necropsy ///GRAPHIC PICTURES/// Merek's?

Hello BYCers, can you help me?

So I just did a necropsy best I could on my hen Salt. (about 18mo-2yrs of age got her as a pullet)

Around the end of April she started limping. No sign of injury or bumble foot. By June 1st I had her in isolation as she couldn't get in and out of the coop any more. By the 15th of June she couldn't move either leg at all (hip on down) both legs tucked under her. On the 20th she got hit with fly strike so I washed her in salt bath and painstakingly removed all maggots and set her up in a laundry basket in the bathroom.

She is still eating and drinking with vigor at this point. Loves treats, still hated me touching her. Wings flapping. However she did feel warm to the touch and she did pant occasionally.

At this point I tried the following over the course of 10 days:

Set up a fan to give her some air movement.
Started putting vitamin B and "rooster booster" in her water
Saw a few worms in her poo so I wormed her with safeguard.
Panting and heat continued so I started adding 2 crushed asprin per pint of water to the vitamins.
After the safeguard did its job I started her on dissolvable Tylan. Continued for 5 days.
Took her back off the asprin (poops were now more solid).
Took her off the Vitamin B
Gave chicken physical therapy (laid her on her side and tried to stretch her legs- they were VERY stiff)

Just in the last couple days her appetite all but disappeared poops to white and watery.

Passed away today. Still alert, but gasping.


So... I promise I took great pictures. The problem was I forgot to put the SD card in the camera

So I had to go retrieve my chicken back out of the trash can and try to retake a couple of pictures







I think this is part of the intestines? This was the most suspicious thing I saw. Those little lumps were firm and I don't think they are supposed to be there?




everything got covered in feathers when I through it all in the trashbag... That is the heart. Seems to be extra fatty?


inside of the gizzard. plenty of gravel. very full of green stuff. looked like finely chopped fresh spinich? About a week ago I fed her some greens...?


hear (lower left) and liver (right-- also covered in feathers)



I didn't know you were supposed to get the keel bone completely out of the way. Would have made things much easier.


Thanks for any input. Sorry this is gross. I didn't think I would be able to do it. It has been one hell of a day. Salt died and I found out my dad has stage 4 lung cancer.

Sigh.

Alex

I am so sorry to hear that.

I really hope and pray your father gets better soon.


As for your chicken, it could possibly be marek's. Here is a great link on different reasons behind paralysis and symptoms for marek's. I hope it helps: https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/the-great-big-giant-mareks-disease-faq

Best of luck!

I'm still new to keeping chickens, so can't help diagnose Salt's issue, but there are really wonderful people on this forum who are generous about sharing their knowledge.

All of the best in respect of your Father's condition.

lampe731 said:

Hello BYCers, can you help me? So I just did a necropsy best I could on my hen Salt. (about 18mo-2yrs of age got her as a pullet) Around the end of April she started limping. No sign of injury or bumble foot. By June 1st I had her in isolation as she couldn't get in and out of the coop any more. By the 15th of June she couldn't move either leg at all (hip on down) both legs tucked under her. On the 20th she got hit with fly strike so I washed her in salt bath and painstakingly removed all maggots and set her up in a laundry basket in the bathroom. She is still eating and drinking with vigor at this point. Loves treats, still hated me touching her. Wings flapping. However she did feel warm to the touch and she did pant occasionally. At this point I tried the following over the course of 10 days: Set up a fan to give her some air movement. Started putting vitamin B and "rooster booster" in her water Saw a few worms in her poo so I wormed her with safeguard. Panting and heat continued so I started adding 2 crushed asprin per pint of water to the vitamins. After the safeguard did its job I started her on dissolvable Tylan. Continued for 5 days. Took her back off the asprin (poops were now more solid). Took her off the Vitamin B Gave chicken physical therapy (laid her on her side and tried to stretch her legs- they were VERY stiff) Just in the last couple days her appetite all but disappeared poops to white and watery. Passed away today. Still alert, but gasping. So... I promise I took great pictures. The problem was I forgot to put the SD card in the camera So I had to go retrieve my chicken back out of the trash can and try to retake a couple of pictures I think this is part of the intestines? This was the most suspicious thing I saw. Those little lumps were firm and I don't think they are supposed to be there? everything got covered in feathers when I through it all in the trashbag... That is the heart. Seems to be extra fatty? inside of the gizzard. plenty of gravel. very full of green stuff. looked like finely chopped fresh spinich? About a week ago I fed her some greens...? hear (lower left) and liver (right-- also covered in feathers) I didn't know you were supposed to get the keel bone completely out of the way. Would have made things much easier. Thanks for any input. Sorry this is gross. I didn't think I would be able to do it. It has been one hell of a day. Salt died and I found out my dad has stage 4 lung cancer. Sigh. Alex

Click to expand...

The vigor appetite, the lumps ( almost shore that they are tumors) on the intestine and creeping paralyses are a good indicators to MDV. It could be also Lymphoid Leukosis but the paralysis exclude it. You should assume that all your chickens are exposed to the virus. You should reduce as you can the stress in your floc,( no new chickens, now coop changing, No dogs, and little children near the chickens, good food, some extra vitamins and electrolytes, good water supply, good protection from the elements) And you must be shore that every new chick that you bring is vaccinated to Marek's disease. Good luck

Thanks everyone, for the kind words. What a week.

Yes, I feel like I'm pretty sure my flock has Merek's. I just wanted to see if anyone else saw anything in the "necropsy" that maybe I missed. I did think the intestines looked different from most of the pictures I saw.

Thanks again.