Hen in Respiratory Distress (Video included)

[lavenderforluck]

Our beloved 6 year old hen Rosie has been displaying acute respiratory distress the last 36 hrs.

We noticed she seemed lethargic at the start of the weekend and breathing heavy. We isolated her and checked for mites/lice, noticed a small mite load so gave her an Elector PSP dip and are doing a major coop clean today.

Her respiratory distress continued and is now what I would call severe but our poultry vet does not do emergency visits or calls.

She seems to be wheezing on the inhale. Wondering if it might be gapeworm but she didn’t display traditional gaping symptoms but the rattled breathing makes it seem like it could be an option if they’re in her lungs. She’s not showing any other signs of a respiratory illness like watery eyes, runny nose, etc.

She’s not interested in food or water and now has diarrhea (yellowish liquid).

We have Poultry 911 in her water, administered Poultry Cell last night and are on our way to get a fresh bottle of VetRX.

Things we have available to us just not sure which to try first we don’t want to overload her:
-antibiotic (Tylan)
-Safeguard dewormer
-VetRX
-access to a Tractor Supply

Thanks for any recommendations. Mainly wondering if I should start with Tylan or Safeguard and if we can do both.

https://imgur.com/a/E9aNCG7

 

[Debbie292d]

Hi,

Sorry about your hen. She's really in respiratory distress.

While I'd usually not want to give two medications at the same time, in her case, I would as time is of the essence here. That way if it's a respiratory infection, you're treating that, and if it is gapeworm or other worms, you're also nailing that too. I would try both the Safeguard and the Tylan, but don't mix them together; just give them separately.

The VetRX is like Vicks for humans, so it won't cure anything, but like Vicks, maybe it'll help her breath a little better or at least feel a bit better.

Assuming she improves, follow up with probiotics and vitamins. I'd go every other day with each for a couple of weeks.

 

[lavenderforluck]

Hi,

Sorry about your hen. She's really in respiratory distress.

While I'd usually not want to give two medications at the same time, in her case, I would as time is of the essence here. That way if it's a respiratory infection, you're treating that, and if it is gapeworm or other worms, you're also nailing that too. I would try both the Safeguard and the Tylan, but don't mix them together; just give them separately.

The VetRX is like Vicks for humans, so it won't cure anything, but like Vicks, maybe it'll help her breath a little better or at least feel a bit better.

Assuming she improves, follow up with probiotics and vitamins. I'd go every other day with each for a couple of weeks.

Thanks so much for your message! I wanted to add that we also have Methlyprednisolone (4mg) tablets available. I know that steroids are not used a lot with chickens but our poultry vet said during an unrelated separate visit that they do use them for acute respiratory distress sometimes. She seems even worse now so we were considering a .5-1mg/kg dose to get her breathing under control. Do you have any thoughts on that? If she makes it through the night we are getting her to our vet first thing tomorrow.

 

[Eggcessive]

Can you check her crop to feel if it is empty or full, full and firm or squishy full of liquid? Does her breath smell bad when you examine the crop? Does she have an enlarged or swollen lower belly under her vent? I think she looks and sounds very ill. It could be her heart, but water belly (ascites) from a reproductive or heart problem, or a crop disorder might be possible. Has she eaten or drunk anything today? Have you seen any watery or bubbly eye or nasal drainage? Poop pictures are welcome. Do her normally white cap in her poop look yellowish or is the whole dropping yellow?

 

[lavenderforluck]

Can you check her crop to feel if it is empty or full, full and firm or squishy full of liquid? Does her breath smell bad when you examine the crop? Does she have an enlarged or swollen lower belly under her vent? I think she looks and sounds very ill. It could be her heart, but water belly (ascites) from a reproductive or heart problem, or a crop disorder might be possible. Has she eaten or drunk anything today? Have you seen any watery or bubbly eye or nasal drainage? Poop pictures are welcome. Do her normally white cap in her poop look yellowish or is the whole dropping yellow?

I wrote out a long reply and it unfortunately got deleted as the page refreshed but quick notes, crop feels empty slightly squishy but not full of liquid and no foul breath - doesn’t seem like sour crop but we will keep a close eye on it, we’ve had a hen with sour crop in the past. Droppings are clear and yellowish all liquid, I’ll try to get a picture. She’s not eating or drinking. No other hens in our flock are sick at this time, all happy and healthy.

 

[Debbie292d]

Thanks so much for your message! I wanted to add that we also have Methlyprednisolone (4mg) tablets available. I know that steroids are not used a lot with chickens but our poultry vet said during an unrelated separate visit that they do use them for acute respiratory distress sometimes. She seems even worse now so we were considering a .5-1mg/kg dose to get her breathing under control. Do you have any thoughts on that? If she makes it through the night we are getting her to our vet first thing tomorrow.

I looked it up here in BYC, and it sounds like something I'd not try but it's up to you. You are seeing a vet tomorrow.

From this post:

Post in thread 'Need Help with Duck leg problem'

May 21, 2015

http://www.exoticpetvet.net/avian/avianmeds.html

Avian Medications: A to Z

When your bird is sick, you take it to your vet, some tests are run and evaluated, and then a medication is prescribed. When administered as directed for the correct length of time, your bird gets well. That seems very straightforward, doesn't it? However, the simple act of choosing the correct medication for treatment is based on many different factors. Let's take a look at the complicated and confusing world of avian medications so we will have a better understanding of this...

• casportpony

"methylprednisolone, corticosteroid, anti-inflammatory, may predispose a bird to aspergillosis and other mycoses, should be used with extreme caution"

 

[Debbie292d]

I wrote out a long reply and it unfortunately got deleted as the page refreshed

I've had that happen and got in the habit of saving it every so often. There's a Save Draft button up in the row of icons of your reply box.