I am posting this thread with the hope it may help someone else's chicken. I have a 6 1/2 year old Cochin Bantam hen that presented with severe respiratory distress. Open mouth breathing, wheezing, tail bobbing, rales/clicking sounds, neck going up and down as she gasped for air at night, and her whole body laboring just to move air. It broke my heart, and I couldn't believe I didn't notice any issues until my son heard her coughing one day. A few weeks prior, I remembered seeing her eye slightly bubbly, but that cleared within a day or two. Honestly, I didn't believe she would survive more than a few days. We brought her in the house and put her in a large dog crate. It was so painful for me and my children to watch her struggling to breath. I wanted to isolate her and make her as comfortable as possible. I called my vet and he called in a prescription of Baytril to a local compounding pharmacy. I dosed her for 2 weeks with absolutely no improvement. I didn't think she would survive a trip to the vet, as holding her even gently caused her to become even more out of breath. I suggested Prednisolone, but my vet was concerned it may be heart failure and called in a prescription for Lasix. We decided to try the Lasix before the Prednisolone because steroid use will cause worsening symptoms if the heart is the underlying issue. After 2 days of no improvement with Lasix, I started her on Prednisolone twice a day. She made a miraculous turnaround after only 3 doses. A complete turnaround was achieved within a week. I gave her 1 mg twice a day for 5 days, then 1 mg once a day for 5 days, then 1 mg every other day for a week, and finally 1 mg twice a week for 2 weeks. She is a bantam weighing 2 pounds 4 ounces. Dosing I believe is 1 - 2 mg per kg, twice a day. Steroids require a slow tapering if used for more than 3 days. Please understand this and speak to your vet. My son had severe asthma as a child, and I was familiar with the risks and side effects of this drug.
Unfortunately, after weaning her slowly off the Prednisolone as outlined above, she began to exhibit symptoms again after 10 days without Prednisolone. She has now been back on a single dose in the morning every other day for a month. She is breathing without issue and back living a happy chicken life with her flock mates. I realize that long term Prednisolone use does have side effects, but she is now going into her 5th month since the onset of her symptoms and seems to be thriving. I do not know what the underlying cause of her issue is at this point. Perhaps cancer, organ failure, asthma, or some chicken form of COPD. I wanted to share my story and perhaps help another chicken owner. I do not know how long Chip will be with us, but we are hopeful and happy to see enjoying her life again.
Unfortunately, after weaning her slowly off the Prednisolone as outlined above, she began to exhibit symptoms again after 10 days without Prednisolone. She has now been back on a single dose in the morning every other day for a month. She is breathing without issue and back living a happy chicken life with her flock mates. I realize that long term Prednisolone use does have side effects, but she is now going into her 5th month since the onset of her symptoms and seems to be thriving. I do not know what the underlying cause of her issue is at this point. Perhaps cancer, organ failure, asthma, or some chicken form of COPD. I wanted to share my story and perhaps help another chicken owner. I do not know how long Chip will be with us, but we are hopeful and happy to see enjoying her life again.
