Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Squamous cell skin cancer in African grey parrot
By Klaphake, E et al.·Published in The Veterinary record·2006·Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Multisite integumentary squamous cell carcinoma in an African grey parrot (Psittacus erithacus erithacus).
- Species:
- bird
Plain-English summary
A 22-year-old male African grey parrot was brought in with chronic feather picking and two large wounds, one on its side and another on its wing. Despite initial treatment with antibiotics and wound care, the wounds did not heal, and biopsies revealed squamous cell carcinoma (a type of skin cancer). The tumor on the wing was successfully removed, and the parrot received weekly chemotherapy injections, which initially seemed to help. Unfortunately, the bird's health worsened after a month, leading to euthanasia, and further examination confirmed the cancer had spread.
People also search for: African grey parrot skin cancer · feather picking treatment in birds · parrot tumor treatment options
Abstract
A 22-year-old male African grey parrot (Psittacus erithacus erithacus) had had episodes of chronic feather picking and self-mutilation for 10 years; it had a 5 cm diameter right axillary wound and a 2 cm left dorsal patagial wound. Initial treatment with azithromycin and wound management was unsuccessful. Biopsies of both masses indicated squamous cell carcinoma. The left patagial tumour was removed completely by electrocautery. Cisplatin was administered weekly into multiple sites on the right axillary tumour and it initially appeared to regress; however, the bird's condition deteriorated after a month of treatment, and it was euthanased. The tumour was confirmed postmortem to be squamous cell carcinoma, which had invaded local tissues. The aetiology of the carcinoma may have been secondary to chronic focal trauma.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16648440/