I thought he was getting better...

[Raeo]

Hello all, and thank you for stopping to look at my thread...

At the beginning of last week, I noticed that my parakeet's vent was getting dirty. I knew this wasn't normal, and I tried to help him by dampening it slightly to make it softer and easier to preen.

The next day I found him sitting on his top perch with all his feathers fluffed. He was listless when I got him out. Then I noticed that his breastbone was very prominent; for some reason he wasn't eating seeds anymore. I decided to try to feed him breadcrumbs and he took to those heartily. For the next few days, I toasted bread to crumble it up, and then soaked it with sugarwater in his food dish.

He's no longer listless, and he's eating seeds again. His vent is clean and I thought he was getting better. However, yesterday I noticed that he was favoring his left foot and not standing on it unless he has to, which I've been told is a red flag.

I've had this bird eight years, and I understand that he's old and at the end of the average parakeet lifespan, but I want to help him feel better if I can.

Any thoughts/help would be greatly appreciated.

[krazy4birds]

I understand your concerns and I think it is worth a check up with your vet.
It could be so many things and the sooner you have this looked at the sooner you will know if all this worry is not needed. Good Luck and please keep us posted!

[Raeo]

That's another problem... I don't have money. I could probably search my room, but I doubt I'd find much. I could ask Mom, but she hasn't been happy with me as of late. I wanted to take him and asked last week, but she gave me some random lecture and I haven't asked since.

That's why I've been searching the internet through the school computers...

[dlaura]

Raeo, first welcome to PetLovers and good for you in looking for some way to help your parakeet. Is your keet just holding his foot closed up against his body or is he holding it out to the side? Are there any other symptoms beside the foot?

[Raeo]

Out to the side, I guess. He's not holding up like he's sleeping, just kind of in mid air between him and the perch. I don't think I've seen any other symptoms since this one appeared.

Yesterday he fell off his perch and scrabbled around in the bottom of the cage for a few seconds before I could get there and see him jump back onto the perch... :(

[dlaura]

We had an avian vet speak at our bird club meeting a week ago. One of the things he asked was "Have any of you ever seen a parakeet holding it's leg out to one side?" I hadn't and no one else had either. The vet said that if a parakeet is seen doing this it usually means there is a tumor growing which is exerting pressure on blood vessle or nerve which is making the leg go up and out like that. Apparently parakeets are prone to this -- since I have been on other pet sites like this I have read of many parakeets that have developed tumors. I don't think there is really anything you can do without taking your bird to the vets.

[Raeo]

... He's not holding it to the side, and he can put it down; he does when he's on my finger if only ligthly.

... He does have a little lump on one of his wings... and I suppose... it could have spread and resettled in his leg...

[dlaura]

I am really sorry to hear you are having these problems with your parakeet. Wish I could be of more help.