How long after chlamydia treatment is my macaw safe for other birds?

Thanks for reaching out about Aria. Macaw Wasting Disease is thought to be viral in origin. Some viruses can be stable in the environment for prolonged periods of time. All porous products (wood perches, etc) should be disposed. Deep cleaning with anti-viral and bleach is recommended for other products but still leaves a risk of transmission. A new cage, different room, no re-using bowls, is best for biosecurity. Consult with your local veterinarian. Good luck.

Beak and Feather Disease is extremely contagious and usually lasts for your bird's lifetime until it or a secondary illness cause your bird to pass away. Even birds not showing symptoms can still be carriers for it. If you currently own any birds affected with this illness it would not be good to bring more birds into your home as it is likely to spread between them. If you do have both sick and healthy birds, keeping them separated in other rooms and in completely different environments, as well as using gloves/washing hands between handling can help reduce the chances of spread. Bleaching the cage and letting it sit for several days should kill any virus present, as well as replacing any porous materials such as perches as you've done. However, to be completely sure, it is always best to replace all affected items to be on the safe side.

Thanks for reaching out. Quarantining new acquisitions is recommended for a 30 day period. The further separated the better. New birds should be assessed by a veterinarian to determine health prior to introduction. Diet and husbandry practices can be reviewed at this time. Good luck.

Usually the Clostridial species that causes clinical signs in humans is not the same one to cause clinical signs in birds. I'm not saying not to be careful but I don't think it is likely for your SO to transfer the bacteria to your birds and make them ill. Hand washing is absolutely the number one way to prevent transmission of disease. Be sure it is proper handwashing - signing Happy Birthday twice while rubbing the soap around your hands, then rinse. Also, as you stated, minimizing handling of the birds by your SO during this time. Sounds like you have it under control! Clostridial bacteria release a toxin. The toxin is what make them sick, not the bacteria itself. If the birds were to catch it, these are some symptoms to watch for: * rapid deterioration of health * loss of appetite * weight loss * listlessness * bloody feces * undigested food in feces Even after the bird is cured of bacterial infection, the toxin will remain in the bird’s body -- causing the symptoms to continue. At the first sign of any symptoms get them to an avian vet ASAP. Hope this helps. Best wishes.

If his problem is caused by an infection than there should be some improvement after 7 days of Baytril. You should call your vet and give him/her an update as your vet may want to try a different antibiotic or a different medication. It is concerning that he has not showed any improvement and is still having trouble.

The eye is quite badly damaged and I would not expect it to return to normal. Chlamydia psittaci is an infection that can cause eye disease, but I would expect that the other eye or nose would be affected as well if this was the primary problem. My suspicion is that the eye was damaged by something. This often happens when they bump it into something or are fighting. The doxycycline is OK at that dose and rate. I would give this for only five days. You can help keep the eye from getting infected and help it heal by getting a good medicated eye drop from the pharmacy. A broad spectrum antibiotic/antifungal/antiinflammatory would be best. It's best to apply it to the eye six times a day, or as much as you can. Give this until the outside of the eye does not look red and swollen. Also, gently wipe away the crusts around the eye with warm water once a day. The eye will continue to have changes and will probably look worse and more sunken as time goes on, but they can adapt to this condition. If you are able to bring the bird to a veterinarian, they can offer other treatment options. I hope that helps and the bird gets better soon.

Thank you for your questions, and I am sorry to hear about your bird. Yes, the other two birds could have contracted the virus already, so there isn’t necessarily a need to separate them as they have already been exposed. For caging if your bird is falling - the most important part will be to keep everything low so she doesn’t injure herself. Otherwise it can be made of anything (many people will even use Tupperware containers) and can still have toys. Just keep the perches low and make good and water easy to reach. How long she will live varies - some birds still have a relatively long lifespan, while others succumb at a young age. You can help to support her by providing her with a clean environment, good ventilation, and a good diet. This will help to support her immune system as much as possible. I hope that helps, and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.