# Budgie and possible PDD



## Oliver’s Mom (Jul 28, 2021)

sigh…my beautiful boy Oliver has been sick for quite some time now. It started in May where I would catch him sleeping in a corner of the cage while his bird family played without him. I took him to vet #1 who felt he looked and weighed just fine and gave me some antibiotics (doxycycline) in case he had an infection. He seemed to improve for about a month but then one night things changed. I was sleeping when I heard a ruckus in his flight cage. This time he was sitting with his eyes closed, fluffed up. Even though I turned on the lights, there was no alertness. I thought he went blind and quickly quarantined him away from the others. The next day he slept all day and ate periodically. I took him to vet #2 who did a crop swab and X-ray to rule out heavy metals. Test results came back fine and he was sent home with a shot of antibiotics and Reglan for any nausea. He came home in better spirits but a few days later I noticed slimy seeds that he regurged on the cage bars. In other words he vomited his food and I rushed him to the vet once more. This time they kept him there for 3 days and administered supportive care such as fluids and gauge feeding as well as start him on amphoterecin B as they felt he may have AGY. Brought him home and he was still legarthic although in better spirits. I had to give him ampho twice a day and Reglan for the nausea and vomiting. Then the AGY tests came back negative and I was advised by the doctor to stop giving it to him and to monitor him. Being off of ampho improved his health greatly as the medication is really strong. However, the vomiting returned a week later. One night, he started vomiting and at first I thought it was rain pelting my windows. Poor thing looked horrible and I thought he might die. Gave him some leftover Reglan which seemed to help and took him to the vet who did a sedated X-ray. His X-ray came back with an enlarged proventriculus and that is when the vet mentioned PDD and avian borna virus. My heart sunk when she said it was terminal and there is no cure. Oliver vomited two days later and the same thing happened where I gave him Reglan to calm his nausea.
I went to vet #3 today and he did a fluoroscopy and anti ganglioside assay. The vet just called and said that there was some defective movement with his GI tract and we will have to wait for the blood test to confirm PDD. I’m heartbroken. For one thing I don’t think it’s PDD. His poop looks normal with no whole seeds in it, he is back to being bright, although still not 100%. Except for legarthy and vomiting, that’s about all the symptoms he has of PDD. I’m remaining hopeful he doesn’t have it. Can a defective GI be other things besides PDD? I have other birds that he’s lived with his whole life and I’m worried for them as well. This is truly a parakeet owners worst nightmare and I’m just asking for any similar experiences, healing vibes for Oliver, and best wishes. Believe it or not I was hoping it could be AGY with a false negative, but his crop swab today was still negative 
I don’t know what to do and hope if it is PDD that he doesn’t suffer for long.

Thanks for reading if you got this far!


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## Cody (Sep 5, 2013)

So sorry you and Oliver are going through this. Just because the AGY organism did not show in the test, which I am assuming was a gram stain test, does not mean that it is not present, it is not uncommon for the organism not to show in the test or to just show intermittently. AGY hides in the area between the ventriculus and the proventriculus and sometimes can only be confirmed upon necropsy. I have a bird that I am currently treating for AGY with the Ampho B, the vet has me giving him .02ml of Carafate 1 hour prior to the Ampho B, the Carafate is sort of like a Pepto Bismol type thing that protects the GI tract, I am lucky that I have not seen him vomit from the Ampho B, as you said it is a tough drug. If the PDD test is negative I would talk to the vet about continuing the treatment for AGY. How old is Oliver and has he had any health issues prior to this?


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## Oliver’s Mom (Jul 28, 2021)

Cody said:


> So sorry you and Oliver are going through this. Just because the AGY organism did not show in the test, which I am assuming was a gram stain test, does not mean that it is not present, it is not uncommon for the organism not to show in the test or to just show intermittently. AGY hides in the area between the ventriculus and the proventriculus and sometimes can only be confirmed upon necropsy. I have a bird that I am currently treating for AGY with the Ampho B, the vet has me giving him .02ml of Carafate 1 hour prior to the Ampho B, the Carafate is sort of like a Pepto Bismol type thing that protects the GI tract, I am lucky that I have not seen him vomit from the Ampho B, as you said it is a tough drug. If the PDD test is negative I would talk to the vet about continuing the treatment for AGY. How old is Oliver and has he had any health issues prior to this?


Thank you for your response! They did take a gram stain, crop sample and the PCR test, all negative for AGY. I heard however that AGY is hard to diagnose, but I’m hoping that it is that because it’s still treatable. PDD isn’t and is fatal. This is the first time that Oliver has had visible health issues. It’s been a roller coaster and my vet bills keep growing but I want to give this little guy a fighting chance


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## FaeryBee (May 9, 2011)

*Hi, Welcome to Talk Budgies!

I'm so sorry to hear of little Oliver's problems. I'm sending love and healing energy and hoping he will have a full and speedy recovery. 💜💜

The purpose of this forum is to promote the BEST PRACTICES in the care of budgies for their optimal Health and Well-Being

Please take the time to read through the Site Guidelines, the FAQs, the Budgie Articles and all of the Stickies located at the top of each section of the forum.
Truly, the very BEST advice anyone can offer you is to take the time to read ALL of the stickies throughout the various Talk Budgie forums as well as the Budgie Articles we have posted.
These are great resources for Talk Budgie members and have a wealth of reliable information which will assist you to learn the best practices in caring for your budgies for their optimal health and well-being.*
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## StarlingWings (Mar 15, 2013)

Hello and welcome to the forums!!

I’m so sorry to hear of Oliver’s continuing medical problems  It’s never easy to go through so many vet visits without a conclusive diagnosis!

Meanwhile, you’ve come to the best possible place to learn even more about the best budgie care practices!

FaeryBee and Cody have given you great advice and resources and I agree with them completely. Please be sure to read through the links provided above to ensure you’re up to date on everything!

Fingers crossed you can determine a good course of action for little Oliver soon! 

Keep us posted! 👋


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## Oliver’s Mom (Jul 28, 2021)

Thank you!


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