I don't have a macaw but one of our members was told by her avian vet, who is quite well known, that a bird's white count can go up when handled at the vet's office. Seems strange but that's what he said.

I have given Baytril several times and the flavor can be changed. The grape was awful. I tasted it and it burned my tongue so badly that I went back and got another flavor from my vet. Now I ask what choice we have and she always lets me choose. So it's my fault if it's really nasty tasting.

Annie

Phooey, I forgot to say I am so glad he is better. So scary when they get sick.

Annie

Thanks.  We've tried the strawberry and (believe it or not) a chocolate flavor -- both very yucky.  Joan

Baytril sounds familiar- I think that is what I had to give my indian ringneck Pookie at one point.  While I was waiting our turn, I heard the vet offer to a macaw owner their choice of flavors and the owner chose grape.  I didn't hear the choices.

 

When they bottled mine for Pookie, they just went ahead and made it banana flavor w/out asking me first (since I was new).  I didn't have the heart to tell them she won't eat bananas... but she doesn't really like grapes either so I figured no point in getting them to switch flavors at that stage.  (She doesn't like strawberries either, and has never had chocolate- odd they offer that as a choice).  Now, if they made Cheese or Pomegranite flavor we might be talking. 

 

I hope Dude continues to improve.

Hi, very happy to say that Dude's last blood test showed his white blood count is down from 70,000 to 6,900.  Yeah, let's hear it for Baytril.

Thanks, Joan

Wow, that is wonderful to hear of such a good response to the Baytril. So glad he's better.

Annie

It just occurred to me that my ekkie, Diana, had an elevated WBC when she was very young. Normal for an ekkie is between 9,000 and 15,000. Hers was 84,500. Turned out to be zinc toxicity. We tested everything she came in contact with and the only thing that was positive were Quik Links that weren't stainless steel. She was lethargic, but was eating and drinking well. One morning I found her sitting in the floor of her cage. We went straight to the vet.

After all the testing and upper GI xrays we treated her with chelation therapy plus peanut butter and mineral oil to try to move the zinc through her. She has permanent intestinal damage from the zinc.  (This was the same treatment as Nan is doing right now for Dolly for his lead toxicosis.)

Got her thru that and she then contracted Pacheco's virus. I don't have her WBC result in my papers on the Pacheco's tests, or at least I can't find it right now. I know it wasn't as high as the zinc tox result. One of my other birds died from Pacheco's and we are pretty sure Patti was a carrier and began to shed the virus after an injury.

Did your vet do a zinc tox test on Dude?

Since his dramatic improvement on the Baytril, it probably was an infectious thing, but if it comes back, you may want to ask for the zinc and lead testing if those haven't been done.

Annie