HELP! Pullet in distress

[erinkwilliams]

My 8 mo old girl is in major distress! Pushed was fine an hour ago, now she can't hold head up legs aren't able to hold her up, she was struggling to breathe. I put olive oil in thought, had distended crop. Her belly has gotten really full and soft.

What do I do????

 

[Pinkaboo]

Sorry no idea but hopefully someone will
Is the ball her crop or stomach?

 

[erinkwilliams]

It's her stomach. The skin is all stretched and almost translucent .

 

[erinkwilliams]

 

[Pinkaboo]

Well hopefully that is why she can't stand or hold her weight
Maybe when her stomach reduces she will be ok
It could be something she's eaten, will she lay still for you?

 

[erinkwilliams]

She layed his morning. She was totally fine an hour ago.
She is really bad now, can't even sit up. She screeches when we touch her middle..it's bad.

 

[Pinkaboo]

http://www.chickenvet.co.uk/health-and-common-diseases/egg-laying-issues/index.aspx

Have you read this?
Maybe try a warmed tea towel even if its wet hot water on the towel might give her some relief
She obviously needs pain relief but USA meds are different to UK

 

[Pinkaboo]

How's she doing? Sorry no one has replied try posting again maybe?

 

[erinkwilliams]

Not good.... Very listless. Can't get up, squeals when we touch her.
This is awful.

 

[Pinkaboo]

1. Ascites (aka Water Belly)
Fluid can accumulate in the abdominal cavity, secondary to heart disease or tumors in the heart and liver. Fluid in the abdominal cavity is usually accompanied by respiratory distress and cyanosis (bluish color) of the combs and wattles. There is no treatment for ascites.

2. Tumors
Several diseases, such as Marek’s disease, lymphoid leukosis and various adenocarcinomas, cause tumors and enlargement of a chicken’s internal organs, such as the liver, which might, in turn, distend the abdomen. Tumor diseases tend to be chronic, and affected chickens slowly suffer weight loss and decreased appetite. All day-old chicks should be vaccinated for Marek’s disease at the hatchery. Lymphoid leukosis can be transmitted from hens to developing embryos; therefore, disease-free chicks should be purchased from reputable hatcheries. There is no treatment for tumor diseases.

3. Fat Deposition
Extremely obese hens have a thick fat pad that can distend the lower abdomen. Obesity, normally caused by high-energy diets, also predisposes chickens to a condition called fatty liver hemorrhagic syndrome, where the liver is infiltrated with fat and can contribute to abdominal distension. The syndrome causes acute death in chickens when blood vessels in the liver rupture and cause internal bleeding. It’s seen increasingly in backyard and pet chickens that are fed table scraps high in calories. It’s also very common with small-scale flocks fed free-choice via feeders. Chickens should be fed a well-formulated and appropriately portioned diet to avoid FLHS.

4. Cystic Oviduct
Normally, only the left ovary and oviduct of the hen are functional, but sometimes, the right oviduct is functional and becomes cystic. The cysts appear in a range of sizes, and overly large cysts can distend the hen’s abdomen and compress internal organs. Your veterinarian might be able to drain the cyst nonsurgically using a sterile syringe and needle.

5. Impacted or Egg-Bound Oviducts
These oviductal disorders are seen in obese hens, older hens or pullets that come into lay too early. The oviduct becomes blocked by an egg or a mass of broken eggs and eventually eggs are pushed back into the body cavity as the hen continues to lay. Affected hens walk like penguins when the eggs in the abdomen are excessive.

There is no technical difference between impaction and "egg-bound;” however, I don’t like using the term egg-bound, as it’s more appropriate for what happens in pet birds, such as parrots, where one fully formed egg is stuck in the oviduct.

In chickens, the obstruction can result from several lodged eggs or a mass of broken shells, shell membranes, or a mass of yolk and egg white, and the result is the same. When impaction occurs in the front part of the oviduct (aka uterus), which is usually the case, eggs enclosed by shell membranes might be found in the abdominal cavity. This indicates that eggs continued to form but were refluxed back into the peritoneal cavity. The prognosis for affected hens is poor. The use of antibiotics might prolong an affected chicken’s life for a few months, but it will eventually die from the condition.

6. Salpingitis
This inflammation of the oviduct occurs frequently and can be introduced through the cloaca by various means, including pecking. The most common infection is by E. coli bacteria. In later stages of the condition, the oviduct and abdomen become distended due to masses of foul-smelling, cheesy contents in the oviduct. The cheesy masses are sometimes mixed with egg contents; as a result, salpingitis can frequently be confused with an impacted oviduct.

A chicken with salpingitis can remain healthy for a long time—until the late stage when oviductal contents start to impinge on vital organs. The chicken then becomes sick, refuses to eat and slowly declines. Antibiotics seem to help only temporarily, and while some veterinarians might attempt surgery, the chicken’s oviduct is so friable that the procedure is unlikely to be successful. Affected birds will die.