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Post by rambosmother on Mar 9, 2023 21:02:21 GMT -5
My Quaker is 29 years old. In the last 5 years he has had at least 6 surgeries to remove many tumours. Interesting though, none of them come back in the same spot. The ones on his wings were the most risky and he came close to having his wings amputated but he is under the care of the best Avian clinic where I live. Anyway, he just had a tumour removed at the back of his neck. The vet is not inclined to put a collar on him to spare him stress and also because my bird can't reach that spot to pick at it. But, I am concerned he is going to scratch at the spot with his foot and rip it all open. Also the collar would interfere with the sutures. I am having anxiety about this. He comes home from the vet tomorrow. Anyone have experience with this?
Thanks for your time responding.
Also, he is blind due to old age and cataracts.
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Post by Caseysmom on Mar 9, 2023 22:17:07 GMT -5
Wow 29 is a great age. I guess since he is being monitored at the vet, they will notice first if it’s a problem. Hopefully he leaves that spot alone
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Post by heatherg on Mar 10, 2023 0:27:40 GMT -5
Are these fatty tumors (lipomas)? Some people get lots of fatty tumors, too. But since birds are tiny it’s a bigger deal for them.
I wonder if this has to do with the Quaker parakeet tendency to be hefty and have liver issues if owners aren’t very careful about diet and activity. ??
If your QP were human he’d be able to report the tumor when it was tiny and they wouldn’t become dangerously large and compromising (if we’re talking lipomas).
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Post by heatherg on Mar 10, 2023 0:30:00 GMT -5
P.s. I might find the smallest type of pipe insulation and make him a pipe insulation collar maybe about 1.5” long with rounded edges so they don’t rub on his neck. I had a bird who needed to be collared for a long time (undiagnosed problem) and this was the collar type that interfered least with her life. I tried a few. The cones made her too clumsy and she would fall. Also she would spin them.
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Post by rambosmother on Mar 10, 2023 11:32:11 GMT -5
That is a great idea with the pipe insulation. My bird would spin the collar as well as try to remove it by biting at the edge and yanking on it. The tumours have been a mix of just fatty lumps and some were cancer. Except I was told cancer doesn't manifest itself in birds the same as in humans so I guess that is why he is still alive after many years of finding the first cancerous one.
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Post by heatherg on Mar 10, 2023 12:41:44 GMT -5
If the collar is the right length they can’t reach the edge with their beak. Has to be not too short and not too long, to hold the neck extended.
I used duct tape to closet them and rounded the edges esp outer edge with scissors.
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Post by Pappagallo on Mar 21, 2023 13:15:59 GMT -5
My quaker parrot had a spindle cell sarcoma last year. She was 17 and going on 18. It was on the wing and she had her wing amputated. I hope that is the last of her tumors since she almost died from the anesthesia. I don't know about fatty tumors but if they feel soft, then yeah, it could be that. Her tumor was very firm so I knew it wasn't a fatty tumor. By sending her wing out to pathology, I learned it was a spindle cell sarcoma.
I know that fatty liver disease can cause fatty tumors, but that's all I know.
She has been doing well as a one-winger, but obviously can't fly. She still talks though. I love hearing her talk.
Her current health issue is a liver disease (not fatty liver, Chronic Liver Disease).
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Post by heatherg on Mar 21, 2023 19:50:23 GMT -5
I’m glad she feels well enough to talk. My very old Quaker went from being very loud to rather quiet in her old age.
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