I thought Ascites but now maybe cancer?

[FathertoFeathers]

For awhile now my hen has had this big bulge at her butt. Butt recently it’s gotten bigger. I did some digging and found out that it could be ascites. I bought some needles and got ready to drain it. It felt like a water balloon so I thought it was a good sign. But nothing but air came out. I couldn’t get any fluid at all. I tried a few other spots thinking maybe I missed it but the same thing every time. The bump went down a little bit but it’s tell felt like there was a water balloon. But when I was feeling I felt something. About the size of a golf ball. But it was fleshy and hard at the same time. Now I’m scared it’s a tumor or cancer. Any idea what it is?

 

[Dux]

For awhile now my hen has had this big bulge at her butt. Butt recently it’s gotten bigger. I did some digging and found out that it could be ascites. I bought some needles and got ready to drain it. It felt like a water balloon so I thought it was a good sign. But nothing but air came out. I couldn’t get any fluid at all. I tried a few other spots thinking maybe I missed it but the same thing every time. The bump went down a little bit but it’s tell felt like there was a water balloon. But when I was feeling I felt something. About the size of a golf ball. But it was fleshy and hard at the same time. Now I’m scared it’s a tumor or cancer. Any idea what it is?

One of my ducks had a swollen area on her abdomen, near her vent. It grew to be golf ball-sized and though I didn’t palpitate it to know whether it was hard or fleshy (didn’t want to press and possibly hurt her), she was markedly heavier than normal and the weight was unevenly distributed in a way that seemed concentrated in the swollen spot. Googling around I also wondered whether it was ascites (though she was young and not overweight or a heavyweight breed) or a cancerous growth. Her behavior and mood were completely normal though so I waited 2-3 weeks to take her to the vet and when I did, they scanned her and said she had a partially-formed egg that was retained and that there was considerable scarring and swelling/fluid. Surgery was the only treatment option and the odds they gave her for survival were 20%. She passed away about 2 months later and seemed unfazed by her illness until quite near the end, when it gradually became more difficult for her to walk because her lower belly was so close to the ground. Super sad situation (it hurts to remember) but I recount it because some of your duck’s symptoms sound similar, though I hope I’m wrong and that yours has something curable. Please let us know what you discover about her condition. Wishing you and your sweet duck all the best.

 

[Miss Lydia]

For awhile now my hen has had this big bulge at her butt. Butt recently it’s gotten bigger. I did some digging and found out that it could be ascites. I bought some needles and got ready to drain it. It felt like a water balloon so I thought it was a good sign. But nothing but air came out. I couldn’t get any fluid at all. I tried a few other spots thinking maybe I missed it but the same thing every time. The bump went down a little bit but it’s tell felt like there was a water balloon. But when I was feeling I felt something. About the size of a golf ball. But it was fleshy and hard at the same time. Now I’m scared it’s a tumor or cancer. Any idea what it is?

About the only way to know for sure would be an Avian vet. I'm sorry your little one is having this, I have an 8 yr old EE hen with ascites she has been this way for at least 3 yrs. Still enjoys life so I don't do anything. Maybe it is cruel but I don't feel comfortable sticking a needle in my birds not knowing what I am doing. And we have no avian vets anywhere close to us. As long as she is active eating and drinking I have no plans other than to let he live the rest of her life out here.
Having something hard inside that ballon is worrisome though. Do you know if she is laying?

 

[FathertoFeathers]

About the only way to know for sure would be an Avian vet. I'm sorry your little one is having this, I have an 8 yr old EE hen with ascites she has been this way for at least 3 yrs. Still enjoys life so I don't do anything. Maybe it is cruel but I don't feel comfortable sticking a needle in my birds not knowing what I am doing. And we have no avian vets anywhere close to us. As long as she is active eating and drinking I have no plans other than to let he live the rest of her life out here.
Having something hard inside that ballon is worrisome though. Do you know if she is laying?

She is laying but she’s slowed down a considerable amount

 

[FathertoFeathers]

One of my ducks had a swollen area on her abdomen, near her vent. It grew to be golf ball-sized and though I didn’t palpitate it to know whether it was hard or fleshy (didn’t want to press and possibly hurt her), she was markedly heavier than normal and the weight was unevenly distributed in a way that seemed concentrated in the swollen spot. Googling around I also wondered whether it was ascites (though she was young and not overweight or a heavyweight breed) or a cancerous growth. Her behavior and mood were completely normal though so I waited 2-3 weeks to take her to the vet and when I did, they scanned her and said she had a partially-formed egg that was retained and that there was considerable scarring and swelling/fluid. Surgery was the only treatment option and the odds they gave her for survival were 20%. She passed away about 2 months later and seemed unfazed by her illness until quite near the end, when it gradually became more difficult for her to walk because her lower belly was so close to the ground. Super sad situation (it hurts to remember) but I recount it because some of your duck’s symptoms sound similar, though I hope I’m wrong and that yours has something curable. Please let us know what you discover about her condition. Wishing you and your sweet duck all the best.

That sounds almost exactly like what’s been happening to her

 

[fatty and friends]

One of my ducks had a swollen area on her abdomen, near her vent. It grew to be golf ball-sized and though I didn’t palpitate it to know whether it was hard or fleshy (didn’t want to press and possibly hurt her), she was markedly heavier than normal and the weight was unevenly distributed in a way that seemed concentrated in the swollen spot. Googling around I also wondered whether it was ascites (though she was young and not overweight or a heavyweight breed) or a cancerous growth. Her behavior and mood were completely normal though so I waited 2-3 weeks to take her to the vet and when I did, they scanned her and said she had a partially-formed egg that was retained and that there was considerable scarring and swelling/fluid. Surgery was the only treatment option and the odds they gave her for survival were 20%. She passed away about 2 months later and seemed unfazed by her illness until quite near the end, when it gradually became more difficult for her to walk because her lower belly was so close to the ground. Super sad situation (it hurts to remember) but I recount it because some of your duck’s symptoms sound similar, though I hope I’m wrong and that yours has something curable. Please let us know what you discover about her condition. Wishing you and your sweet duck all the best.

would a duck still be laying while this is happening? i didn’t see if the poster said if their duck is laying or not

 

[FathertoFeathers]

would a duck still be laying while this is happening? i didn’t see if the poster said if their duck is laying or not

She still lays surprisingly. But she’s slowed down a considerable amount

 

[Miss Lydia]

I can't imagine one still laying if here was an egg stuck. Maybe @isaac knows. Seems to me having an egg stuck even partially formed she wouldn't be able to pass an egg.

 

[Isaac 0]

@FathertoFeathers , I'm very sorry to hear your bird is having problems.
Is the mass protruding out of the skin, or is the mass inferior to the skin?
Is the mass hard, soft- like memory foam, or firm?
Where exactly is the mass located?

Unfortunately, as @Miss Lydia mentioned without the diagnostic tests at a veterinary office (exp, radiographs, (FNA) Fine needle aspiration, surgery, etc) determining the exact cause of her problem is unlikely to happen, and any suggestion of what the problem might be is merely a guess and not a proper diagnosis.

Ascites is characterized by fluid-up, so if during your palpation the area did not feel similar to liquid/ when centesis was performed no fluids were extracted it is likely you're dealing with something much firmer. If the mass is firm but palpable/squishy I would gather you may be dealing with something such as salpingitis which is a reproductive disorder that creates caseous-material-shaped eggs that are later expelled into the abdominal cavity. If the area feels hard, you may be dealing with a tumor or an egg that wasn't expelled properly.

Speaking generally, I believe most birds with such a reproductive disorder will cease laying, but speaking from experience, I've had a bird who suffered from salpingitis and laid up until she passed.

 

[Dux]

would a duck still be laying while this is happening? i didn’t see if the poster said if their duck is laying or not

I don't know if mine was still laying or not, since she lived with three other female ducks. My suspicion is that she wasn't but I really can't say. If the OP's duck is still laying, it seems to me that that might be a positive sign....unless it's a very, very small partially-formed egg that's stuck in such a way that other eggs can still pass through?