My names Corinne, I'm 35, animal mad, and am currently awaiting diagnosis of Bird Fancier Lung Disease.
I've kept birds at various points throughout my life, however a few years back I got myself an Indian Ringneck Parakeet and then a couple of years ago I got myself a barn owl chick.
Unfortunately the barn owl passed away due to a genetic condition back in March, so I got two barn owl chicks and raised them indoors. Very messy birds, and when they are going from owlet fluff to adult feathers, its incredibly messy and dusty! Then, a couple of months ago, I got a Quaker parrot and a budgie. The owls moved out to their aviary and I have the Ringneck, Quaker and budgie indoors.
3 months I've been having breathing and coughing issues, and saw a specialist Thursday last week who believes I have Bird Fancier Lung. Further tests are being organised to confirm this.
I feel devastated. To go from having no issues to looking at lung disease, which seems to have come out of nowhere has really shaken me.
Can anyone offer any advice?
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CozmoCreepers
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This must be be doubly devastating to you not just regarding your health but potentially having to give up your "Fids" (feathered kids).
I used to have a pair of African Greys, the male passed away last year, but I still have the female who I have had for 33 years now. I went to extraordinary lengths to keep them when diagnosed with COPD 3 1/2 years ago. They had a spare room that I made dust proof with a water atomiser fitted to settle their dander before entering and easy to clean vinyl flooring. They always had a shower before socialising with them as well. It did not cost too much to covert and has really been worth all the effort.
Since the male has died the remaining female has monitor on which is played a loop of downloaded videos of Greys from YouTube for company, whilst I am out at work. When I get home she is out to play in the lounge, getting a regular spraying of water. My heart goes out to you as another bird lover and hope your medical tests come back as negative.
Thank you 2greys. I'm so sorry your male passed away, I'm still grieving the loss of my first Barn Owl Luna. She was so tame and we were so attached to one another. Now I have the other two, they are much more attached to one another, which is why I got my Quaker parrot (I was missing the bond), as my ringneck has never tamed, and the budgie we got at the same time (as my husband fell for her). I'm so sad that they may all have to move outside, I wish I could at least keep the Quaker indoors, but need to do whats best for my health.
I'm going to look into that water atomiser, I'm intrigued!
I'm interested to know if you feel the efforts you made have now not made your birds a problem?
The atomiser is simply one of those large garden pump up spray bottles, the room is next to our bathroom with the internal dividing wall constructed from "blue breeze blocks". A simple job to drill through the wall near the ceiling where the the nozzle is atached, then a piece of flexible plastic tubing runs along the bathroom wall and down to the bottle. Pump up the bottle hard and operate the trigger, whoosh an instant mist sprays into the room to settle the dander, then a damp duster pushed around the floor with a broom to collect the fallen dander. A 2/3 minute job and it is all done. A smaller spray bottle to shower the bird and hey presto she is sat on her favourite perch, Daddys shoulder, to be carried down to the front room to play for 3/4 hours.
They were/she is no longer a problem as long as kept damp with the occasional spray, which is not a problem as in the wild they naturally live in a rain forest. Was it worth it? do I have to say it? of course it was 32 years is long time and the bond is very strong with both myself and my partner, when she gets home from work around 8:30 pm Cinders hears the door open and she runs barking like a puppy dog to greet her.
Hello CozmoCreepers . I have read about people who have the (potentially) disease you have in my lung transplant group. They had to give up their birds. What did your consultant say about continuing to keep yours? 😞xx
He said if they move outside and I use appropriate masks (which I now have as a result of all this), then it should be ok. I'm having a scan and a lung function test organised, had bloods and awaiting results, to confirm diagnosis, but it sounds like he's dealt with a lot of Bird Fancier Lung.
I've said to my husband that we can't get anymore birds, the 5 we have will be it now, and he has agreed. I'm so gutted
Well at least you can keep the ones you have. If it is the case that you have Bird Fancier Lung then your doctor is absolutely right , you have to be so, so careful now as it can result in progressive fibrosis of your lungs which is irreversible. I feel for you,but you must, must be very cautious. Please do keep us updated. I am hoping it is not what he suspects. xx
You must be devastated I recently had to give up my Amazon after twenty two years as I could no longer manage to look after him properly and I miss him terribly
I’m so sorry to hear this. We are looking at outside aviaries and my husband taking over the cleaning and care for mine. But if none of that works then we will have to look at rehoming 😔
Bird Fancier’s Lung is a common name for Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis (HP), as you probably know. The trigger is often mould / dust from bird feathers, but it can be other things too. It’s is also a called Farmer’s Lung as mould from hay can cause it. Also leaf mould, water-born mould (air con or saunas usually), or house mould can all be triggers.
If you have the acute version, and you know the cause, you can be completely cured by removing whatever is triggering your reaction, but your body will still be sensitive to the triggering substance.
But if you don’t remove the cause and continue to be exposed it can turn into Chronic HP which is incurable and can develop into Pulmonary Fibrosis.
I had the acute version 10 years ago, but we never pinned down the trigger. I had no birds, didn’t live on a farm, had a mould-free house etc.
We did manage to stop the disease with a course of steroids and I was healthy for a couple of years, but in 2013 the HP returned, it this time it was the Chronic version and it did not respond to any treatments (and we tried them all!).
After 5 years my lungs were so damaged I was bed-bound (I’m 47) and transplant was the only option.
3 months ago I had a life-saving double lung transplant which was an amazing journey, but not easy, and there are no guarantees for the future.
If I were you I would think very carefully about how much you want to keep your birds.
Thank you Tim. I also have rabbits and guinea pigs, so hay is a big part of my life and has been for decades. Once the specialist can confirm things, we can go from there.
Your journey sounds amazing. How lucky to have received a transplant! Amazing. Thanks for sharing.
I hope my post didn’t sound too alarming! My point was that Acute HP can be beaten - the first time around my lung function recovered completely after a summer of steroid treatment, but this only works if you can then avoid the trigger.
We never found my trigger (we suspect it may have been common leaf mould so impossible to avoid) so my HP turned into fibrosis.
I’m sure you’ll have lots of people telling you conflicting advice... As long as you know the stakes, you can make choices that work for you.
I am so lucky to have received a transplant, but I’d much rather have avoided needing one in the first place!
I have emphysema and had to give up my birds as the feathers ,dander etc exacerbate any lung condition .it's a shame but your health will be at great risk .
Sorry - you’re young to have been hit by this but don’t despair- research and get armed with as much information as you can find. Make sure health professionals listen to you - take their advice and get reviewed on a regular basis. Above all don’t panic - it may not be as bad as you think 💕💕💕
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Restrictive lung disease and copd. 
Surgical masks
mis-diagnosis
