Came home from work a few hours ago to find our dear 18 year old cockatiel in some kind of respiratory distress. He is breathing very rapidly; panting through the nostrils. Breath is not noisy. He has had three episodes of brief light sneezing spells in the last 4 hours. His droppings appear normal. He is now sleeping in his usual spot on a perch in the upper corner of the cage, still breathing rapidly. His feathers are not plumped up. His beak color appears normal. There is no noticeable discharge from eyes, nostrils or beak. Have not seen any unusual behavior in him recently. I don't think he has had any food or water since I got home. He was unusually vocal and loud for a few minutes when I first got home, coming up for a greeting, then retreated to the upper corner of the cage. He's not fond of being handled, and I do not want to stress him, but I did check to make sure his nostrils are not obviously blocked, and did not feel any bumps, lumps, moisture, etc. on his body. He has never been sick in all our years together, and has never been to a vet. We live in a rural area, and the nearest avian vet I can find online is a long drive away, and can't be reached until 9am tomorrow. I have moved him to a warm place in the house, put a heating pad in a towel under his cage, and half covered the cage. Should I try to get some water in him with a dropper? Can you tell me anything about what treatment might help him from the symptoms I've reported? Do birds benefit from herbs like echinacea and goldenseal, which I would take for a respiratory illness myself? I know that at 18 he is a senior - do you recommend I seek vet care from an unfamiliar doc, even though it will be very stressful travel and experience for him? Any other things we can do for him now?
Hi, I’m a moderator for this topic and I wonder whether you’re still waiting for an answer. If you are, please let me know and I will do my best to find a Professional to assist you right away. If not, feel free to let me know and I will cancel this question for you. Thank you!
I have not received a response to my urgent concerns. Please cancel the question and refund my deposit.