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Living with PDD: Merlin's Story
A Hyacinth Macaw's Fight for Life...
Merlin's story is published unaltered with permission from the author of the story, Lisa Irving (owner of Pampered Parrot, LLC). This article was published in Bird Talk Magazine April 2004.
Merlin's Fight For Life
When PDD takes the life of one Hyacinth Macaw,
will its mate survive?
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Kayla, a beautiful lady Hyacinth Macaw, belonged to my friend Debbie, and Merlin, a spirited Hyacinth male, is mine. We would often get together with the birds. The Macaws delighted in playing together: preening, feeding and "bonking" each other on their heads. Hyacinths have enormous feet, and their playful, big feet were everywhere! It was clear the birds had a wonderful time together. Not only had our birds become "best friends", but also so had we.
The exotic blue Hyacinth is a loud bird if he wants company or playtime. In the wild, their vocalization can be heard for over a kilometer. Our birds were sitting in different homes, screaming for something fun to do. We decided to let the birds become a "pair".
Our plan was to share the birds so they would live at each of our homes a couple of weeks each month. It was a breeze to get them from one home to another. They knew exactly where they were going! They had a double set of "parents" who
adored them and could lavish time on them because of the "sharing arrangement". Every time they "went home" the birds were elated to see the other parents again.
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Paradise Found
Each home had slightly different rules, and they knew exactly what they could do in each home! Upon their arrival I was greeted with a "bonk" on my head and a hug from Kayla, and Debbie would get a tug on her shirt from Merlin. Then they would "feed" us (you experienced bird owners know what I mean!) to show their love. When someone shows love that much, can you dislike that "feeding"? They would sit on our laps, one on each leg, while we would sing "their" song: "If you're happy and you know it flap your wings!" Kayla would flap on cue and Merlin would bob his head as if singing to her.
Merlin and Kayla bonded, they preened and cuddled, touched and fed and talked in many ways. It was like a gift to have those rare and majestic creatures in our living rooms, and watch them behave, as they would have done in their natural habitat.
We now had two happy, non-screaming Hyacinths instead of one loud bird each. The Bonus: we didn't lose any pet qualities because of this arrangement. It was just perfect. I guess too perfect.
Paradise Lost
One day I realized that Kayla was losing weight, and I took both birds to a vet for a checkup. The vet and I had a long discussion on Kayla eating more but otherwise everything was fine. Merlin was the most rambunctious bird. Kayla had always been calmer.
Sadly, we found out only a week later that she was fatally ill with PDD. Proventricular Dilatation Disease (PDD) is a viral infection causing weight loss, GI problems, neurological abnormalities and progresses to death in almost all of the birds that contract it. Debbie and I rushed Kayla to an avian specialist, but in 4 days she died.
Needless to say, Debbie and I and our families were in shock. Everything went so fast, from perfection to this nightmare of grief and disbelief.
It was devastating to see Merlin sitting alone, grieving for Kayla and knowing he would probably become the next victim. Franticly feeling his keel bone, watching what he ate, and his droppings, I wondered when and how PDD would show its ugly face. Stress is a huge factor in this disease. Merlin didn't seem to be sick but he was so sad, his wings hanging and body slumped like a very old bird.
Merlin's Fight Begins
In 14 days he started to show signs of illness. Early signs are vomiting and passing whole seeds. He did both. We rushed him to the same specialist. Merlin started taking Celebrex, the only medication offering any chance of survival. Merlin was miserably sick and the vet did all that could be done. Hyacinths hate being separated from their family and Merlin's life was nothing compared to what it had been just three happy weeks before.
After three days the vet called. We had to take Merlin home immediately and continue his treatment. Immediately upon our arrival, Merlin heard our voices; he started to scream so loudly that nothing could be heard until the vet placed him in my arms. I was stunned! I have never seen such a sick bird. He lay on his side, trying to hold on to life.
We made a bed for Merlin in his cage and syringe fed him every 4 hours. Every morning I was filled with dread with what I might find, upon opening the door to the bird room.
It seemed to take forever for Merlin to recover until one day he sat up and tried to perch. I never thought we would actually miss his honking, but when he finally loudly announced that he felt so much better, I have never heard a more beautiful sound!
Merlin is back to the stunningly beautiful, fun loving bird he was before this nightmare started and takes his Celebrex every morning. There are still questions about a bird that survives an attack of PDD. Is he still contagious? Can he ever have another friend? Will this PDD lie inside him only to destroy him later?
The only thing we know about this dreadful disease, PDD, is how little we know about it. Several research veterinarians are working to find a test and a cure, but there is a long way to go.
One thing is certain. We enjoy every day with Merlin and we are grateful that he is still brightening our days. I am a Breeder and Avian Consultant. That breeding portion of my business is on hold until more is known more about PDD.
Update on Merlin's Story
by Lisa Irving, September 2004
Merlin was misdiagnosed with PDD. When Kayla got sick with PDD and died in a very short time, we assumed that Merlin also got sick with PDD. Instead of looking at Merlin's' test results to get a positive diagnose of PDD, we did whatever we could to try to save his life. I believed so much that Merlin had PDD, I did not doubt it for a second and I did not look in any other direction.
Looking back at the whole ordeal, we now realize that Merlin showed some of the symptoms he would have shown with many other diseases. Merlin did throw up, but only once or twice, and he had seeds in his poop. But all this is very normal with other stomach diseases. I did not know it at the time, but most of Merlin's tests were not typical for PDD. His proventriculus was normal, he lost very little weight, he did not have the typical bad smell PDD produces in his breath, and no other tests pointed to PDD. We were expecting Merlin to get PDD, so we only kept him at home a few hours before we rushed him to the vet, and at the vet he did not vomit even once.
A few vets told me that once a bird has PDD, it is fatal and you can only prolong his life for a while by giving him Celebrex. Those birds will never be what we call healthy again. They will have the disease lingering in their body, feeling better one day and worse again the next day. When you stop the Celebrex with a PDD bird, it will pass away. Those vets are very clear that they do not know any PDD survivor who has been healthy for a longer period. I also learned that the Celebrex, given to a bird that is not sick with PDD, takes away most of his immune system and therefore puts that bird at risk for other diseases.
We know now that Kayla was sick with PDD and another disease and that Merlin was sick with the second disease, not PDD. Today Merlin is a healthy and happy bird. He has been without his Celebrex since February 2004. Many months after I found out about Merlin not having PDD, I still had a hard time believing that he is just fine. I finally start to realize that my breathtaking magnificent Big Boy does not have PDD this time.
I spoke to a few leading vets and learned that PDD does not spread that easily from one bird to another. We might easily have thought that we did not want to put Merlin through hospitalizations, medicine, tests, and all of what is involved with having a very sick bird, as we did with Kayla. And Merlin's necropsy would have come back then with negative test results for PDD. There are many misdiagnosed birds out there that could be put to sleep, if the owner lacks proper test results. I have a hard time even to think about it.
Merlin recently found a girl friend. Her name is Duchess and she is a stunning, extraordinary good-looking gentle Hyacinth. She wanted to have a friend as much as Merlin did. Duchess was laying eggs and plucking herself and we realized her need for a companion. Merlin these days is a very pleased bird. |
