Coccidia

[Svalur]

My hen Beryl was diagnosed with possible egg peritonisis - she has fluid in her tummy but was eating normally. She was given antibiotics - Amoxyclav. Then the vet rang to say she had coccidia in her faeces sample, although she has no symptoms of coccidosis. So she gave me Baycox. I didn't give it immediately as it was very hot weather. She's been taking the antibiotics for 5 days and has been looking sick ever since I started the antibiotics and becoming more bloated. I began the Baycox in their water last night and overnight she had bad diarrhoea. This morning she is so weak she can barely walk. She is dehydrated. Should I stop the treatment of Baycox for all the hens? The others don't have diarrhoea. Should she have even been given Baycox as she has no coccidosis symtoms apart from the coccidia in her poo? Should I see a different vet? I travelled to see this lady as she is a chicken expert but she was not very keen to explain anything to me.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I'd stop the baycox since virtually any chicken exposed to soil will have coccidia in the feces but are probably already resistant. That isn't the chicken's problem. What country are you in? Do you have a poultry lab nearby?

 

[casportpony]

If the vet suggested Baycox it's probably because her fecal showed a lot of the oocysts. I suspect her weakness is due to her dehydration, and possible hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), not the Baycox or Amoxyclav. Egg yolk peritonitis is almost always fatal, and it's quite possible that the bacteria infection she has is resistant to the Amoxyclav. Call you vet back.

Are you in Australia?

-Kathy

 

[Svalur]

Thanks everyone. Yes I am in Australia. Going to try a different vet. She had normal poo until I gave the baycox, then really bad, excessive diarrhoea. I've stopped the baycox.

 

[Svalur]

Sadly she died later today. I believe the baycox killed her through dehydration caused by the diarrhoea. The other hens did not have diarrhoea. I wonder if it was caused by a reaction between the baycox and the amoxyclav. Where can I find out whether these two medicines can be taken together?

 

[casportpony]

Sadly she died later today. I believe the baycox killed her through dehydration caused by the diarrhoea. The other hens did not have diarrhoea. I wonder if it was caused by a reaction between the baycox and the amoxyclav. Where can I find out whether these two medicines can be taken together?

Sorry for your loss.

I will look up drug interaction for you, but I'm gonna guess that they can be given together.

-Kathy

 

[ChickenCanoe]

That's a shame.
Can you get the bird to one of these poultry labs for tests?
http://www.avpa.asn.au/support-for-the-veterinarian/laboratory-services-for-poultry/
It would be nice to know exactly what ailed her.

Like Kathy, I assume those two could be given together depending on dosage.

 

[casportpony]

The most common Baycox dose seems to be 7 mg/kg per day for two days.

-Kathy

 

[casportpony]

@Svalur , I just looked up side effects and drug interactions of the two drugs you were using, and neither listed the other as a drug interaction. There is very little info on Baycox side effects, but plenty for amoxicillin. I'm not a vet, but I suspect that the diarrhea was from the amoxicillin/clavulanic acid, and not the Baycox.

-Kathy

 

[Svalur]

Thanks for your support everyone. I sent her for a necropsy and she had egg peritonitis caused by overactive ovaries producing way too many follicles and releasing them all over the place. There was no evidence of Coccidia and she was otherwise healthy.