they didn't have the super fine or mash in stock. I suppose I could smash it myself.

She did talk to me about having Basil forage for her treats (millet) Basil doesn't like going to the bottom of her cage for some reason. I line it with paper-towel which on the rare occaison she'll shred but if she misses a perch or something and lands on the bottom of the cage, she climbs up really quick. (Although the bottom of her cage she can't see what's going on, because of the design of the cage)

Well, I let Basil have a special 'shower' under the kitchen sink tap after her morning medication so at least she's had some special attention. I'm worried how she'll be having to go to the vet twice and I'm sure the crop smear will not be fun for her. I guess just extra TLC is in order for sweet Basil.

I'll update when I can later this evening. Keep your fingers crossed. I almost wish something was wrong, so it would explain why she often gets sick. It's not that I wish her to have something wrong but it would be helpful to know if there's an underlying condition that we could treat to keep Basil happy and healthy. Thanks again for everything!

Basil's 2nd visit to the vet last week.. update

Hi everyone, I apologize for not writing back sooner. I ended up with an emergency myself at the dentist following the 2 vet appointments. I finally feel a bit rested up. Basil had the fecal gram and crop smear tests which all came back negative. One thing they def were looking for was AGY (Avian Gastric Yeast) based on her history of tummy problems. The vet we saw the 2nd day was very thorough and was open to me asking a lot of questions! I made sure to get her business card.

I was told AGY is difficult to diagnose, as many times the tests may come back negative. So based on Basil's health history we've decided to treat her for it. They have a new treatment for it, I think the vet said it's somewhat experimental or (in new phases?). Instead of the 30 day treatment, 2x/day by mouth..which I don't know how we'd both be able to do it that long. Two weeks of antibiotics was tough enough on Basil and I. She's taking Potassium Benzoate Powder mixed in her water daily. I can't recall how long she'll be on it, but at least several weeks if not longer. Thankfully she likes the taste.

The vet's office is reapplying to The Farley Fund to have Basil in again for a follow-up and re-check of the tests. They're optimistic it will be approved. I go back to the vet this week to get more of her medication as the only stock they had expired Dec 31st, so I'll find out then. I'll update you if we get approved! I'm so thankful we were approved for the last vet visit. (which included her meds)

I did ask the vet about what Faery-Bee suggested about the ideas for changing Basil over to a pellet diet. She liked your concept Faery-Bee! We tweaked that a bit, and she gave me tons of ideas and explained things really well to me about improving Basil's diet. I wrote a lot of notes.

They didn't have the super fine Harrison's pellets but I was given some of the pellet mash and fine pellets samples. So far Basil has been eating a bit of the pellet mash. One idea the vet gave me was to place a mirror on a flat surface where she likes to go (kitchen table for her) and put the pellets on the mirror. That way she'll think the 'other bird' is eating the pellets and she'll eat them too. Ha ha ha! Well, she's tasted it more than once and seems to be eating it. Now i'll start sprinkling it over her seed mixure.

She also approved of the pro-biotics, and sent me home with some. It's 2 syringes filled with a sticky paste of 'Ben Bac Plus' (that's what the syringe says). I'm having trouble getting Basil to eat it. I've tried it on a piece of fruit and cracker. I even tried it on my finger tip, but she won't take it and I don't want to waste it. Eventually when she's finished the medication she's on now I'll buy some of the powder form. Do any of you have some other ideas? She takes .05mg (for 3-5days, then 2x/weekly) Basil hasn't had a proper dose yet.

ps- Basil is eating better already, but not out of the woods yet. I didn't start the new med until Saturday though but the antibiotics finished this past friday. Keeping my fingers crossed for a healthy 2016 for sweet Basil !! Thank-you everyone. Will keep you posted on her progress. (Sure was tough handing her to the tech while she had the tests done, but was great I had a friend with me)