Please help identify her problem/ illness

[luvmyroos]

4 weeks ago our Bielefelder hen (just turned 1 yr) started limping. We immediately isolated her with a buddy from the rest of the flock and could find no signs injury/ bumblefoot. We decided to watch and wait. After 3 weeks there was still a limp, though some days looked better than others. I always checked her leg and foot.

Then last week I picked her up and found a massive swelling at the hock area. It is hot to the touch. For 7 days now she has been treated with 1ml of B12, .25 Tylan 200mg orally (though upped it to .50 on day 6 and am now injecting intramuscular), and half a baby aspirin. Giving her fresh fruit and veggies, and mealworms in addition to her Pen Pals Feed. Spraying the area with Vetricyn.

She is eating and drinking. Her comb is paler, and has not laid an egg in a month. She is compliant when I am treating her. Her feathers are dull, but I think that's because she cannot really get a dust bath. She does get outside time in the yard by herself with our supervision.

Please help! Some of her symptoms seem to match some illnesses I have seen on BYC but not totally.

-Jessica

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[Eggcessive]

Oh my, that looks awful. At first, when reading this, I worried that you might be dealing with mycoplama synoviae (MS.) Unfortunately, it looks like cancer to me, although I am not a vet and could be wrong. Tumors can be common in chickens, but with diseases such as avian leukosis or Mareks, they are part of the diseases. I would take her to a vet who could then take some tissue, and send it off to a poultry lab that tests for Mareks. Or if she dies, send her refrigerated body to the state vet to get a necropsy and tested. If you need contact info for poultry labs and state vets, I can send it to you. I am so sorry that you are dealing with this in such a young bird.

 

[luvmyroos]

Thank you for your opinion. I was leaning towards a tumor when it first appeared. I am sure it hurts or is uncomfortable for her but she is eating and not acting depressed in any way. I think I am going to stop the Tylan injections and just continue with the baby aspirin until it is her time to be put down or she passes on her own. Such a sweet girl, it's a shame!
I live in NW Georgia so if you have the location for labs/ poultry vets near Ball Ground that would be great!

Oh my, that looks awful. At first, when reading this, I worried that you might be dealing with mycoplama synoviae (MS.) Unfortunately, it looks like cancer to me, although I am not a vet and could be wrong. Tumors can be common in chickens, but with diseases such as avian leukosis or Mareks, they are part of the diseases. I would take her to a vet who could then take some tissue, and send it off to a poultry lab that tests for Mareks. Or if she dies, send her refrigerated body to the state vet to get a necropsy and tested. If you need contact info for poultry labs and state vets, I can send it to you. I am so sorry that you are dealing with this in such a young bird.