Milly finally saw the vet today. From here: http://forums.budgiebreeders.asn.au/index....showtopic=23149

I took her to the uni clinic to see one of the vets who teaches us - she knew well what kind of stress I was in. The vet thought the lump was a concern, but given that Milly's still bright and alert, not something to panic about just yet. She told me to worry about exams first and just keep watching Milly, and we'll do x-rays next week (I have exams every day this week). If it gets markedly bigger or if Milly starts losing weight or looking sick I have to bring her in straight away.

 

Her suspicion is it is involved with the reproductive tract or kidney area. She said given Milly's age (she's only four) and the season it is more likely to do with the reproductive tract. Without radiology or blood tests we can't tell exactly what its nature is.

 

The vet thought that the sneezing, difficulty breathing and greenish poops could be a presentation of respiratory infection. She gave me injectable doxycycline and is happy for me to deliver the full course myself. Poor Milly, those doxy needles are painful. She's also going to have to stay apart from Squee for lonnger, which is driving the little one mad.

 

Radiographs are a risk because she's clearly not breathing at optimum, and she will have to be anaesthetised for the procedure. The vet thought it was going to be less stressful for me to have Milly under obersvation than to be thinking about her while she's under anaesthetic. I got jumpy just when she told me she was going to give doxy (one in a very very large number drop off the end of the needle). It's so very different when you're talking about your own pet.

 

The vet told me to put my mind to exams first and then worry about next week as this is not an emergency.

So still no answers on the lump, but that will come later.

 

I will keep you updated as I find out more.

 

Poor Milly. She's quiet, freaked and painful at the moment, all she's wanted since we got home is head rubs.

Edited November 11, 200816 yr by Chrysocome

*hugs* well at least she said not to worry to much which will be hard as we know what you are like but if it was something major then she would have told you.

 

I do hope she starts feeling better soon. Good luck with the exams.

thanks for the update and i hope all goes well with her.

All the best with your exams.

Thanks for the update! Keep your chin up

Awww poor Milly and poor you

I hope things turn out well in the end. Good luck with your exams

How stressful for you. Will Milly be okay with you giving her her injections? Maybe you should do it holding her in a blanket so she thinks the evil blanket is the cause for the painful injections and not you.

Exams will be over soon, it's amazing how fast time goes.

Good luck, hugs and millet.

Thanks for the update... Good luck this week and I hope Milly's okay for you this week. Biggest hugs xoxo

Good advice given all around, the hardest thing but maybe the most wonderful is that you have so much knowledge. BIG HUGS to you and I know you will do awesome on your exams, you are a very beautiful and intellegent young woman.

Thanks for updating us.

Edited November 12, 200816 yr by birdluv

Thanks to all.

 

Milly is still looking fine. We will be going back to the vet tomorrow and doing a whole bunch of diagnostics including taking blood and xrays *heart pounds*. I am so scared, but I know she is in good hands. It is great to know what goes on beyond the consult room, but at the same time it is nerve wracking knowing exactly what's to be done. I'm tempted to not actually go out the back and watch everything... but another part of me wants to be there all the way cuddling and comforting her.

 

Since exams are over, students are back to attending consults and procedures, so it wil be good to have my friends around me. It's also good to teach them stuff about birds too.

 

Thanks again everyone and I will let you know what we find.

 

SW: I got the vet to do it the first time (I looked like a wimp until I told her why!) and I really like the blanket idea, I'll definitely do that.

Good Luck

Oh guys I am exhausted.

 

Took Milly back to the vet today. I decided I wanted some blood tests run to make sure she'd be okay for anaesthesia, and maybe they'd tell me something. The mass stuff became secondary when we found markedly elevated liver enzymes (as in ten times normal). Her poops have steadily become green and noticeably watery since I separated her from Squee.

The main that would do that to a budgie is hepatic lipidosis, heavy metal toxicity or infection. Milly's diet is okay and she's not overly fat. So I had to decide whether to trial treat her for toxicity or go ahead with the radiographs. I spent so long trying to decide what to do next that the vet kind of had to rush off and look after her other clients. Milly had been jabbed twice, in the neck to take blood and another painful doxy injection in the chest so I said I just wanted to take her home and think about it. I was also running low on money and not thinking clearly so I said to trial treat - I go back tomorrow to grab the medication. Now that i'm home and had time to think maybe I should run the rads. The problem is though that it actually costs more than i thought it would, and it is not my money but my parents' (I'm still completely reliant on them as I don't have a job) and well.. they would just not bother to spend money on an animal.

 

I'm so confused and tired and have no idea what is the right thing to do.

 

Mass... respiratory... liver.. there's so much going on here and nothing seems to link it all.

I'm also going to the other side of the city for three weeks to work at an actual bird clinic so I need to do something soon, or else bring her all the way out there and see if they can do anything more. I worry about the logistics of doing that because the people I'm staying with have a cat, so I'd have to drive the hour and a half back home and then come back out again.

 

My poor Milly, she was just completely bombed after the two jabs today, it hurts to stress her so much

So sorry to hear how stressful it's all been so far with no good results. Big hugs to you and Milly

It sounds like Milly has been under a lot of stress. I am an advocate for the animal if I find that all the testing in the world is simply going to cause more stress and pain and there is no chance of a good outcome I opt out for putting the animal through that emotional, stressful and painful time just simply because I want a definite answer. Making her comfortable and happy in her last weeks, months or years is what I believe is best.

 

Though I am not going through vet school either and I may see it different then you and she is your bird. I am not sure if you were asking or just talking out loud so if I opened my mouth wrongly I apologize.

Awww Hugs to you and Milly :sadsorry: . It must be such a hard decision and I wish you well in this choice. I do think it makes things harder because you KNOW STUFF... if you know what I mean... Good luck mate

I was really just thinking out loud, putting my thoughts down, not really demanding that someone give me an answer or even expecting advice.

 

But Elly, thank you, really. I really had to hear that from someone I respect and whose opinion I value highly, as well as one who loves birds as I do. It was easy for me to sort of dismiss some of the opinions from some of my colleagues, who all admitted they didn't quite understand why I was going so far for a bird (but of course they understood I was stressed and upset). But I did think about what you said before and I am thinking it now.

 

Part of me wants to fight and fight and fight, and another part says that perhaps I should accept what I probably cannot change and to enjoy our time together, uncertain though the length is, to make each one count.

 

Milly's been through enough for this week so I've opted not to do anything more for now. I will continue the current medicine for another four days days which means I am taking her up to Templestowe with me (my friend is happy to take in a bird, they have an isolated room where they cat isn't allowed).

Whether or not I put Milly under the stress of being masked down for radiographs next week is under question. I have to ask myself whether or not the stress and occasional pain is of any benefit or even making it worse.

My heart hurts. I have some more thinking to do.

Oh Chryso what a horrible thing to go through. I'm only five minutes down the road from templestowe so please give a yell if I can help with anything or having her there isn't working out for any reason (or even if you want me to babysit Squee so she is close) I've worked as a vet nurse so I'm pretty quick off the mark if something doesn't seem right or changes with an animal

Edited November 19, 200816 yr by melbournebudgies

I know how you feel Chryso. It's really hard not knowing which option is the best. You don't know whether the rads will give you a clue as to what the disease is and you can treat it. Or if there is nothing to see and the stress is detrimental.

For me, I would like to get the rads done, but I just like to know. I could have done that for Saffy but she had been through so much that I thought putting her through more would have been unfair and I elected to have her put to sleep. She was much more ill than your little girl though, so don't be feeling that you have to head that way yet.

Let the little girl rest for now anyway.