My older parrot falls, has seizures or foot drop. What's wrong?

I would strongly recommend a veterinary check up as soon as possible to determine the underlying cause of the seizures and give appropriate treatment. Infectious diseases affecting the central nervous system, nutritional causes, toxicities, secondary seizures (liver problems), metabolic diseases (hypoglycemia and hypocalcemia) are only few of the differentials. Please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation (where you can post pictures ) if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

Sorry to hear about Chiku's situation. There are not too many actual avian clinics in the country, so sometimes you need to just find a veterinarian who feel generally comfortable working with them. Another option is to contact a veterinarian who spends a good deal of time working with farm birds like chickens, turkeys, and ducks. While these aren't the same as Parrots by any means, they have a much better grasp concerning their anatomy and physiology. If Chiku is truly having seizures on a semi regular basis, he may be suffering from a disorder like epilepsy. Just like dogs and cats, this condition can be treated medically with a daily dose of phenobarbital usually. It may not completely control the seizure activity, but it can drastically reduce the frequency and severity of them. I would look into finding a veterinarian like one I have described and see if they are willing to work with you in these regards. Hope this helps.

Thanks for reaching out about Mitthu. Concerns are that he is having a seizure. Seizures can be due to nutritional deficiencies, liver or kidney disease, several viruses, exposure to toxins, etc. A veterinary visit is recommended for assistance with a diagnostic/treatment plan. At that time review diet, as calcium, protein and vitamin A deficiencies can be common causes. Good luck.

If possible, the cause of the seizure activity should be diagnosed. Afterwards, an effective treatment or control regimen can be recommended. Seizures in birds can be caused by trauma, infection, tumors or neurological disorders. Start a seizure log. Note length of seizures, time of day/night, diet, behavior before/after and any other pertinent information. This may help the veterinarian diagnose the cause. Consider a consult with a veterinary neurologist. If one is not available, the local veterinarian may be able to consult with one via phone after an exam.

Hello there! I'm sorry to hear about Machete's seizures. Birds are very hard to diagnose, and seizures can happen with several different disorders of birds, including kidney disease, liver disease, and atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries), amongst other bacterial, fungal, and parasitic infections. If Machete isn't responding to the current treatment, I would ask your veterinarian to investigate other possible causes of the seizures, and potentially try another treatment. While the bloodwork results you posted could certainly be indicative of kidney disease, there is also some indicators of fatty liver disease (which can also cause seizures) and/or atherosclerosis (which happens to be more common in Quaker parrots). This is especially true if Machete has been on a high-seed diet, which is high in fat and can contribute to these diseases. There are other diagnostic tools that can be utilized to come to a definitive diagnosis, such as biopsies and more sensitive blood tests. Please consider reaching out to your veterinarian for further evaluations and treatment so that Machete can get well. Best of luck to you and Machete!

If your bird is not able to be roused out of this episode then I would be very concerned. It sounds as if she’s having a neurological problem, most likely seizures. If it was just a one time occurrence and Calypso is otherwise acting normal, eating and drinking well, I would not worry. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck.

This presentation may be commonly cause by seizure episodes which may be mild to severe, partial or generalized, frequent or infrequent; and may involve twitching, paddling or convulsing. A bird may present a sudden, temporary loss of consciousness and control of motor function it may appear disoriented and unable to perch. Metabolic /nutritional causes, infective diseases like Avian Bornaviral Ganglioneuritis (PDD), Aspergillosis / Aflatoxins and West Nile Virus (WNV), traumas and brain injuries may all be causing these signs. A clinical examination at your local veterinarian is essential to confirm these clinical suspicions and treat appropriately. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further. Please find the time to give us a feedback about the consultation as that will be used to improve our service.