Gapeworm but can't see the worms! Time may be running out.

[JSlittlechicks]

Hello I have a 10week old hen who last fri started to show symptoms of gapeworm. I took her to local vet who said this is what it looks like it could be. She went off food and drink for a few days but only really starting to eat bits and bobs now. I have been giving her water by a syringe. So the vet advised to give it flubenvet (now on day 5) didn't even look down her throat, just checked her breathing. So have had her on flubenvet but been mixing with water and giving it to her via the syringe as she is not eating. Is this still effective? She is just sat hunched up and very lethargic. Does anybody have any ideas on if it could be something elese? Of will the flubenvet work withing the next 2 days as a full 7 day cycle. Very worried about her and her quality of life but unfortunately can afford to keep taking her to the vets as I have another 4 to maintain. Any advice will be much appreciated.

 

[loveourbirds]

im not a vet but I don't think this is gapeworm.. if you haven't been feeding her nightcrawlers or fishing worms, and if shes been off the ground the chances are very slim.
give water soluable antibiotics, or tylan injections by direction. (I prefer tylan but its a little higher)
add some sugar to her water, if you can check your water's ph, chickens like it about 6.5.
after treatment give vitamins and electrolytes in the water.

if this still doesn't work, break a cigarette dry out the tobacco in the sun for a day, break it up and put about 1/8 of it on her feed.
you might also need to add some grit for her to free choice feed off of.

last but not least, it is possible she has an internal problem that's not fixable without surgery. chickens are prone to cancers and tumors, most people just try the above steps and euthanize it if symptoms don't get better in a few days. (I know you don't want to hear this)

if you need any more help feel free to email me, or I will keep an eye on this thread.
brian

forgot to mention, usually you can put sugar in canned creamed corn and get them to eat. good luck.

 

[JSlittlechicks]

Thank you so much that's brill advice I picked up some antibiotics so fingers crossed she picks up. Otherwise it's the latter of your advice. She is just so unwell at the moment and don't want her to suffer for ages if she is not going to get better. Will keep you posted. Thanks again.

 

[JSlittlechicks]

Hi unfortunately she died this evening cuddled up to me bless her. Thank you anyway your advice was much appreciated.

 

[dawg53]

Hi unfortunately she died this evening cuddled up to me bless her. Thank you anyway your advice was much appreciated.

Sorry for your loss. If your hen had gapeworms, there's an excellent chance that the soil/litter are contaminated with oocysts. I recommend that you perform a necropsy on the hen....specifically slicing open her windpipe to verify whether or not she had gapeworms. Here's a pic: Hopefully it's not gapes, otherwise the rest of your birds will be at risk of the same fate.