Cocci: RIP little Puff

[Squishypuff]

One of my new little Silkies, somewhere around 6 weeks old, has cocci. I'm 99% sure- from the lethargic, sleepy, fluffed up appearance, loss of balance, and incredibly fast weight loss. She's just skin and bones, which she was not 2 days ago. The others that came with her look fine, but obviously I will also be treating them. They're all in quarantine anyway because they are new...

My issue is that I cannot find meds. TSC and the feed store only have Duramycin, Penicillin, Neomycin, Sulmet (in a big bottle for $64.99, I don't have $64.99 right now and won't in time to save this chick). No Corid...

I found online someplace that some have treated with Duramycin and Neomycin effectively, though many sites say that is not at all effective... But, for now it's either that or nothing. I ordered the Corid online, but it will be at best 4-5 days to get here. Does anyone have some they would mail me sooner? I don't know what to do, I was not expecting to not be able to get the meds! The Sulmet only comes in the big bottle, and while I feel like a horrible animal owner, I just don't have $64.99 to spend right now.

What can I do? I don't want to lose my baby, or the others that came with her.

 

[mljohnson05]

I went through the same thing but it was only a gallon jug of Corid that my store had for $100...which i dont have to spend on only a few chicks...so you have to order online and pay the outragous shipping fee to overnight it....Best wishes and GL


--laura--

 

[dawg53]

Do you have any BYC'ers that live near you that might have some? You can go to the "Where am I, Where are you" section and locate your state and post there if you wish. Someone could check a feedstore in their town and maybe yall could meet up or something. Good luck.

 

[Squishypuff]

I will look and see who is nearby. We have one feed store left to try, they were closed today for some renovation something, but they should be open in the morning.

This chick is done, I think. She won't last until I can get the meds. She just staggers around then collapses on her side and lies there, she looks dead when she does this. I tried to syringe some water into her (electrolyte water), but she is too far gone. The other 3 that were with her look bright and energetic, they will be fine till I can get meds tomorrow. I feel so terrible for this little gal. She's a lovely white SQ Silkie, and she is just so sweet.

Would it be helpful to try to syringe her with baby vitamins or something? Is there anything to be done to try and hold out to get her to last till tomorrow when I might be able to get ahold of the corid? Should I cull her? Leave her be and let nature take whatever course it will through the night? Should I put a light on her? The coldest it gets at night is 62 or so, and 85-95 during the day. She is in a large dog crate, on newspaper with a soft pad (horse leg wrap bandage) to lie on. She's got water in there, though she doesn't seem like she wants to do anything but lie there.

I hate losing any... But I'm guessing this one, it's up to God and not me.

 

[Squishypuff]

Oh, and on her poop... I looked in the box I brought the chicks home in, and there is blood in the feces in that box... But this chick is now just making little puddles of pale green liquid with mostly white poo in the middle of it, along with some black poop.

 

[mljohnson05]

The green can mean her belly is empty, and the blood means that you need meds ASAP cause it is advance stages

Best Wishes,

Laura

 

[dawg53]

I've read that powdered milk sprinkled in their feed will help slow the progression, however if they are too sick to eat the coated feed...buttermilk given to them orally might help using either an eyedropper or a syringe without the needle. Dribble it on the side of the beak, or try to open the beak just abit and try and get a few drops inside and let them swallow it on their own. Hope it helps.

 

[Squishypuff]

I gave her some buttermilk, poor little soul doesn't even have it in her to really swallow. I keep going out thinking it is time to put her down, but she stands up. My husband thinks that if she goes down again, we need to do the deed. I am praying the little bit of water and buttermilk I got into her will get her to hold out for meds, but it would take a miracle. I am thinking she will be down again when I check her again, and I will end her suffering. Poor sweet thing. I hate losing them. The others still look good, thank God, so there is a good chance they will be fine.

 

[mljohnson05]

If it was Cocci...you will still want to treat the others that were around her, because they most likely have it but are not yet showing the signs

 

[Squishypuff]

Oh, absolutely! The plan is to go to several feed stores within an hour or two from us and get either Sulmet or Corid. Everybody is getting treated- including the pen that is across the yard from these guys. My four year old snuck out and managed to contaminate those birds by going to both pens to pet chickens.

I definitely am praying that the other four that came with the sick one will make it. One is another beautiful white Silkie, and the others are Sizzles. One is a very strange looking Sikie mutt. All look and act good, so I should be able to head this thing off with meds.