Help: I need clarification on safety of baby aspirin due to conflicting info

[katiedarling]

Been treating 2 chicks with wry neck. One has made a 95% recovery. The other, not so easy. She hates taking the dropper for meds, Her wry neck is twisty like a cork screw and it is difficult to hold her level to feed and hydrate without her getting it in her nostrils. She is super squirmy. I suspect she is experiencing some pain and I would like to help her. I see conflicting reports on the safety of using baby aspirin and what I am seeing in the threads is that the most recent was 2 years ago. Anyone have any clarification?

She is 15 days old. One other thing that seems to bother her is her crop. She seems to really go down hill after eating when her crop becomes full. Last night it was impacted, and I was able to rectify it. An hour ago, I fed her some boiled egg and, although her crop isn't impacted, it is full and she's almost inconsolable.

I know I'm new here, and newbies ask a lot of questions, but that's how we learn. From others who have been in these situations before us. Please, if ANYONE is online and sees this, please respond? I just want to help this baby thrive. And I'm pretty sure my husband would rather not have to share his bed with a chicken for another night.

 

[katiedarling]

Anyone?

 

[katiedarling]

I just want to know if it is safe to use. I see nothing recent in the forum threads posted in Emergencies/Diseases/Cures.

 

[gruffy]

Never heard of aspirin on birds and not sure on dosage for one so small or effects of the medicine but if you think it's best for the little one I would give her a teeny amount of baby asprin. Her dose at that size is probably near microscopic. Asprin also affects the stomach so it may be good to wait a while until that's fixed.
but her crop being continually full may be a ph or stomach issue. Yogurt or a little lemon juice could help.I've worked in wildlife rescue and stomach issues were treated with that. Most of the time it worked. But If her crop sits full too long and not going down you may have to empty it.
Sorry I wish I could be more help but welcome to byc and keep us updated

 

[dawg53]

I just want to know if it is safe to use. I see nothing recent in the forum threads posted in Emergencies/Diseases/Cures.

http://msucares.com/poultry/diseases/solutions.html

 

[katiedarling]

I suspect the crop being so full last night could be due to withholding food after it was impacted. Also, I think with her neck being so curved, she wasn't able to eat as well as she should be. She was so hungry that I think she just ate too much too fast. She is doing well this morning, she ate a bit of egg and with my husband's assistance was able to do so a little easier. I figured out it just takes 4 hands instead of two to get the job done. LOL
I did break down and give her that microscopic amount and she is on her feet and doing much better. She is progressing slowly but surely. So, thank you very much for responding. I appreciate it.

 

[katiedarling]

http://msucares.com/poultry/diseases/solutions.html

perfect. Thank You! I have it bookmarked. It will only be a last resort, of course.

 

[katiedarling]

Udate:
She's regulating herself again as far as eating is concerned, but she is still getting a huge crop as soon as she eats anything. Large enough that when she drinks a lot of water, it has no place to go but back out. I know some birds' crops do get quite big normally, but for a bird so small to have a crop 3-4 times the size of her head seems alarming(?). She's pooping fine, nothing is amiss. She's regular about it. And the crop is mostly-completely empty every morning. She is still not out of the woods with the wry neck, we are still treating that, slowly but surely. DH said last night it feels like a huge air bubble. It does. Like a balloon. I have been reading about sour/impacted/slow crops but seem to not be able to pinpoint if she's sour or just slow. My newbie hands are not trained yet, forbtelling apart a good squishy feeling crop from a bad one. And as far as the aspirin is concerned, she has no received any more. It was a last resort. I know it's a dumb question but, can that even happen? An air bubble? Other than that, we seem to have a better handle on things that I have addressed in the other posts. Even a possible idea of what may have caused the symptoms i had questions about.

 

[gruffy]

Contrary to myth birds can and do burp to let air out I've also seen birds fart.... odd experience really but none the less they do get rid of air bubbles it may be stemming from inflammation. I would try soft food or a little probiotics/yogurt to soothe her system

 

[katiedarling]

She seemed to do better with some egg and yogurt. And today I actually finally have her back on feed. I grind it down smaller with a rolling pin and add water to it. I realized the other day also, that I wasn't getting it warm enough. I thought I read somewhere that the temp has to be just right or they can't digest it properly(?). Her pooping and all that has returned to normal, she isn't gorging herself anymore and although her crop gets huge when she eats, it has been empty in the morning for the last 3 days consistently. I actually suspect that the wry neck may have been due to an ear infection, because once I started treating her ears specifically, she started showing major signs of improvement. And I was just telling katsdar and lobzi in a pm, that she's a surprisingly happy little thing, considering she's had a very hellish two weeks. I'm so glad I didn't cull her as was suggested by a couple of friends! I think she's going to be quite alright. At least I hope so. She has completely stolen my heart. Much to my Lucille Bunn's chagrin. LOL

Both birds are actually doing so well now, that I am currently enjoying my first fully cooked dinner (aside from fast food and cereal) in 2 weeks. And a much deserved glass of wine. Or two. Thanks to everyone who chimed in with their much needed two cents! Y'all have been a huge help! And, I have made plenty of mistakes to have learned from so I know what NOT to do when we decide to expand our flock. Hopefully, sooner rather than later!