Emergency. Need help. *graphic image*

[staceyj]

Hmmm. The fact that she hasn’t been laying for weeks (despite the heat) is very troubling to me because it points to the possibly of a reproductive disorder or disease. She may be laying internally.

What is her poop looking like?
If you could put some plain paper under her or a light colored towel and get some crisp photos of whatever comes out, it would be of great help.

What I’m curious to see is if any of it looks like what’s come from inside an egg.

There are plenty of experts here (I am not one of them) who would be keen to help.

Feel her tummy. The lowest part of her abdomen. Does it feel fat, puffy, hard, soft...?

And observe her gait (does she waddle) and her stance. Do her legs appear to be a normal distance from each other or does she seem to be standing with her legs set wide apart?

 

[staceyj]

I'm concerned that this may not be a prolapse but a rupture of the body cavity below the vent sometimes caused by ascites and fly strike can also play a part. The highlighted part of the above quote is what worries me since everyone has assumed the photo is of her prolapsed vent.
If she has ruptured then there is no hope without major veterinary intervention and even then probably slim. I had one ruptured due to ascites and fatty liver. Mine died overnight.... well probably early in the morning trying to lay an egg. She was still warm when I found her. I felt awful because I had delayed trying to drain her because I couldn't pluck up the courage to stick a needle in her distended belly. She must have suffered an extremely painful death and taught me a valuable lesson not to procrastinate in such situations.
I hope I am wrong and I am misinterpreting the situation. It might be a good idea to trim away all her butt feathers and take another photo so we can see more clearly, but also to enable you to keep it cleaner. Do not be tempted to put her back with the others in this state as they could disembowel her. She also needs to be kept in an area where flies are not prevalent because even if it is a prolapse that can be fixed, fly strike could finish her off.

@rebrascora is an educator(=expert) !
All of her observations are very valid and insightful.
Please follow her direction.

 

[Eqs81995]

I'm concerned that this may not be a prolapse but a rupture of the body cavity below the vent sometimes caused by ascites and fly strike can also play a part. The highlighted part of the above quote is what worries me since everyone has assumed the photo is of her prolapsed vent.
If she has ruptured then there is no hope without major veterinary intervention and even then probably slim. I had one ruptured due to ascites and fatty liver. Mine died overnight.... well probably early in the morning trying to lay an egg. She was still warm when I found her. I felt awful because I had delayed trying to drain her because I couldn't pluck up the courage to stick a needle in her distended belly. She must have suffered an extremely painful death and taught me a valuable lesson not to procrastinate in such situations.
I hope I am wrong and I am misinterpreting the situation. It might be a good idea to trim away all her butt feathers and take another photo so we can see more clearly, but also to enable you to keep it cleaner. Do not be tempted to put her back with the others in this state as they could disembowel her. She also needs to be kept in an area where flies are not prevalent because even if it is a prolapse that can be fixed, fly strike could finish her off.

I really hope that’s not the case. The protrusion is right under her tail. She’s been isolated and we don’t plan on putting her back with the others until this gets resolved or she passes. Unforunately I don’t think we have a local vet that will look at her.

 

[Eqs81995]

Hmmm. The fact that she hasn’t been laying for weeks (despite the heat) is very troubling to me because it points to the possibly of a reproductive disorder or disease. She may be laying internally.

What is her poop looking like?
If you could put some plain paper under her or a light colored towel and get some crisp photos of whatever comes out, it would be of great help.

What I’m curious to see is if any of it looks like what’s come from inside an egg.

There are plenty of experts here (I am not one of them) who would be keen to help.

Feel her tummy. The lowest part of her abdomen. Does it feel fat, puffy, hard, soft...?

And observe her gait (does she waddle) and her stance. Do her legs appear to be a normal distance from each other or does she seem to be standing with her legs set wide apart?

Just checked on her again. She does not appear to have pooped at all last night. Now she’s standing with her wings down. Hasn’t eaten or drunken either. I felt her belly last night and it was firm. I hope she doesn’t have reproductive issues but I am starting to suspect she does, since she is a red sex link and I’ve heard they are prone to such things. Poor lil’ Mattie. She has been waddling and her legs are quite splayed out.

 

[rebrascora]

The protrusion is right under her tail.

Can you see a normal vent as well as this opening with it's protrusion or is this the only opening in her back end?

 

[Eqs81995]

Can you see a normal vent as well as this opening with it's protrusion or is this the only opening in her back end?

It appears to be the only opening. At least as far as I can tell.

 

[rebrascora]

I'm afraid this is not sounding good. A reproductive issue is starting to look likely. If it is only 2-3 weeks since she last laid an egg it is probably more likely to be Salpingitis than internal laying as the latter often goes on for months before it comes to a head.
I think you may need to consider euthanizing her or at least making some preparatory enquiries if you have not done it before, unless you are opposed to euthanasia

 

[rebrascora]

It appears to be the only opening. At least as far as I can tell.

Well that is a minor positive. I'm wondering if she has prolapsed trying to pass a "lash egg" (infected egg/pus rubbery material) that builds up in the oviduct in cases of Salpingitis.
A photo of the way she is standing might help.

Her underside below the prolapse appears to be caked in white urates. It could be that there is a mass inside her that is so big that it is pressing on her gut and preventing waste passing out and she is now starting to suffer toxic shock. What does her crop feel like? How long is it since she ate anything?

 

[Eqs81995]

I'm afraid this is not sounding good. A reproductive issue is starting to look likely. If it is only 2-3 weeks since she last laid an egg it is probably more likely to be Salpingitis than internal laying as the latter often goes on for months before it comes to a head.
I think you may need to consider euthanizing her or at least making some preparatory enquiries if you have not done it before, unless you are opposed to euthanasia

I’ve been thinking the same thing. She’s been waddling for quite some time (she’s always had a bit of one, now I may know the reason why). I’m too much of a wuss to euthanize but we have some neighbors that could do the deed.

 

[rebrascora]

Would you feel able to open her up if she dies? It can be helpful to see what was going on inside so that you (usually) realise that there was no hope and nothing you could have done and perhaps enable to recognise the same symptoms again and end another bird's suffering sooner. I have found it very beneficial to do such informal necropsies and quite fascinating once you overcome the emotional aspect and really improves your knowledge, but I appreciate that it is not something everyone can get their head around, especially when it is a pet.