BJ roo update re: bulge upper left chest - photos of my recovered boy!

[dlhunicorn]

Which vet did you take him too again ?
Exactly what did this vet do for examination to determine what the lump was?

 

[jjthink]

The avian vet that's in the area (well, 45 minutes away, but that's the closest). He sees mostly parrots and parakeets though - never seems all that thrilled to have a chicken in his midst, but it could just be his manner. Another BYC member has had the same impression. It's the same vet I brought Ellie to on Labor Day (she is better now, lucking out via a treat-the-symptoms approach of antibiotic, anti-inflammatory, tube feeding and fluids) and before her, poor Betty, when I was not at all happy that they wouldn't let BJ stay with her, despite my offering to pay for 2 birds. Her stress level at the vets was always over the moon and BJ would have been a comfort to her.

As far as what he did, all he did was feel BJ's upper chest and neck area (during which BJ struggled a lot so it wasn't an easy proposition). He said he thought the crop was clear and to just watch him, that perhaps it had been getting impacted before but didn't appear to be now. I don't think we were there even 5 minutes before he was done with us. While I was thrilled to be bringing BJ home I felt like I put him through that ordeal for little diagnostic benefit. A benefit perhaps was my peace of mind, as I was worried that he might be clogging up in there...
JJ

 

[SpottedCrow]

When Obelisk got too big of piece of something, her neck would get all strange like BJ's and she'd work at it and finally it would go down...
I noticed this when I gave her bread the other week and she was gulping it down, and all of a sudden her eyes sorta popped out and she did this strange motion with her neck and sorta gulped and moved her neck some more. She looked like BJ, but it finally went away.

 

[Zookeeper9000]

Just found this tonight. I am so sorry our little BJ is not up to par. I will keep him in my prayers as well as Ellie. Don't worry your in my prayers as well. Hang in there.

 

[jjthink]

Hi. Today is Thursday the 16th. BJ still has the bulge in his upper left chest area. The vet I brought him to last Wednesday finally called back today to say it's not an air sac problem either. So if not air sac and not crop, I don't know what we're dealing with.

He is laying down right now, seems to breathe a bit heavier than Ellie - I can see his body moving with each breath when he is laying down, and yesterday I caught a glimpse of him lying down and open mouth breathing for a few seconds (he is not the open mouth breathing type, even in the hottest of weather, which is well behind us). Normally he would be exploring at this time of day. He still does some exploring though.

When I feel the area, I don't feel air or squishiness, I just feel a hard knob in the lower throat/upper chest area skewed to his left, where the bulge is. I saw a bird anatomy pic in the vets office that illustrates such a knob in the center. Why BJ's is skewed to the left since last Monday now I can't fathom. Nor can I find a diagram anywhere on the net that illustrates this body part so I can describe it better. Hoping he doesn't have some kind of internal growth that is pushing things left. Tho it seemed to so suddenly appear last Monday eve, which a growth wouldn't likely do.

I've chatted with the very kind Peter Brown at First State Vet and also with a vet at U of Penn and he is going to look at photos I sent him and let me know what he thinks.

BJ eats, poops, preens, and explores a bit. He doesn't seem as bulged out as when this first happened which makes one wonder whether he sustained some kind of weird injury. Such a mystery - wondering if things will ever be calm enough to get any work done! Mostly I just want my sweet boy to be well and happy. JJ

More pics:
See bulge, his upper left chest (our right)

From behind, see bulge on left

 

[FisherMOM]

that is so strange. And he is Oh So Beautiful!
Best wishes BJ... beat this thing little buddy!

 

[SpottedCrow]

I'm glad that you wrote to Peter Brown. If anyone can figure out what's going on with our BJ, he can...

 

[Zookeeper9000]

I been keeping your wee man in my prayers so I thank you for the update. Hang in there and remember to take care of you so you can take care of him. I know when we worry about our babies we sometimes forget about us. Praying.

 

[jjthink]

Thank you Susan, Brenda, Jean,

It is a truly strange thing. It'll be 2 weeks Monday that the bulge is there, still with a hard lump underneath. Peter Brown led me to a vet at U of PA who looked at photos and wondered whether BJ might have dislocated something, given the distortion in his body. That would explain my feeling that he's in pain, and why he has stopped dust bathing with Ellie. But how on earth he would have injured himself, or what body part could be dislocated is a total mystery. Particularly since his legs and wings work just fine. I wrote the U of PA vet to follow up, asking what could possibly be dislocated that would still allow legs and wings to operate normally - I can't imagine - haven't heard back yet...And there's still that hard area under the bulge that I can't identify as a standard chicken body part!

Have BJ on aspirin water since yesterday....he can walk, eat, poop, flap his wings but doesn't lie down to dust bathe. Mostly stands still under protective cover, with a little exploring here and there. My sense is that he's hurting but from what I haven't a clue. If it's a tumor it sure popped up suddenly.

I wish I could figure this out for my boy! He cocks his head so endearingly and looks into my eyes when I'm talking to him, telling him I know he is having troubles and that I am trying to figure it out......
I am going to see where I might be able to get him x-rayed - U of PA is one such place but a very long ride for BJ, who wigs out with so much stress even on short rides.

JJ

 

[maria22000]

Gosh, I hope you figure out what is wrong

He looks so sweet for a roo!