Bantam gargling and struggling to breathe!

[MabelTheMuscovy]

Hi

I have a bantam who this morning was looking a bit flat and started to mouth breathe. This afternoon she is now gargling pretty bad and coughing. Sometimes when she does a big cough her breathing settles for a few minutes but it has been getting a bit worse as time goes on.
She hatched in April but I only got her a few weeks ago. Her comb has always been a bit paler than the others but she was lively and happy!

Anyway, I think she has either a respiratory infection, or gapeworm. She had been housed in a big aviary with budgies etc where she lived one the floor with shavings. Today I have put her outside with her friends (some have started mildly coughing which is why I'm thinking worms) to help ventilation etc.

She has been drinking and was trying to peck at the grass. I added Verm X to the water, although I know thats unlikely to help!

Problem is..... my exotic vets are closed tomorrow! So I can do nothing until Monday, by which time I think it will be too late. I will go anyway to get treatment for the others but still I'd love to know if there is anything I could give her in the meantime!!!!!

Thanks!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Where are you located (state/country)?
Photos of your bantam?

The symptoms you describe sounds like a respiratory illness to me.
There are several that are fairly common and can spread throughout the flock- Mycoplasma, Infectious Bronchitis, Infectious Coryza and ILT. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps044

Was she housed where there was poor ventilation? Respiratory distress from ammonia could also be the cause.

Do you have access to any antibiotics?
You could try VetRx in a pinch or use Oxine to see if those will help with the respiratory symptoms.

 

[MabelTheMuscovy]

I'm from the UK.
She has no yucky eyes and no facial swelling which makes me think its more likely Gapeworm.
Her coughing sounds very liquidy as does the breathing at its worst. Then it settles for a little while to a light wheeze.
The ventilation was pretty good but she was in a big aviary with wood shavings and along side budgies etc which I guess can be quite dusty! Moved into an outdoor pen and coop now to help with that. It's definitely not ammonia related... the shavings are kept very clean and the air is pretty well ventilated.
I have no access to antibiotics without a vet, which are closed until Monday

Thanks for the reply

 

[Eggcessive]

Gapeworm is rare, and causes severe gasping, so much that chickens cannot eat or drink. Flubenvet in the feed can treat gapes. Respiratory diseases are much more common and contagious. Check her crop in case she may be getting some crop contents up into her throat which can also cause rattly breathing. It sounds more like a respiratory disease since she seems to be coughing up a mucus plug every now and then, and then is more settled. Viruses such as infectious bronchitis and ILT will not respond to antibiotics, but acan be complicated with other secondary diseases. MG and coryza may respond to Tylan (tylosin,) tetracycline drugs, Denagard, and coryza can also be treated with sulfa antibiotics. Some diseases may make them carriers for life.

 

[MabelTheMuscovy]

Thanks for the reply!
Yes, the point about the coughing and it clearing every now and then did make me think its poss respiratory but its the lack of other symptoms that threw me.
I will be at the vets first thing tomorrow.... she made it through the night and is no worse this morning

 

[Eggcessive]

Let us know what the vet thinks since it can help others.

 

[MabelTheMuscovy]

I will do!

Just as an update, she is more active today and breathing is a little better. I haven't heard her cough at all today. I seriously thought there was no way she would live through last night but she made it and is doing better.
Still going to take her to the vets tomorrow just incase

 

[MabelTheMuscovy]

Okay! So she was at the vets last night. Fortunately since Saturday the amount of time spent gargling went down but I took her anyway just to be sure.
She was given wormer, just incase it happened to be gapeworm. She also got 10 days worth of antibiotics as well as an anti-inflammatory. She seems good this morning so hopefully all is well!
Thanks for your advice guys

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Glad to hear she is doing better! Thank you for the update.

 

[Eggcessive]

Good to hear that she is better. Let us know how she is getting along after the antibiotics.