Updated! - Test Your Diagnostic Skills - Warning, Contains Graphic Necropsy Photos

[katbriar]

Subscribing! Can't wait to learn from your experience!

 

[casportpony]

Have started cutting yet, but did start some prep work.

Pictures of her vent area and the yellow and green poop. Note the raw spot that her diarrhea caused.​

I plucked her a little so you all could get a better look at her crop and how thin she was. Her skin looks really loose, so I bet bet she was dehydrated.

 

[casportpony]

This picture shows something I couldn't see even with magnifying glasses... Possible yeast or pox on roof of mouth?


-Kathy

 

[mithious]

Wow Kathy, she was really skinny! I am surprised at how sick they can be and still look like they are fine, doing chicken things and all, right up to when they pass on. She was eating right up to also...thanks again. Truly a great learning experience!!!

 

[casportpony]

This may sound cold or harsh, but to be honest, if she were one of my peafowl or turkeys I'm sure I would have noticed something wrong with her, but the chickens don't get that sort of attention from me.

What I need to do is take a closer look at her mouth and compare what I see to the pictures I've seen of yeast infections in poultry. Even if it is yeast, I seriously doubt it was what killed her, it was probably a secondary infection to to something internally. Got lots to do today, but hoping I can get her out of my fridge and start cutting, lol.

-Kathy

 

[amyandkids]

Wow! Im following this thread,there is always more to learn.

 

[Wyandottes7]

I can't think of any diseases that would fit what you're finding. Lymphoid Leukosis causes weight loss and diarrhea, sometimes green, as well as sudden death. However, it also tends to cause lack of appetite, and you probably would have noticed other symptoms like a slightly enlarged abdomen. Leukosis also generally affects older birds, so I don't really think that it is the cause, only a remote possiblity.

Perhaps it wasn't a disease that caused her death. Maybe she has been kept away from the water by the other birds(accounting for the dehydration), and just became too weak? Another remote possiblity is that she died of heat stroke. There is also something called Sudden Death Syndrome (I think), and it causes sudden death for no apparent reason. It usually affects broiler chickens, however.

Maybe she had an intestinal blockage. That might account for her skinniness, as well as possibly for her enlarged crop.

These are really just guesses.Hopefully, your necropsy turns up some definite results!

 

[sarahswank]

Here is what I would check as I do a necropsy... (not nessciarily in this order)

open crop to see contents. Fungal infections could be present here...

Palpate and feel for lumps in the lungs, liver and intestines and if possible atleast feel the kidneys.

inspect the liver for spots.

open the gizzard for anything unusual and to see if there was sufficient grit inside of it. also check the color on the tough inner membrane.

look at her ovaduct to see if she was laying eggs or if she had stopped laying.

I would be on the look out for any type of parasites of course as your looking.

Also, any dark spots on the carcass or organs

I would lastly take the heart and carefully cut it open. Since she wasnt bled out it will be hard to see if there was a bleeding disorder, but look at the cut sides of the heart muscle for white spots, which indicate strokes and blood not flowing properly when alive.

Also, think back to when she was alive, did she have swollen comb and wattles?





I think your mostly culprit would be a sour crop. Opening the crop will give you the most answers if it is such, plus a look at the gizzard will tell you how far into her body the infection might have spread.

 

[katbriar]

Here is what I would check as I do a necropsy... (not nessciarily in this order)

open crop to see contents. Fungal infections could be present here...

Palpate and feel for lumps in the lungs, liver and intestines and if possible atleast feel the kidneys.

inspect the liver for spots.

open the gizzard for anything unusual and to see if there was sufficient grit inside of it. also check the color on the tough inner membrane.

look at her ovaduct to see if she was laying eggs or if she had stopped laying.

I would be on the look out for any type of parasites of course as your looking.

Also, any dark spots on the carcass or organs

I would lastly take the heart and carefully cut it open. Since she wasnt bled out it will be hard to see if there was a bleeding disorder, but look at the cut sides of the heart muscle for white spots, which indicate strokes and blood not flowing properly  when alive.

Also, think back to when she was alive, did she have swollen comb and wattles?





I think your mostly culprit would be a sour crop. Opening the crop will give you the most answers if it is such, plus a look at the gizzard will tell you how far into her body the infection might have spread.

Brilliant approach! I learn so much from you all.

Casportpony- I laughed when I read you had her in your refrigerator. I've done stuff like that and had to not tell people because they would be grossed out. If folks only knew what was in the freezer beside the lean cuisine!

 

[chickengeorgeto]

I would suspect fowl pox or fowl cholera in that order.