I took both Whook and Smitty to the vet this morning.
Yesterday, I had added a few drops of organic apple cider vinegar to Whook's water. Later that night, he was almost back to his normal self.
The vet examined Whook and did a gram stain. Everything was normal and healthy. I told her I gave him ACV yesterday and seemed to have perked him up. She instructed me to carry on because whatever ailed him seemed to have cleared up. The vet said that Whook was a little over weight with fatty deposites but overall, in decent shape. He is, after all, 11 years old. (The average budgie lives only to age 8 but they can live to up to 18 years)
Smitty, as I had predicted, had a very large fast growing tumor. It wasn't a bacterial infection or any other disease that could spread to my other birds. I wanted to just make sure of what was wrong with him just in case my diagnosis was wrong. And sadly, again, as I predicted with a tumor there is nothing that could've be done other than palliative treatment such has keeping him comfortable with a dose of meloxicam (anti-inflamatory) as I had done. Unfortunately, at this point, Smitty is wasting away (pale and thin) and is beyond any treatment other than being put to sleep.
I thought this might be a gentle solution for him but my husband was with me and refused this option . He wanted Smitty to pass on peacefully with his friends surrounding him. I knew this is what he wanted to do so I was not going to argue with him. We had discussed with earlier addressing this posssibility.
I am very glad Whook is OK.
As of now, Smitty is resting in a clean cage with a soft bottom covering waiting his turn to cross the rainbow bridge.
*photo above: Smitty and girl-friend Twillinger
It's great to see a picture of Smitty when he was in good health. I hope his days are painfree and calm. Hey - I wish that for myself too. And you guys also. Hugs.
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