An update to this post has been posted here.
This is not a happy update. Yesterday, I rushed Louie, our sixteen-year-old eclectus parrot, to the avian vet because I suspected he might have developed a respiratory infection.
His eyes were squinty; he wasn’t interested in a nutriberry; he was leaning slightly instead of sitting up straight; his beak has become overgrown, which is a huge warning sign; he took a shower (normal) and afterwards, was breathing heavily, in big rasping gulps (not normal). The video below is Louie after his shower yesterday:
The last time he presented with signs like this was a decade ago. He had a respiratory infection then, and all it took was a quick round of antibiotics to cheer him right up.
Not this time.
Louie the Eclectus’ Blood Panel Results
DIAGNOSTICS:
1. Complete blood count: Polycythemia (PCV 66%)
2. Chemistry Panel: Markedly increased cholesterol (779, previously 345 in Feb)
and lactate dehydrogenase (1189, previously 424 in Feb). Mild AST elevation
(368, previously 237 in Feb).
His diagnostics paint a very ugly picture of primary liver disease at best–and a death sentence of Atherosclerosis at worst.
What changed for Louie the eclectus parrot?
Not much. At most, we’ve been giving him too many Tostitos chips once a week or maybe a few too many nutriberries. I also worry that his mashes may be too calorically dense, which can promote this type of disease. Otherwise… it’s status quo. No changes to Louie’s happy little life.
Louie last saw the avian vet six months ago in February of 2024; at the time, he was the picture of perfect health. All his values in his blood panel were normal, as they had continued to be since we lowered them successfully five years ago.
I am devastated and terrified.
What is parrot atherosclerosis?
This is a quote, straight from my vet at UT:
Atherosclerosis is a disease of the blood vessels in which cholesterol plaques form within the walls of the arteries of the body, causing the diameter of the vessels to narrow and decreasing the flow of blood around the body.
What are the symptoms of atherosclerosis in parrots?
This is a slowly progressive disease and clinical signs can vary greatly, however they may include:
- difficulty
breathing, - fainting spells or collapse,
- unexplained falls,
- evidence of
discomfort or pain especially over the chest, and - non-specific changes such as
lethargy and inappetence.
Even worse: many birds pass away without showing any clinical signs at all.
Can atherosclerosis in parrots be cured?
According to my avian vet at UT, the short answer is “no”.
This is their longer answer:
Treatment is aimed at slowing the progression of the disease as well as helping to improve blood flow, but unfortunately birds that have been diagnosed with atherosclerosis have a very guarded to poor prognosis for long term survival. Secondary problems such as heart failure or pulmonary hypertension may develop as a result.
Does Louie have atherosclerosis?
Probably, but we aren’t sure. I declined to have a CT scan done on him given how wobbly/ill he was yesterday morning. I have scheduled a re-check with the avian vet in a month. If he has improved by then, we will get him scanned, but I didn’t want to risk putting him under anesthesia with how delicate he was yesterday.
Treating Our Eclectus Parrots’ Liver Disease and Suspected Atherosclerosis
The vet swears it’s likely genetic. Some older birds simply take a turn for the worse, and there’s nothing we can do. She’s probably right. But… just in case, I have a plan.
Avian Vet’s Treatment Plan
1. Isoxuprine 70mg/mL Solution: Administer 0.05mL by mouth once daily. This is a
vasodilating drug, meant to help his blood pump better through his body.
2. Denamarin 90mg Tabs: Administer 1/8th tablet by mouth with food every 24
hours. This is a hepatoprotectant, also known as “something to protect his liver”. We gave Louie is first dose today, which was tricky because I’ve never given a bird a tablet before.
How did I administer the tablet medication to my picky parrot? Today’s strategy was to mash up a little bit of banana, stick the tablet into the goo, then stick it onto a tiny almond sliver. This seemed to work, so I’ll take a picture of it and update this tomorrow with it.
3. Pentoxyfilline 20mg/mL Solution: Administer 0.28mL by mouth every 24 hours.
This is a drug to improve circulation.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
Continue managing Louie on a low-fat diet. Keep exercise low impact and ensure
that his perches are at a height where falling would not cause substantial harm.
The vet also recommends starting Louie on an Omega 3 fatty acid.
Flax seed is high in omega 3 fatty acids and can be added into Louie’s diet, or you can
purchase him an over-the-counter omega 3 supplement from a reputable company
such as Lafeber, Mazuri, Zupreem, etc.
My At-Home Parrot Diet Treatment Plan
I am very bad at accepting things I cannot change; just in case there is the merest hint of a shot at reversing this a la lifestyle and diet change, just in case it’s just begun and isn’t too late, here are the additional diet modifications I am trying:
- Mash ratio adjustment; we will continue to feed Louie the amazing mash from Bird Street Bistro, but will change the ratio.
- Normally, we’ve used about 70% Bird Street Bistro mash to 30% fruit and vegetable smoothie. I’m going to change it to be more 50/50 using my food processor rather than my blender in an effort to lower the calories my eclectus consumes. I don’t want him to lose weight quickly, so this shouldn’t be a huge shift, but if he’s consuming excess calories? This should stop that process, or at least slow it down.
- Normally, we’ve used about 70% Bird Street Bistro mash to 30% fruit and vegetable smoothie. I’m going to change it to be more 50/50 using my food processor rather than my blender in an effort to lower the calories my eclectus consumes. I don’t want him to lose weight quickly, so this shouldn’t be a huge shift, but if he’s consuming excess calories? This should stop that process, or at least slow it down.
- More deliberate vegetable choices: fiber is huge at preventing and reversing heart issues in humans, so I’m taking that principle and applying it to my beloved parrot.
- Most of the time, we just blend up whatever parrot-friendly fruit and vegetables we have on hand, but this time, I’m going to bulk up each mash mixture with high-fiber vegetables. The base of each fruit and vegetable mix will generally be made up of cauliflower/broccoli rice, artichoke hearts, swiss chard or another rich leafy green with additional high-fiber options such as carrots, beet roots, etc. added in depending on flavor. Berries will make an appearance in all fruit mashes given their high fiber content.
- Most of the time, we just blend up whatever parrot-friendly fruit and vegetables we have on hand, but this time, I’m going to bulk up each mash mixture with high-fiber vegetables. The base of each fruit and vegetable mix will generally be made up of cauliflower/broccoli rice, artichoke hearts, swiss chard or another rich leafy green with additional high-fiber options such as carrots, beet roots, etc. added in depending on flavor. Berries will make an appearance in all fruit mashes given their high fiber content.
- Add flax seeds and chia seeds to each mixture per the vet’s recommendation.
- My Hope: If the “good fats” help people strip layers of plaque off of their arteries, maybe it’ll work for Louie the parrot too.
Will this save Louie?
Maybe. This is a grand experiment; it cannot hurt him, but it may not be enough. There really may be nothing else we can do for him.
But at least he’ll enjoy some culinary delights with the time he has left. The vet said we’re looking at “weeks to months”.
This is me, grasping at straws, trying to keep my beloved buddy with me as long as possible.
I am sure I will have an update in one form or another in a month. Wish us luck.
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