Air sac disease

[TurtletheCoturnix]

Update: today she is worse, and wheezing again. I think she was better yesterday because the day before yesterday, I kept her inside the entire day, but yesterday, I put her outside. Her poop is runny and yellow.

 

[azygous]

Have you tried calling the company I gave you the link for to see if they will ship to California? Your hen needs an antibiotic.

Have you tried calling Petsmart to see if they carry fish antibiotics? Pigeon antibiotics? They do in most places. I know California makes it very hard to get antibiotics for animals. But you don't know for sure it's impossible until you try.

 

[TurtletheCoturnix]

So we have amoxicillin. I gave about 125 ml/2x a day to Joy about two weeks ago, but it didn't seem to have any effects, and it made her lose appetite. (We got the amoxillin from a relative from another country who then gave it to us upon visit.)

 

[azygous]

How long was she on the amox? Ten days is the duration I treat a sick chicken. You can also double the dose. I would try it again. She sure isn't making any progress without it.

 

[TurtletheCoturnix]

She was on for about 4.5 days, on the fourth day she lost her appetite. I was doing it morning and night, and I made a typo on my last message. It was 200 mg, not 125. So about 400 mg/day. I stopped because I was putting the antibiotic on mushy food, which she ate without a problem until she lost her appetite. If I hand-fed her, she would waste a lot and I would waste a lot of time trying to get it in her.

I only have two small packets of the capsules, which I need to use sparingly because with all of the commotion going on right now. and the trouble getting it in general.

 

[azygous]

An antibiotic won't effect a cure unless you get the correct dose into the patient and it needs to be given long enough for it to be able to conquer the pathogen. I understand only having a limited amount, but the limited amount won't accomplish much.

Giving an antibiotic that is in a measured capsule in food isn't the proper way to give it. Unless the dose is given complete directly into the mouth, it can get wasted or diluted. She may start to recover, but then when the antibiotic isn't given long enough, she will get sick again as the pathogen recovers and multiplies in her body again.

Mixing the antibiotic into food can make the food taste bad, and that could be a reason why she lost her appetite.

 

[TurtletheCoturnix]

So would the bacteria develop into a "superbug" of some sort, and that's why her respiratory disease is worse?

Edit: she was fine eating the antibiotic food until she didn't eat food altogether. On the day she wasn't eating, her crop was only half-drained, but it wasn't impacted crop nor sour crop because it was squishy and I checked her crop the day before. Which, possibly, was caused by too much amoxicillin in a short amount of time..

 

[proudchickenmom]

I am sorry your chicken is having such problems. I know you are doing you best, but just to prepare you if it happens, sometimes, no matter how hard you try, the chicken does not make it . I would put her in a warm quiet room with plenty of food and water and let nature take its course. I had a chicken die a few days ago with a kind of digestive/reproductive system infection. it is sad but it happens. but considering how long she has survived with it she might recover or she wont. i guess i am trying to tell you not to spend too much $ on a chicken who might not make it in the end. besides you have given her a full and happy life and i am sure that if worst comes to worst she will go to a better place

 

[TurtletheCoturnix]

@azygous @proudchickenmom she sadly passed away this morning at 1:24 am. I knew she wasn't going to make it past last night, so I cradled her in my arms until she died. After further thought, I realized the mucus in her airway caused her to suffocate to death. It's sad when things have to die like that.

Rest In Peace Joy, May 2014 - March 7th, 2020. 5 years and 9 months.

 

[azygous]

She fought long and hard, and so did you.