13 Week EE Injured (17 wks now) ~Vet Update Not Good~ *Graphic Pics *

[Stamper]

Oh man. It is such a roller coaster taking care of sick animals. It's so hard when seems are going well and then you take a big step backwards.

I don't have any advice but I wanted to say that I've been where you are and I know it's not easy.

 

[Lolliegee]

Okay, so I did some research and I'm pretty sure it's not wet fowl pox. She doesn't have any lesions anywhere, just the swelling. Which, has gone down some since last night. So, that's encouraging.

Since the swelling has gone down, I didn't try to drain it with a needle. Just did the same kind of massage like I had done on the other side before it had hardened. Quite a bit of goo came out of her eye. I put some of the Terramycin on her eye, not because I think the ointment will help at this point, but because I thought it might help it not get glued shut. I figure it's like the wound...if it can stay open, it can drain.

As far as why I don't take her to the vet...originally, it was because I really couldn't afford it. Now, it just seems like it would be a waste of money. There's not much they could do that I'm not already doing. She is improving, albeit slowly. Even the new swelling has already begun to improve. This site has been a wealth of information (particularly ThreeHorses) and I feel that things are under control. I know that if I have any questions, I can come back here, ask, and get a good answer.

Anyway, tonight's update: I already mentioned the swelling has gone down. She hasn't been able to roost since yesterday evening. She keeps falling off. I figure all the swelling has really messed with her balance. Probably affecting her inner ear as well.

I'm still syringe feeding and watering. Now that she can't close her beak again, I've seen no evidence of her drinking on her own. I can close her beak with my fingers (which I couldn't do last night), so I'm optimistic that once the swelling goes down more, she'll go back to trying to drink on her own.

I've gotten a good look at her left eye. It looks pretty good. Although, she still keeps it closed most of the time, she is opening it here and there and definitely reacting to the light on that side. So, even if her vision is gone in the other eye, I think she can still have a good quality of life.

I'm really tired, so I think I'll go to bed. Will update again tomorrow. Bye for now!

 

[Stamper]

Well, you can bet we're all relieved to hear that the swelling is going down!

I agree that there's probably not much that a vet could do. The only thing they might be able to help with is making sure that you have the right antibiotics to treat the infection.

You are doing an amazing job! I hope that she keeps getting better and that was just a small step back on her long journey to recovery

 

[Chew593]

 

[threehorses]

Aww darn, I was called away yesterday and I missed what happened to her.

Well I do have to tell you - that side, where the swelling in her mouth was, was actually always more swollen (in the mouth area) than the other side. I remember that from the first pictures - seeing the 'cheek meat' (for lack of a better word) swollen on the inside of her mouth and thinking that's the reason her mouth was open.

I'm thinking that the continuous drainage is plugging up somewhere in there, possibly the opening (like the other side had) and causing this. Maybe the tear duct - is that side still draining?

Incidentally, are you still giving antibiotic shots? If you aren't, I would do it again because of the smell. The smell is indication of an inside infection that just happened to get to the outside to where you can smell it.

I'm glad to hear that her swelling went down, but sad about her not roosting and lack of drinking. Time for pedialyte again. Is everything else ok? Her droppings, etc? What about the roof of her mouth - has that started up again?

 

[threehorses]

Any news today on your girl?

 

[Lolliegee]

Quote:
You're right about the swelling. Now that you mention it, I do remember that side was worse initially. It was a little bit better today, but still quite swollen.

It is still continuously draining, as long as the eye doesn't get crusted/glued shut. It keeps coming out. The other side (I guess, you could call it the better side now) is a little weepy and gets glued shut, but not nearly as bad. I went ahead and put some more Terramycin, to help keep both eyes from getting glued shut.

I had stopped the antibiotics, but I went ahead and gave her a shot tonight. I will definitely keep doing that. It did seem to jump start her recover when I did it before. I'm hoping that it'll do the same this time with all that swelling.

As for her drinking, I still have been continually syringe watering her. Since I was never 100% certain she was drinking on her own, I felt it was the safest thing to do. You can't really have too much water, especially when there's so much healing that needs to happen.

Her droppings are consistently green with a little white mixed in. I'm still feeding her a honey/yogurt/chick starter mash. Also still giving her vitamins every day and of course, water. Oh, and the roof of her mouth is getting drainage again too. I had to clean a bit off tonight. Since her mouth is open again, it was hardening up again.

I plan to give her another bath tomorrow. Since she's not roosting and really not moving much, she's getting poo in her feathers again, and she's got a really nasty spot on her shoulder area, where she keeps wiping her weepy eye.

Here's hoping that the antibiotics help stop the infection.

 

[California Ducken]

Another Cheerleader here! I have been following your story too! I am so sad for your chickie......then happy for improvement.....then sad again!
I hope all goes well and I will continue to keep updated.
You are being a very good and vigilant mother hen! Keep up the good work!
On another note....Baytril? It's for bacterial infections
Right after you got the pea sized pocket of pus out a short time later the other eye started to swell, no? The body walled off the infection, she started doing better and then it came open. And you had her outside. I spent a long time reading the whole post, and it's early AM, so I might have mixed up the order. Are you finished with the Penn? Why not try Baytril? Oh and the drainage from her mouth might be from her eye. I know in humans that the sinus tract follows the eye, nose and mouth. I don't know what it is for chickens.
Ok I am rambling too!
I hope she will start to improve soon.

 

[threehorses]

Yeah I suspected that there might be some roof drainage again. Doesn't surprise me. I'm also a bit relieved to hear that you had stopped the antibiotics as they're an option now. I think this might be a case where she'll have to have at least a week more of them. So there's that.

Poor mama. Just when she has a big breakthrough, she takes a step or two back. But it's ok - she's alive and at least the area isn't necrotic.

 

[Emzyyy]

Quote:
This is probably just crazy, but could you record the sounds of the other chickens you have with a small recorder, and play it while you're cleaning and feeding her? Or find chicken sounds online? Some of my chicks are very mild mannered. Maybe you have one that could be in with her for a few minutes a day? I honestly don't know if that's a good idea or not, but I'm a sucker for a lonely chick.

You're incredible and Kudos to your daughter and husband for helping you out!

what about a baby monitor so she can hear the other chickens?