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Post by cnyguy on Sept 12, 2024 19:43:29 GMT -5
I thought I ought to start a new thread since I've been giving daily progress reports about Ralph. Ralph seemed somewhat better today. He was in good spirits all day and he didn't rest as much and only took two short naps. He kept busy inside his cage and had lots of fun playing when I brought him out. Of course he had to steal a nut from the little saucer. I left small pieces of walnut, almond and pistachio for him today. He was in the mood for a walnut. He didn't sneeze quite as much but he is still sneezing occasionally and they're wet sneezes. He hit me in the face with one when he was on my shoulder this afternoon and I had to clean my glasses. He decided to play inside the silverware drawer this afternoon and again after dinner. He enjoyed moving the spoons around and we added the honey dipper to the drawer and that got mixed in with the spoons. He raided the pellet container tonight and picked out a couple red ones to eat. Here's a picture of him in the drawer this afternoon:  |
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Post by Caseysmom on Sept 12, 2024 21:47:24 GMT -5
He’s looking good and definitely has fun moving the cutlery around. Hopefully he continues improving
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Post by heatherg on Sept 12, 2024 23:46:40 GMT -5
I hope Ralph continues to feel better. Maybe it would help if you brought him in the shower to steam? Or at least in the bathroom.
I wonder if Willow would like my silverware drawer. He might be scared of the strange objects.
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Post by cnyguy on Sept 13, 2024 19:25:16 GMT -5
Today Ralph wasn't quite as active as yesterday and he rested more and took a couple longer naps. Not really a bad day, but a quieter one. He had fun in the silverware drawer and the cupboard when he was out. I had to move the honey dipper back and forth between the two places. He didn't sneeze as much today but he had a few strong ones that probably are clearing out the congestion. I don't think he got as much medicine today since he ate fewer softened pellets.
I tried running the shower when Ralph went in to explore the bathroom today but he was ready to move on before the water could get hot. He likes to watch the water running in the sinks, but he's a little put off by the shower and won't get too near it. I don't think he likes the sound of the water hitting the porcelain tub. I boiled a pot of water on the stove and put it outside Ralph's cage while he was resting. Maybe the steam from the pot helped a little.
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Post by cnyguy on Sept 14, 2024 19:33:32 GMT -5
Today (Saturday) was sort of an in between day. Ralph was more active than yesterday, but he still had several rest periods and a couple naps. He wasn't interested in the silverware drawer today and most of his out of cage time was spent on his shelf in the cupboard. He wanted lots of head scratches while he was in there and I obliged, though it's pretty hard on the arms. He played with the honey dipper and we played "Ouch! The parrot got me" and tapping games too. He's still not too talkative, but there's nothing wrong with his appetite. Though he's feeling somewhat better he still hasn't completely recovered from the infection. He has three more days of the antibiotic. I'm not sure that's going to be enough to get him over being ill. I'll see what the vet has to say on Wednesday.
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Post by heatherg on Sept 14, 2024 20:23:45 GMT -5
Willow and I send our best wishes to Ralph. I sure wish I could figure out how to get more medication into him.
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Post by cnyguy on Sept 15, 2024 19:19:43 GMT -5
Today was much like yesterday, though Ralph sneezed a lot less (with my allergies acting up, I'm sneezing enough for both of us). He was a little quieter than yesterday but he had fun playing in the cupboard and helping himself to a little piece of walnut and raiding the cracker container. For now, the silverware drawer and the bathroom seem to have lost their attraction. I'll continue the antibiotic through Tuesday as directed and talk to the vet on Wednesday. She might want to continue with the medicine until it's used up (there's enough left for another week) or might want to try something different.
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Post by cnyguy on Sept 16, 2024 19:04:24 GMT -5
Monday was a quiet day for Ralph. He slept or rested a lot more today. He had fun playing when I brought him out and he hasn't given up on visiting the bathroom for a drink of water and to inspect the nightlight. He ate a little less at breakfast but made up for it at dinner and with popcorn and a piece of walnut when he was out after dinner. We'll see what tomorrow brings. It's the last scheduled day for the antibiotic.
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Post by cnyguy on Sept 17, 2024 19:25:15 GMT -5
Not as sleepy today, but a few more sneezes than yesterday. When he was in his cage, Ralph played independently and built with his sticks (only two of them, but that's more than he's wanted to do lately). He rested for a while then played some more. That's how it went, alternating playtime with rests or naps. Out of cage time included visits to the bathroom (I don't know why he wants a drink from the bathroom faucet every time we go in there, but he does) and playtime on his shelf. Of course we have to stop first to get a nut or piece of cracker. He still doesn't feel much like talking or doing animal imitations. He had his last dose of the antibiotic today so we'll see tomorrow what's next. He obviously needs more help to get better.
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Post by heatherg on Sept 17, 2024 22:56:36 GMT -5
I hope Sir Ralph gets to feeling better. You’re clearly a loving and concerned bird dad.
I wonder if Ralph could have nebulizer treatments? Mist the medication into his little sinuses and lungs?
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Post by cnyguy on Sept 18, 2024 19:27:48 GMT -5
Unfortunately, Dr. L. isn't in the office at all this week and won't be back until Tuesday. The receptionist said she would send the doctor a message about Ralph and she would let them know if she wanted to prescribe something different or would need to see him when she's back next week. They're supposed to get back to me eventually. In the meantime, the vet tech said that I could continue giving Ralph the antibiotic, a half dose daily until they hear back from Dr. L. I don't know that I will since it hasn't proven effective thus far. I could ask about a nebulizer once I can actually talk to Dr. L.
Today was similar to yesterday, though Ralph slept a little more. He had fun playing his favorite games when he was out and he played independently a little inside his cage. Lots of head scratches too. He didn't want his peas this morning but ate everything else. And more, since he had to raid the cracker container and the container of pellets, and I had to give him a little of his seed mix on my hand after dinner tonight.
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Post by heatherg on Sept 19, 2024 14:15:12 GMT -5
Has the vet done a culture and sensitivity on Ralph’s abnormal sinus or choana flora? When my bird had a lot of issues, we’d begin treatment with one generalized antibiotic and also have culture and sensitivity going at the same time. I get recurrent sinus infections myself, and my human dr does similar at times.
I think IM injections can be simpler to get all the medication into the bird. But that’s not always a possibility. I read online of someone injecting their parrot’s grapes with its antibiotics. That’s an l idea for Ralph’s meds. One could make him a nebulizer chamber with an aquarium or even a translucent plastic lidded container and possibly some CPAP machinery?
I haven’t yet needed to medicate Willow and don’t look forward to it. I bet he’d quickly figure out what I was up to and make things difficult.
Feel better, Ralph!
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Post by cnyguy on Sept 19, 2024 19:32:38 GMT -5
Today wasn't much different from yesterday, though Ralph did have a little more to say today. Lots of quacks this morning. He likes to quack. I didn't hear from the animal hospital today and I'm assuming that they got no response yet from Dr. L. As far as I know, the only lab work that was done was a poop analysis after our first visit. That showed no abnormalities. I'm willing to try just about any means of getting some medicine in Ralph. Another liquid antibiotic might work if it were more neutral tasting. Ralph likes to sit in my Boston rocker. Here he was this afternoon:  |
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Post by heatherg on Sept 19, 2024 23:21:02 GMT -5
Aww. Hi, Ralph!
Feel better soon!
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Post by cnyguy on Sept 20, 2024 19:25:21 GMT -5
Less sneezing and more sleeping today. Ralph wasn't quite as energetic today and didn't play quite as much. That's not to say he wasn't active at all. We played tapping games and "Ouch! The parrot got me," and he played a little with the honey dipper and the small plastic jar lid in the cupboard. Of course he had to sit in the Boston rocker again. I need to wash the cushion since it got pooped on a few times  I got some oatmeal cookies yesterday for me to eat, but I left a tiny piece of one on Ralph's foraging saucer and he grabbed that right away. He ate a little of it when he first found it and I put the rest back. He ate a little more tonight but left some on the saucer for tomorrow. He didn't eat as much as usual this morning but finished off most of his dinner tonight. When I didn't hear from the animal hospital by noon I called there. I spoke with a different receptionist who didn't know anything about the other one leaving the message about Ralph for Dr. L. But she said that there weren't any messages from the doctor and they didn't expect to hear from her until she was back in the office on Tuesday. I decided to call some of the other veterinarians that treat parrots in case we needed help sooner and there are no openings for more than two weeks at any of them. Two of them said that they would rather not treat a parrot already under another veterinarian's care and I should stick with Ralph's regular vet. So I guess nothing will happen before Tuesday. There's enough of the antibiotic left so I can continue the half dose for several more days. |
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I got some oatmeal cookies yesterday for me to eat, but I left a tiny piece of one on Ralph's foraging saucer and he grabbed that right away. He ate a little of it when he first found it and I put the rest back. He ate a little more tonight but left some on the saucer for tomorrow. He didn't eat as much as usual this morning but finished off most of his dinner tonight.