OMG Please give me comforting words

[jennistarr1]

My family has had a pet cockatiel for almost 24 years and I swear to you he's like my best buddy in the whole wide world...he has so much personality and if there was ever a bird-human connection we definitely have it...

he's had tail cancer and up and until now he's had dozens of surgeries where they basically remove and/or radiate the tumor...

this time it came back like a mother fucker and is this big red lump that they say is probably a now rapidly growing tumor/infection...

and they won't operate

they said we should put him down by Monday...

it's hard to find a bird vet so we've seen the only 2 we know in our state

I'm at work and bawling, my husband is at job interview

[Pom]

I am so sorry. (((hugs)))

[karinothing]

I am so sorry. ::hugs::

[countthestars]

I'm so sorry about your bird. ((hugs))

[limey]

Aw, that's terrible. I'm so sorry. ((( big hugs )))

The only comforting words I've got is that he knows you love him and you were a great bird-mom. You're doing the best thing for him now, which is to not let him be in pain.

More big hugs coming your way.

[dexteroni]

Oh Jenny. I'm so sorry. How wonderful that he has had such a great best buddy all his life. And how wonderful for you to have had him for so long, even though I know that makes things like this so much harder. ({) (})

[KaraOrNot]

I am so sorry.

[mbcdefg]

Oh honey, I'm sorry :-( ({) (})

[nonsenseabound]

hugs

[explorer2001]

Hugs. He knows he was loved.

[litasail]

I'm so very sorry for your loss.

[Deleted]

That totally sucks. I am so sorry.

[jennistarr1]

can someone help me understand...if there's a chance he'll die in surgery...why not try it...there's 100% chance that euthanasia will kill him

[kangaroo11]

I'm sorry.

[Deleted]

I'm so sorry.

[limey]

Jan 10, 2013 13:24:34 GMT -5 jennistarr1 said:

can someone help me understand...if there's a chance he'll die in surgery...why not try it...there's 100% chance that euthanasia will kill him

There's nothing wrong with getting a 2nd opinion if you want to try this.

[jennistarr1]

Jan 10, 2013 13:32:47 GMT -5 @gypsy said:

I'm so sorry. It's so hard to lose a pet.

Actually I talked with my mom, they would be willing to do the surgery...she has decided on euthanasia...and I guess I have to find some way to live with that

[Deleted]

I'm so sorry.

Sent from my DROID3 using proboards

[mbcdefg]

Jan 10, 2013 13:24:34 GMT -5 jennistarr1 said:

can someone help me understand...if there's a chance he'll die in surgery...why not try it...there's 100% chance that euthanasia will kill him

I think you need to ask yourself what his quality of life would be if it's successful ... and if you even want to put him through surgery if it's got a relatively small chance of working. And if you can handle the reality of having to say goodbye to him "just in case" while still hanging onto some hope.

Ditto PP, get a second opinion if you'd prefer, it certainly can't hurt. Where are you located? Maybe someone here can recommend a vet.

What's the average lifespan of his particular breed, if I may ask?

({) (}) Again, sorry you are going through this. Our family dog was put down after going in for surgery ... she had a really hard belly one night and the regular vet recommended taking her to a specialty vet ... they opened her up and she was full of nodules that were bursting at the touch. The choices were, (a) Sew her up and take her home and she probably won't last the night; (b) try to remove what they could and she "might" last a couple more months; or (c) euthanize her now while she's under anesthesia. My parents chose C, and as much as it really, really, really sucked to lose her so suddenly, we were glad that she probably didn't suffer for very long if at all. If we'd opted to extend her life even a little while longer, she would've gone downhill REALLY fast, and our buddy didn't deserve that.

[raangoli]

I am so sorry, that is really awful.

[greencrayon]

Jan 10, 2013 13:41:02 GMT -5 jennistarr1 said:

Jan 10, 2013 13:32:47 GMT -5 @gypsy said:

I'm so sorry. It's so hard to lose a pet.

Actually I talked with my mom, they would be willing to do the surgery...she has decided on euthanasia...and I guess I have to find some way to live with that

I'm so sorry.

[jennistarr1]

my mom is very decided on this so I couldn't talk her into a 2nd opinion...
and we've searched extensively for bird vets, there really just isn't many...he sees 2 (and the only 2 we know of), one about an hour from us and one about 2 hours from us. He saw the closer one who deferred to the further one and they both agree that they are recommending to put him down but would do the surgery if that's what we choose.

mbcdefg, I'm so sorry about your buddy, that does seem like a really tough choice and I think your parents definitely made the right decision there....I'm hoping I find the some peace with this decision, you're right though your buddy didn't deserve having to experience going downhill really fast and I don't want that for mine either

[limey]

Sorry Jenni, that is really tough. (( big hugs ))

[mbcdefg]

Jan 10, 2013 14:06:42 GMT -5 jennistarr1 said:

my mom is very decided on this so I couldn't talk her into a 2nd opinion...
and we've searched extensively for bird vets, there really just isn't many...he sees 2 (and the only 2 we know of), one about an hour from us and one about 2 hours from us. He saw the closer one who deferred to the further one and they both agree that they are recommending to put him down but would do the surgery if that's what we choose.

mbcdefg, I'm so sorry about your buddy, that does seem like a really tough choice and I think your parents definitely made the right decision there....I'm hoping I find the some peace with this decision, you're right though your buddy didn't deserve having to experience going downhill really fast and I don't want that for mine either

This was over a year ago and I still have a hard time dealing with it, since she basically went from O.K. to gone in less than 24 hours ... but knowing that she was gone before she had to experience any real suffering is the one thing that brings me a little bit of comfort. I hope your little guy receives the same.

Again, I'm sorry, and I hope you can find peace ({) (})

[phunluvin82]

I'm so sorry. I think you have to try to focus on the fact that he lived a long, happy life (I think 24 years is long for a cockatiel...please correct me if I am wrong) and was very loved. Like others said, as hard as it is, you don't want him to suffer.

I've never had a pet that lived that long. I know how hard it is to say goodbye after 9-10 years...24, I can't even imagine. Big hugs.

[yellowbrkrd]

I am so sorry

[rikki]

I am so sorry. Ava, my green cheek conure, is seriously the love of my life. I couldn't imagine going through what you're dealing with. I'm sending tons of good thoughts and hugs your way. I am so, so sorry.

[jennistarr1]

Ava is beautiful...I'm glad that you understand the bird connection

[niemand88f]

I'm so sorry ({)

[estrellita]

24 is a really good life span for a smaller bird! My sister's cockatiel lived for about 15 or so. I had two that only lived about a year each. One had an ulcer in his mouth so he couldn't eat. I knew something was wrong with him but my parent's brushed it off (I was in like, middle school so I couldn't really do anything myself). They ended up rushing him to the vet while I was at my aunt's house one night but there wasn't much they could do at that point. I'm not sure why the other one died so early.

Anyways, cockatiels are great birds, and I'm sorry to hear the news about yours :-( Hugs!