My dad thinks it's a brain tumor...

[Squishypuff]

I imagine they would want to biopsy the mass to see what exactly it is. Don't know about X-rays. Some vets like to Xray more than others. Mine would not Xrays, he would just biopsy then see where to go from there. Glad your chickie is hanging in there!

 

[Moochie]

Quote:
Biopsy?
And, how much is that? I don't wanna sound cheap but my parents.. Oi.

 

[Squishypuff]

A biopsy is where they cut a small piece off of the suspected tumor (if that is what it is) and send it out to the lab to be analyzed. Once they know what it is, they know how to treat it. I don't know how expensive it might be, I've had it done on a dog, but not a chicken.

 

[Minniechickmama]

Mia,
This problem that Sugar is having is a soft tissue thing, nothing would show up on an X-ray. I don't even think they would biopsy to be honest. This is an abscess of some sort, for whatever reason. It has obviously been there a while as it has been growing. Edema (the swelling) she has experienced may be part of why she is breathing raspy. With that much swelling, there is a lot of pressure on her head and what is in her head. You did great by relieving some of that pressure, but the swelling going down is a slow process and if you keep treating the infection inside that tissue, it will eventually go down. You are doing about as much as you possibly can without vet intervention. Get it cleaned, keep it cleaned, treat with antibiotics.
I had a cyst in my back 15 years ago, and it needed to heal from the inside like your hen's is going to need to do. I had to have my husband pack this gauze stuff in it, it had to be changed every day, so that it would heal from the inside out and not get germs in that wound infect it as it did heal. Perhaps you could get something like that to help Sugar heal once the dead tissue/blood/pus is all cleaned out? I would ask a vet at the very least.
I know you are getting lots of advice from everyone on here, so it may be hard to keep up with or decide who is right and who is wrong. You sound like a very bright young lady and you are doing wonderful work with this bird. If she means as much as you have made obvious here, then keep working at it and you will get her back to her old self soon. Already she sounds like she is doing way better than when you made the first post. She is responsive and has eaten, and that is saying something.
I do understand you parents about the money, and sometimes it is not about the money, I know. You can do a lot without a vet when it comes to chickens, so I hope your efforts find their reward in you and Sugar spending a long time together.
Best wishes and big hugs for you

Theri

 

[Patricia Jane]

You have gotten some very good advise. You are doing a fantastic job. You are doing everything you can for Sugar and have done a great job so far, I agree with minniechickmama, Get it cleaned, keep it clean and treat with antibiotics. She has hung in there this long I think she will make it through the rest. She has a caring and loving mama. Its amazing what love and care can do to help heal. Best wishes with Sugar.

 

[classicsredone]

I'm rooting for her! I've had abscesses, and even without an anesthetic, lancing the wound cuts down the pain almost immediately. It feels so much better as soon as the pressure is gone. Good luck!

 

[cocosandy]

Mia, is the black thing like a ball? is it hard?...its normal to have some old and new blood in there when youve drained an abscess.
it could be the place where the infection pushed through to pool in the back of the head. Its pretty unlikely that its something like cancer...its probably either a hard part of the infection or some sort of cyst.
If you can swing the vet, then do that, but my experience with vets is that they work best to get a good antibiotic like baytril (though you can get tylan yourself from the feed store or online and it will probably do just as well) but if they start to do any sort of surgery, its expensive and usually something you could do yourself as far as scraping the gunk out and letting her body do the rest.
Keep up the antibiotics...give her some yogurt, scrambled eggs...and keep a close eye. The hot compresses will keep helping too.
Id love to see pics!
Try to enjoy the 4th!!
Youve done an excellent job.

 

[NewToFarming]

If you do decide to take her to a vet, talk to the vet about your concerns of the cost. If he is a decent vet, he will honor that and treat her appropriately as possible without doing any extensive testing. He quite possibly might have seen something like this before and not need to go and do a bunch of test and remember, you do have the right to say no to anything you do not want to have done!!!

 

[Moochie]

I'm hoping whatever it is didn't decide to change locations, something ball-like is swelling up in her left earlobe.

I know I'm supposed to get pics up, but it's such a hot day, days like this I only go outside to shift positions of the sprinklers and misters.

 

[Tikkijane]

I can't remember if this was ruled in or out, but could this be Marek's, especially now since it looks like there may be another tumor? Sorry to hear this.