Horrible gapeworm symptoms but she don't have gapeworms UPDATE

[hen-at-home]

Quote:
Thank you, I wondered why that would work. Thanks for asking Sillystunt.

 

[BWchicken]

UPDATE:

Okay, we went back to the vet and he spent a lot of time on her. Got x-rays, bloodwork, and a gram stain. But everything came back normal. I was expecting the x-ray to show a foreign object somewhere but there was nothing. The Baytril has slightly improved her symptoms so the vet said to keep her on it for 2 weeks total. He also gave me a pre-measured dose of oral ivermectin because the only other thing he could think of was trachea worms or trachea mites and the pour-on I've already given her (twice) may not have been a correct dosage amount. I've never even heard of trachea mites. But I haven't decided whether or not I want to give her any more ivermectin. She's still gaping and head shaking, but less often, so I'm thinking the Baytril is helping in some way? Or possibly the probiotics (Bene-Bac) I'm giving along with the Baytril? She's been on the Baytril and probiotics for 10 days now, so I'm thinking if it was gonna totally cure her it would've already. But it seems to have helped a little, so I'll keep at it.

Thanks for all your replies, I'm hoping this update may give some clues as to what could be going on with my little BR Baby, because I'm still stumped.

 

[Camelot Farms]

I have a cockerel doing the same thing. I thought it was a respiratory thing so I treated all 100 chickens with Terramycin for 10 days and of course no one else got sick but this guy has an empty crop ALL of the time and he breathes with his head tipped back, mouth open with the occasional head shake. He is still in isolation after 20 days and no improvement. And his comb is pink and flopped over. Hmmm....

 

[BWchicken]

Camelot, I'm sure you've already thought of this, but have you treated him for gapeworms? That would be my first thought after ruling out respiratory.

 

[mkearsley]

my black polish walks around with her mouth open & wings half open, I thought it was because she was hot & trying to cool off, since I doubt birds sweat. Should I be concerned?

 

[Camelot Farms]

Quote:
Honestly, I havent because my pens are all raised pens with no way for exposure to most worms, even gapes, to occur.
Maybe I better give it a try though...

 

[BWchicken]

mkearsley, if it's hot out, then yeah she's just trying to cool off. Her mouth is open because she's panting (just like dogs do) and her wings are spread so the air can get under them. Mine do it all the time when it's hot, makes them look like little panting vultures. I wouldn't be too concerned unless she seems particularly stressed or does it when it's not hot.

Camelot, I think wild birds can transmit gapeworms, maybe he got them that way? Fenbendazole or Ivermectin will kill gapeworm. It's worth a try. I'm sure you already know this, but the gapeworms will multiply in the windpipe until they block the trachea and suffocate the bird to death. If it is gapeworms he should improve quickly after treatment. I hope it works for him and you don't end up like me (months later, still with no diagnosis or cure).

 

[dawg53]

BWchicken. I've heard of trachea worms, but never dealt with them nor ever heard of anyone on here even remotely mentioning them til now, your vet suspecting them. I never heard of trachea mites. I trully believe the ivermectin you gave her twice before shouldve taken care of them as well as what the vet gave her. I'm glad you got a full workup on her...that eliminated alot of questions for sure. I've never had to give antibiotics (internally) to my chickens...do you think there will be any long term adverse affects of continued Baytril use? Is there a withdrawal time limit for egg consumption? Just curious for future reference. Thanks.

 

[BWchicken]

dawg53, I didn't ask the vet about baytril's egg withdrawal since she's not laying, but I've seen others on here say 2 weeks after last dose. I sure hope there are no adverse effects for her from being on baytril for 14 days. Her last dose was today. Still gaping some, but less often.

I just figured trachea worms were the same thing as gapeworms but I'd never heard of trachea mites either. I'm going to try and find some info. About the ivermectin, the vet didn't dose her, he gave me 2 pre-measured oral doses in syringes to give 2 weeks apart. But I just used the pour-on on her 12 days ago, so I'm not sure if dosing her again orally might hurt her. She weighs 2.2 lbs and I used .1 cc of pour-on ivomec, does that sound like enough? The vet thought maybe I had under-dosed, that's why he wanted me to do it again orally with a for sure correct dose. I don't want to harm her by giving her ivermectin again, but in case she has those trachea parasites, maybe I should? What do you think?

Other than the gaping, she seems fine. So regardless of what I decide to do about the ivermectin, I've decided I'm going to put her back out with the flock this week. She's already been in the house for 3 weeks, that's no life for a young hen. I've done all I can and I want her to 'be a chicken' again. She's losing her spirit locked in a hospital cage. I'm not worried about her transmitting anything, she's been with the flock for months with these symptoms and they're all fine. But I'm worried the others won't remember her and vice-versa. I figured I'd either put her on the roost at night or let her out with them early in the morning. What's the best way? Will they still remember her? I'm also worried about her going from 78 degree A/C to 95 degrees outside, so I'm waiting for a cloudy breezy day.

I just want to do everything right, from her treatment to her re-introduction, and I appreciate any and all advice. Thanks!

 

[dawg53]

I've done some more reading on ivermectin and it appears to be a fairly safe wormer,overdosing wont be an issue. I'd go ahead and give her the dose what the vet gave you. I absolutely agree that you should put her back with the rest of the flock. Slip her in the roost at night when the others are sleeping. The next morning when they leave their house to go outside, the others will think she was there all night long and part of the flock. If you have the time, monitor her for a day or two. I agree with you putting her out there on a cloudy windy day too, introduction during the heat of the day would be a shock to her system for sure. I keep my hospital cages in the garage, it's usually the same temp as the outside air. The only difference is I have a couple of fans blowing to circulate the hot air. We've been over 95 degrees just about every day, high 70's at night. Normally we have a sea breeze come in off the Atlantic to cool things down abit, but havnt had that this year for some reason. Good luck.