Egg Yolk Peritonitis

[Vgcmd1962]

Hi. I have a 2 y/o hen with egg yolk peritonitis. She developed sour crop back in October. Took her to a sophisticated animal hospital and was kept 4 nights. They did X-rays and ultrasound and found nothing. The sent her home on Clavamox and improved. About 6 weeks later the sour crop recurred. This time I took her to another vet and she did a crop lavage and found yeast and gram + cocci. Was sent him on TMP and Nystatin. Improved. This weekend her sour crop came back again. Took her back, they did a contrast X-ray and found her to have massive amount of fluid. The vet drained 90 ml from her abdomen and found yolk material. She placed her on enrofloxacin and nystatin and gave her a Lupron injection. She also sent the fluid to check for cancer cells. She said without surgery my girl likely won’t survive. Has anyone been in this situation? If it’s not cancer can she survive with antibiotics and good nutrition? I’m also tube feeding her a formula. I hope someone can give me hope. I don’t want to subject her to a surgery. I did speak to a bird surgeon and he said he would be willing to operate on her without a CT scan. He said CT scans aren’t helpful. I don’t want to lose my baby.

 

[Myrshine]

Is it swollen around her abdomen? For some reason this almost sounds like Ascities.

 

[Eggcessive]

There must be ascites if fluid was removed from the abdomen. That is common with EYP, cancer, and heart failure. If she has ascites and EYP, her days are numbered unfortunately. Antibiotics may help extend life, but it can mess up the bacterial flora in the gut, and she already has yeast and bacteria in her crop, as eveidenced by the ongoing crop problems. She probably should get probiotics every day or two. I would not do surgery or a CT scan, but that is up to you. It is sad to lose and hen, but these reproductive and crop problems are the mist common causes of death. Hens may suffer from these things at any time in their lives. Sorry that she is sick.

 

[rayrose]

I had a similar problem with a one year old. She was raised
on a proper diet and did not have the crop issues yours has
nor the fluid build up. She had a reproductive infection and was
pooping yellow liquid poop. She had EYP. Gave her warm epsom
salt baths, massages, calcium and tetracycline for four days and kept her in a crate inside my house. The infection cleared up and she's laying again and back with her flock running around and begging for treats.
You need to get her on a proper diet, in order to clear up the persistent crop issues, and an antibiotic to clear up the infection.