Quaker with liposarcoma

[Rambosmother]

I'm new to the forum. I have a quaker who is 23 years old. I have had him since he was a baby and has been in great health untill now. He had a liposarcoma tumour removed from his back. I trust the vet who is a well known avian vet but I'm a little confused. No other treatment or follow up was provided. Tumour removed. Surgery went well. Watch for it potentially coming back. Good bye. This seems odd. My bird has cancer and I'm left wondering what next? Will he just eventually die from this? Will he deteriorate now? His blood work before surgery showed everything good, internal organs fine. Wbc was high but that was to be expected with a cancerous tumour. Anyone experience with this? Would appreciate some comforting words to ease my anxiety. The vet said tumours in birds are rare. Not much data available to predict what will happen next. I'm not clear on all this.

 

[Hankmacaw]

Macawnutz has a GW that has had a couple of "sarcomas" removed - sorry I can't remember which type of sarcoma. Rosie just had the tumor and the margins removed and has been fine. In fact Rosie (GW female) has been better than fine considering that she is 77 years old.

@Macawnutz

 

[Macawnutz]

I was never told what kind of sarcomas they were. I think even on my biopsy report it only lists sarcoma.

Rosie's first one, I and the vet both thought was an ingrown feather. During the procedure to remove it, this tumor just popped right out. No margins as we thought it was a feather but it has not grown back. Her second tumor was in her throat. It was removed without issue. I've been told not to worry, they don't often repeat themselves. Once removed they are considered cancer free. My vet was quite shocked at her second one. He still feels she is fine and this won't continue. We check her every week for weird bumps or anything strange but she is great.

I think your boy will be fine. Just do an exam on him once a month, feel under his wings, down his back and basically check him for any lumps.

 

[Rambosmother]

God bless for your time to reply. You have given me hope and reduced my anxiety. He seems to be doing fine and not picking the suture. He is quite the little surgeon always looking for things to remove on me. So I'm happy to see he is not interested in picking at his scab. What has worked is my spraying him with a little pure aloe on the spot. But something else has happened since I posted. He has a slight limp. I examined his feet and legs and all seems okay. He can perch but when he walks and hurries one leg gives out. Very very odd. This just started. I'm wondering if he got hurt at the vets. She said she had to wrestle him out of the case to examine his suture. Or he hurt himself when trying to get away from my spraying him. He gave me a hard time. He would try to run away each time for five days. If it contcash s i will take him to the vet. If its a sprain, do they typically splint the leg? Should i wait to see if it resolves itself? I just spent 1500 in vet bills so I'm kind of running low on available cash for the month.

 

[Hankmacaw]

Give him a few days and watch how he is doing on his leg. It is most likely a strain from fighting the Dr.

 

[Rambosmother]

Thanks! So glad I found this site. I'm reading the pathology report. It says the tumour was well excised but margins visible. Does this mean they didn't get it all out?

 

[enigma731]

No, usually that means they were able to check that the margins of what was excised were cancer-free -- meaning they got it all out.

 

[Macawnutz]

If the pain continues they may give pain medicines. Is he on any now?

I'm sure they got the whole tumor. They are pretty small and simple, usually just under the skin.

 

[Rambosmother]

It appears I didn't read the pathology report correctly. I'm quoting what it says "the mass is in contact with the surgical ink at both the lateral and deep margins, so excision is likely incomplete".

This does not sound good.