1) What type of bird , age and weight
3 year old bantam Serama (Pee-Pee)
2) What is the behavior, exactly.
Last Tuesday I was out of town for business, and my DH called me to inform me that he got home from work around 8 and found her in her nest (she laid an egg). She walked out and squawked and he ran over to find her on the ground, unable to use her legs. She just sits on her hocks now.
3) How long has the bird been exhibiting symptoms?
1 Week
4) Are other birds exhibiting the same symptoms?
She is the only one in the house-- she is an indoor chicken.
5) Is there any bleeding, injury, broken bones or other sign of trauma.
No signs on trauma or injury.
Legs are very weak-- I placed her in the grass yesterday and she can move her legs, but cannot support herself. She sits on her hocks.
Her comb is red now...initially it was very pale when her illness first struck her.
6) What happened, if anything that you know of, that may have caused the situation.
DH found a leaking pipe in bathroom, and we never noticed any mildew/mold smell as we have scents. But he found that the wood from underneath cabinets have soaked up much water and are moldy-- previous tenants did not use sealant.
Since she lives indoors, she may have eaten something she found on the floor?
7) What has the bird been eating and drinking, if at all.
Initially she would not eat or drink anything EXCEPT mealworms. Now she will not eat on her own.
I am feeding her 20mls of Exact Baby Bird Formula 3 times her day by syringe.
8) How does the poop look? Normal? Bloody? Runny? etc.
Diarrhea at each feeding-- green and watery.
9) What has been the treatment you have administered so far?
Took her to the vet (this one was NOT an Avian Specialist) and they did X-Rays, stool sample. Vet stated she looks like she has infection in her chest, and may have strained herself if she was weak from sickness. Stool sample was negative for parasites.
Vet issued her Orbax (Orboflaxacin) as antibiotic, Metacam (Meloxicam) as pain killer, and diluted calcium. All medications issued by syringe.
I was afraid she had Aspergillosis (mold infection), so I have given her garlic in her daily feedings.
In addition to that, I am giving her B12 capsules once per day by syringe.
Please, if you have any insight to what this may be, I would greatly appreciate any suggestions to treatment.
We are seeing an Avian Specialist on Friday (soonest they could fit us in), so we can try to get a second opinion or better treatment.
I have always used this board as a source of information for raising her, and since she is a single indoor chicken-- I never thought I would be posting to the Emergencies/Illness board.
Any help would be greatly appreciated...she is my pride and joy. We take her to the park and beach a couple times a week so that she can graze the grass and roll in the sand. I do not have kids, so she is my child and I have so much love and emotion for her...
3 year old bantam Serama (Pee-Pee)
2) What is the behavior, exactly.
Last Tuesday I was out of town for business, and my DH called me to inform me that he got home from work around 8 and found her in her nest (she laid an egg). She walked out and squawked and he ran over to find her on the ground, unable to use her legs. She just sits on her hocks now.
3) How long has the bird been exhibiting symptoms?
1 Week
4) Are other birds exhibiting the same symptoms?
She is the only one in the house-- she is an indoor chicken.
5) Is there any bleeding, injury, broken bones or other sign of trauma.
No signs on trauma or injury.
Legs are very weak-- I placed her in the grass yesterday and she can move her legs, but cannot support herself. She sits on her hocks.
Her comb is red now...initially it was very pale when her illness first struck her.
6) What happened, if anything that you know of, that may have caused the situation.
DH found a leaking pipe in bathroom, and we never noticed any mildew/mold smell as we have scents. But he found that the wood from underneath cabinets have soaked up much water and are moldy-- previous tenants did not use sealant.
Since she lives indoors, she may have eaten something she found on the floor?
7) What has the bird been eating and drinking, if at all.
Initially she would not eat or drink anything EXCEPT mealworms. Now she will not eat on her own.
I am feeding her 20mls of Exact Baby Bird Formula 3 times her day by syringe.
8) How does the poop look? Normal? Bloody? Runny? etc.
Diarrhea at each feeding-- green and watery.
9) What has been the treatment you have administered so far?
Took her to the vet (this one was NOT an Avian Specialist) and they did X-Rays, stool sample. Vet stated she looks like she has infection in her chest, and may have strained herself if she was weak from sickness. Stool sample was negative for parasites.
Vet issued her Orbax (Orboflaxacin) as antibiotic, Metacam (Meloxicam) as pain killer, and diluted calcium. All medications issued by syringe.
I was afraid she had Aspergillosis (mold infection), so I have given her garlic in her daily feedings.
In addition to that, I am giving her B12 capsules once per day by syringe.
Please, if you have any insight to what this may be, I would greatly appreciate any suggestions to treatment.
We are seeing an Avian Specialist on Friday (soonest they could fit us in), so we can try to get a second opinion or better treatment.
I have always used this board as a source of information for raising her, and since she is a single indoor chicken-- I never thought I would be posting to the Emergencies/Illness board.
Any help would be greatly appreciated...she is my pride and joy. We take her to the park and beach a couple times a week so that she can graze the grass and roll in the sand. I do not have kids, so she is my child and I have so much love and emotion for her...
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