7 year old hen suddenly paralysed

[chrys64moore]

Hi---my 7 year old hen was limping a little bit a few days ago. She has had problems with leg mites this last winter, and usually I can just soak the leg and apply antibiotic ointment for a few days and it goes away. This time was a little different---the soles of her feet and her hocks were red, hot, and a little swollen. I brought her in to keep her on towels and sterile pads, and continued the soak-and-ointment treatment. She was standing and limping for two days, then staggering strangely for a day, and then yesterday she tipped over face-forward and hasn't been able to stand up since. It's very weird, her legs seem to go straight out behind her. The swelling and redness is going away, but she's not getting up. She's also very thin and ruffled up. She had a bad day yesterday, not eating or drinking, but she's taking water from a syringe today and eating well. I have her propped up on rolls of sterile pads so she doesn't just lay on her face. Does this sound like infectious synovitis? None of the other chicken are having any problems (yet), and there hasn't been any sneezing, etc. One chicken in another flock showed some lameness, but recovered after two days of soaking and is fine.

 

[TwoCrows]

At this age I am inclined to think she had a stroke? I recently had an old hen that had a stroke. She appeared to get weaker over a 2 day period until she couldnt stand. I had to prop her up with towels and keep her in a basket to keep her from rolling on her sides or on her face. She lost the use of both legs although if I stood her up she leaned on me, she could support herself for a few seconds on her right leg. 1 baby aspirin in a raisin, once a day will help to prevent another stroke, but other than this and supportive care, there isnt much else you can do for stroke.

 

[chrys64moore]

I didn't even think about a stroke...would she also have wing paralysis from a stroke also? That could be what it is, thank you.

 

[TwoCrows]

Absolutely. Stroke can effect many parts of the body depending on where the blood clot settled in the brain. I gave my girl Poly Vi Sol (without the iron) liquid baby vitamins. She was a large Australorp, I gave her about 1/4 ml once a day orally. This really helped her with energy, appetite and overall health. She did pass away about 3 weeks later from heart failure. But she remained very bright eyed, alert and ate fairly well right up to the end.

 

[TwoCrows]

Also, this particular hen had all kinds of foot pad bruising and swelling too. Birds can develop bumblefoot and pad bruising from vitamin deficiencies and old birds can be very deficient on nutrients.

MS (mycoplasma synoviea) tends to develop in young birds, as does Mareks. Not to say an older bird can't fall to either of these, but it is less likely.

 

[chrys64moore]

She just passed tonight, she seemed to be having a hard time breathing. I was hoping to get her to Mon., so my vet could see her. Thank you for your help.

 

[TwoCrows]

She just passed tonight, she seemed to be having a hard time breathing. I was hoping to get her to Mon., so my vet could see her. Thank you for your help.

Oh I am so sorry!

She could very well have had developed heart failure (it slowly develops over the months before completely failure) she had a stroke the other day and then her heart completely quit. I am so sorry.

You must have taken great care of her to make it to 7 years of age!

 

[chrys64moore]

Thank you---she was a friendly, sweet little girl and a good mother. I think she probably did have heart failure, there were no signs of any other kind of illness or injury. She was warm and cared for, and went quietly. Thank you for your help!