Post by avinet on Mar 27, 2009 20:51:49 GMT 10
I mentioned in another thread about the problem with fatty tumours in Galahs and though I would expand a bit on the subject here.
Galahs are more prone to fatty tumours, or lipomas, than any other parrot species. While any species can potentially get them, budgies especially, it is in galahs that the worst problems occur. Basically a lipoma is an accumulation of fat in a particular location to form a tumour. These can reach a very large size, become ulcerated, and cause the bird significant distress. An idea of their size is shown in the photos below.
The cause is of course a fatty diet - too much sunflower for instance - and for that reason we always recommend giving galahs a pellet-based diet with plenty of fruit and veggies. The aim is to ensure the fat intake for the bird is as low as possible.
The photos below are of Penny, a galah hen that is possibly around 8 or 10 years old, and which was given to us to look after - basically surrendered because they couldn't afford vet bills. Penny is a most lovely bird, not a trace of malice in her, and just loves attention, cuddles and scratches.
Our initial attempts to deal with it after talking to the vet was to put her on a strict diet - sometime a low fat diet will cause the lump to decrease in size as the body draws on the fat in the tumour to replace the missing fat from the diet. Unfortunately after 4 weeks there had been no decrease in the tumour and in fact it seemed to have grown and was beginning to bleed as she pecked at it.
So the decision was made to operate to try to remove the lipoma, and that operation was done today. My daughter, Bec, took the bird to the vet and stayed to watch and to comfort Penny before and after the operation. I truly didn't expect her to return, since it was a difficult operation and with the very real risk of major bleeding.
However return she did, wearing a collar to stop her picking at the stitches, and with an enormous wound. She's not at all happy about the collar but was eating quite quickly after the operation, which took around an hour, and looks remarkably spritly considering what she has been through. There is some weeping from the wound, as to be expected, and she is on painkillers and antibiotic injections, so, while she is by no means out of trouble yet, we are optimistic she will make it through OK.
Anyway on to the photos, hopefully not too gory for everyone.
The first two are views of the lipoma tumour taken this morning before she left, and the third is of the surgery area this evening when she was getting medication and neck scratches.
cheers,
Mike
Galahs are more prone to fatty tumours, or lipomas, than any other parrot species. While any species can potentially get them, budgies especially, it is in galahs that the worst problems occur. Basically a lipoma is an accumulation of fat in a particular location to form a tumour. These can reach a very large size, become ulcerated, and cause the bird significant distress. An idea of their size is shown in the photos below.
The cause is of course a fatty diet - too much sunflower for instance - and for that reason we always recommend giving galahs a pellet-based diet with plenty of fruit and veggies. The aim is to ensure the fat intake for the bird is as low as possible.
The photos below are of Penny, a galah hen that is possibly around 8 or 10 years old, and which was given to us to look after - basically surrendered because they couldn't afford vet bills. Penny is a most lovely bird, not a trace of malice in her, and just loves attention, cuddles and scratches.
Our initial attempts to deal with it after talking to the vet was to put her on a strict diet - sometime a low fat diet will cause the lump to decrease in size as the body draws on the fat in the tumour to replace the missing fat from the diet. Unfortunately after 4 weeks there had been no decrease in the tumour and in fact it seemed to have grown and was beginning to bleed as she pecked at it.
So the decision was made to operate to try to remove the lipoma, and that operation was done today. My daughter, Bec, took the bird to the vet and stayed to watch and to comfort Penny before and after the operation. I truly didn't expect her to return, since it was a difficult operation and with the very real risk of major bleeding.
However return she did, wearing a collar to stop her picking at the stitches, and with an enormous wound. She's not at all happy about the collar but was eating quite quickly after the operation, which took around an hour, and looks remarkably spritly considering what she has been through. There is some weeping from the wound, as to be expected, and she is on painkillers and antibiotic injections, so, while she is by no means out of trouble yet, we are optimistic she will make it through OK.
Anyway on to the photos, hopefully not too gory for everyone.
The first two are views of the lipoma tumour taken this morning before she left, and the third is of the surgery area this evening when she was getting medication and neck scratches.
cheers,
Mike
