I have a budgie that has a swollen stomach, she only got moved out of quarantine last week and she was fine then so it has occured slowly in the last week. i thought she was getting fat but after having a close look she seems to have large mass on her. It feels soft like it is full of fluid. she is not showing any other signs, no pooey bottom, eating well. She is booked in to see the vet tomorrow but does anyone have any idea of what it could be and should i seperate her?

 

 

Looks a bit like egg peritonitis to me but I would have expected her to be looking a bit ill if that was the case. I have a hen that has something like that which appeared during her last round of breeding, it turned out just to be a fatty deposit.

I have a hen who has a fatty deposit, it comes and goes - there one day, gone the next etc

I hope it just a fatty deposit then and nothing to serious.

I'll see if my hen has it today and i'll get pics for you to see if it looks like the same thing

Here is my hen. she is in her full fattness at the moment. she varies from this to normal. she looks just like your hen too.

This hen is 8 years old though

 

 

she looks the same as my hen.when you touch it does it feel soft and squishy? did you take her to a vet for a diagnosis?

Yeah hers is soft too. she has had it for over a year on and off now and it doesn't appear to affect her in any way. she put some nasty holes in my fingers when i was holding her. i haven't taken her to the vet - other than the mass she is fine and doesn't appear in any discomfort. I blame sunflower seeds!

My hen is the same, apart from the mass she is healthy and happy. i have only had her 6 weeks so i am going to get some history from the previous owner and see if it has occurred before.

I'd say that it was too high on the body for it to be peritonitis. Peritonitis would not be seen over the sternum as that area is surrounded by bone and can not expand. It is probably a lipoma or feather cyst or something.

Birds with egg peritonitis look like they have egg bum.

Edited December 3, 200816 yr by Sailorwolf

For a definite diagnosis I would take her to an avian vet, we are not qualified by any means through a picture to have a confirmed diagnosis.

For a definite diagnosis I would take her to an avian vet, we are not qualified by any means through a picture to have a confirmed diagnosis.

 

 

I am taking her to vets this morning because i need to know definitly what it is and how i can help her.

Been to the vets and saw a new vet who was very thorough. He took a sample of the hens mass and checked it under the microscope. It is a lipoma (fatty tumour) that she has but because it is not effecting her health or restricting her movement he recommends to just leave it.

That's good news Deb

cool

Hey Deb a fatty tumor is what "MyBird" Has ( a fat Pad) she still breeds and doesn't affect her. I decreased the fatty seeds ( hulled oats, sunflower, sapflower) But her's is located just before her vent .....

That's good to hear deb.

glad it was nothing more sinister...

The vet rang this morning to check how the hen was going and she is starting to have problems flying due to the extra weight of the fatty tumour so we discussed treatment options. I am going to give her a iodine supplement on a 2 week trail period to see if it helps reduce the tumour. Research has shown that it is sucessful in 50% of cases so hopefully it will work.

good luck Deb, so they probably think it is related to a thyroid issue? I think that is what they do for people who have hypothryoidism is they need more iodine in their diet.

good luck Deb, so they probably think it is related to a thyroid issue? I think that is what they do for people who have hypothryoidism is they need more iodine in their diet.

 

 

The vet was saying that lipomas (fatty tumours) can occur due to obesity, hypothryoidism or genetic so the iodine will help to simulate the thyroid gland to break down the fat cells but if it does not work for her then hers is not caused by a thyroid problem. It will be a trial and error process.

I have just started using a supplement with a higher iodine component in it in my flight, so it will be interesting to see whether my hen with the fatty deposit looses any weight

good luck Deb, so they probably think it is related to a thyroid issue? I think that is what they do for people who have hypothryoidism is they need more iodine in their diet.

 

 

The vet was saying that lipomas (fatty tumours) can occur due to obesity, hypothryoidism or genetic so the iodine will help to simulate the thyroid gland to break down the fat cells but if it does not work for her then hers is not caused by a thyroid problem. It will be a trial and error process.

 

okay, I thought it was something due the the thyroid there, cool Deb thank you for breaking that down for me more so I understand, I do hope it works. .

I am going to speak up and say I feel a bit guilty here. Brewster was one of the birds that came from my aviary to Deb's, so when Deb speaks about cheking with a previous owner, she is referring to me.

 

Now, there are no sunflower seeds, or "fatty foods" in my aviary. The birds have seed, plus they get fresh fruits and vegetables. There are iodine blocks hanging up so they nibble at those.

 

I feel bad that this bird came from my place and went to Deb's, only to now need vet treatment. Sorry Deb. from my way of thinking though, it has to be genetic. There is nothing that could have caused this in my aviary.

I am going to speak up and say I feel a bit guilty here. Brewster was one of the birds that came from my aviary to Deb's, so when Deb speaks about cheking with a previous owner, she is referring to me.

 

Now, there are no sunflower seeds, or "fatty foods" in my aviary. The birds have seed, plus they get fresh fruits and vegetables. There are iodine blocks hanging up so they nibble at those.

 

I feel bad that this bird came from my place and went to Deb's, only to now need vet treatment. Sorry Deb. from my way of thinking though, it has to be genetic. There is nothing that could have caused this in my aviary.

 

 

Do not feel guilty Dave, you were not to know and the vet was telling me that the fat cells produce very slowly so it could have occur from a poor diet as a baby. i am adding the iodine to the water so i know for sure she is getting it.