Why Is My Parakeet Breathing Hard?

by jay | Updated on November 12th, 2022

Owners of parakeets and parrots frequently worry about their pets’ health and well-being. After all, they are living creatures that want our love and care the same way we do. One of the most often asked questions is, “Why is my parakeet parrot breathing so fast?”

If you notice that your pet isn’t doing well or is in pain, this page will help you figure out what’s wrong. So, if your bird has been quickly breathing for a time, keep reading to find out what it may indicate!

When your parakeet is unwell, its respiration may become rapid. When a parakeet’s respiration appears quick or laborious compared to usual, the bird is either extremely agitated or unwell.

This is the most prevalent problem that will appear when your bird’s respiration becomes rapid or heavy.

Heavy breathing can be caused by various factors (bacterial or fungal infection, rhinolith, etc.), but all necessitate medical treatment. Take them to an avian vet immediately for tests, x-rays, and blood testing.

Klebsiella, Proteus, Chlamydophila, and Pasteurella are among the most common bacterial respiratory illnesses reported in pet birds today.

Antibiotics, in conjunction with other medications such as steroids and antifungals, are commonly and successfully utilized.

Let’s take a deeper look at some of the causes of your parakeet’s rapid breathing and then look at what you can do to assist your parakeet in feeling better.

Why is my parakeet breathing so quickly?

When your parakeet is unwell, its respiration may become rapid. When a parakeet’s respiration appears quick or laborious compared to usual, the bird is either extremely agitated or unwell.

Neither of them is beneficial to your bird. You may also notice other symptoms of your bird’s illness, such as a change in feeding habits, a change in voice, or shivering. When you see any of these symptoms, taking care of your parakeet and taking them to a specialist is essential.

When your parakeet breathes quickly, it may develop many respiratory issues.

This is the most prevalent problem that will appear when your bird’s respiration becomes rapid or heavy. Your bird expert will be able to examine your bird to determine why it is breathing so quickly and will be able to provide medication for the specific ailment that your bird is suffering from.

Some of the worst respiratory infections, such as pox, are now uncommon.

However, bacterial and fungal pneumonia, aspergillosis, and severe respiratory distress remain prevalent.

The prevalence and forms of respiratory illness found in birds vary depending on geography and whether they are maintained in aviaries or as pets.

Bird owners in the Midwest or South, where humidity is higher, will have a higher incidence of respiratory illness than those on the West Coast, where it is drier.

What symptoms will my parakeet exhibit if they are having difficulty breathing?

Birds are not tamed; they perceive us as the flockmate who will eject them if they become unwell. As a result, we must be able to interpret delicate body language in birds and rely on careful monitoring of bird feces and weight loss to determine if the bird is unwell.

Human owners frequently ignore indicators of distress disease and seek therapy too late. Learn to interpret your bird’s body language and indications of illness.

While this bird is a feather picker, its facial expression indicates that it is ill. How is it holding its body together? Is it the head? What does the glance in its eyes say? How about some fluffed-up feathers on your head?

You may look for several symptoms to determine whether your parakeet’s quick breathing is because they are having difficulty breathing in the first place. Among the warning signals to look out for are the following:

The tail bobbles up and down

While birds breathe the same air as humans, the remainder of their respiratory system is unique. Because birds lack a diaphragm, their lungs remain open most of the time. The chest muscles will contract, forcing the air into the air sacs.

If the bird is agitated, it may not be able to use these muscles to assist its breathing. Therefore, it may begin to use the posterior muscles, causing the tail to bob up and down. If this happens, you should go to the vet since it is a serious matter.

Wheezing and gasping

When the parakeet is breathing, it should make minimal, if any, noise. If you detect gasping or wheezing, this is an indication that the parakeet is having difficulty breathing and should be treated immediately soon. Take care to keep an eye out for coughing and sneezing.

They’re breathing with their mouth open

Your parakeet should be able to breathe via its nares. If they get blocked due to mucus during an infection, the bird will open their mouth and try to breathe through it instead. This indicates that the bird is ill and has an infection, so take it to the doctor as soon as possible.

Coughing or a shift in voice

If your bird’s voice changes and coughs a lot, this is a tell-tale symptom of respiratory problems. Your bird may be taking in too much air due to the unusual usage of a tail bob to breathe, creating even more discomfort to the throat and lungs. Coughing is an indication of congestion.

A change in or loss of voice in a pet bird will pinpoint lesions to the trachea, specifically the syrinx. The syrinx is the bird’s “speech box,” a grouping of membranes and muscles found at or near the tracheal bifurcation (the termination of the trachea, where it divides into two principal bronchi).

The avian trachea is comparatively broad till the level of the syrinx as compared to the cat or dog. Normally, the airway narrows at this point, resulting in turbulent airflow. Because of the turbulence, some disease agents, such as an inhaled foreign substance or Aspergillus spores, are more likely to fall out in the syrinx.

Tracheal illness symptoms are typically not subtle and may include coughing and gurgling breath sounds. When the syrinx is the location of illness, frequent symptoms include voice loss or alteration. With each breath, birds frequently make a high-pitched squeak or clicking sound. These sounds can be heard for days or weeks before the bird becomes fully dyspneic in certain circumstances (has difficult or labored breathing).

Nasal Drainage

Whether it comes with coughing or sneezing, this is a major indicator that something is obstructing your parakeet’s airways, and you will need to provide them with medication to comfort them.

You should be on the lookout for cyanosis if you see any of these symptoms. This is essentially a blue tone to the skin and indicates that the parrot is suffering from oxygen deprivation. In severe circumstances, this is possible. This is not likely if you were looking for some of the clues from above.

If any of the symptoms above appear, you must take your parakeet to a veterinarian. When it is identified early, the vet can give your parakeet the necessary treatment and return them to health in no time.

What’s the deal with my parakeet’s panting?

You may notice your bird panting on occasion.

Birds occasionally “pant” in the same manner as dogs do. Beaks open, heavy breathing If they were hot (do you have your heater on, or is it still quite warm where you live?) It may cause them to breathe in this manner, in which case you should switch on the air or turn off the heather (never turn on a fan if the bird is out of its cage unless its wings are clipped).

You’ll note that they’re breathing with their beaks slightly open, as if they want to talk to you, but no sound is coming out. It’s also a symptom that they’re feeling overwhelmed.

If you detect something around the bird that appears to make them feel scared, or if you take them outdoors and the bird begins to pant while you are with them, this is a clue that the quick breathing is caused by their being uncomfortable and worried.

Is fast breathing caused by illness or fear?

When your parakeet is unwell, it will most likely breathe fast. You should take them to the vet or another professional who can prescribe medications to keep them healthy.

There are a few occasions when the panting is caused by fear or nervousness. The simplest method is to observe the bird’s other behaviors while it is panting.

You will notice a few clear symptoms if the parakeet is panting because it is afraid.

A panting parakeet breathes through its beak, which is slightly open. It may appear “cute” or as though they are attempting to communicate, but no sound is produced. If you have a clipped parakeet who pants when out and about with you, they are probably overwhelmed and would want to return to the protection of its cage.

They will flap or flutter about their cage to get away from whatever is frightening them, such as fear feces or feathers that are very smooth and eyes that are wide open.

A dread poop is extremely watery feces for no other reason, such as having a bath, eating a lot of vegetables, or being unwell. These are usually extremely simple to diagnose; for example, if I disturb Kelly during her afternoon sleep, she immediately fears poops. The watery fright poop should occur one or two times in a sequence; normal poops should continue once they have recovered from being shocked.

These are clear indicators that something is upsetting the bird. When you remove the source of the parakeet’s distress, they should settle down, and the panting should stop.

When a parakeet is unwell, quick breathing will continue no matter what modifications you make to its surroundings. You may also notice that the bird is not eating, does not like to be near other people, or sleeps a lot. Many of the symptoms discussed above will manifest when the parakeet is unwell, which is the reason for its rapid breathing.

Your parakeet is most likely displaying indications of quick breathing because they are unwell. There are a few occasions when they will do it because they are anxious, but this is generally a temporary occurrence that will pass fast. When a bird is ill, you will note that its respiration does not improve and, in fact, often worsens if the proper treatment is not administered.

What are some of the causes of pet bird respiratory disease?

There are several reasons for respiratory difficulties.

Diet & Nutrition

The simplest method to assist your bird’s respiratory health is ensuring optimal, species-specific dietary support.

I’m talking about regularly ensuring your bird receives enough vitamin A and Omega fatty acids.

Bird seed diets are similar to feeding your child potato chips at every meal. Even vitamin-coated seeds go to waste since the vitamin coating is on the seed hull, which the bird splits off and dumps onto the cage’s floor.

As soon as possible, start your bird on a new diet. I’m referring to premium, science-backed bird pellets enriched with fresh plant-based superfoods that help your bird’s respiratory health. Harrison’s and Roudybush are two of the top-quality pellet brands.

Many birds with respiratory disorders have difficulty eating an all-seed diet.

Seeds contain extremely little vitamin A, which is required for optimal growth of the epithelium (skin cells that line the respiratory system).

A lack of vitamin A causes defective epithelium, readily infiltrated by germs such as bacteria.

Parasites, tumors, fungi (e.g., Aspergillus), viruses, Mycoplasma (a particular type of bacteria), and, in particular, the Chlamydophila bacterium (which causes parrot fever or chlamydiosis in parrots) can all cause respiratory infections in birds.

Because of the pressure created by the larger organ on the bird’s respiratory system, organ enlargement caused by tumors or infection can cause respiratory difficulties (difficulty breathing).

Toxins

In rare cases, inflammation caused by environmental irritants might induce symptoms of respiratory illness, such as sneezing.

Many pet owners use highly strong disinfectants to scrub their bird cages regularly.

This can impair a bird’s defensive mechanisms and render it vulnerable to opportunistic infection.

Pet birds are more vulnerable to absorbing airborne pollutants because they are more frequently exposed to home cleaners, incense and air fresheners, kerosene heaters, second-hand cigarette smoke, and hot cookware.

Overheated Teflon cookware can cause quick death because it emits an odorless, colorless gas that causes abrupt death in birds who breathe it in.

Teflon’s scientific name is polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). There have been scientific investigations on Teflon’s possible human carcinogenic characteristics.

The Environmental Working Group (EWG), located in the United States, discovered in late 2003 that Teflon Toxicosis (or smoke inhalation caused by overheated Teflon pots and pans) kills thousands of pet birds each year, with the possibility of many more instances remaining unreported.

When heated over 570 degrees Fahrenheit, the Teflon coating decomposes, generating up to six highly poisonous gases that kill birds and make humans sick.

What exactly is dyspnea?

Dyspnea is characterized by laborious or difficult breathing. Dypneic animals look to be in anguish or discomfort. They often experience an increased respiratory rate, known as tachypnea, and their breathing may or may not be difficult. Although respiratory diseases are the most common cause of difficulty breathing, other conditions such as heart disease, nervous system abnormalities, or mechanical issues can also induce dyspnea or tachypnea.

In reality, injuries, airway blockages, toxins, heart illness, infections, central nervous system issues, genetic conditions, cancer, or compression of the air sacs from fluid or larger organs can all cause dyspnea.

Dyspneic birds are simple to identify since they frequently breathe with open mouths. Breathing may need a full-body effort, as seen by “tail bobbing,” in which the tail bobs up and down with each breath. With each inspiration, some birds make a squeaking noise.

Dyspnea is a sign of an underlying condition ranging from heart disease to cancer. This sickness can be caused by any ailment that impairs the function of the air sacs.

Some types of stomach disorders, for example, might pressure the air sacs, making breathing difficult. Infections of the kidneys, heart, or liver can also generate enough inflammation to clog the air sacs, making breathing difficult. Dyspnea can be caused by anything that goes wrong in the body and exerts pressure on the air sacs.

Dyspnea in birds occurs when your pet has difficult or uncomfortable breathing, and various factors can cause it. Depending on the reason and the bird’s overall health, the breathing problem might be slight or severe.

Symptoms of dyspnea

• Breathing while opening one’s mouth
• There is no hunger.
• Weakness
• Head trembling
• feathers fluffed up
• When attempting to breathe, move your entire body.
• Lethargy
• Tucked in your chin

Dyspnea in birds: What causes It?

• Infection or illness of the lungs
• Nutritional deficiencies
• Toxins such as breathed fumes or eaten poisons are examples of toxins.
• Tracheal obstruction caused by inhaled seeds, tumors, abscesses, or goiter
• The air sacs are compressed.
• Cardiac sickness or illness
• Nervous system dysfunctions
• Cancer

What to look out For

• Breathing with your mouth open
• Every breath causes a whole-body excursion, sometimes called “tail bobbing.”
• Lethargy, with feathers, fluffed up
• Excessive drowsiness
• Weakness — birds who are unable to remain perched are in serious condition.

Is it possible for avian respiratory diseases to spread?

Some respiratory diseases in birds are infectious. Mites, for example, may move from one bird to another. Budgies and Cockatiels are susceptible to Mycoplasma or Chlamydophila, which can be passed on to other birds.

Avian respiratory infections are more common in birds with weakened immune systems or starvation. A vitamin A deficiency, for example, is a common cause of many respiratory illnesses.

How to Give Your Bird General Supportive Care

It is a medical emergency if your bird is having difficulty breathing. Until you can contact your avian veterinarian, your bird’s emergency condition will benefit from general supportive treatment.

Make a hospital cage out of a clean bird carrier or an aquarium, complete with food, water, and a perch.

Set the carrier on a heating pad with a low setting to keep your bird warm.

A heat light should not be used since it will be too harsh for a bird facing a medical emergency.

The following are examples of general supportive care for your bird:

• Place your bird in the hospital cage, keeping the temperature between 80 and 85°F.
• Make food and water conveniently available.
• To stimulate eating and drinking, provide regular ambient light throughout the day.
• Handle your bird only when required to keep her calm and quiet.
• Keep an eye on your bird for any changes.
• Keep a record of what occurred and how you attempted to stabilize your bird.

Conclusion

Because your parakeet is most likely unwell when they have quick breathing, it is critical to provide the proper treatment and attention as soon as possible. This will guarantee they receive the proper medications to recuperate rather than getting sick and worse. Take your parakeet to the vet as soon as you detect quick breathing, as well as some of the other symptoms.

jay

I am not an expert, just passionate. I own a Parakeet and I have been in your shoes. If you are currently looking for information, I've done the research and that is the reason why I created this website.