FINAL NECROPSY RPT GO TO LAST POST --NIGHTMARE with CANKER - Page 2  

I used to have geese - just love them, wish I could have them again but don't want to p/o the neighbors.  But vets don't have a clue.  Really turned some heads when I walked in to a vet with a goose or two tho - funny.

Chic-a-deee, you got it - vets are for the wealthy around here.  And, they only do dogs and cats to boot.

UPDATE on my hen, Jet.  Sorry to report I had to put her down yesterday.  As I said, she was on FishZole, then when she turned for worse, switched to Ronidazole.  I began to worry as she didn't seem to improve much, although some days were better than others.  I thought she might be getting a yeast infection (fungus) so I did the recommended - gave her miconazole, which I managed to find in the form of a suppository with not a bunch of added ingredients.  I cut one in thirds for a one-a-day.  Wednesday, she had taken a turn for the worse.  Where her tail had been up throughout this ordeal, now it was pointing straight down.  And her comb, while not looking great before, now was purple on the tips.  Deep purple.  I syringed her some parrot baby food to get some nutrition in her.  Later, was giving her eyedroppers of water to keep her hydrated.  BTW, I saw no change in the yellow growths in her throat at least not enough to conclude the meds were working.

I had ordered a new drug - a herbal drug that is acclaimed for its ability to cure canker.  It came that day.  I had a feeling I would get it and it would be too late, and now it seems to have fulfilled the prophecy or whatever.  Dang.  Well, I went ahead and mixed it up and switched everyone to that.  For her, I added a little sugar to it and syringed it she seemed to tolerate it.  By the end of the day she didn't want anymore so I boxed her in a cat carrier and put her away thinking she'll pass overnight.  She didn't.  Next day same condition, except on about the 3rd effort to hydrate her, her crop had not emptied b/c she drooled on me, was very swollen, and the feathers over her crop were gone.  She stood up now most of the time - stood up sleeping.  

So those were her latest symptoms - someone said that State of California UC Davis Agriculture  will do free necropsy if you bring them the expired patient.  They also said they will provide a shipping number to ship for free.  What I learned is they no longer do the free shipping thing they used to do that a few years ago when Newcastle was rampant.  No more.  But they will euthanize and do pathology, necropsy if you bring in the bird.  So that's what I did.  It was an hour drive through bad traffic each way, but  I felt at this stage she was suffering and the situation had become hopeless.  At the same time, I have indoor birds I wanted to get a definitive on her, and if I turned her in locally to the pound to be put down, I wouldn't get that analysis.

I will let ya'll know when I hear anything from the lab.  I hafta say, she was one of my favs, my little sidekick who followed me everywhere and jumped up on a pen (about 3 feet high) to watch for any sign of me - only one to ever do that.  I'll miss her.  Sorry about the length  (and the mushiness) 

Hi All - This is the latest update on my hen, Jet, with suspected trich (canker) infection.  I am still waiting - it's been about a month - for the final report from the lab.  As mentioned in my post, I put her down at the Calif Dept of Food and Agriculture office where they performed a necropsy.  They informed me a few days later that it was NOT trich, they saw no indication of trich organisms.  What they found was an epithelial cancer in the throat extending into the sinus.  So that is what I saw when I looked down her throat and saw the yellow mass in her oral cavity and back of throat.    That's why all my treatments had no effect, although sometimes she did seem to improve.   

I have included below my previous threads on this, and the lab report to date.  I have been in contact with the lab to try to get the rest of the report but they keep telling me it has not been released yet.  So I check in with them once a week just to bug them so they don't forget me.  If and when I ever get the rest of the report I will post an update to this.  Your comments / questions are welcome should you have anything to add.

I just wanted everyone who followed me through this and helped me through the ordeal to know how it all ended up.  And a sincere thank you for your support.

http://www.backyardchickens.com/t/662023/canker-timing-of-meds-for-crop#post_8945636

http://www.backyardchickens.com/t/648152/hen-shaking-head-excessive-thirst-update-it-was-canker-not-worms

NECROPSY PRELIMINARY REPORT

Gallo del Cielo - when I talked to the vet, he said he went in there expecting to see trich but he could find none.  I think he took swabs from the crop to look for the buggers under a scope.  He thought that would be the answer, but nope.  He said this type of cancer in chickens is so rare that it became the subject du jour around their office and all the vets got in on it.   I also queried about the kidneys being white - he said that is just the gross necropsy - the way it appeared.  The histological showed nothing he said.  I asked if the liver showed any friability (it frequently does if diseased), and he said no to friable, there was only minimal lipidosis - nothing to implicate anything.  That's why I'm trying to get the rest of the results.  It's like - okay she wasn't contagious, but what exactly was going on.  So frustrating dealing with them - they move at their own speed.  I keep telling myself - "be patient be patient....".  Yeh, poor Jet.  She was definitely my sweetheart -like they say it always seems to happen to the ones you really care about - time moves on though.  Just introduced my babies to the 1 adult I have left.  What a riot!  And I got another cuddler in the batch.

Thanks Dawg, and thanks for your help.  I wish more people would follow up with results when we try to help out.  Just wanted to say, the vet even seemed surprised to discover it was not trich.  Sheesh- it sure had all the earmarks of trich but the tx didn't even make the growths change in color like I would expect.  She really didn't suffer too much until just before I put her down.  I was able to get her to eat up until the day before, her tail was always up she had lots of energy.  But when she reached the point that she didn't feel good she really showed it (standard sick posture) and I knew it was useless to put her thru any more.  RIP Jet.