Chicken can't stand or walk, paralyzed??

[Gotalotofpetstoo]

If a toenail got infected it should be localized, but even IF one is infected, Cephalexin is very effective in treating skin and bone infections, so your bases are covered there.

That's great that the soak caused her to expel more poop. I would make sure she soaks for 15-20 minutes every time you do so. The warm water should feel very soothing, but put a hand on her to keep her soaking if she tries to escape.

That is a lot of urates in the first poop photo, and the curled toes are also concerning. As is her inbalance and discomfort in putting weight on her abdominal area while lying down. @azygous , can you see the video that @Gotalotofpetstoo just posted? If azygous can't see the video, you may need to wait until @Wyorp Rock comes online.

I home-necropsied an ISA Brown (red sexlink) hen last year, and the amount of salpingtis just inside her vent was horrifically huge; there was no way she could have ever passed the mass or anything else (food, etc) that backed up behind. The fact that Ethel is still passing poop is a very good thing. I don't know what else to tell you other than what azygous recently advised re electrolyte water and possibly tube-feeding. Meanwhile, I would go back to the beginning of this thread, and do EVERYthing you did that got her up and running after she was in such dire straights when you first began this thread.

OK i see you have tagged the list of experts again. Azygous and Wyorp Rock are most familiar with Ethel, but maybe someone who sees your recent posts, photos and video will also have something to add.

So I don't think I already said this in the previous post but I did her Epsom salt bath and then took her in the bathroom to dry her with hair dryer and also used to glove finger to feel inside and I didn't feel anything except skin without cramming my whole hand up in there. I just went as far as my finger would go but I could feel what felt like something under the skin. Which if you watch the video you can see her vent is just a crease between my thumb and my forefinger and where I'm feeling a mass is under that. But like I said it feels like it's under the skin inside the vent area. Definitely not in the vent because it was nothing that I could have even tried to pull out or anything. But towards the end of the video you can see me poking around and it's very soft further down. But then the higher I get up. You can almost see whatever's in there. If you watch really closely you can almost see it move. And the poop that is in the picture here is what came out on my glove she didn't poop it out herself. No poop since earlier this morning and no full crop.
I will start it back on tube feeding with the nutri-drench and All of the initial vitamins supplements did I did in the beginning. She definitely isn't interested in eating much at all. It is 5:18 p.m. here so I will do it at least one more if not two more Epsom salt baths this evening and pray for the best overnight.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/TELvmsPFSTsP3pYi7

 

[azygous]

I don't see a video. If it's that Google link, I can't open it because Google is evil after all they said in the beginning. Post videos to You Tube and copy the URL. When they redesigned this web site, my favorite feature to come out of it was that videos will embed once you paste the link, and can then be viewed here.

I don't recommend pushing a finger more than an inch up the cloaca unless you are very sure what you're doing and what you are feeling for.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

To me, it seems the poor dear is failing. She may perk back up again for a short period of time with fluids, meds, etc. Hard to know.
Curling of the toes like that, I've seen this in hens that are still trying to hang in there but they are not long for this world.

Personally, I would not probe in the vent. I do understand you feel something inside the vent under tissue and you can manipulate "something" from the outside as well. Whatever it is, it's there, so I'd just leave it alone. I get that you are trying to do all you can for her, but at some point all the prodding and poking could do more harm than good.

It's not uncommon to be able to feel material in the abdomen when a hen has reproductive problems, you may be feeling lash, fat, a tumor, an internally laid egg or ???

The digestive system is also right there where you are probing. Perhaps a study on anatomy may give you some insight. There's a lot of informative photos on google and of course detailed videos on youtube (poultry necropsy) that helps us to understand what may be happening.

The only way to know for sure what you are feeling is if you lose her and the mass is further investigated through necropsy. Whether that's through the state lab or you may decide to perform your own informal investigation, which is what I do. It's not easy when you are attached and have loved and held them to take a closer look, but often it gives you answers that you seek.

I'm not trying to be harsh or bleak. It's heartbreaking to see a much loved hen in decline, trying to do everything you can and they still go down. It's something that I think most of us have faced at some point and on various levels. It never gets any easier this I do know.

I'd try another round of antibiotics to see if they give her some measure of comfort. Soakings may help give her some relief as well. Tube fluids as needed.

I'm sorry that you face this, I wish I had better answers for you.

 

[Gotalotofpetstoo]

So I'm trying to prepare myself for What is apparently coming sooner than later. Oh dear God this is killing me. I don't really want to take her back to the vet that I took her to the first time cuz I really just didn't like him. I know you guys thought he was great but he just seemed really cold to me and I feel like if I take her back there he's just going to say I told you so behind. Closed doors of course. But I don't know if my regular pet vet could do the same thing for me or not. I'm sure he probably never has done it before and I don't want it to be done in properly because I did read online that when they used the liquid injection that they don't put an IV catheter in so it can take a little bit longer and I cannot watch that for sure. I do want to find a way to preserve her after she's gone though and I don't know if anybody's ever done that or if you guys think it's crazy but she has been so special it's such a different way.

 

[coach723]

Not sure what you mean by preserving her? There are many ways to honor a loved companion, if you want to actually preserve her body then you would need a taxidermist.
Some people keep ashes after cremation, some have jewelry made, or statues or figures, paintings, etc. Just depends on what you want and what fills your needs. I've always euthanized my birds myself (I realize you may not want to to do that) so can't speak to the vet process, though I have had that done for many other animals, and I've always been there when it was done. As emotional as it is, I never felt like any of my animals ever suffered unnecessarily from it, it was always very quick. If you are concerned, and not confident with the vet you used before, I would call around to others and have a conversation about it. Even vets that won't see a chicken will often agree to euthanize for you. From their perspective, they have to stay somewhat emotionally removed, they do this all the time and if they got as emotionally involved as the owners were, they wouldn't be able to do their job. And I promise you that owners emotions do affect them and they do care. But like all humans, there are all kinds. You likely can find someone that way that you feel more comfortable with. And if it's too much, you absolutely don't have to be there in the room. That is a very personal decision for anyone and not something that everyone feels able to do. You should not feel guilty if it's more than you can handle. Sorry you are faced with it, but know that as hard as it is to say good-bye, it is often a kindness, and done out of love and caring.

 

[Nero70002]

If it’s not a requirement to actually keep the body, you could commission a painting of her?

 

[Allsfairinloveandbugs]

So I'm trying to prepare myself for What is apparently coming sooner than later. Oh dear God this is killing me. I don't really want to take her back to the vet that I took her to the first time cuz I really just didn't like him. I know you guys thought he was great but he just seemed really cold to me and I feel like if I take her back there he's just going to say I told you so behind. Closed doors of course. But I don't know if my regular pet vet could do the same thing for me or not. I'm sure he probably never has done it before and I don't want it to be done in properly because I did read online that when they used the liquid injection that they don't put an IV catheter in so it can take a little bit longer and I cannot watch that for sure. I do want to find a way to preserve her after she's gone though and I don't know if anybody's ever done that or if you guys think it's crazy but she has been so special it's such a different way.

If you didn't like the vet that saw Ethel, then absolutely don't take her back to him. I thought the recording of the visit was the entire visit, and thought that in the video he sounded knowledgeable, practical and matter-of-fact. I didn't know he took Ethel "to the back", and that wouldn't sit well with me either, especially if he didn't explain Why he was doing so. But I can't imagine him or anyone else saying "I told you so." What you (and your husband) did to bring Ethel back from the brink was near miraculous. Your care allowed her to recover and live as a content and well-loved hen for these past few months. If anyone dares to say "I told you so", turn around and walk away. Ask your regular vet if he/she feels comfortable euthanizing Ethel when the time comes. Ask him about the process, and if you can be there to hold her. (If you want to be there.) If you choose to be with her, know that birds have a different reaction than mammals at the moment their spirit leaves their body. While mammals usually go limp and silent at that moment, birds will often flutter and beat their wings for several seconds and sometimes longer. If you choose to be with her and that occurs, it doesn't mean that she will in any way be conscious or suffering. It is also possible that Ethel will save you the anguish of deciding when "its time" and pass away naturally.

I have clipped and kept fur of many of my dogs that passed away, and have likewise kept feathers of my favorite chickens. A portrait painting is a great idea. I also have painted rocks and concrete or resin statues on my beloved animal's graves. I dont know if you were talking about having Ethel taxidermied. While that is not something i've ever chosen to do, hey, Roy Rogers had his beloved horse Trigger taxidermied, so no judgement there. When the time comes, honor Ethel's memory in whatever way you choose. But always know that, more than anything else, Ethel will live forever right here .

 

[Gotalotofpetstoo]

Just a quick update on Ethel. She is perching again. She's still not quite steady enough to stand on her perch but she is able to move up and down it and sit on it which she couldn't do Sunday. She is eating on her own drinking on her own. We are still tube feeding her though. She is back on her cephalexin and all the other vitamins and supplements that she was on when we first started. One thing that is crossed my mind with her recent loss of balance is, I had to cut her toenails to get the blood samples to send in for the test. I cut one just barely into the quick and couldn't get it to bleed so I cut it all the way back and got enough to send for the test. But then had to trash that test because I couldn't get it to UPS quick enough. So a few days later when I did it again which was on Wednesday of last week, I cut one toenail couldn't get it to bleed so I cut it all the way back and it still wouldn't bleed. So I had to cut a second toenail and finally got enough for the test. Sunday which would have been 4 days later when all of this started happening. I'm thinking The weight loss from 4 lb. 8 oz to 4 lb. 4 oz. May be related to her losing her food. I go out numerous times during the day and turn her around or move her food to where she can find it, but I'm thinking I may have to figure out a new method just to make sure, in case that is what happened and caused the weight loss of 4 oz. She isn't talking like she usually does but is talking in a very hoarse voice like she has laryngitis ,so that concerns me a bit, but that's where we're at today.
I know there's some of you that can't view my videos without them being posted to YouTube and transferred to here, I just haven't had time to figure out how to do that yet. I'm sorry.
The video attached below is of her trying to talk in her current voice.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/bbHenhhHvWDNFpaj9

 

[Allsfairinloveandbugs]

Ethel is is incredible! Your latest report is so great to hear.

 

[Gotalotofpetstoo]

Ethel is is incredible! Your latest report is so great to hear.