Help! Hen paralyzed, not eating, panting, and has egg yolks in poop!

[FuzzyCritters]

Yesterday my D'uccle was panting from the heat and generally looking unwell (tail down, standing around not moving). I separated her overnight and gave her electrolyte water and no food (to check for a crop problem today-- she didn't have one). Checked her for egg binding, and no stuck egg.

Today she is completely paralyzed, except for her neck and head. She is breathing in very hard and fast. Her abdomen feels a bit swollen. She has almost no appetite--the most I could get her to eat were a couple mealworms and a little food. Her poops are very watery and it looks like there might be egg yolk in them:

She hasn't laid an egg in over a month, so she may have a reproductive disorder.

My flocks do carry ocular mareks. A few months ago an Ameraucana pullet got the same paralysis symptom, but she was not breathing hard and her poops were mostly normal. I ended up euthanizing that pullet. I didn't get her a necropsy, so I have no idea if my flocks carry neurological mareks as well or if the paralysis was caused by something else.

I don't know if this matters, but the D'uccle has lice. She'll be treated with Permethrin today, unless that is a bad idea because she is sick.

Could mareks be the cause of the yolk in the poops and the heavy breathing? Or could a reproductive issue be causing all the issues?

Any advice on how to treat her or what is wrong with her is very appreciated. Vet care is not an option.

 

[rayrose]

If her poop is runny and yellow, it's probably peritonitis. Give
her tetracycline and calcium tablets. You can buy at TS. One pill
per day for 4 days. Both are large pills but she'll swallow them.
Just pull on her wattles, which will force her mouth to open, then
shove in the pill. Put her in a dog crate and bring her inside.

 

[FuzzyCritters]

If her poop is runny and yellow, it's probably peritonitis. Give
her tetracycline and calcium tablets. You can buy at TS. One pill
per day for 4 days. Both are large pills but she'll swallow them.
Just pull on her wattles, which will force her mouth to open, then
shove in the pill. Put her in a dog crate and bring her inside.

Thank you. She is already separated in crate in my barn.

Unfortunately, I can't get any Tetracycline. I've looked for it in the past, but like most anitbiotics it seems to be illegal in WA. Will Penicillin or Spectinomycin work instead?

 

[Lady of McCamley]

The yellow in her poop is not egg yolk (different tract) but bile, showing she likely has some liver problems. Paralysis indicates a number of things, either Marek's (which is categorized by WHERE it attacks rather than just the particular strain...you could be showing Marek's in the eye and in the spine...the tumors can grow anywhere).

She could definitely have peritonitis. Antibiotics could help, though serious scarring has already likely taken place. In my area (Oregon) I can't find any over the counter in farm stores any more...which is generally everywhere since 2017 when the FDA banned OTC farm animal antibiotics. Sometimes you can find the injectable form and give it orally.

If you can get your hands on some penicillin or amoxicillin (often from fish stores), it's worth a "Hail Mary" pass. I'm not sure the dosage but BYC would have it somewhere.

I'm sorry. Your hen sounds in serious condition.

My thoughts
LofMc

 

[rayrose]

Do you not have a TS? They carry it in the store. What about Rural
King? Your bird needs treatment NOW. You'll have to order Amoxicillin and it will take a week to get it.

 

[FuzzyCritters]

Do you not have a TS? They carry it in the store. What about Rural
King? Your bird needs treatment NOW. You'll have to order Amoxicillin and it will take a week to get it.

In Washington, most antibiotics are illegal to be sold over the counter. I have TSCs, but they can't carry the antibiotics. I am aware she needs treatment and I will order some antibiotics now and try to get them ASAP. If Penicillin might help, I will start her on that while the better antibiotics come.

You mentioned both Tetracycline and Amoxicillin. Which one would be better in this case?

 

[FuzzyCritters]

The yellow in her poop is not egg yolk (different tract) but bile, showing she likely has some liver problems. Paralysis indicates a number of things, either Marek's (which is categorized by WHERE it attacks rather than just the particular strain...you could be showing Marek's in the eye and in the spine...the tumors can grow anywhere).

She could definitely have peritonitis. Antibiotics could help, though serious scarring has already likely taken place. In my area (Oregon) I can't find any over the counter in farm stores any more...which is generally everywhere since 2017 when the FDA banned OTC farm animal antibiotics. Sometimes you can find the injectable form and give it orally.

If you can get your hands on some penicillin or amoxicillin (often from fish stores), it's worth a "Hail Mary" pass. I'm not sure the dosage but BYC would have it somewhere.

I'm sorry. Your hen sounds in serious condition.

My thoughts
LofMc

Thank you. If it is liver damage, is there anything I can do for her?

 

[rayrose]

How can you get Penicillin but not Tetracycline? If you can get
it, do it. You may not need the Amox. When my bird was sick,
I was able to get Tetracycline and administer it right away. I also orderd the Amox, but my bird was cured, before it arrived.

 

[FuzzyCritters]

How can you get Penicillin but not Tetracycline? If you can get
it, do it. You may not need the Amox. When my bird was sick,
I was able to get Tetracycline and administer it right away. I also orderd the Amox, but my bird was cured, before it arrived.

Injectable penicillin isn't illegal (other types are), but Tetracycline is. I don't know why. If I could get Tetracyclene, I would be a TSC buying it right this second. I will order the Tetracycline and get it here as soon as possible.

 

[FuzzyCritters]

@Lady of McCamley can the use of medications further damage her liver?