Faecal Sample Results

Rain

Rain

Parrot Sniffer
Regular Member
I sent off a sample of Ri's poo because I was convinced he had Giardia - as has started picking feathers on his legs and under his wings.
Got his results back today and I think they are fine - from what I am reading. I had a complete test done and everything seems clear. I did just ring them, as couldn't really understand the rods and cocci - but she said everything was normal - so that's a relief.
Here they are .........

MICROBIOLOGY

Culture Aerobic cultures show a moderate mixed growth
consistent with normal faecal flora

Salmonella Negative

Campylobacter Negative
Yeasts Negative
Gram Stain 30% Gram negative rods
30% Gram positive cocci
40% Gram positive rods
Direct No ova, cysts or parasites seen.
Concentrate No ova, cysts or parasites seen.

SENSITIVITIES Not indicated
*NORMAL FAECAL RESULT*
[ ]
Report date 02/08/2018 Final report on 02/08/2018 Price GBP Charge GBP 40.00 +VAT

<< End of Lab Data >>

So now, I'm thinking that it may just be dry skin, caused by the fan and the hot weather. Since I have been humidifying the air and giving daily baths and a spray with aloe vera - he hasn't picked any more out. He has a few new ones coming in as well, that he has left alone. He's certainly not ill in any way.

If it carries on though, I'll have to get him to his vet. Though, being as they can't take bloods because he can't have an anaesthetic - not sure what else they could find out. And if it's kidney or liver function - I'm already doing as much as I can for that, by diet. And I don't think it's Vit A or Calcium/D deficiency. He hates the vet (after everything he went through with his fractured spine), so I'd rather not stress him, if it's unnecessary.

Any knowledge on the rods and cocci would be welcome. I know they said normal but I just like to understand it.

Also, any thoughts on what other tests could be done, apart from blood work?
Thank you. x
 
Tagging @DizzyBlue as hope she will be able to pour light on this for you. Have you ruled out diet sensitivity from the obvious - coloured pellets, additives in pellets/nutriberries? Picking/plucking can be psychological as well. Major toy over haul / cage move around, foraging toys. @RoyJess has put up some good info for this.
 
Thank you @plumsmum . x
He has Harrison's pellets, along with lots of organic fruit and veg, grains, legumes, a few seeds, nuts etc. I stopped Nutriberries, in case of additives.
I have tried cutting out wheat the past couple of weeks, so will see how that goes.

He's just got a new cage and toys - but he was doing it before that. He loves his new cage, but is out of it most of the day, with me. We play a lot, dance, he has a lot of attention etc. So that's why I was worried it was medical.

After his fractured spine, he did start picking his legs a bit. Then, every time a new feather came in, he would pick it out. He had never picked before that. But that seemed to stop. It's only this year really that, after a really heavy moult - he started under his wings. I also was thinking about hormones.

Though, fingers crossed that he has stopped since I have been hydrating his skin more.
 
Now I'm looking on Google and it seems negative rods are not a good thing to have.
More confused than ever now.
 
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Your bird shouldn't need anaesthetic to have bloods taken so I'm a bit confused by that one?

There are a lot of things that can cause issues with the feathers and plucking and bloods are going to be the best way to determine that. Faecal samples aren't always accurate as they rely on a disease to be actively shed at the time the sample was collected.
 
Sorry to reply to my own thread again.
Rang the lab again and they said 30% negative was normal. Whereas googl
CaptainHowdy said:
Your bird shouldn't need anaesthetic to have bloods taken so I'm a bit confused by that one?

There are a lot of things that can cause issues with the feathers and plucking and bloods are going to be the best way to determine that. Faecal samples aren't always accurate as they rely on a disease to be actively shed at the time the sample was collected.
Click to expand...

The gas and air makes him very sick. Vet won't take bloods without it.
I did a 3 day sample, but yeah maybe something hasn't shown up.

Rang the lab again and they said 30% negative was normal. Whereas googling - it says it shouldn't be more than 10% or it can be a sign of e-coli.
Rang my vet to ask but he won't just talk on the phone - just says to make an appointment. Easier said than done. Shall have to try and get a lift from someone.
 
@Rain your bird is fine :) no need to visit the vet hunni. And google caused many a meltdown so where they say 10% they are not taking into account the species of bird nor what type of gut flora and fauna are in there even the good stuff shows up its not always the scary stuff.
Cocci means oval or round small bacteria and totally normal for a bird and on the same thought plan rods are also a shape of bacteria.
 
DizzyBlue said:
@Rain your bird is fine :) no need to visit the vet hunni. And google caused many a meltdown so where they say 10% they are not taking into account the species of bird nor what type of gut flora and fauna are in there even the good stuff shows up its not always the scary stuff.
Cocci means oval or round small bacteria and totally normal for a bird and on the same thought plan rods are also a shape of bacteria.
Click to expand...

Thanks lovely. x
Have been reading loads that any more than 10% negative bacteria means he could have an infection. It says the ideal is 0% negative.
And being as he has 30% negative - I've been having a meltdown.

I'm not against taking him to the vet (don't mind the cost) but, when it's a wasted journey, just to ask a question - it winds me up, as it's so hard to arrange to get him there. You'd think, after the thousands I have spent there, a quick minute on the phone to interpret the results wouldn't have hurt.

I think I may take him anyway - just to put my mind at rest. But I will be able to take time to arrange a lift, as I know its not urgent. I just worry about the vet always wanting to take bloods - and the effect of the gas.
 
The key you should have read in your initial post is in capital letters from the laboratory it say *NORMAL FAECAL RESULT*
 
@Rain Please please do not google things so much is written that is nonsense . Your vet and the lab results are fine as @DizzyBlue said above... written in capitals is all you need to know. I am sure Ri is fine, please do not keep worrying yourself, you look after him very well indeed xx
 
It’s normal...don’t worry what google says!
And don’t fret about other tests and treatment, unless he is showing definite poorly bird symptoms, which he isn’t.

Going to the vets is stressful for both bird and owner, so needs to be balanced into the equation. He’s having a good fresh food diet and he knows his mum loves him.
 
DizzyBlue said:
The key you should have read in your initial post is in capital letters from the laboratory it say [colour=#8000ff]*NORMAL FAECAL RESULT*[/colour]
Click to expand...

You would think that would do it, wouldn't you?

And it did, until I started to dissect it and google the 30% negative bacteria. On some searches, some have got back only 10% negative and had to have treatment.
So, dilemma. Do I put my mind at rest and see the vet - or will that do more harm than good because the gas nearly killed him last time - and Ri gets very stressed going.
Positives - he's not ill in any way.
Negatives - he has a neurotic Mum.

Thank you everyone, for calming me down. I know it's a habit.
You should have seen me with my dogs. I once rushed one of them in as an emergency, for a lump under his skin. I was freaking out. Turned out it was his micro-chip.
 
Can I just say it is nearly impossible for any thing not to have negative bacteria's as they are in the air and on every surface. they can be just as important as positive bacteria's and together they will help the immune system develop and the bird will stay strong and healthy. To put things into prospective the yearly flue jab given to humans contains flu strains at such a low level that our immune system has a chance to develop a way to fight the flue if it gets into our bodies. One other thing is although the vets are kept as clean as possible there is still time for bacteria to start settling on the poop as soon as it is coming out. One of the growing problems in human health is that we are now living a too clean life and our bodies cannot fight the bad bacteria's as well as it used too.
 
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