respiratory parrot

Re: respiratory parrot

Marie Kubiak — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 08:59:26 GMT

I use 5mg/kg bid, but in small species (<75g) increase this to 7.5mg/kg and continue it for 6 weeks with haematology, heaptic parameters and endoscopy reviews during treatment. Avoid itraconazole in African Greys as they have a low threshold for toxicity - terbinafine is an alternative. Voriconazole is a newer generation azole and is preferable in all species as it has some cidal effect not just static but cost limits its use in pet birds.

Marie

Re: respiratory parrot

Ana Santos — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 08:48:27 GMT

What protocol you follow when using Itrafungol for birds? The data sheet is cat formulated. I know is something like 5mg/kg. But I'm not sure for how long because of their hepatic sensitivity.

Re: respiratory parrot

Marie Kubiak — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 09:03:37 GMT

I wouldn't assume asper. With no discrete lesions in the air sacs despite clear respiratory signs I would be sceptical unless endoscopy demonstrates mycelia - the air sacs are storage chambers not exchange tissue so need advanced disease to start affecting respiration. If this was syringeal or lung aspergilloma the bird would already be dead. In my experience a large proportion of these birds are Chlamydophila seropositive and improve dramatically with treatment for psittacosis, or in macaws hypersensitivity is a real issue.

If blindly treating for asper then you may miss other differentials. You wouldn't treat all mammals that had a nosebleed with antifungals with no diagnostics to rule out other causes.

Marie

Re: respiratory parrot

Ian Mostyn — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 22:07:10 GMT

[quote user="Julian Earl"]The treatment is Sporanox capsules divided up into so many beads from the capsule (I have the dose at work) and you mix them up in jam and bread or something. I'll try and remember to check the dose tomorrow. However, they take time to work and many die before the capsules take effect.

[/quote]

Or use sporonox liquid or itrafungol liquid. Much simpler

Ian

Re: respiratory parrot

Julian Earl — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 22:03:22 GMT

Aspergillosis. Not that I'm a parrot expert but I know a lady at Keighley who is, and "99%" of these respiratory parrots are aspergillosis sufferers. Baytril is "useless", not surprisingly if aspergillus is present.

The treatment is Sporanox capsules divided up into so many beads from the capsule (I have the dose at work) and you mix them up in jam and bread or something. I'll try and remember to check the dose tomorrow. However, they take time to work and many die before the capsules take effect.

Re: respiratory parrot

Ian Mostyn — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 21:23:08 GMT

We have had a lot of success using a nebuliser. It is very easy to use, requires no handling from the owner and gets medication deep into the airways. We tend to use F10 diluted, 2-3 times daily and should help with aspergillus and bacterial problems but there are loads of other options depending on diagnosis. We also see a lot of smoking related disease and I suspect diesel fumes / exhaust would cause similar problems. Find some fresh air but also ask about smoking. It is amazing how many owners don't think about it as a potential problem.

When I have seen Psiattacosis, there is commonly a link with feeding wild birds in the garden - worth an ask but do mention the zoonotic implications.

Ian

Re: respiratory parrot

Bob Russell — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 15:36:05 GMT

Worth warning the owners that Psitticosis/ornithosis are zoonotic. I had it as a young teenager - not much fun but it got me out of 'games' at school for months!!!

Re: respiratory parrot

Mark Hedberg — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 15:30:54 GMT

Try a blood test for aspergillus. Symptoms sound suspicious to me.

Re: respiratory parrot

Marie Kubiak — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 15:30:45 GMT

Heart doesn't appear enlarged but is slightly irregular in outline (?atherosclerotic vessels around it). Lung fields appear slightly larger than expected (caudal extension) and air sacs mildly more opaque. Proventriculus appears a little large but rad is tilted so may be artefact. GI tract surprisingly poorly filled.

A lateral view will give much better view of the heart and proventriculus and also an additional angle on lungs and air sacs to allow proper assessment.

What were the blood results? Especially WBC, PCV, Ca and UA?

Macaws are prone to usual bird resp issues (Chlamydophila psittaci, aspergillosis, cardiac Dz) but also appear to suffer for respiratory hypersensitivity more than other families, especially to dander of other bird species.

I would be looking at tracheal, syringeal and air sac examinatinon endoscopically plus chlamydophila serology as a minimum (PCR no use on once ABs). Consider surgical lung biopsy in addition.

Marie