Xanthoma

[FinalJump]

Hello! So after much searching and not so many results, I figure it doesn't hurt to drop a line here.

I have a cockatiel, a handsome whiteface male who is three years old. We made the mistake of an all-seed diet, which we have corrected in the past week to a 50/50 of seed and dried veggies or fruits, but the damage was done; he has a large xanthoma on his left wing, seen in the first image.

I've found only one real account of a way of dealing with it without surgery--we don't have the money to amputate--and then there are only human-centered xanthoma/lipoma remedies. We're going to try applying apple cider vinegar this week, and I saw ginseng was a good supplement, but I was unable to find out how much of what form was safe for a cockatiel.

I'm honestly at a dead end here. I've been removing some of the feathers seen on him in this image so I can properly clean the area with a q-tip and some peroxide on any sores since it seemed he hadn't been able to get under them to do it himself. A lot of his flight feathers, growing through the xanthoma, have yellow crust on them where they emerge, and one blood feather today seemed like it had a lot of plasma or other clear liquid in it, not just blood... unsure if that's normal but it was very sore for him and he did not like me touching it at all. I personally have trichotillomania, a hair pulling disorder, so I don't know if I'm okay to remove those feathers or if it's my own neurology tricking me. I can't find any information about the safety. The flight feathers seem to grow straight to the actual wing, right through the xanthoma nearly two inches, and it worries me how bacteria could get underneath it.

If you know anything among good skincare ideas for a cockatiel or ways to help burn off fat/cholesterol, please assist. Kaz appreciates it!

 

[Kentuckienne]

I never heard of such a thing, and now I've seen enough photos to give me bad dreams.

The best thing is to take him to a certified avian vet, because xanthomas can have many causes. They aren't just caused by to much fat in the diet, so a proper diagnosis is needed - can't properly treat the symptoms without knowing the underlying cause. Several of the articles said that a lower fat diet, enriched with vitamin A and vitamin A precursors was sometimes effective. Of course that takes time...the fat deposits won't go away quickly ... and the bird might need pain meds or anti-inflammatory meds to keep it from picking at the tumor. I don't think you should pull any feathers out without getting advice from a vet. It could irritate the area and make him start picking at it.

https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/tumors-xanthomas-in-birds

 

[FinalJump]

Thank you for the reply!

I apologize for you having seen those images; lipoma/xanthoma growths can get quite gross, and I admittedly viewed many removal videos to understand what he was facing. It's very unpleasant.

Unfortunately, the closest vet for us is two hours single-way and our transportation is limited during the weekday hours, so it may be clear until next year when we can physically get him to an avian vet. There is one in my city, but they no longer take new patients--aggravating! We're keeping tabs on that in case they ever open up to new clients.

I'm at a point where I may have to settle down for this being his condition. Xanthomas don't always need removal, and his isn't so large it causes issues in his movement or his ability to stretch his wing out. It's also seemed to stabilize. He's had it since February of this year where it rapidly grew to this size since around July. One of my secondary concerns is that he doesn't develop another growth, seeing as they apparently get them at the cloaca too... and that would be a much more severe issue.

The diet change is good, and he does enjoy his new meal type, though I believe he might need some adjustment to non-seeds--he still prefers them over the fresher things or dried types. He isn't handfed and is quite hand-shy, so most of his learning came from me doing little exercises over these three years, so helping him adjust takes a lot of patience.

He's been doing wonderfully about not picking at anything, which I'm proud of him for. He acts like he understands me when I talk to him about how our job is to keep it clean and safe.

 

[LordTriggs]

2 hours journey is in no way too far to take care of this problem. You'd rather get it sorted now, how would you feel in his situation? Being uncomfortable and ill but not being allowed to go to the doctor?

when you say the transportation is limited how do you mean? I'm sure if somebody is at work you can ask either them to book the day off or get another friend to take you. Failing that public transport is always an option

 

[FinalJump]

The reason I said it was limited and difficult to do is a multitude of reasons; one being financial strains, two being that I am not in control of our finances, and three being I fear how stressful it will be to do that drive on him. Our weather is going to be cold in a matter of days from now and he shivers in even small dips in temperature.

I have had two panic attacks in the past week over his condition and requested my parents to assist, but my father has used all of his vacation days already and my mother does not drive on the highway. I suffer from severe anxiety and am in therapy, so highway driving is enormously dangerous. I do entirely agree with you, it's worth it, and I've plead my case--and I do not have friends who live in my city. My Aunt would be the second best option, but she is a full-time business owner. I desperately wish we had more options. I love my pets, they are a huge part of my life and wellbeing, so to not have the ability to assist him among financial issues has been hard on my mental health.

This is why I have turned to this forum to help me gather as much information as I can to do the best I can within my limitations. He's a beautiful baby who's first words were "I love you" and made a home in my heart.

I did get a chance to bring him to a veterinarian during the bi-annual bird fair a few weeks ago since they visit but do not do any work, and the only suggestion I was given was amputation. I was not given any tips about any inquiries I have made in this thread though I did ask and got price estimates.

The soonest I can get him to the vet truly is during Tax Return season. That's why I'm not going to sit on my hands and wait it out--I'll see if I can get as much information as possible about it to work on his health before we get him there.

 

[Kentuckienne]

After about an hour searching, I found lots of "home remedies" that people have used, but most of them I think are worthless. Vinegar, for example, is an acid and if I put in on a cut in my own skin, it burns and I find that irritating. Irritating the area might make him pick at the thing, which would not be good.

Vitamin-A rich foods and/or supplements is the only thing that's routinely cited as a treatment that can work. It takes time. I guess the fat is slowly re-adsorbed. You can give too much Vitamin A. If it were my bird, that's the first thing I'd try - research an appropriate dose and start giving it right away, then try to be patient.

There is no safe way to physically remove the xanthoma at home. Any physical removal creates a wound, which could get infected.

Can you call a vet and ask what they'd charge to amputate? They might let you set up a payment plan. Some people use GoFundMe to raise money for vet care.

You'll find the best information on actual veterinary medicine sites. Be careful! Articles written for veterinarians don't always give important details, because they assume a vet would know the basic stuff. They are no substitute for a real vet! They can be good for an emergency, when no vet care is available, or to prepare for a conversation with your vet.

http://www.merckvetmanual.com/