Expert: Riley - 2/25/2007

Question
We all thankyou very much but sadly he died last night being in the hands of a vet. He told us that once they have a breathing problem, it is very unlikely they will survive. We are devastated but we thankyou for your hepl and time.
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Thankyou very much for all your help. We did try the eye drops but they didn't seem to help much and he has recently been very puffed up, hes not eating, drinking or talking and his breathing really worried us. Mum took him to the vet and she thinks he has some sort of disease (its a really long, wierd word) which is dangerous for humans and other birds, so we are now looking after him the vet has told us to but still, we really do thankyou for your help.
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Thank you so much for that information, we will definitley try the eye drops but just one question, how are we meant to put them into his eyes? Also, from where he scratches his eys, he has lost a few tiny feathers from around that area so it has gone a bit bold. Is that ok for him? Thankyou again.
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hello, my budgies name is James Blunt and i have been a bit worried lately about him. First thing in the mornig until late at night he doesn't stop scratching his eyes either on the bars of the cage or on the sticks. He seems to be quite irratated by it and it looks very sore and red after. We have tried dabbing some cotton wool with salt water on his eyes but that doesn't seem to help. Would you please be able to help me and my budgy please! Thankyou.
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Hi, Sacha.  Thanks for posting!

Sorry for the slow response, my computer has been giving me some grief lately. Don't use cotton wool with salt water on the eyes...the salt will burn.  Could this be why his eyes have continued to be sore and red (perhaps your bird had a minor irritation that was aggravated by the salt water)?

Are you sure your bird is scratching his eyes and not just rubbing his beak?  Birds rub their beaks on their cage and perches to clean off their beaks...it might just look like your bird is rubbing it's eyes.

Does someone in your home smoke or do you use any type of aerosol sprays, carpet deodorizers, incense, cleaning products, hair spray, etc., etc., etc.?  If so, these things can irritate your bird's eyes, as well as their respiratory systems.  In fact, some of these things can kill a bird quickly.  How about a kerosene heater or something like this with fumes?  

Try using some sterile eye drops that you can buy at a pharmacy or grocery store.  Not Visine or anything like that for getting "the red out"...these things only constrict the blood vessels in the eye.  Use only warm, plain water with a cotton ball in your bird's eyes (until you get some sterile eye drops).

If your bird has an eye infection, you'll need to take him to an avian veterinarian for antibiotics to clear up the infection.

Riley
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Hi Rebecca, thanks for posting!

How you hold the bird is by putting your middle finger and pointer finger on the bird's shoulder (in between his neck and shoulders) to restrain him and use you thumb and other fingers around his/her body. Remember these are small creature so make sure not to hold the bird to tight, but just enough so he can't get away. Your budgie's eyes seems like it may be a problem. I would take your bird to a veterinarian for further information. I cannot see your birds condition, and I think that a professional should take a look. The feathers are falling out because he keeps rubbing himself but they will grow back, he'll be fine until then. Best of luck to James.

Riley
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Your Welcome,

I wish the best for your bird, I really do. It came be can be very scary at times like this.

Riley

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Dear Rebecca,

I am so sorry for your loss. I wish I could have helped more but I'm afraid there is nothing I could do. Struggling is life's way of strenghing, no matter how many lives it takes. I know your bird will do fine in the after life. Thank you for taking the time to thank me after each response.

Riley