# Symptoms of liver disease?



## Picollo30 (Oct 18, 2011)

my female dove is not eating well, today she didnt touch the food and also her droppings are very very small. the feces are the normal brown colour but what's troubling me is the urates, they are yellowish (sometimes lime green) and sticky when cleaned with paper. there's more urates than stool.

what can it be? she is not eating much but she's not showing any signs of infection or illness, can she be faking she's ok?

if it's the liver what should i be looking for? how can it be cured?


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## John_D (Jan 24, 2002)

I really think this one of those "take her to a vet" cases. The yellow urates can indicate a liver problem, but that could be various things.

Example, we had a pigeon who was diagnosed as unable to assimilate sufficient fat in the normal diet due to liver malfunction. He had to be supplemented with a food like Kaytee, and given a medication, Frusol.

Others can get a viral infection such as a rotavirus, or adenovirus + e.coli.

It is too risky to guess, I'd say.


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

It could also be a canker infection. Taking the bird to the vet is the best thing.


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## Picollo30 (Oct 18, 2011)

she's still not eating, she tries to swallow a seed, like she is tasting it and drops it and she gives up on food at the first seed very unlike her. the food is a seed mix that i always give her, so the problem is not the food i think, but maybe a illness that she's trying to hide. 

canker as charis said comes to my mind (although i didnt see anything strange in her throat) as well as liver problem or anorexia. already have an appointment for today at the vet, let's see what's happening.


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## Miss-Sassypants (Sep 25, 2010)

Good luck with the vet. Do update us on her progress.

Wishing her a speedy recovery!


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Canker doesn't always show in their throat.


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## Picollo30 (Oct 18, 2011)

ok canker has been ruled ou through examination of throat and crop. 

feces are also normal according to the vet (it's the yellow colour on the urates and urine that i find odd), biochemical analysis are ok except that they show low albumin values. 

vet says low albumin can be due to hepatic problem or because she's not eating well or has protein defficiency. i'm giving her seed mix and greens. cant find pellets for doves, they are very hard to find, have to order them from the US.

she dropped from 150 grams to 139 grams, for me that's a lot and a clear sign she is not well.

im waiting for the hemogram to see if she has an infection and she needs an antibiotic, i'm inclined to the liver, but i hope not.


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## Picollo30 (Oct 18, 2011)

vet recommended this

ZuPreem Cockatiel Fruit-Blend Diet

http://di1-3.shoppingshadow.com/ima...uPreem+Cockatiel+Fruit+Blend+Diet+ZUPREEM.jpg

will doves eat these tiel pellets mixed with their seeds? are there other zupreem pellets that my dove can eat instead of the cockatiel ones?


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## Miss-Sassypants (Sep 25, 2010)

I dont know much about doves or those pellets... so hopefully the experts will reply soon.

You are an awesome owner. I hope your bird recovers soon. Keep us posted.


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## Picollo30 (Oct 18, 2011)

hi guys

hemogram results came out yesterday, fortunately my dove doesnt have any renal or liver problems, everything is ok except that she shows signs of infection, a high count of lymphocytes, its like her organism is attacking an infection, but the vets cant pinpoint the cause of the infection.

and she is having multiple infections for the past year. they are clueless to what's causing it. they asked me if i have fresh paints at home, perfums, something that triggers the infections. maybe her immune system is weak for god knows why. vets want to do an endoscopy to check what's going on with her, but i dont know... should i allow it?

she's now on baytril 5% 0.03 ml 2 x day for 2 weeks. she's eating her seeds by herself, and she's eating like she hasnt eaten for a month  wich is good. lets hope that she keeps it that way. 

im just worried about the causes of the infection. just one quick question, while she's still weak and with infection, should i put her next to the window, with just one crack open to avoid drafts and expose her to sunlight or should i keep her covered in her cage in a warm environment?


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

I would keep her warm, not necessarily all covered up. You could cover 2 sides of the cage, to give her a nice private corner to rest in.
And a bit of sunlight might feel good to her, as long as she can move out of the sun and not get too warm. The rays of the sun that she needs for vitamin D3 won't pass through a window or screen though, so if that is what you're thinking with putting her in the sun, than I wouldn't bother. But a bit of sun just might make her feel better.


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