My dove has a tumor?

[Chez]

Hi I am new here. My dove that I have had for about 2 months seems to be growing a ping pong ball sized tumor on what I take for his right shoulder blade to be. Also, He has stopped flying and just falls!! He isn't in a cage anymore, he is on this huge ledge type thing that I near the ceiling. He used to fly around and everything. My apartment is usually at 70 degrees in this NY weather, and I put a lamp with a 20 bulb next to his ledge to keep him warm.

He eats (kaytee supreme dove) and drinks and poops.. oh my god he poops like there is no tomorrow! His behavior is fine, just as I got him, except he hasn't cooed for about 2 weeks.

I am wondering if one of my cats got to him. They never seemed interested in him though, he would fly by and they wouldnt even turn their heads.

The "tumor" has been there for maybe two weeks, just keeps getting bigger. Oh and did I mention that his wing (on the tumor side) is lower than the other wing, and when he walks around he sort of trips over it (like when he looks like he is going to start to fly, he stops and there his one wing is, sticking out like a sore thumb and he can't seem to straigten it out easily.)

Sorry for the mouthful, I am just really worried about the little guy. Is there anything I can do without going to the vet? Money is really tight.

Thanks in advance for any help you can offer!

-Chez

[TAWhatley]

Hello and welcome to pigeons.com. Your bird (is it a pigeon or a dove??) may have a tumor but I'd guess that it has an abscess from an injury and most likely from a cat. It could also be a broken bone.

Can you take some rubbing alcohol and soak a cotton ball and swab down the area of the swelling? If so, take a careful look at what you see and post back a detailed description to us or if you can post a picture, that's even better. The alcohol soak makes it much easier to see what's going on underneath the feathers.

If it is an abscess the size of a ping pong ball (or a tumor or broken bone for that matter), your bird really needs vet care. An abscess should be able to be lanced and drained and antibiotics given for not too much money. If it's a tumor, then that's another matter .. biopsy, possibly surgical removal, and depending upon the results then even more treatment. If it's a broken bone, then it will depend on what kind of break and whether or not pinning is required.

Please do swab down the area and let us know what you find. We'll help all we can.

Terry

[Chez]

wow thanks for the fast reply.
I don't know how to put the pics here but I put them on a webpage
they are here : www.gttreloaded.com/dove.html
i didnt have any alcohol in the house, but I'll do that tomorrow.
Maybe you can give some sort of clue by looking at the pics though.
Thanks!

Chez

[re lee]

I looked at the pictures. I did see a lump. Its at the main wing butt. It may very well be broke at that joint. I did not see any feather damage. That may suggest a cat did not get it. I would not leave it on the ledge. As if it falls it can not fly. So it could be injured even more. Can you feel along the wing line slowly. Then slightly check for a broken bone. The bird looks healthy just looking at the picture. I do not think a tumor or infection Is ther. As I would think it would lokk a little sickly in its actions. If its broke you will notice with that kind of swelling there is some blueish color to the skin under ther feathers at the site . The wing at that area would be hard to set. You could try adjusting the wing Take some tape wrap it over the wing to the other side under the the wing around to that wing agin and the at the end tape the wing to the tail. And you might consider a trip to the vet for further options. Good luck let us now something as to what you find.

[Chez]

I didnt see any blue, it all looks pinkish red. He started trembling when I was touching the lump, so if you guys think its a broken wing, then I'll have to go to my vet then because I will not be taping up a bird myself! lol.
Do you think he'll be able to fly again? I really hope so.

-Chez

[TAWhatley]

Hi Chez,

I really think the vet needs to have a look at that swelling. If the wing is broken, the longer you wait to get it set, the more likely that it will heal in an incorrect position. Based on the reaction of the bird when you felt the area, it must also be quite painful, and a vet can prescribe something for the pain. Since the growth seems to be getting larger all the time, I still think an abscess is a possibility, and if so, the infection could become systemic and the bird could die from this.

Please keep us posted. Your dove is quite a lovely bird!

Terry

[Al & Bobby]

Chez

I think you should take this bird in right away. Is your vet an avian specialist? If not and you need a referral in the NYC area, we could help.

Al

[Pete Jasinski]

Any word on the cause of the lump? I hope everything works out for the best!

[Victor]

Chez,Last April when we found a fearl pigeon on the steps wounded from BB shots, we took him to the closest vet and luckily they did have an avian specialist on duty.The bird was x-rayed and it was determined that one of the BB pellots would be lodged in him for the rest of his life and removing it would probably cost him his life.The other BB went through his other wing probably while taking flight .The vet said that it is a possiblity that he may suffer from irreversible wing damage and might not fly as well as he did originally, and he was right. I dreaded this up til a couple of months after I got used to my new pet. He enjoys "exercising" his wings out of his cage daily, and on my days off if it is nice outside, I take him outside and "supervise" him as he flies from the lower roof of our house to the basketball hoop or the ground.The highest he seems to be able to fly is 15 feet up and then he drops down and the gradually up again, but doesn't go very far especially since he has gotten so attached to me.(although my wife Bev claims it is the other way around .)The vet bill was not really that bad either and the meds were included .Thank you for your efforts and please keep us all posted as to what is going on with you and TP,OK?~Victor