large mass on lovebirds chest

[altgirl35]

my friend just rescued an adorable female lovebird from a nightmare situation 2 weeks ago.
she is aprox 9 yrs so the people said, she apparently had an owner that loved her for 6 yrs, and when her owner died her sister and the husband took her in but hated the bird.
the house was condemnable, food dishes and trash all over the floor, she was kept in a filthy cage and fed only salted sunflower seeds, plus they smoked around her, yelled at her, and hit the cage when she made any noise..
my friend brought her over to my house after she picked her up, and she was very overweight and terrified, after i looked her over, i put her to my chest and began rubbing her sweet little head, you could see her relief in her face and she melted in my hands.
she is extremly sweet and loving, terrified of hands but okay once you get her, my friend has been bonding well with her and they adore each other.
yesterday when my friend went to get her out, she found her on her back with her feet up, i came over and found a large mass on one of her breasts.
i took her to my vet and he said that there really wasn't anything he could do, it is very solid and large and surgury on something that big would most likly kill her. he could stick a needle into her to see what it was but why put her though that if there was nothing that could be done for her.
her breathing is a bit labored and she's having a hard time staying on a perch.
we didn't think it was painful or to uncomfortable for her yet, so we lowered all her perches and lined the bottom with a towel, we pretty much felt like we should just keep an eye on her and if it seems like she's suffering at all then it would be time to let her go.
has anyone ever had any experiences like this

[Charis]

The mass could actually be fluid around her heart. If it is and the fluid is removed when needed, her life may be prolonged. I went through such a situation with a beloved Quaker. I would consult another vet on this one. Poor sweet little bird.

[altgirl35]

he felt it was on the outside rather than on the inside, and it is a solid mass

[altgirl35]

i took her over to the vet again, and we did an ultrasound and it is fluid, it also got larger overnight.
he drained it and it is fluid but also has blood in it, we could take her to a specialist and it may be possible to have surgery but she's very sick, old and probably anemic from her blood leaching into the tumor.
so we wait to see if she perks up, it may just fill up again, but things are not looking good for little sweet baby

[Charis]

That's similar my Quaker, Niki....fluid and blood. ...he had surgery and lived a few minutes after surgery...just long enough to die in my hands.

Nine years for a Love Bird isn't old. Niki was 7.

[Maggie-NC]

Well, this one breaks my heart. To have gone through so much during the last recent years of her life then finding a loving home again, only to develop a tumor. I wouldn't be surprised if the solid diet of salted sunflower seed has contributed.

When our Gracie (pigeon) developed cancer and had severe swelling in her abdomen, the vet hoped to drain the fluid and prolong her life. Sadly, it was mostly blood she drew out. Because we felt she was suffering we had her euthanized.

I hope this sweet baby can have some quality of life left and I know you and your friend will do whatever is necessary to make sure she doesn't suffer.

Three cheers to the kind friend who took her out of that house of horrors.

[altgirl35]

well i don't understand how, but baby is doing better, she still has the tumor, but she is perky and chipper, she is perching, eating and chirping to the other lovebird mable.
she's a little fighter and i guess she's not done with this world yet, woo hoo!

[Maggie-NC]

altgirl, I was just wondering how things are going?

[Reti]

Originally Posted by altgirl35

well i don't understand how, but baby is doing better, she still has the tumor, but she is perky and chipper, she is perching, eating and chirping to the other lovebird mable.
she's a little fighter and i guess she's not done with this world yet, woo hoo!

They can have good days and bad days, just like people.
Poor baby.
Alice lived with a lymphoma for three months after she started having symptoms.
Hope this bird can have some more good months.

Reti

[altgirl35]

your right, she's up and down, one day acting normal and the next on the bottom of the cage

[maryjane]

I missed this thread--poor little baby! Don't you just want to go over to those wicked people's house and. . . . Well. We all know what we'd like to do. Thankfully she landed in your capable, loving hands (and your friends'). I hope she does well and is able to live out the rest of her life in love and comfort as she deserves!!!!!