Necropsy results: It wasn't PDD.

[thegreatkatsby]

Earlyn died from disseminated lymphoma... which, I guess in layman's terms, is "widespread cancer".

Every day since her death I had been waking up up in a panic, wondering whether I would lose Pi (if it was confirmed PDD), or whether I should be mad at myself (if it had turned out to be liver disease or something else that I could have prevented). I guess, in that sense, cancer was the best possible result because I don't think there was anything I could have done to save her... even if it had been diagnosed much earlier. The vet told me that it is very hard to diagnose in birds, and even if they do catch it, the treatments for cancer are experimental at best.

The emergency vet said that he was somewhat surprised by the result, because they were pretty sure she was showing symptoms of PDD. My regular vet never thought it was PDD, because he said he had never seen a case of it without regurgitation before. Thankfully, he was correct, and despite the tragedy of losing Earlyn, my confidence in him has increased tenfold.

Poor Pi can now relax a little without his person fluttering around him constantly, checking for illness and looking at his droppings with a flashlight twice a day!

I would have never guessed that Earlyn had cancer. I'm so grateful that she was able to spend the last six years of her life with me, because she was so awesome. I wish it could have been much, much longer, but at least we had those six years. <3

[zazanomore]

I'm truly am sorry about the loss of your Earlyn. But I am so happy that Pi is out of danger.

[entrancedbymyGCC]

I'm glad now you can stop being on edge. Give Pi a hug for us!

[thegreatkatsby]

The other good news with a non-PDD result is that Pi doesn't have to be alone!

As of today, Pi has a new "buddy"--a rehomed meyers parrot. The meyers is in quarantine right now, so Pi can only hear him, but I'm hoping they like each other and will be happy to keep each other busy during the day while I'm at work! I guess they could hate each other too and it wouldn't matter so long as they're not completely bored.

[el-parrot]

Earlyn died from disseminated lymphoma... which, I guess in layman's terms, is "widespread cancer".

Every day since her death I had been waking up up in a panic, wondering whether I would lose Pi (if it was confirmed PDD), or whether I should be mad at myself (if it had turned out to be liver disease or something else that I could have prevented). I guess, in that sense, cancer was the best possible result because I don't think there was anything I could have done to save her... even if it had been diagnosed much earlier. The vet told me that it is very hard to diagnose in birds, and even if they do catch it, the treatments for cancer are experimental at best.

The emergency vet said that he was somewhat surprised by the result, because they were pretty sure she was showing symptoms of PDD. My regular vet never thought it was PDD, because he said he had never seen a case of it without regurgitation before. Thankfully, he was correct, and despite the tragedy of losing Earlyn, my confidence in him has increased tenfold.

Poor Pi can now relax a little without his person fluttering around him constantly, checking for illness and looking at his droppings with a flashlight twice a day!

I would have never guessed that Earlyn had cancer. I'm so grateful that she was able to spend the last six years of her life with me, because she was so awesome. I wish it could have been much, much longer, but at least we had those six years. <3

very sorry to hear this! but glad to hear that your vet was right and that you don't have to worry for your other baby.

[lzver]

I imagine it is still hard dealing with Earlyn's loss, but at least you have answers now and know that Pi wasn't exposed to anything like PDD.

And congrats on your new little Meyers! I got a Meyers about a month ago and she's a little sweetheart.

[thegreatkatsby]

Thank you all for your kind words. This forum is the only place I feel like I can really gush about how hard her death hit me without being concerned about whether folks think I'm "overreacting to a pet death". <3

[Roger P]

I don't think there is such a thing as overreacting to the loss of a family member. People that do not have animals do not understand that our pets are family, and it hurts just as much when we lose them. I lost Tucker this past summer, and I still think about him every time I look at Merlin.

I am very sorry for your loss, but grateful that your Meyers is not at risk. Take Care!

[MandyG]

I'm so happy that Pi isn't at risk. I couldn't imagine how awful it would be to go through that again. Congrats on the new Meyers! He'll never replace Earlyn in your heart but hopefully he'll make this hard time a little easier.

[simka]

I am so sorry for your loss, and so relieved that it isn't PDD.

I am grateful, too, that the Parrot Forum is here to give an outlet to all the big feelings that come with loving birds.