# Thin juvenile with ext. parasites, bad feathers and diarrhea.



## Pawbla (Jan 6, 2009)

This is my new rescue... he's _very_ thin and was found in some sort of trash bin with mud, or at least that is what I understood.

However, what I'm mostly concerned about is this awful diarrhea. It's literally diarrhea, not just increased water in feces. What does this even mean? Is he sick on the top of that?




























(disgusting, I know)


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

oh he looks very sick... diarrhea is what happens when the body is trying to flush something out of the digestive tract, so I would start there.. he will need fluids to catch up but perhaps not too much if it is just running through him.. severe cocci is what I would start treating first IMO and small amounts of food.. can you tube feed?


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## Dobato (Jul 3, 2008)

Pawbla, do you have TMS (Trimethoprim/Sulfa) and Metronidazole on hand and a weight for him? He looks quite unwell, provide heat and it would be good if you could get some re-hydration fluid into him. Do you have and Kaytee on hand for later?

Karyn


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## Pawbla (Jan 6, 2009)

I have never tube feed but I can try. Altgirl sent me a tube - hopefully the right diameter. I have TMS but it's the kind that dissolves in water :/. Not sure how much to give him, then. I have Metronidazole too. But I can't weight him right now. I could try tomorrow, but that implies a 20 blocks walk - not sure if he'd be very grateful if it's not strictly necessary.

I haven't examined him yet. I have Nestum which is what we use for birds here.

I haven't given him anything yet, I'm warming him up.. Just fluids now, right?


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## Pawbla (Jan 6, 2009)

He just pooped again, it has some bubbles.

BTW: He has something in his crop. The lady brought me the bird in a box with those seeds, but this feels squishy. Could it be mud or something like that?


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## Dobato (Jul 3, 2008)

Yes, start the fluids and warmth, but we need to get him started ASAP on meds, tell me about about the TMS you have and the Metronidazole, strength/pill/capsules/powder??, we can get something mixed up pretty quick for him, I don't think we should delay at all. Food maybe tomorrow morning, first fluids and meds tonight, then later tonight honey/sugar water for energy. Worry about food a little later. Remove the seeds.

Does what he has in his crop feel hard or squishy?

Karyn


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## Pawbla (Jan 6, 2009)

Squishy.

Yeah, I took them out (they were in the box; actually, I took the bird out ), but upon closer inspection he looks like a fledgling. I'm not sure if he eats on his own, yet.

I have TMS in powder. It just says that it contains sulfadimethoxine, sulfaquinoxaline, trimethoprim, and vit. k; and "curative: 2 gr per liter". (Also there is "profilactic: 1gr per liter"). I also have bird-sulfa (courtesy of altgirl too) but I can't find it right now, it's gotta be somewhere because I used it a few days ago. It's this one: http://www.squirrelsandmore.com/product/2620/thomas-bird-sulfa.htm
Probably is in the kitchen.

I have 500 mg tablets of metronidazole, but not water soluble. I also have a couple of spartrix pills (also from altgirl ).

This guy is so weak .

PS. I think my tube is too big, 0,5 cm inside diameter.


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## Dobato (Jul 3, 2008)

Pawbla said:


> Squishy.
> 
> Yeah, I took them out (they were in the box; actually, I took the bird out ), but upon closer inspection he looks like a fledgling. I'm not sure if he eats on his own, yet.
> 
> ...


Pawbla, I want you to find the Bird-Sulfa, this is the kind I use and am familiar with making it into a suspension, do the following:

First take the Metronidazole and get a shot-glass and cut one pill in half so you will have 250mg of Metronidazole, put the other half away. Place the 1/2 pill into the shot-glass and crush it up into as fine a powder as you can, I use the end of a small rounded knife to do this. When crushed fine add 2cc/mL of very warm water, stir for a minute and then add 3mL of pancake syrup stir again and you know have a 5% (50mg/mL) Metronidazole suspension to dose with and I want you to give 0.20cc/mL (10mg), twice a day to this little one.

Next, we need to do the same with the Bird-Sulfa. Place one whole pill into a shot-glass then crush up it up as fine as you can, as you did with the Metronidazole. To this I want you to add 2cc/mL of very warm water and then add 3mL of syrup to this. You will now have a 9.6% (96mg/mL of med) suspension of TMS to dose with. I want you to give your little one a first dose of 0.15cc/mL (14.4mg) of this suspension, then for all other doses after give 0.10cc (9.6mg) every 12 hours.

The Metro is about 4 drops and the TMS is abut 3 drops for the first dose then 2 drops after that, just open mouth place a drop at a time on his tongue and let him swallow.

You can get fluids into him by guiding his beak into slightly warm water to see if he will drink on his own, if not, wrap him and a towel (you should do this when giving the meds) tilt his head slightly down and dribble a few drops at a time to the side of his beak, you can do this after the meds, we want to try and get 5mL at a time into him, this will take a little time, be patient. try and get two rounds of plain re-hydration fluid into him (5mL) over the next few hours. Later, before bedtime, try adding 1 teaspoon of honey to 60mL of re-hydration fluid and give him 5mL of this for some energy., Make sure he has warmth, as mentioned, and hopefully he will rally overnight. Fluids, warmth, meds, rest, for now.

Good luck with him,

Karyn


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## Pawbla (Jan 6, 2009)

I don't have pancake syrup stir (and don't know what that is) but I heard you could use something similar I can get, but I can get it tomorrow . By the time I'll get there, they'll have closed. Is it possible to wait until tomorrow morning? Or is there anything else I could use?

Found the Bird-Sulfa, it was behind another pile of meds.


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## Dobato (Jul 3, 2008)

Use honey, but instead of 2mL of water add 1mL of water and 4mL of honey. This little one should not wait for meds.

Karyn


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## Pawbla (Jan 6, 2009)

Thanks! Will do asap.


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## Pawbla (Jan 6, 2009)

You know, through my poor nose (I have a bad flu) I started smelling something, which made me remember something from some time ago. I couldn't recall what. I just realized, it sorta smells like another bird I had: http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/f20/found-another-baby-pigeon-thin-and-fluffed-up-41677.html


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## Dobato (Jul 3, 2008)

Pawbla said:


> You know, through my poor nose (I have a bad flu) I started smelling something, which made me remember something from some time ago. I couldn't recall what. I just realized, it sorta smells like another bird I had: http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/f20/found-another-baby-pigeon-thin-and-fluffed-up-41677.html


Pawbla, I am not sure what you are getting at, I read the thread and there was only a brief mention of smell at the beginning, thought to be perhaps associated with starvation, is this what you mean this bird smells the same, you think from starvation?

Karyn


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## Pawbla (Jan 6, 2009)

Dobato said:


> Pawbla, I am not sure what you are getting at


It was just a comment, haha. I am curious about the smell. But yeah, could be from starvation.

Edit: Just checked, the poop is the one that has that AWFUL smell.

And, I'll be needing a good number of syringes. The honey ruins them! Haha.

A dropper would be a pretty good purchase too.


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## Jaye (Mar 13, 2008)

So you medicated him/her ? How did that go ? You already know this, but keep him in a very, very warm place. I am praying for this one.....


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## Pawbla (Jan 6, 2009)

The parasites are HIDEOUS. Seriously. And they are the blood-sucking kind of parasites. Eek! Took some of them out with my bare hands :S. I need some gloves! Hopefully the powder-thing kills them though. And hopefully I didn't put too much of it on him.

He is very dehydrated. But I think I got him enough fluids.



Jaye said:


> So you medicated him/her ? How did that go ? You already know this, but keep him in a very, very warm place. I am praying for this one.....


We're in the middle of summer, so it's not exactly cold out there xD, but I have him on a heating pad.

Yes, I already medicated him, and looks exactly like before, haha, it'll take some time. But at least he didn't die.

Thanks!


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## Jaye (Mar 13, 2008)

Yeah, good job. You have to get those bugs off of her/him. They are doing a lot of harm. But I understand in his weakened state you do not want to stress him too much. Keep it up and we are all pulling for him.


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## Dobato (Jul 3, 2008)

Pawlba, do not rush food for this little one lots of fluids and you can give the honey water for energy as well. We can try some very runny Nestum formula later tomorrow, in the morning meds, fluids and then honey water a few times, we need to get him well hydrated and his systems flushed out, before trying to get some food into him. Even if it feels warm, still provide the extra heat, they really do need it when they are like this.

Karyn


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## Pawbla (Jan 6, 2009)

He died .

I didn't give him any food, just rehydrating solution. He was alive at around 3am (when I went to sleep) and I checked on him at around 9am and he was already dead .

I sorta imagined he wasn't going to be ok when I saw those poops... but he was really perky when I started handling him for the bugs and water. I had troubles to get him into the cage, because I had removed the base (to change it with the heating pad) and he didn't stand still so I could put it over him. But well, it could be one of those "improvements before death" that animals (inc. humans) have.

And all this mess made me forget the night antibiotic for the sparrow >.<


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## Dobato (Jul 3, 2008)

Pawbla, I am sorry to hear that he did not make it, he looked very ill last night and I was thinking if he made it through the night he may have a chance, but alas he did not. When you get birds like this it's very important that you do not give into the urge to get some food into them right away, you have to do what you did; provide warmth, hydration, then appropriate meds, then more hydration and perhaps later fluids with a bit of sugar/honey, as food too soon can have a very bad effect on a very ill, weaken, and dehydrated bird.

Thanks for being there for him and trying your best,

Karyn


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## Pawbla (Jan 6, 2009)

Thanks for all your advice!


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## Jaye (Mar 13, 2008)

I am sorry too.....although not altogether surprised. You gave him a chance, and a loving lace to pass on.


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