# Kowhai's infected oil gland



## Jesska (Apr 24, 2018)

Hi all!

Sorry for my long absence, but I have a question about my lovely Kowhai.

He was grooming one day and I noticed a big red scabbed over bulge at or near his uropygial gland. I immediately took him to my avian vet and she gave me antibiotics (2 clavulox tablets mixed with 10 mls water) to give him twice a day (0.1 mls). After two days his infection was like it was never there, and I foolishly just forgot to give his last two days worth. Well, the infection returned and so I took him back to the vet, and this time she removed some dried puss and gave me the same medicine but told me to administer for 2 weeks, and if any medication left a few days more, just to treat past healing. I'll definitely not miss any days medicating my poor wee guy this time.

Any ideas though on how or what may have caused this infection? I've been wondering if it is diet or stress? His 'little brother' Tio is quite bossy to him and chases Kowhai off most things he's eating or playing with or sitting with. My vet didn't seem to think that would be a cause for the infection or a hindrance to healing, but I'm wondering if anyone here has any thoughts?

The image was just after the vet visit yesterday, sorry I can't get a better one.


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## Cody (Sep 5, 2013)

Hi Jessica,
Sometimes you can see issues with the gland due to lack of vitamin A, what type of diet does he have? The gland secretes oil and also can sometimes get impacted, I assume the vet did a through exam of the area and determined it is just an infection.


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## Jesska (Apr 24, 2018)

His current diet is seeds (2 tsp a day), pellets and misc fruits and vegge that are in season. As much as I try to encourage the eating of pellets and fruit and vegge I'd say his daily intake of food is only 10% pellets and 20% fruit and vegge.

The vet did examine but could not tell me for sure if it was an infection. She said that due to the area clearing up almost immediately after the first round of medication signs were likely to point to an infection. She said after these two weeks of meds if it comes back/fails to clear she will have to run further tests.


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## FaeryBee (May 9, 2011)

*Hoping little Kowhai has a full and speedy recovery! :hug*


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## RavensGryf (May 8, 2015)

Crossing fingers for Kowhai’s full recovery, and that he’ll be okay from here on out! :fingerx:

Please keep us updated.


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## Birdmanca (Jan 24, 2008)

The vet may think the bully act of his brother is ok. I do not. I have had a bird that was a bully victim of his mate in the cage. When the nicer one had an injury, the bully was even meaner to him. Went to attack him when I put him back in the same cage with him on returning fron the vet. I right there seperated the bullied birs yto his own cage and never put those 2 back together again.


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## Jesska (Apr 24, 2018)

Update: One week on medication and it's looking the same. I went to give him his medication today and a scab like the one the vet took off a week ago came off, and left the same raised bump and smidge of blood as it did then. (No blood lost).

Was told to do another week on medication but am tempted to go back in and possibly see the other avian vet whom I worked with at the avian wildlife hospital.

Here are pictures of today and the scab that came off (along with the puss attached)




































Birdmanca said:


> The vet may think the bully act of his brother is ok. I do not. I have had a bird that was a bully victim of his mate in the cage. When the nicer one had an injury, the bully was even meaner to him. Went to attack him when I put him back in the same cage with him on returning from the vet. I right there separated the bullied birs yto his own cage and never put those 2 back together again.


I don't think separation will hurt them, so may try it. It's rather hard though as they are free-roaming the house during the day. I have their bird trees set up in the living area and they hang out there most times. So one may have to be in one room and rotate to get turns... Tio is very bossy and if Kowhai is sitting on me while Tio is off on the bird tree, Tio will fly over and chase Kowhai off me before flying back to his tree. He's very territorial I think.


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## FaeryBee (May 9, 2011)

*I believe consulting with the other avian vet would be helpful at this point in time.*


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## Jesska (Apr 24, 2018)

Ugh, just called and it turns out that vet doesn't work anymore! Going to have to start looking around again. Poor Kowhai...


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## FaeryBee (May 9, 2011)

*Aww, I hope you find someone you are happy with soon that can give you a second opinion.*


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## Cody (Sep 5, 2013)

Hope you can get this resolved soon. Here is a link to some info you might find interesting. https://www.exoticpetvet.net/avian/uropygial.html


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## Jesska (Apr 24, 2018)

Thank you Cody! Heading back to the vet tomorrow and am going to up the vitamin A in Kowhai's diet, as well as clean the area daily. 

It's looking better today!


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## FaeryBee (May 9, 2011)

*Glad to hear it's looking better today.
Please be sure to update us on the status after your visit to the vet.
Wishing little Kowhai a speedy recovery!*


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