GSE or Grapefruit Seed Extract Combats Cocci or Coccidiosis and Other Ailments

[casportpony]

Well she could even have a blockage somewhere between her crop and her vent.

True, just like my Marek's rooster had.

I so hope not. How would anyone find that?

A vet can do an x-ray or you could do a cloacal exam. Once you get used to doing them it's amazing how much they can tell you, I have felt EYP, ascites, stuck eggs, oviduct cancer, Marek's tumors and excess fat and enlarged gizzards.

I have a hen right now that's probably not going to survive the night. A cloacal on her revealed what I think are eggs she laid internally and I think maybe I felt some tumors. I tried everything to save her, but her only chance would have been surgery and that is just not a wise thing to spend money on, IMO. So she's comfy in 84 degree house, sitting in a basket in from of the fire and will continue to get fluids and food as long as she doesn't vomit.

-Kathy

 

[karabou]

Awww, Kathy, I'm so sorry about your sweet hen. The vet that is coming here today is a traveling chicken vet, so I don't think that X-rays will be an option. She was referred to me by the woman that organizes our Urban Coop Tour, so I'm hoping that she knows her stuff. She also treats turtles and fish.

I wish you lived closer because it sounds like you know a lot and can tell a lot from just examining the hen.

Overnight, Izzy-Belle the silkie pooped several big healthy looking poops. Her crop is 3/4s smaller, but still not normal for the morning and she continues to do the head bob, and gagging reflex thing. I got her out and massaged her crop. I don't feel that obstruction anymore. It felt previously like a mat of grass in there. But something new I feel is a taut piece of tissue running down the middle of her crop, like a string pulled tight. I worked on gently massaging that and it seemed to loosen a bit and it seemed like the crop emptied some.

The Monistat definitely has caused significant improvements. Last night she ate a chopped strawberry. And then I read that I shouldn't feed fruits and veggies because they are tough to digest. Oops.

And she's clearly not blocked completely or she wouldn't be able to poop. Hopefully, I'll get some answers/solutions with the vet visit.
-kara

 

[casportpony]

Let us know what she says.

-Kathy

 

[karabou]

Okay, whew. The mobile chicken vet just left and I felt like she was very good. She said that Izzy definitely has a very distended crop at the moment, but it's mostly air. That two days worth of the Monistat was not enough--that I need a 7 day course. But that it might be bacterial, as well as yeast. She said that is the usual diagnosis with "sour crop."

She extracted some of Izzy's crop contents and put it on slides for microscopic analysis. She'll call me either tonight or tomorrow with what she sees on the slides.

She also took a poop piece with her to look for any worms/parasites.

She said that Izzy's body condition is excellent, no wasting. And with the poops, there likely isn't blockage. She couldn't feel any blockage in her crop, said it was typically very hard and obvious when there is blockage.

She said that the worse case scenario is that she is prone to distended crop and that is a genetic roll of bad luck. But I told her that two days ago, after two days on the Monistat, the crop was back to a normal shape and feel and she said that that is likely not the case because the crop wouldn't have bounced back to normal.

She gave her fluids on both sides of her sternum and an antibiotic shot. I have Baytril pills to give her which will kill a bacterial infection if we have one. Also will combat pneumonia if she inhales any of her vomit.

She says the Monistat was a good call. She also said that she wants me to keep doing that since it was working (and I just stopped too soon). But that we might need to do something stronger. But she wants to look at the slides first.

My little white silkie just because a very fancy little white silkie. But I feel quite hopeful/cautiously optimistic.

 

[casportpony]

Sounds like she did all the right stuff. You must feel a little relief, yes?

-Kathy

 

[seminolewind]

I'm glad she saw a vet.
How do you get a mobile chicken vet?

 

[karabou]

Hi Ya'll,

I'm sooo relieved. I guess we aren't out of the woods yet, but Izzy is about 11 months old and I think she will pull through. I was super happy that she said her body condition was really good.

I live in the City of Atlanta and while we are immediately crippled by anything frozen, we have a huge backyard chicken community. And so, this woman (vet) saw a business opportunity and is travelling around treating chickens (she also does reptiles and koi). She said she saw that a lot of vets didn't know anything about birds and wouldn't treat them or fish or reptiles. They saw these animals as "below them" because the price of a chicken is cheap. Same with a lizard or whatnot. So, she decided to specialize in them because people love these "exotics" just as much as people love cats and dogs.

I thought she was kind and sweet and knew what she was doing. She used to have australorps and has a parrot, so I liked that as well.

It wasn't cheap, but I looked at the bill and frankly, I think the "office visit" was only $20 more than if I went to my usual vet.

-kara

 

[seminolewind]

You are just lucky to have a "chicken" vet.
My "chicken" vet is becoming a chicken vet. Every time I go to euthanize a chicken, I have to explain why the chicken is sick. They treat my chickens like any other pet.

 

[karabou]

I just hate that you have had to euthanize a chicken. I realize that's a reality and I've had to put down my fair share of dogs and cats over the years. Ugh, though. I'm so sorry. That Marek's sounds absolutely awful.

Izzy-Belle's labs are back. She has a crop bacterial infection, no yeast. Vet was very pleased with the Monistat treatment and said to keep that up (to prevent yeast returning) while the Baytril kicked in.

The Baytril did kick in today, from the shot and the pill and her crop is much smaller, and she's eating and drinking. And since it was 60 today, Izzy went out with the flock to see if she'd enjoy that. She did. I stayed out to guard from the hawks and let them all out to roam. Izzy was so happy, ate, dug, scratched, and acted like a chicken. Sybil, my RIR tried to kill her. She apparently forgot her, in 8 days, so Sybil had to be held periodically (much to her chagrin). Tammy Wynette, my blue laced, red wing wyandotte also tried for a pecking order upgrade and failed. (Izzy was original 5 so has high status over much larger birds).

The vet also found that Izzy Belle has oo cysts of cocci in her stool as well. But no symptoms and no other hen has symptoms. The vet and I talked and agreed to put them all on GSE (grapefruit seed extract) drops in the water and if anyone showed symptoms, we treat them all--Western medicine style--and right away. It rather validates my original theory that Pippin, my baby blue marans and her flockmates the same age, did have coccidiosis.

We will chat again on Wednesday for an update on Izzy's condition, as well as what's going on with the bird's stools.

 

[karabou]

Izzy Belle is back out with the flock and doing great. She's still on antibiotics and the Monistat and acting completely normal. The rest of the birds are in great health and all seems to be well. Since it was 68 glorious sunny degrees here, I decided to work in the yard most of the day and let the birds have a four hour free range, which they loved. Sun and dust bathing seemed to the most popular activity.

Anyway, fingers are crossed that Izzy stays on the health track. She's completely stopped the head bobbing/gagging thing that she was doing with the sour crop. And her crop is back to a usual size.

Whew, I feel some massive relief.