My Umbrella Cockatoo is Sick

I'm with Mario on this one, there is an infection somewhere and the Avian vet is the only person that can give you a real diagnosis. The pedialite is a great thing to give your bird if it's not eating and drinking right along with the high calcium foods. Is your Too still a baby or is it around a year or older? The age can make a big differance for them to make a comeback or not.

Hello,


I want to start off by telling you this is only my opinion.

If you are working with a Avian vet he has to tell you what is wrong with the bird. He is running tests and you as the bird owner have all the rights to know what was revealed in the test. Push the issue with the vet and tell him/her that if you are PAYING him/her to run tests you want to know what they have to show.

Ok again this is just a opinion for you. If his/her white blood cells are high it means only one thing. That there is a infection somewhere in the body. He/she is acting sluggish because he/she might be dehidrated. If you want go to the store and by babies pedialite and take it and freeze it in a cube tray. Give to the bird 1 cube at a time twice a day to replenish the electrolites in his/her system. The next thing is it sound to me that the bird is maybe calcium defishent and needs high calcium foods. Try giving the bird Almonds, Broccoli and a culltle bone this will boost the calcium levels. For the infection he has givin you a antibiotic for the bird and continue to give the bird the meds.

You need to tell this vet you want the results of the tests and determan what has made this bird sick. I would if I was you call first thing on Mionday and get that taken care of first. I would also mention what I have told you in this post and see if he/she is in agreeance to it. I would bet he/she will be in agreeance with what I have told you.

I will say this AGIAN this post was in my own OPINION only. You are free to do as you please and have no recourse on the forum or on me. Please take this advise how you should and do the right thing for the bird.

Please let us know how it goes.

Thanks Mario(Ziggy)

I apologize Christine, I hope we didn't come across wrong. We are just still in the process of making this forum and don't have all our rules and what not up yet and just afraid of being held liable for medical advice is all.

Did your vet give you any idea on what could be the cause of it? What he was checking for? How old is he? There is a disease called PDD, did he mention this at all? We will try to help to the best that we can, sorry if we got off on the wrong foot.

I dont expect anyone to tell me it is going to be ok or try to be a vet or anything. I just need to talk to fellow bird owners because a vet is going to be limited on the information that he gives and what he says for legal reasons and simply because you dont know how certain people will react if it doesnt turn out the way someone says that it will. I actually would much rather have the reality of the situation rather than someone blow smoke in my tailfeathers. lol. I just copied what I wrote to someone and didnt even edit it. I will definitely follow vet directions and orders and things like that though. I figure other owners would have a better idea of what to do what other things might be wrong and stuff like that. I appreciate all the help and anything is welcome.

While we would love to give medical advice, we are not vets and should not speculate on what is wrong with your bird. Since you have an avian vet, I would defer to his/her advice. Please keep us advised of the situation! We are here for you!

I don't blame you for worrying! I would be too. It is a very good thing you went to the vet. It very well could be something serious and hopefully it can be fixed or caught in time. The best thing is, is to just follow the advice of your vet. We can be here for as much support as you need, but honestly no one here is a vet, that I know of and you should follow your vets advice.

It is good that he is perking up some! How old is he? How long have you had him?

I hope someone else can come along and offer support or maybe has experienced the same thing to help you out some or ease your worries a bit. But I don't want to say he will be ok, cause honestly one situation that has happened to another can be similar but with different outcomes. Just as if one person had a heart attack and lived and has 4 more, and than you know someone who has only had one and they didn't make it. But we are here!!! And I really hope you will keep us update on how he is!! And what the vet determines!

Hi Christine and welcome. I will get a hold of my person for cockatoo's right now and see if she can get on here and help you. She is a friend and actually the breeder of my cockatoo. Be right back!

My Umb Cockatoo is ill and was wondering if it sounds like he might be ok? Does anyone know what sickness?
He went to the vet because he was weak, not eating a whole lot & had an abnormal amount of urine in his feces, he had stopped yelling & slept a lot & had lost some balance. They sent off for some tests & gave him an antibiotic 1x a day & are giving him 1 feeding a day & he seemed not so well off when we brought him home. As soon as we go home I put a small blanket on the bottom of the cage with a little towel to nuzzle with (although if he wants to get away from it he can), moved his food to the bottom of the cage along with his water & he immediately started eating & drinking, & is a little more alert although he does still want to sleep a lot & is still rather weak but can still perch and balance on one leg. Any suggestions? Diagnosis? Ideas of what comes next or what to watch for negatively or positively? My other 3 birds are not ill & are showing no signs thus far.
1 day ago - 2 days left to answer.
Additional Details
1 day ago

The balance loss is from weakness. Actually since I posted this he has started to climb on his perch & climb around the cage a little bit. He is more alert & responsive. They did a DNA test & are sending the tests off for Psitticosis & those types of things. He is all ready a little bit more vocal. His feces is a normal green "worm" with the normal white part but the urine has a green tinge. They sent that off for testing too. It was an avian vet.
5 minutes ago

Update.........He got another feeding today & didnt do so hot at first but when he got home he perked up. He got another med for his liver because the test came back about .1 high. Also he had a high white blood cell count, high urate count, low iron & a couple of other things. Its looking like Psitticosis. he threw up a little of the other med the first time today but this 2nd time he has kept it down. Still perching but sleeping a lot, a little vocal but not too much, played with a toy 4 a few minutes. Nothing spectacular. Wanted a little affection today. He goes back again tomorrow. Im worried guys.
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