I have a Buff Orpington that starts to breath with her beak open when sitting on my lap, laying down, pecking the ground, or when she's being held. She has done this occasionally on and off for quite a while now, but just recently it has gotten more frequent and now she makes a squeaking noise. Respiratory issues had crossed my mind, but it's not consistent and she only does it when she does these certain things. I felt her abdomen and it does feel bigger than normal, but I'm also having a hard time telling because she is so fluffy and her tummy has always felt a little larger than some of my other hens.
A little back history on her....She'll be 5 years old this spring and hasn't laid an egg for about a year now. Earlier this summer, I had taken her into the vet to have an xray done because she was acting off i had a gut feeling she had some sort of internal issue...cancer, tumors, repro issues, etc... My suspicions were confirmed and vet did see a tumor on the xray. However, once we got past this episode, she seemed to be doing pretty good. So, other than this, she seems to act pretty normal...eating, drinking, gets excited for treats, gives pecks to the others to remind them whose queen. I feel like when she does those activities there must be some pressure that's causing her to breath like that. I just don't want her to be in any pain, or discomfort, but at the same time, it doesn't seem like her time to go yet. Do you think taking her into the vet to see if there's any fluid that can be drained would be a good idea? I also understand that draining is a temporary fix. Are there any other options/treatments? Any advice would greatly be appreciated.
A little back history on her....She'll be 5 years old this spring and hasn't laid an egg for about a year now. Earlier this summer, I had taken her into the vet to have an xray done because she was acting off i had a gut feeling she had some sort of internal issue...cancer, tumors, repro issues, etc... My suspicions were confirmed and vet did see a tumor on the xray. However, once we got past this episode, she seemed to be doing pretty good. So, other than this, she seems to act pretty normal...eating, drinking, gets excited for treats, gives pecks to the others to remind them whose queen. I feel like when she does those activities there must be some pressure that's causing her to breath like that. I just don't want her to be in any pain, or discomfort, but at the same time, it doesn't seem like her time to go yet. Do you think taking her into the vet to see if there's any fluid that can be drained would be a good idea? I also understand that draining is a temporary fix. Are there any other options/treatments? Any advice would greatly be appreciated.