High liver enzymes

[crazychick26201]

I think the vet drained her crop. I have some large syringes the vet gave me but I have been unable to successfully use them. Yesterday she ate several worms and ate a few pieces of grit. I had hoped this would help her digest something. But today she has even more brown fluid dripping out of her mouth, and when I took her out to hunt for worms she ate one, and when she bent over to get a second one, a lot of by town fluid rushed out of her mouth. I am almost certain that she has a blockage somewhere. Also the only dropping in her crate this morning was a small drop of bright green. I also made her a mixture of egg yolk, yogurt, a bit of honey, grated apple and a small spoon of beef cat food. This can be given with a syringe or rolled into small balls and placed in the mouth. She would eat none of it and when I tried to put a ball in her mouth, she twisted around and more brown fluid came out. And yet she still seems alert and interested in foraging. It’s weird but she did eat a couple tiny pieces of leftover cooked chicken breast his morning. I felt funny giving her that, but she ate it. The vet told me to stop the liver supplement for a couple days and I have done that, but when I was giving it to her I did not see much brown fluid. So wonder it it is related somehow. I do plan to crate her in the chicken run this afternoon so she can see her flock mates. There are five. Thank you for staying in conversation with me. I literally have no one else to talk to about this except the folks on this forum. It is wonderful to learn that you are a fellow West Virginian! My daughter went to Marshall and lived in Huntington for several years after graduating. We enjoyed visiting her there. I liked Huntington. I confer with the vet again tomorrow. If nothing changes, I think she is headed for merciful euthanasia and necropsy.

 

[crazychick26201]

Here is Tansy:

 

[Eggcessive]

Tansy is a pretty hen. I grew up in Huntington, went to Marshall as well, and worked/lived there for years. We also love golden retrievers. I would try the Monistat cream or miconazole twice a day given 1/2 inch twice a day. It won’t hurt. I had a couple of hens with yellow urates and enlarged lower bellies who ran around for a couple of years after I noticed those. They both had liver involvement and reproductive issues.

Here is a lamb feeding tube set that would work for a chicken.
https://www.amazon.com/LBH-Market-F...=tube+feeding+for+goats&qid=1707076455&sr=8-5

 

[crazychick26201]

We have always been golden retriever owners. To date we have two. One is four and one is around ten. The latter is a rescue. I put the things you suggested in my Amazon cart. I think I already have the syringe. I do not have the tube. I would really need to have a tutorial on how to use this. Tomorrow I will talk to the vet and ask about using antibiotics as a last resort. I might try tubing her, but I need a tutorial on that. At this point I think both of us ate in our last resort. This will be resolved by weeks end. Thank you for all your help. I can tell she is growing weaker. But still not giving up yet!

 

[BigBlueHen53]

For some reason I can only click "Like" but on the last few posts I have been trying to click the option so you will know my heart is very much with you in this process. Tansy is a lovely hen and I'm sorry she is not doing well. My heart goes out to her for being so brave and to you, her owner, for trying so hard to help her. It's obvious how much you love her and I just wish this was going a different way for both of you! Hugs to you both.

 

[Eggcessive]

Here are some links and videos on tube feeding:
https://bitchinchickens.com/2022/05/16/gavage-tube-feeding-chickens/

and a couple of videos:

 

[crazychick26201]

Update on Tansy: my dear hen, Tansy was euthanized yesterday. I asked for a necropsy of her internal organs. Tansy had not eaten since around Jan. 22. Except when I tried to force about 1/4 tsp of moistened mash into her beak. Last weekend she spent about 30 min. Outdoors and I found worms for her. The first day she gobbled them up. The second day she was a bit less interested. The third day every time she bent over to investigate a worm, brown liquid gushed out of her beak and she could not eat. Sunday she did not poop at all. Monday I found bright green droppings in her hospital crate. Every indication was that she had liver disease. So I called the vet and made an appointment for euthanasia that afternoon. Then I cried. I took her outdoors for about an hour so she could walk around and be in the sunshine. She was still alert. It was heartbreaking to see her attempt to peck at things only to have more brown fluid drip out of her beak. When she performed the necropsy, the vet found “dilated crop, pinpoint hemorrhagic lesions on her liver, surrounded by fat. The liver was extremely friable on palpitation and fell apart when manipulated.” No ascites or abnormal fluid in abdomen.
I am heartbroken and totally drained.
We buried her beside Buffy and Henrietta in the rose garden.
I wish I had been able to tube feed her. I will get the equipment and be ready if this ever happens again. Thank you for the videos. I found one you had posted in another thread and watched it yesterday. I am still confused as to whether the liver killed her or the crop problem. The vet reassured me it was the liver. But I do not understand why no ascites, and why this cropped up in cold weather, when from what I have read, liver issues happen in warm weather.

 

[crazychick26201]

For some reason I can only click "Like" but on the last few posts I have been trying to click the option so you will know my heart is very much with you in this process. Tansy is a lovely hen and I'm sorry she is not doing well. My heart goes out to her for being so brave and to you, her owner, for trying so hard to help her. It's obvious how much you love her and I just wish this was going a different way for both of you! Hugs to you both.

Thank you. Tansy was euthanized yesterday. I am drained and heartbroken.

 

[Eggcessive]

I am very sorry that you lost Tansy. I am sure that you are heartbroken. They are especially dear when you have been nursing them and trying everything to keep them alive, and not suffering. Did the vet think her liver was enlarged? Did they think it could be from early fatty liver disease or lymphoid leukosis? I wish the WV state vet would do necropsies here, but unfortunately they told me they don’t. The state labs will take tissue samples to look for various problems. They can order further testing. Thank you for giving us this sad update.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I was so sorry and sad to read this tonight. I have been following along and had hoped for a better outcome. Tansy was blessed to have been so loved and cared for by you. You will never forget her, I know, and your life was deeply enriched by her. May memories of happier days bring you comfort and, in time, healing.