James Harris, DVM
Princess of wales should weigh 108 grams
 I've been treating my adult princess of wales for a respiratory infection for the last two weeks. I was giving him ornacycline (mixing 3 cc's of water with one tablet and feeding 1/2 to one cc every 8 hours) and handfeeding twice a day because he was not eating. I'm keeping him warm and his health is much better and he is eating seed and small amounts of vegetables, but his weight is still a very big concern. The breast bone protrudes. Is there anything I can do or give to help him put on weight? Should I also be replacing the "good" bacteria? (I have heard that antibiotics given for any length of time will not only kill off the bad bacteria but the good, too.)
-- Peggy, earthygal@msn.com
 I assume your veterinarian prescribed the ornacyline. If not, your first step is to get your bird to the veterinarian pronto for an evaluation and laboratory tests.
If your bird already is under a veterinarian's care, you might want to take him back in to be reevaluated. Difficulty regaining weight could have a number of causes. Your bird might have a concurrent illness or physical problem the veterinarian missed the first time around, or he may be suffering from a yeast infection caused by the antibiotics.
In most cases, discontinuing antibiotics allows the normal bacterial population to re-establish itself in a short time. The supplements you can buy to "normalize" gut flora won't hurt your bird - but I doubt they'll help. Gut flora is species specific, and many of these products are for mammals. Even if a species-specific supplement were available, it would have to be given in massive quantities to do any good.
Try to get your bird to eat more and weigh him daily with a good gram scale. According to those who breed them, a princess of wales should weigh between 108 to 129 grams. But most important is how your bird looks and acts. A pet bird's keel may be slightly sharper than that of a wild counterpart because pets' breasts are usually underdeveloped from lack of flying. However, there should be muscle filling in either side of the keel so that only the edge of the bone, down the middle of the breast, can be felt. If your bird remains too thin, have your veterinarian take another look.
James Harris, DVM is owner and medical director of the Mayfair Veterinary Clinic in Sandy Bay, Tasmania, Australia. He founded Montclair Veterinary Hospital in Oakland, Calif., and has served as medical director and chairman of the board for the International Bird Rescue Research Center in Berkeley. Dr. Harris' numerous professional honors include California and National Bustad Companion Animal DVM Awards.
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