Everything is okay with my boy!
My grey parrot Tommy is almost 2 years old now. If you've been on my main website than you probably read about my first Tommy... He died at 13 weeks old through pbfd (beak- and feather disease, see http://www.ellen-parrots.com/frames-pbfd.html). Anyway, after that I cleaned my house and all the cages thoroughly. I retested my birds 2 - 3 times and the blood tests were all negative. Only once I found a light positive feather in december 2001.
After that awful period things started to get better and in July 2002 Tommy (2) came home! Totally healthy and it again was a boy. I was so happy that he was healthy. Till a few weeks ago..
Tommy was troubling with one of his wings.. these pin feathers were very weak and I gave him some extra vitamins for about 2 weeks, that was the advice from dr. Hedwig van der Horst, a bird vet in Veldhoven.
Sometimes, when a new feather was almost fully grown, Tommy fell on the floor and woops... it broke off.. very weird. A few weeks ago the same thing happened and I took a good look on that feather and I just didn't trust it. So I sent the feather to the lab in England (Avian Biotech, www.avianbiotech.co.uk) to let it test on pbfd. A week later I got the test results per email; that feather was tested positive on pbfd!! I just couldn't believe it and I still can't. I really don't know where it is coming from this time! I talked to the person who works at Avian Biotech and he told me the feather was "light positive", so.. I guess that sounds not that bad. I also called dr. Van der Horst to make an appointment a.s.a.p. for Tommy. She took his blood and that was also sent to Avian Biotech.
This blood was tested negative.Preparing Tommy to go to the vet:
I am going through a very hard time right now.. because I do have more birds and also a baby lovebird who was planned to go to his new owner, but that isn't possible yet.. I really don't know if this or my other birds are infected.. I do see some light deflection on some feathers of Pucky (lovebird), the baby Sammy (lovebird), Mickey (my senegal parrot), etc.. it is just NOT FAIR! No one can tell me if the circovirus come from outside or that it still lived in my house! If so, then that's a terrible fact.. that it can stay alive for years.
This weekend again a pin feather fell out.. and that one?? My goodness.. it looked bad, very bad. I know how an infected feather looks like.. from the first time, well.. it is exactly the same!! It is for 300% sure that it is heavily infected with the circovirus pbfd (see the photo's below). I am devastated. My world has fallen apart. It is so hard to cope with this again!! Okay... Tommy doesn't look ill, no other bird does, but... you will NEVER know, when one WILL GET ILL. Tommy's blood will be retested in a few months.. but after seeing that last feather, I am almost sure that it now is in his body (blood) too. But we'll have to wait and see.. and that's the hardest thing with this... waiting and not knowing what the future will bring. The only thing I can do, is to take very good care of my birds, but no more than that.
A healthy feather:
Here some photo's of the infected feather:
A friend of mine, who comes here too, just found a feather of her budgie, which she didn't trust.. I sent it to Avian Biotech too.
Tuesday, February 24, 2004I'm coping with a terrible flu. Anyway I got a call from Avian Biotech in England and he had seen the photos I sent of the feather above.. definitely pbfd! Okay... I knew...
He was very sure that the virus must be in Tommy's blood now... he also found it a bit strange that it wasn't a few weeks ago. He is very sure of it and he also told me that I have to be prepared that Tommy will get sick soon. I hung up the phone and cried. It is not fair, you know. It's my second grey parrot with this darn disease! Yes... I am angry! I have a reason to be angry, but okay that doesn't help me and Tommy. I have to be there for him.
This evening I went to the vet again (this time one in my hometown) to take Tommy's blood again and it's send to Avian Biotech. If it is in Tommy's blood now, than it is waiting, waiting if he gets ill and when! We hope and pray that he can fight the virus and stays with me, but being carrier of the virus. So be it!I am going to pray, will you too??
Saturday, February 28, 2004
Okay now.. some good news. Yesterday evening I got the test results from Avian Biotech about the feather of my friends budgie and my goodness it was negative!! Pfffooh!! I am happy for her. I am still waiting for the results of Tommy's blood, but I only expect it in the end of the coming week.
Tuesday, March 9, 2004
Tommy is doing fine... and?? I heard that the blood test was negative.. Unbelievable but true!!! Okay, this isn't a solution at all.. but I have to keep on hoping. I am fully aware that the virus is "flying through the room", but on the other hand it can be just a little bit and it's also possible that Tommy is making "anti-bodies" against the pbfd virus. If so? he can survive... he will never become ill. Of course I do have other birds and Tommy isn't they only bird here that can be infected. I have to be positive, for myself AND my birds!!
Saturday, March 27, 2004
Nothing new to tell!! He is doing great. Some weeks ago I thought that he would die.. now he looks as healthy as ever. Of course I cannot look into the future. Have to live day by day for Tommy.
Monday, March 29, 2004
Gosh..This evening suddenly another pin feather fell out and it looks awful. Same as the ohter (second) feather.. I just don't know what to think. His blood will be tested in a few months.. that will be a third test.. No more I can do right now...
Keep you posted..
Monday, May 3, 2004
In the meantime I got the test results from the feather above... guess what?? It is negative! I just cannot believe it.. but! Jim from Avian Biotech told me that if there is just a little bit of the pbfd virus on that feather, they will find it. But it is - seeing the photos of this feather - very hard to believe.
After that I sent another blood sample from Tommy to Avian Biotech and let it test on pbfd ánd polyoma. Today (May 3) I heard that his blood was negative on both viruses!! I am so happy!!! Of course it keeps me alert and after some months I will do another blood test.. but it isn't in his blood. Yeah. Thank God!
Tommy doesn't get it.. he he, he is just doing great, feeling happy and playful as always. The only thing is that he is troubling with one of his wings, after clipping his wings (1½ year ago) his right wing is fully grown, but the other one is still troubling and on that side these nasty feathers fell out. I think I will go to dr. Hedwig van der Horst again, maybe it is something totally different he is coping with, who knows!
He! What's going on anyway?? I 'm okay.. see?Again.. Keep you posted!
Monday, May 10, 2004
Today I again went to the vet dr. Hedwig van der Horst with Tommy and she saw the old and broken pin feathers. The best thing to do is to pull them out so that new healthy feathers can grow, but... he had to put under anesthesia because otherwise it would be too painful for him. So she did... oh dear Tommy. It was awful to see him that way, but it had to be done.
Now I really hope Tommy will only get better and will stay healthy! Maybe, after about six months I will again test his blood on pbfd. Mrs. Van der Horst also told me that she thinks that it is possible that the pbfd virus is still in my home (my god), but that it 's already dead. As you all know the first feather of Tommy, which I sent to England (Avian Biotech) was tested positive on this virus, but I really don't know if this means a "dead or alive" virus.. I will ask at the lab once.
Here some photos of this afternoon:
Under anesthesia Vet was looking at the feathers she used alcohol so you can see it clearly look at him!! here he was awakening. totally drunk! awww... finally home again, with millet! Finally I am very sure that Tommy just doesn't have pbfd at all. His blood was tested about 3 times (with 3 months in between) and everytime the test came out negative. I am so happy! It is weird that the first feather was a little bit infected, but it is quite possible that the virus, which was found on that feather, was there but already dead.
Updated: 23-05-2007 01:20 +0200
