Congested chicken. Results:klebsiella pneumoniae..?!?

[Andora]

They just gave me the results over the phone. She had staph and something called klebsiella pneumoniae.

I know what staph is, but I don't know what the second thing is. The lady on the phone said she was not the poultry expert, he was at lunch, but that this illness was typically caused by a problem in the particular bird and not a spreading disease.

THANK GOD.

I have been sick over this for days now. I haven't even slept hardly!

I am trying to google klebsiella pneumoniae, but I'm not finding too much that I can understand easily with a toddler chatting in my ear and climbing on me, lol.

I think this means she could have been saved with antibiotics, but it also means that the rest of my flock won't fall over dead. (At least I think that's what it means...)

They are mailing me the entire detailed report including the antibiotic sensitivities, so if it pops up again in my flock I can treat it right away with the correct thing. I think she said it showed that tetracyline was effective.

Whew.

 

[pips&peeps]

Staph is usually a secondary invader. If I were you I would call back and talk to the veterinarian. Also ask if they have done any histopathology on the bird.

 

[Andora]

I might call back this afternoon and talk to him. They told me on the phone also that staph was the secondary invader, once the bird was already down.

The problem is, the doctors there are all foreign. Last time I tried to talk to one, when my old flock had a disease, I couldn't understand what he was saying over the phone, let alone the medical terms he was using! They are accustomed to talking to other doctors, not the general public. But chickens don't really have vets, so...they get me. Hah. It seems like they expect me to understand everything. It's a bit intimidating, and even more so combined with the accent.

My mom is a medical technician--she does the culture and sensitivity tests (among many other things) for human fluids. She told me that the klebsiella pneumoniae was not typically highly contagious, it was more something that people suffer from when they already have a weakened immune system.

All of my birds are well cared for and fed the best foods. I wonder if maybe Jasmine was just a weaker hatchery bird to begin with.

 

[Andora]

However, K. pneumoniae does have a capsule that may prevent binding
of antibody or complement factors, thus enabling the organisms
to avoid detection by neutrophils, even in immunocompetent
hosts. The capsule hinders phagocytosis, allowing
the bacteria to multiply and spread. Once intestinal mucosa
is compromised, bacteremia can occur, resulting in severe
sepsis.

This is a little frightening. But from what I am reading the bacteria is just out there and can come from many sources...

I'm taking my dogs to the vet tomorrow and one of the vets has chickens. If I see that vet I will ask her about all of this.​

 

[chickenlady]

Did they tell you how to treat this? I am wondering if you just gave me the answer I have been looking for. My new rooster came here with thick mucus in his mouth and very gurgly, rasping voice and breathing. He walks around fine, eats and drinks fine, seems fine other than this thick mucus and congestion sound. His poop has been firm though, unlike yours. I have been treating with tylan for about 5 or 6 days now and he seems to slowly be getting better, but too slow for me. I am very worried about him. I did read that this klegsiella pneumoniae is resistant to penicillian. Any thoughts on what to use? Thanks so much for a lead on my mystery illness and I am so sorry to hear about your hen, maybe she just helped save my boy.

 

[dlhunicorn]

http://www.tiamutin.com/vet-poultry/productinfo/en/45soluble.shtml

 

[chickenlady]

I would love to try this tiamutin, is it available in the US? So far I have only found available in the UK. Any ideas?

 

[Andora]

I think there are different kinds of that bacteria that respond to different antibiotics. It is resistant to some types. I read it's now becoming a problem in hospitals, similar to the resistant staph strain out there.

They put the entire report in the mail for me, and it shows what antibiotics worked against the strain my hen had when they did the culture. I think on the phone she said tetracyline. I'll let you know what else it says when it comes in the mail in the next few days.

If you have any kind of lab around you, just take a swab with a clean q-tip inside the mouth and down the throat a little. Then seal it in a ziplock bag and ask for a culture and sensitivity test. That will tell you what it is and what antibiotic treats it!