-- Kelly Kuiper

My precious African grey, Greystone, died recently from PDD. How could she have caught this disease? I have three other parrots and they show no signs of it. Each have their own cages. I would like to move one of the other birds into Greystone's large cage. Would steam cleaning this cage kill the germs and disinfect it? The temperature of the water reaches 212 degree Fahrenheit. I've thrown away all of Greystone's toys and put the perches in the dishwasher but I'm still not sure if they're safe.

-- Georgia Provost, Danvers, Mass.

Two or three times a day, my 7-month-old peach-faced lovebird tries to vomit, executing the same motions as if trying to feed young. He brings up some seeds and then swallows them again. At first I thought that it might be due to the mating season but now I wonder if he ingested some of his cedar toys I bought him four months ago. He's very lively, playing and flying around, and eats normally. The vet did tests on his droppings and they were negative. He also gave me some lactulose to wash out his intestines in case there's any cedar left. I've been giving him his medicine for almost a week now and he is still vomiting seeds. I'm really worried.

-- Claire Seguna, Malta

Budgies, like many other types of parrots, often regurgitate food as a part of courting behavior. However, regurgitation also can be a symptom of a serious underlying medical problem including PDD. Thirty grams is at the low end of the weight scale for a budgie, so your bird may indeed be losing weight. And a bird that is fluffed up most of the day is certainly not feeling well. The current thought is that PDD is caused by a virus that affects the nerves controlling the muscles of segments of the digestive tract. Food is not moved along the tract and fills the proventriculus, the glandular stomach of a bird. Unable to digest its food, the bird loses weight and eventually dies. Antibiotics such as septra and enrofloxacin have no effect on viral diseases such as PDD, but they may control secondary bacterial infections. However, PDD is not the only possible cause of your bird's symptoms. There are many other causes of the symptoms the bird is displaying, such as a tumor, gastric yeast or some type of foreign body. I know a two-hour trip is an effort, but you would be wise to take your bird to an avian veterinarian. Until he's examined by a veterinarian experienced with birds you won't get the best diagnosis and treatment plan.

If PDD is caused by a virus, birds that share living quarters with an ill bird are at risk. Viruses can be spread by direct contact or indirect contact through droppings or contaminated objects. Sterilize the cage of a confirmed PDD bird first by scrubbing off all organic matter, then steam cleaning, then using a solution of bleach or another type of viracidal compound if you wish. Discard wooden toys and perches. Sterilizing metal, ceramic and plastic in the dishwasher might be enough, but I would use bleach, too.

Claire, to pinpoint the cause of your lovebird's behavior, he needs additional tests. He could still have wood lodged in his digestive tract or it could be something else altogether. Blood work and x-rays would be a good start. For further reading on regurgitation, see these archive Ask Dr. Harris articles, Persistent regurgitation could be mere habit and Undigested seed isn't normal.

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.

ParrotChronicles.com. Copyright 2010. All rights reserved.

Return to current Ask a Vet column