Help! My hen has stopped drinking any water and has barely eaten for 3 weeks.

[amyduck]

Thanks, I've just dealt with round worms just a few times, but this didn't feel like one...

 

[amyduck]

Hi all, a very quick update because I have to run to work.... she woke up in a big gross puddle under her perch! (see attached photo) But crop is still not down all the way. I think the color may be due to baby food I force fed her, but not sure, the other stuff is probably old intestinal lining (no sign of blood) or long grasses... I'm starting to think it's a major blockage and will give her ducolax and coconut oil before I leave. Thanks everyone for your input! I welcome more.... She is still standing tall in spite of all of this!

 

[BugStalker]

The motility drug I mentioned earlier, molasses or magnesium would NOT be a good idea for this hen, unless a vet says so. Her intestines need to relax and heal, and will be slow during the process. Cocoanut oil and water should make it easier on them. So would docusate sodium, but I don't know about continuing that without a vet rx, and I am not sure she really needs it after making a puddle. She's still on antibiotics, right?

 

[amyduck]

The motility drug I mentioned earlier, molasses or magnesium would NOT be a good idea for this hen, unless a vet says so. Her intestines need to relax and heal, and will be slow during the process. Cocoanut oil and water should make it easier on them. So would docusate sodium, but I don't know about continuing that without a vet rx, and I am not sure she really needs it after making a puddle. She's still on antibiotics, right?

yes, she's still on antibiotics, I gave her ducolax about 5 hours ago, and I'm going to the vet now...
thanks!

 

[amyduck]

Hi all, well, we went to the vet. He said to discontinue the worming medication, keep taking the bactrim, and he gave us a course of Pro-pectalin (an antidiarrheal with Kaolin, Pectin & Probiotics.) It seems odd to me to give her an antidiarrheal on the heels of s stool softner!

We're to force feed her cat pellets, which I sort ot hate to do.. all the small pet store I went to had was pellets made out of salmon! I hope they are okay to use... I figure whatever cat food I were to get is formulated to have the same amount of the various nutrients.

He also said since my last hen had mareks that Penny could have cancer in the proventiculus... and could be causing a blockage there... he honestly didn't seem too hopeful and he only charged me for the meds!

When we got home she had another watery dropping (see attached,) this time with what appears to be a small clot - the first time I've seen anything resembling blood... interestingly if you increase the size, it looks like you can see a lot of the grass seed she's been eating... but clearly not digesting

I was going to attach a video (couldn't figure out how) of Penny relieved to be back from the vet and walking to the back yard where she has been foraging for grass seed... Not looking to worse for the wear, but definitely weaker... and I'm spent, this is really hard.

 

[BugStalker]

Videos have to be uploaded on YouTube or another host, and linked to from here.

I know probiotics and pectin are good for this kind of thing. I am glad you could take her to a vet. I'm sorry it's so hard.

 

[amyduck]

Hi all, Miss Penny is still with us, and actually seems a little better in spite of her droppings still being all watery like yesterday, and her crop is still pretty full.

Fortunately, she does have a little more energy, maybe it was the increase in feed (forced.)

Also, for the first time in weeks she actually ate a small piece of the greens I offer her every morning, and as of yesterday (or maybe late the day before) she also started to drink on her own from a dish in weeks, and she is drinking a fair amount, in spite of her crop being pretty full. It makes me wonder if she is absorbing any water into her systems, since it just seems to pass right through her....

 

[BugStalker]

They do have trouble absorbing nutrients with digestive issues, but it sounds like she's getting some. Does her face/comb look dry?

... It makes me wonder if she is absorbing any water into her systems, since it just seems to pass right through her....

 

[amyduck]

They do have trouble absorbing nutrients with digestive issues, but it sounds like she's getting some. Does her face/comb look dry?

Yes, it does look sort of dry... I take it that means she isn't absorbing as many nutrients? The latest dropping is a definite improvement over the previous ones, not that it is good looking at all... just better than the ones overnight!
First photo overnight, 2nd afternoon.

 

[amyduck]

Here it is mid afternoon, and so far has drunk a fair amount of water on her own, but she hasn't pooped since this morning and her crop is not emptying...
It's probably not fair to her to keep force-feeding her for an extended period... she really hates it... but if I stop I think she'd just waste away and die...