The Disease of the MonthThe Disease of the Month
After I adopted my Moluccan that self-mutilates, I had the vet run a fecal Gram Stain. Peaches was currently taking antibiotics to help heal her latest self inflicted boo-boo. Rocko, my Umbrella, had also been treated with antibiotics at two different times for E. coli bacteria and for a Staphylococcus bacteria (a Gram positive bacteria). Unfortunately, I was not aware and even worse, my veterinarians were not aware that both these bacteria can be considered normal in Cockatoos' fecal Gram Stain. My current Avian Vet would rather not treat these conditions unless the bird has other symptoms like messy poop, weight loss or acting sick. When I had both birds' poop tested, they both had significant yeast infections.
Candida albicans is the scientific name for the yeast that can cause a variety of problems in the digestive tract of parrots. The digestive tract includes all the parts that food and liquid travel through from the beak to the vent in the bird. Yeast is believed to be part of the normal flora (the good bugs in the digestive tract), but in some cases, they become too numerous and compete with the good bacteria. Antibiotics kill the good bacteria along with the bad bacteria. This was the reason that both my parrots had yeast infections. The results can sometimes be seen in the quality of the birds' poop. Sometimes it will be too watery and sometimes they will have true diarrhea. (If you missed my lecture on Bird Poop, I'll have pictures at the Library that you can look at.)
Here are some common questions and misconception about yeast infections:
Why didn't the yeast die from the antibiotics? Yeast are not bacteria they are one celled fungi. Antibiotics are designed to kill bacteria. Remember penicillin? That was made from bread mold which is in the fungi family. I always wondered why you treat yeast infection with anti-fungal and didn't treat them with anti-yeast medicine. That's because anti-fungal medicine is anti-yeast medicine.
Now I don't have to sex my bird since it has a yeast infection it must be a female. Sorry it isn't exactly that kind of a yeast infection. Birds have one common tract for urine, poop, eggs and sperm. Yeast infections in birds are equal opportunity infections, males as well as females are prone to them. Baby birds get yeast infections in their crops. Yeast can be one of the causes of sour crop (a general term that indicates the crop is not emptying normally. Crop impactions can occur; that's when everything gets stuck and compressed in the crop (this is a very dangerous condition and the bird must be seen as soon as possible by an Avian Vet). A neonate (cute little newborn baby) may not gain weight or may stop eating. Sometimes they regurgitate or vomit. Adult birds can have yeast infections anywhere in their digestive tract. It can be found in the choana (the slit in the roof of a parrot's oral cavity or mouth). A swab of this area can be tested with a culture and sensitivity or a direct Gram Stain. These tests will reveal the presence of yeast in this area. Candida (yeast) can be seen in the oral cavity as white areas covered with thick mucus. The crop of an adult bird can be filled with thick mucus and crop impactions can occur. In adults, beak abnormalities and dead patches on the tongue can be caused by this fungi. Yeast can also be found in the lower digestive tract. A swab from the choaca (vent) or a fresh fecal sample can be tested with a Gram Stain. This will often reveal such infections. Yeast can also occasionally cause respiratory infections. Birds treated with antibiotics can develop a secondary respiratory infection caused by yeast.
Where does yeast come from? Yeast are found everywhere in the environment. It can develop on spoiled food. For this reason, fresh fruits, vegetables and table food should never be left for more than a couple of hours in the bird's cage. In the summer, food can spoil in less than an hour. Poor hygiene can also spread yeast infections. Not sterilizing hand feeding equipment, improper cage cleaning and even not washing our hands can spread yeast and bacteria to our birds. Because yeast is in our environment, most healthy birds will not be affected by it. Older birds, very young birds, sick birds and stressed birds can develop yeast infections as secondary infections. These secondary infections put increased stress on their already over-taxed immune system and interfere with the healing process. Birds that have vitamin deficiencies often will develop yeast infections. Any nutritional deficiency will stress a bird's health and leave them open for secondary infections.
Now that everyone is convinced that their parrot must have a yeast infection, what can be done to treat it? First make sure your bird is on a well balanced healthy diet. Next, you and your vet must determine if your parrot has a yeast infection. A fecal Gram Stain should be done at least annually during your bird's health check. The good news is that yeast can easily be treated in most cases. Anything that increases the acidity in the digestive tract will control a mild yeast infection. Dr. Greg Harrison recommends adding a teaspoon of Organic, non pasteurized, non-filtered, organic Apple Cider Vinegar to a pint of their drinking water. (No, they don't need to drink the entire pint of water, whatever their normal intake of water is will do.) I use a Probiotic in my birds drinking water about three times a week. Probiotics contain lactobacillus that helps promote good bacteria to grow in their digestive tract. There are many different kinds of probiotics available; some need to be sprinkled on their food and some can be given orally (by mouth). When yeast infections become more difficult to treat, your Avian Veterinarian can prescribe a number of antifungals such as Nystatin, Kectoconazoal or Fluconazole.
As a part of your bird's health check you should have a Gram Stain or fecal evaluation done. When it is read it is important to observe that the yeast are budding or reproducing. Some food products or supplements may contain Brewers yeast. These will appear in the Gram Stain, but this yeast is not alive and doesn't cause problems in the bird, therefore, it should not be treated as a yeast infection. Yeast that have been affected by antifungal treatments will appear as hollow blue shells. It is important to take your parrot to a knowledgeable Avian Veterinarian and to follow their advice. Remember, a few yeast are considered normal in the Gram Stain of a healthy bird. Preventative measures are always better than the treatment of a disease condition. Make sure your birds are on healthy balanced diets. Make sure their environment is reasonably clean. Cage papers should be changed daily. Wash and disinfect food and water bowls daily. Fresh foods should be offered, but never left for more than a few hours in the cage. Wash fresh fruits and vegetables. Wash your hands often. Use antibiotics correctly and treat birds on them with a probiotic product. My new favorite saying is used by Dr. Drury Reavill as a closing to questions answered for Pet Forum about birds "To thrive, not nearly survive."
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