Eclectus with PVDD

by Kenny
(Florida)

Do you have any experience with PVDD? My Electus contracted this disease about a year ago. He is also a plucker and we lost the female due to this disease. The vet has him on baytril and metacam and we now hand feed him. We also use pretty boy pellets, i think its pretty boy not sure but in a brown bag and expensive. The vet advised no seeds or fruit, basically nothing but pellets and syringe feedings.


His plucking is horrible, down to the skin and now he is biting my wife whom he is very close to, but never bites me. So just wondering if you may have any tips for my little buddy, thanks.

Comments for Eclectus with PVDD

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Mar 13, 2012
 My Eclectus with PVDD
by: Amie

Hi Kenny, Nice to meet you. I am working with a board certified avian veterinary from the University of Illinois. He put Chloe on Gabapentin to decrease the toe tapping and wing flapping. He stated this is a fairly new treatment used for this virus. I do know as a nurse that Gabapentin in humans is used for seizures and it is working thus far for my baby girl. She is a completely different bird at this point.
I have Chloe on a diet of grains, orange vegetables, green leafy vegetables, beans and some fruits but not too much. The leafy vegetable are things like Kale, turnip greens, mustard greens, spinach to name a few. Her vet gave me this diet for eclectus that do not eat pellets. We are watching her diet very closely to ensure she is getting the vitamins and minerals that are essential for these birds. Alot of the research I found attributes alot of these symptoms caused from the pellet food and makes no mention of any viral infection such as what she has been diagnosised with. There are even a few who identify this behavior in moderation as being normal!
She has actually gained weight by 3 grams and doing so much better than when I first got her about 2 months ago. She was pretty bad then, chewing her feet, constant movement, agitated, but not any longer. She is eating well, (I weigh her daily on a scale specific for birds),playful, loving and very curious. We go back in a few weeks for another xray to look @ the stomach and other organs to see if any of the swelling has decreased. If not she will be put on Celebrex which is used as a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory to try to decrease the swelling of her stomach. The thought is that this will then improve the ability to absord the necessary nutrients from her food. I know that there is no cure for this
illness, but my plan is to give her the best quality of life possible for however long we are blessed to have her. This girl is so smart, I sware she has more cognitive ability than I ever imagined.
Any suggestions you may have to ensure she has good quality of life is appreciated.
Mar 13, 2012
 Eclectus with PVDD
by: kenny

Hi Dr B,

yes its is harrisons in brown bag and also PDD, thats what we were told by the vet and my internet searches find info on pvdd, but anyway, yes PDD. It was explained as Post not Pro if that makes a difference. I have him on metacam and the juvinile harrisons powder. He has done great for the past couple of years and was wondering if there are any new treatments out there. I know the university of Georgia was investigating this disease but I've heard nothing new about their findings.

Hello Amie,
My vet gave us 6 months of life, its been 2 or 3 years now ha ha. He is a tough fella. I am curious exactly what drugs and diet your little one is on. I was told nothing but harrisons juvenile powder so Im concerned he is lacking in nutrients. I havent heard of Gabapentin but will look into it. Thanks for the info.
Mar 13, 2012
 My female eclectus with PVDD
by: Amie

My girl Chloe is a female and just developed symptoms from this horrible virus. She had terrible uncontrollable toe tapping and wing flapping with some picking @ her toes til they bled. She was listless, and would bite frequently when approached. I took her to the University of Illinois Vet Med School and they started her in a strict diet and Gabapentin twice a day. In 3 wks I saw a complete turn around in her behavior. The toe tapping and wing flapping has stopped. I got her on a purely pellet less diet. The vet did an X-ray and you could see the inflammation in the stomach.
He stated there is no cure for this virus and contagious only to other birds. We go back in 6 wks for another X-ray and if the swelling is still there we will start her on Celebrex daily.
We will see how she does!
Our girl is now so sweet, we'll fight hard to ensure she lives out her life feelin good!!
Nov 06, 2010
 PVDD?
by: The Avian Vet

I am not familiar with PVDD. I am very familiar with PDD, Proventricular Dilatation Disease, caused by Avian Bornavirus.

I am also not familiar with Pretty Boy pellets. I know there is a Pretty Bird pellets, which is horrible, and I know that Harrison's pellets come in a brown bag and are more expensive than other pellets.

Let me know more information and I will try to help.

Dr B

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