Salpingitis and a vey large mass

[MandS]

Sadly Rosie has passed. Yesterday was a very difficult day because we lost her and because things were so close to being solved (or at least potentially).

Her crop was not emptying and so was full of water even when she woke up. However I found a chicken specialist vet who was willing to operate on her (and does it all the time - with high success rates) but she suggested getting her stabalised before the drive to her (she was not very local). So we did that but it appeared to cause her too much trauma or something else happened - I don't know which - and she came out half the chicken that went in. She was fairly unresponsive, wouldn't stand and kept her eyes closed. She had gone in more alert and certainly standing up, so this was a shock.

She never recovered and as I went to get her to take her to the op, she had deteriorated to the extent she had her head down and eyes closed. If I spoke to her or stroked her, she quietly responded. So I picked her up (very carefully) and put her on my lap where she sat with her eyes closed and these very short little breaths with a click or rattle as she breathed.

After a while she suddenly held her head up and looked around. I thought she had recovered, however she then looked at me, took 3 breaths, each one bigger than the previous one, and then died.

I am devastated. I thought I had managed to sort this but time was not on my side. Maybe if I had found the other vet earlier, it could have worked.

I hope if anyone reads this in the future they can learn something. For me the key lessons were:

1. You need to act quickly
2. There IS a possibility to have the mass removed - if you can find a talented (and experienced vet)
3. She was not in pain but pain relief was still sensible
4. In our experience, the more she ovulates, the worse it gets, so if she can still eat, consider getting an under-the-skin contraceptive which will mean she can carry on even if you don't have surgery (or at least till she is strong enough for it), otherwise it will start to cause severe digestive issues each day she ovulates
5. All the above is about your appetite to try to save a hen - which doesn't mean it is the right course of action for everyone - I will do whatever I can and keep fighting, that isn't even my other half's feelings, who is a little more "leave nature to do its thing" attitude.

So, I have to say goodbye to Rosie. I will not forget her. I'm in my 50s now and I still remember all my pet chickens from when I was about 10!

Thank you for all the help and kindness.

 

[Sally PB]

I'm sorry. I'm glad you could be with her at the end. I think she knew you loved her.

 

[Aunt Angus]

I'm so sorry for you and Rosie. She was such a lucky hen to have had you come into her life. ❤

And you offer great advice. Now you have someone you know you can turn to in the future.

 

[LaFleche]

Take comfort from the fact that she passed peacefully while on your lap and feeling your loving presence.

 

[MandS]

Thank you

 

[TnGfarm]

Sadly Rosie has passed. Yesterday was a very difficult day because we lost her and because things were so close to being solved (or at least potentially).

Her crop was not emptying and so was full of water even when she woke up. However I found a chicken specialist vet who was willing to operate on her (and does it all the time - with high success rates) but she suggested getting her stabalised before the drive to her (she was not very local). So we did that but it appeared to cause her too much trauma or something else happened - I don't know which - and she came out half the chicken that went in. She was fairly unresponsive, wouldn't stand and kept her eyes closed. She had gone in more alert and certainly standing up, so this was a shock.

She never recovered and as I went to get her to take her to the op, she had deteriorated to the extent she had her head down and eyes closed. If I spoke to her or stroked her, she quietly responded. So I picked her up (very carefully) and put her on my lap where she sat with her eyes closed and these very short little breaths with a click or rattle as she breathed.

After a while she suddenly held her head up and looked around. I thought she had recovered, however she then looked at me, took 3 breaths, each one bigger than the previous one, and then died.

I am devastated. I thought I had managed to sort this but time was not on my side. Maybe if I had found the other vet earlier, it could have worked.

I hope if anyone reads this in the future they can learn something. For me the key lessons were:

1. You need to act quickly
2. There IS a possibility to have the mass removed - if you can find a talented (and experienced vet)
3. She was not in pain but pain relief was still sensible
4. In our experience, the more she ovulates, the worse it gets, so if she can still eat, consider getting an under-the-skin contraceptive which will mean she can carry on even if you don't have surgery (or at least till she is strong enough for it), otherwise it will start to cause severe digestive issues each day she ovulates
5. All the above is about your appetite to try to save a hen - which doesn't mean it is the right course of action for everyone - I will do whatever I can and keep fighting, that isn't even my other half's feelings, who is a little more "leave nature to do its thing" attitude.

So, I have to say goodbye to Rosie. I will not forget her. I'm in my 50s now and I still remember all my pet chickens from when I was about 10!

Thank you for all the help and kindness.

but was the lump, mass, identified as to what it was and how it happened? We had a hen become lethargic and died. We then discovered the lemon size lump in her ovary tract/ blocked vent. Thanks, Terry

 

[MandS]

Yes. It was impacted internal laying. It's nearly two months ago and I'm still very upset because she possibly could have been saved if we had acted a couple of days earlier but we didn't because of the unfortunate set of events detailed above.

I'm now very conscious of this kind of problem and needing to act quickly but also knowing a vet that is happy (and usually successful) to operate and remove the mass.

 

[Southeast Chicken Mom]

Sadly Rosie has passed. Yesterday was a very difficult day because we lost her and because things were so close to being solved (or at least potentially).

Her crop was not emptying and so was full of water even when she woke up. However I found a chicken specialist vet who was willing to operate on her (and does it all the time - with high success rates) but she suggested getting her stabalised before the drive to her (she was not very local). So we did that but it appeared to cause her too much trauma or something else happened - I don't know which - and she came out half the chicken that went in. She was fairly unresponsive, wouldn't stand and kept her eyes closed. She had gone in more alert and certainly standing up, so this was a shock.

She never recovered and as I went to get her to take her to the op, she had deteriorated to the extent she had her head down and eyes closed. If I spoke to her or stroked her, she quietly responded. So I picked her up (very carefully) and put her on my lap where she sat with her eyes closed and these very short little breaths with a click or rattle as she breathed.

After a while she suddenly held her head up and looked around. I thought she had recovered, however she then looked at me, took 3 breaths, each one bigger than the previous one, and then died.

I am devastated. I thought I had managed to sort this but time was not on my side. Maybe if I had found the other vet earlier, it could have worked.

I hope if anyone reads this in the future they can learn something. For me the key lessons were:

1. You need to act quickly
2. There IS a possibility to have the mass removed - if you can find a talented (and experienced vet)
3. She was not in pain but pain relief was still sensible
4. In our experience, the more she ovulates, the worse it gets, so if she can still eat, consider getting an under-the-skin contraceptive which will mean she can carry on even if you don't have surgery (or at least till she is strong enough for it), otherwise it will start to cause severe digestive issues each day she ovulates
5. All the above is about your appetite to try to save a hen - which doesn't mean it is the right course of action for everyone - I will do whatever I can and keep fighting, that isn't even my other half's feelings, who is a little more "leave nature to do its thing" attitude.

So, I have to say goodbye to Rosie. I will not forget her. I'm in my 50s now and I still remember all my pet chickens from when I was about 10!

Thank you for all the help and kindness.

Hello. My heartfelt condolences about your Rosie. I certainly understand. We have a 3 yr old sweet girl who has a large, hard mass in her abdomen, about the size of a baseball. We believe it’s either Salpingitis, or a cyst. She only started hunching and showing any distress over this past weekend. Like you, we’re looking at all options to save her, if possible. Can you tell me the name of the vet (or person) you referenced who had success with doing surgery? Our girl has a strong resolve to live. Thanks a bunch.

 

[Sally PB]

@Southeast Chicken Mom , I'm going to tag the OP, just in case they aren't following this thread anymore. To "tag" someone, just put the @ sign in front of the name, like I did with yours, and they will get a notification. (Be sure to spell the name correctly or it won't work.)
@MandS, can you help?

 

[MandS]

Hello. My heartfelt condolences about your Rosie. I certainly understand. We have a 3 yr old sweet girl who has a large, hard mass in her abdomen, about the size of a baseball. We believe it’s either Salpingitis, or a cyst. She only started hunching and showing any distress over this past weekend. Like you, we’re looking at all options to save her, if possible. Can you tell me the name of the vet (or person) you referenced who had success with doing surgery? Our girl has a strong resolve to live. Thanks a bunch.

Oh gosh, I am sorry I did not see this. I am not getting email notifications about posts (will check spam folder) but I logged in today and saw this. June has been a bad month for human reasons with my father-in-law becoming seriously ill and all attention has been focussed there for the last month.

I hope I am not too late.

The vet is in Exeter in the UK. I can find out the name if that is of any use to you.

One thing that I am aware of is that this vet (who is a very experienced poultry vet) is creating a series of videos for vets to help them understand how to carry out chicken operations. This is being done in conjunction with the British Hen Welfare Trust - which is a charity in the UK that rescues battery hens from slaughter. They are a superb charity and do wonderful work. So although this vet may not be much help if you are in the US, the BHWT may be able to help your local vet.

Since the original post, my local vet has now said that he had wished he had tried to operate on her because there really wasn't anything to lose and because other vets are doing it, it is possible.

Once again, I am so sorry for missing this. 3 weeks is a long time, I am really sorry.