Guinea Hen In Serious Trouble, Please Help

[shooflydesign]

I started a thread in the emergency section of this forum (I am new here) but didn't get many responses so I thought I would re-post here. Hope someone has some answers, we are so sad about this guy.

So, I have a male guinea hen, about 2 years old that I found while locking up the coop the other night. Very odd for him, he has never missed a night of sleeping in the coop so I knew something was wrong.

He is very weak and it is as though he cannot control his head. It shakes from side to side in a wobbly fashion and his neck will sometimes lay back onto his back as though he is looking at the sky. His eyes are open and he seems alert and he is TERRIFIED of me so I have been trying to keep contact to a minimum so as not to kill him with stress.

The first night I brought him in, I got him some water and electrolytes. He made it through the night, but did not improve. I called my vet who recommended that I worm him immediately, which I did. This morning (day 2) he is still no better and just sleeps in his cage. One of his eyes looked funny this morning (had pus which I cleaned out) and I found worms in his EYES. I have never seen this before! I treated again with a dose of Panacur.

This is very sad. I will cull him if necessary, but would like to avoid doing so if there is any hope for him. Has anyone seen this before?? My experience with guineas is that they are so tough and incredibly hardy, so I was really surprised that he was so sick.

These are my main questions:

1) Are the worms possibly why he is having these "palsy" like symptoms or are they just a secondary problem, to lets say, Botulism which I read can happen and has these symptoms. I am treating with Panacur as per my vet's instructions who says that it is the #1 reason why these guys die.

2) How much water and/or food do I need to get down his throat to make sure he doesn't waste away? Is this even worth stressing him for at this point? He is totally panicked when I go near the cage, but I also understand its important for him to get water and electrolytes (and anything else you think would help) in him so he might recover.

I am just so torn, between letting him go in peace and quiet, or getting food and water in him with the hope he will make it.

Please advise....Thank you!

 

[clgriff]

Shoofly, I hope some of these very helpful people will have an answer for you soon, it is heartbreaking to watch them struggle and wonder if we are helping or prolonging.
I do know that chickens get worms in their eyes and that it can be easily treat, I do not know about guineas. I would love to know as I have 7 guineas myself and am learning as I go.
Good luck and I hope the fella is pulling through,
Connie

 

[shooflydesign]

Connie--Thank you so much for your kind words. I too hope that someone has some answers, but he may be so far gone that it doesn't matter. I make sure to get electrolytes and some food down him every morning and every night but still no improvement. I feel so bad for him and want for him to miraculously recover, but right now, I feel like I am just prolonging his death. It is very very sad. I wish I had a crystal ball (don't we all!) because I would nurse him for the next month if I knew he would be back on his feet.

 

[nailladi]

Over-the-Counter Medicine

• Eye worms in chickens are mostly treated by a medicine called VetRx. VetRx is available at feed stores. Add 1 tsp. of VetRx to one cup of very warm water. Administer the treatment to the chicken by holding the bird under one arm. Open the chicken's mouth, and turn the bird down so the cleft in the roof of the mouth is in plain view. Dab the end of a cotton swab into a warm VetRx solution, and apply it directly to the cleft. VetRx will come from both sides of the beak, and pus will drain from the eyes. Clean the pus from the chicken's eyes and allow the bird to rest. Repeat until the chicken is free of eye worms.

Read more: http://www.ehow.com/info_10073623_treatments-eye-worms-chickens.html#ixzz2diLMCuh4​

 

[clgriff]

Great advice Nailladi, do you think this is also safe for guinea fowl? I just like to learn as much as I can so I can be prepared ahead of time if something happens. It is rough when something happens and you know you need to act quickly but you just do not know what to do!

Shooflydesign, I am still rooting for the little guinea, I have heard they can pull through things that look hopeless and that they are tough little birds. I hope so

Connie

 

[shooflydesign]

Guinea is still hanging in there with me although I do not for the life of me know how. I have been giving him electrolytes and medication, but still no improvement. He can't seem to control his head movements. I wish someone had been through this before to tell me to hang in there or to let him go. Its amazing how strong he is. Still standing on his feet, but his neck and head are just wobbling all over the place. I don't want to make him suffer and will probably put him down tomorrow unless someone tells me to wait.

 

[dearnley]

so tuff when something happens

 

[clgriff]

Guinea is still hanging in there with me although I do not for the life of me know how. I have been giving him electrolytes and medication, but still no improvement. He can't seem to control his head movements. I wish someone had been through this before to tell me to hang in there or to let him go. Its amazing how strong he is. Still standing on his feet, but his neck and head are just wobbling all over the place. I don't want to make him suffer and will probably put him down tomorrow unless someone tells me to wait.

Oh gosh Shoofly, I am so sorry. They really are tough birds and can survive more than we think.
Some of the things I have found that MIGHT be possible is a respiratory infection. Link here: http://forum.backyardpoultry.com/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=8018949
I have read baby vitamins might help - Poly-Vi-Sol without iron
there is a good site called www.guineafowlinternational.org that has a forum that might help.
Sorry I couldn't be of more help. I had to put one of my young guineas down last month as it hurt its leg up in the hip somewhere and despite all my attempts to fix it I couldn't and it ended up with a leg that was backwards and could not walk. I had to keep it separate and it could not go with the other guineas and it was staying upset. Yes it would have lived but to what life not being able to do guinea things. I cried like a baby, lol.

Has he shown any improvements? if so I would hold on. I wish I knew more

 

[dearnley]

that is so tuff sorry