Curled toes / dosage recommendations

[woodsygal]

My 8 week old serama suddenly developed curled toes. This morning it was just one foot now it seems the other foot is starting to curl. She is eating, drinking and acting ok but can not walk.
I've considered mareks or vitamin B deficiency. Any other thoughts?

I have Durvet/ High level Vitamin B complex (for cattle,swine, sheep) but am unsure of the dosage I should give. Anyone know?(seramas are so tiny).

Thank you

 

[realsis]

You can get a good poultry multi vitamin.i get mine from first state vet online and they are especially geared for the needs of poultry with clear administration instructions.they have a great B called vita pro B and they have packets of mixed vitamins as well. I also along with the B give a vitamin A D and E mix. They ship quite quickly and are reasonably priced.you might consider something like that because as I mentioned it's specially formulated for chickens. If your giving a vitamin formulated for cattle swine and sheep I'm not sure of dose because it's formulated for larger animals. If you have a chance consider the poultry vitamin because it's a special formula geared toward chickens. I'm not saying the other vitamin won't work its just dosing is going to be tricky because it's concentrated for larger animals. Cattle and swine can be a thousand pounds or more and that would be quite difficult to break down to a apportioned dose for chickens. That being said you might want to look into a vitamin that's formulated for a chickens body.im sorry I couldn't be of more help.perhaps someone else might know the correct breakdown for dosing poultry. What you can do is take the dose for cattle and devide the breakdown of weight for your bird to come up The Dose. I hope this helps and wish you the best. Sorry I don't know a specific breakdown. I'm not familiar with cattle vitamins. I hope you can get it figured out or as I suggested go with a formulation specific to poultry. Best of luck

 

[Eggcessive]

That is an injectible medicine, and I would do as Realsis suggested to get a water soluble poultry multi-vitamin. There could be other vitamin deficiencies besides possible B2. Avian Superpak is very good--dosage is 1/4 ml per gallon water. Just Google it for the best price.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

http://www.thepoultrysite.com/publications/6/diseases-of-poultry/217/vitamin-b2-deficiency
Yes put vits in water - better do it quick before becomes permanent.

 

[woodsygal]

Thank you. I started her on a water soluble multi vitamin. She has a big appetite & thirst, hoping this will help her.

 

[casportpony]

Treatment at bottom in red.

Source: http://www.merckmanuals.com/vet/pou..._poultry/vitamin_deficiencies_in_poultry.html

Riboflavin Deficiency
Many tissues may be affected by riboflavin deficiency, although the epithelium and the myelin sheaths of some of the main nerves are major targets. Changes in the sciatic nerves produce “curled-toe” paralysis in growing chickens. Egg production is affected, and riboflavin-deficient eggs do not hatch. When chicks are fed a diet deficient in riboflavin, their appetite is fairly good but they grow slowly, become weak and emaciated, and develop diarrhea between the first and second weeks. Deficient chicks are reluctant to move unless forced and then frequently walk on their hocks with the aid of their wings. The leg muscles are atrophied and flabby, and the skin is dry and harsh. In advanced stages of deficiency, the chicks lie prostrate with their legs extended, sometimes in opposite directions. The characteristic sign of riboflavin deficiency is a marked enlargement of the sciatic and brachial nerve sheaths; sciatic nerves usually show the most pronounced effects. Histologic examination of the affected nerves shows degenerative changes in the myelin sheaths that, when severe, pinch the nerve. This produces a permanent stimulus, which causes the curled-toe paralysis.
Signs of riboflavin deficiency in the hen are decreased egg production, increased embryonic mortality, and an increase in size and fat content of the liver. Hatchability declines within 2 wk when hens are fed a riboflavin-deficient diet, but returns to near normal when riboflavin is restored. Affected embryos are dwarfed and show characteristically defective “clubbed” down. The nervous system of these embryos shows degenerative changes much like those described in riboflavin-deficient chicks.
Signs of riboflavin deficiency first appear at 10 days of incubation, when embryos become hypoglycemic and accumulate intermediates of fatty acid oxidation. Although flavin-dependent enzymes are depressed with riboflavin deficiency, the main effect seems to be impaired fatty acid oxidation, which is a critical function in the developing embryo. An autosomal recessive trait blocks the formation of the riboflavin-binding protein needed for transport of riboflavin to the egg. While the adults appear normal, their eggs fail to hatch regardless of dietary riboflavin content. As eggs become deficient in riboflavin, the egg albumen loses its characteristic yellow color. In fact, albumen color score has been used to assess riboflavin status of birds.
Chicks receiving diets only partially deficient in riboflavin may recover spontaneously, indicating that the requirement rapidly decreases with age. A 100-μg dose should be sufficient for treatment of riboflavin-deficient chicks, followed by incorporation of an adequate level in the diet. However, when the curled-toe deformity is longstanding, irreparable damage occurs in the sciatic nerve, and the administration of riboflavin is no longer curative.
Most diets contain up to 10 mg riboflavin/kg. Treatment can be given as two 100 μg doses for chicks or poults, followed by an adequate amount of riboflavin in feed.

-Kathy