Emergency - dying hen

[lisahaschickens]

sorry... I didn't read every post before I posted. Clearly cancer has been brought up. my apologies. I hope it's something less terrible!

 

[Norton]

Aitchbe Is your hen still with us.. update?

 

[aitchbe]

Thanks all for posting and caring!!! Loretta is still kicking...and today after more antibiotic was picking on her sister again, so she's obviously feeling better - thank goodness. I'm less panicked and feeling shorter of pocket $$$$. The swelling is still there. The second vet sent blood out for testing and said it showed possible liver disease caused by some other infection which they couldn't/didn't identify. The fluid was clear and yellowish and the results evidently didn't have any clear indicators of cancer. I've been given more antibiotic and told i can also give her a med called Denysel for the liver that isn't approved for food, so i wouldn't be able to eat the eggs (were she to start laying again). The best they could say was to give antibiotic and perhaps she'll be fine, or she'll get anorexic again and will have to go back.

i did find the emergency vet through calling MSU, but I think i need to find another regular vet. I'm not feeling confident about this avian specialist. their practice is really for parrots and parakeets not poultry.

So now, i'm following the posted/recommended protocols for increased nutrition for all four girls and I whitewashed the inside of the coop for mites (and put some fresh new tile down - redecorating should make the girls happy!). Will have to figure out what caused all of this in the first place. Ah, the life of an inexperienced urban farmer!!