Uric Acid
Got some bloodwork done on Kappa last month. My vet isn't avian certified (the closest AAV certified avian vet to me is more than 2 hrs drive away), but I've had good luck with VCA Animal Hospitals in the past, my vet does do birds, and she's been consulting with other vets to make sure she learns more as needed. She told me after the bloodwork last month that she needed to consult with other vets on Kappa's uric acid test. We finally talked on the phone yesterday, and, well, let's start with this: partway through the conversation I felt the need to ask her right out "Should I be concerned or panicking?" and she replied "Concerned." I'm not convinced she's right.
Kappa's uric acid (which tests kidney function) is at 17 (I didn't catch the units, but for this test in humans the units are mg/dL). Normal healthy birds are supposed to be in the range of 2-10. Kidney disease is diagnosed if it's at a level of 20. The vet recommended two things: since Kappa's currently boarding with them for a week and a half anyway, they're going to give her sub-cutaneous fluids daily; and although I already give her Sunshine factor (palm fruit oil, for the Omega-3 fatty acids), she recommended I apply it to her veggie mix daily rather than when I make the mix. They're also going to take two more blood samples: a tiny one partway through her stay and do a test in-house on the hematocrit (I think it was), which tells about her red blood cell levels, which can tell if she's having problems rapidly; and another full blood panel at the end of her stay (which needs to be sent away) to see if the sub-cu fluids have made any significant change.
Basically, the vet was talking about extending Kappa's life, that in some cases something like this can be fatal quickly, or it could only shorten the bird's life by a year. I'm trying not to be devastated (my first cockatiel passed away from kidney failure). I'm definitely worried. Kappa's only 6 years old (if I'm counting right), and dusky conures have a normal life expectancy of 25-30 years. I got her after I lost two cockatiels in a relatively short time span, and I picked her species partly due to the longer life span than 'tiels.
*sigh* Anyone else have experience in this situation, where you have warning signs of a disease and have to manage it for the rest of the bird's life?
Kappa's uric acid (which tests kidney function) is at 17 (I didn't catch the units, but for this test in humans the units are mg/dL). Normal healthy birds are supposed to be in the range of 2-10. Kidney disease is diagnosed if it's at a level of 20. The vet recommended two things: since Kappa's currently boarding with them for a week and a half anyway, they're going to give her sub-cutaneous fluids daily; and although I already give her Sunshine factor (palm fruit oil, for the Omega-3 fatty acids), she recommended I apply it to her veggie mix daily rather than when I make the mix. They're also going to take two more blood samples: a tiny one partway through her stay and do a test in-house on the hematocrit (I think it was), which tells about her red blood cell levels, which can tell if she's having problems rapidly; and another full blood panel at the end of her stay (which needs to be sent away) to see if the sub-cu fluids have made any significant change.
Basically, the vet was talking about extending Kappa's life, that in some cases something like this can be fatal quickly, or it could only shorten the bird's life by a year. I'm trying not to be devastated (my first cockatiel passed away from kidney failure). I'm definitely worried. Kappa's only 6 years old (if I'm counting right), and dusky conures have a normal life expectancy of 25-30 years. I got her after I lost two cockatiels in a relatively short time span, and I picked her species partly due to the longer life span than 'tiels.
*sigh* Anyone else have experience in this situation, where you have warning signs of a disease and have to manage it for the rest of the bird's life?