Gizzard impaction - X-ray confirmed. How to proceed?

[wemimew]

Crop surgery is an option, but it would be too stressful since the hen is at death's door. Also there's no gizzard surgery, and that's the main issue in this instance.
If she gets constipated, applesauce acts as a mild laxative in chickens.

At the start before I knew exactly what was going on I tried applesauce and molasses flushes - they worked but mostly as a diuretic with little faecal material. I still give molasses on occasion with water but it is mostly for electrolytes if she looks like she needs a pick me up. There are a couple of avian vets around that would most likely attempt the operation but it would come at huge risk with anaesthetic and recovery she wouldn’t pull through even if I got it done on day one - she has consistently been poorly - although today she did have a long preening session for the first time so that is a good thing

 

[LaFleche]

Have you tried the Moro carrot soup? It works wonders restoring the gut balance and even catches bacteria resistant to antibiotics.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/ascites-not-eating-scaly-leg-mites.1441960/post-23973664

Other than that, you could still try the rather drastic method of giving her Coca Cola, as it is known to dissolve almost everything. I use it for crop impaction treatment and it works just fine.

 

[LaFleche]

I remember reading long ago that if you put a tooth in a bottle of coke, the next day it will be completely dissolved. I've never done it, but I know it does a number on my innards.

This nasty beverage and its awful properties can be quite helpful sometimes.

 

[wemimew]

Thank you It is a bit of a tricky situation and a difficult one to fix -but she is still looking bright and has a good appetite (eating puréed foods and oils only to try to get things moving) so there is still hope.

 

[wemimew]

Day 8. She’s somehow still going, although she seems to be much the same. Foods are still liquids only and I tossed up trying to get surgery for her - but I doubt she would make it through the anaesthesia, she’s so weak and thin. Despite that - she’s still full of sass and not afraid to pick a fight with a lesser chicken should they appear on the patio so that is good lol, she’s also still more than happy to eat everything she is not suppose to. She also seems quite happy with all the pampering and hugs with exception of the occasional crop feeding of treatments.
As for treatment of the impaction, I went over the X-rays and was fairly certain most of the bulk is grasses so decided to try a digestive enzyme (very reluctantly - I don’t like messing around with those sorts of things, the avian and mammalian digestive systems are very different), I found one that is mostly pre and pro biotics and cellulase so figured it was better than nothing. I took her off her antibiotics due to the possibility of drug interactions but kept her on the Sporanox to keep the yeasts at bay. I started them yesterday and saw nothing too special but today saw that she had started to pass bits of grass and grit where before it was mostly her pellet like foods. Her poops are still tiny and mostly urates but the fact that she is passing products of the impaction are good. Each one is checked. She is banned from her pen apart from sleeping as she was eating her bedding and has been spending her day wandering the house and the patio but chooses to mostly sleep or sit and observe things. Her crop is emptying fluids more quickly today but the food bulk is still there and doughy when drained. I am leaving the crop bra off tonight as the pooping is good and I want to see how it goes. Her gizzard feels smaller again but probably only by a fraction. I can feel her crop contractions starting again and also can feel peristalsis happening more frequently in the bowel - she is pooping small amounts but much more frequently. Foods today were only her pellets turned into a liquid mash, some yoghurt, some boiled mushy carrots and a couple of egg yolks. She is getting hand watered 10cc’s several times per day and takes the syringe eagerly - though refused to drink on her own for some reason. Lungs sound good, mouth and throat are clear and eyes are bright. She is still in sudden death territory but should hopefully make it through the night.

 

[wemimew]

Crop surgery is performed without any anaesthesia and for me, that would be the thing to have done in the first place. I hope she is still strong enough for it, but usually it does not take more than 10 minutes.
Your vet has to be careful not to injure the large blood vessel right across the front of the crop and she should perform two separate sutures: the crop tissue and then separately the outer skin.

Whishing you and your little Fluffy best of luck.

Hi LaFleche, thank you for replying . Her crop is doughy but good considering, it empties but incredibly slowly (days). Her gizzard is the problem unfortunately you can feel it in her lower abdomen - it fills up most of her lower body cavity (soft tissues area behind the legs). I’m guessing this is a secondary problem to something else but she is happy plotting and doing her thing just very slowly so I wanted to give her a chance. The other vets recommended euthanasia but until she is suffering it’s worth trying to treat, they only get one life and so far she is happy. If she makes it through and I can treat this I think it is going to be a very long process - there is a lot of poop in there for her to get out.

 

[wemimew]

13. Poor Moe, she’s not doing too good today. Her condition has deteriorated and she is staying still and open beak breathing (no gasping though). I got the stethoscope out and had a listen to her air sacks and fluid is in the abdominal one, you can clearly hear it - the lungs themselves sound good though. Her heart rate is through the roof too - to compensate for the lack of oxygen perhaps? I know nothing about how fast their hearts are meant to beat but it is much faster than the other hens I compared to. I think her little body is starting to give out so the next 24 hours will be important. To be honest I don’t know how she made it this far - I have had hens look off one day end be dead the next, she is on day 13. If I had to guess what is going on with her knowing what I do now (and boy have I done some research other the last couple of weeks) I would say her impacted gizzard and slow doughy crop is secondary to something very sinister. The droppings are still covered with mucous and the high oocyst numbers keep coming back. I did another gram stain and am also wondering if it is necrotic enteritis from CP. I was under the impression the first ones results were bacillus but cannot figure out the cause of the narrow, mucous covered poops besides coccidiosis or that - I guess only a necropsy will tell me for sure. She is still passing plant material in her droppings so the gizzard is still clearing (had no access to grass for a while). As a last ditch attempt to save her I have got her on doxycycline and metronidazole - one for respiratory and the other for possible CP. The combination of drugs in themselves may prove too much for her system though (don’t have many other options - I have had mg in my flock and it doesn’t respond to anything else other than doxy) I researched and found no drug interactions between the two so hopefully they will be ok. Unfortunately I don’t have anything else to offer than that - it’s impossible to get medications here. She still wants to eat and is drinking on her own and is still keen to beat up her broody friend - she’s a little fighter. Unfortunately if I don’t see an improvement over the next couple of days I will have to get her put to sleep - she looked like she was starting to suffer today and I don’t want that for her, but will give her a chance to respond to treatment. She’s being spoilt, fussed over and pampered so may be feeling off, but is happy with her hospital arrangements . I’m not confident she will make it through the night, but have thought that many times - we will see.

 

[dawg53]

Have comfort knowing that you did all you could do for Moe. The time and patience you spent with her is above and beyond what I couldve done.
You're caring and compassionate care is above reproach. You did the right thing.

 

[wemimew]

Update before putting her to bed tonight on day 6. She doesn’t look too good again and I am not expecting her to make it through the night - although I have thought this every night so far. Poops are back to looking thin and have turned light green. She is very interested in any food but not allowed anything that she wants - liquids only. I gave her some watermelon water with molasses in it in hopes that it will give her the boost she needs to get through the night. No crop bra tonight because her crop is sitting high enough and I want to see if it makes a difference tomorrow. Her gizzard still feels like it is reducing in size however her crop is still very large. Fingers crossed for something better tomorrow.

 

[dawg53]

Crop surgery is an option, but it would be too stressful since the hen is at death's door. Also there's no gizzard surgery, and that's the main issue in this instance.
If she gets constipated, applesauce acts as a mild laxative in chickens.