Identifying illness help? Worms, vent gleet, something else?

[gracemortizzle]

Ah...I see more information and photos have come in, thank you for that, important pieces of the puzzle I'd say.

Great advice from both @azygous and @Eggcessive
I agree, I'd start her on an antibiotic.

I would also still give her Extra Calcium (Calcium Citrate+D3) once daily for at least 5 days. She's pushing and it looks like she's trying to expel lash material. The Calcium may help with contractions and push out more material, you never know.

Keep us posted on how she's getting along.

I just put an update down below, but then realized it might not notify y'all of that since I did it as a new comment... sorry, new to this whole *actually posting* thing, I'm usually just a lurker

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Update: She's hanging in there, but not improving.

I've been giving her amoxicillin 2x daily as well as calcium carbonate. Yesterday afternoon, I gave her an Epsom salt soak hoping that would help her push the lash egg out (?), but while drying her she seemed to be fading. I thought she was leaving me, so I sat down, put her on my lap & just held her. Told her it would be okay if she had to let go & that I love her. We sat there for about 2 hours.. she was pulling her head in, eyes closed, etc. She would perk back up though when my dog barked or at any noise really... I ended up putting her back in the tub to let her have some peace. She's made it through another night. Yesterday while sitting with her, I had my hand pretty much holding her belly (between the legs, vent basically on my wrist) & realized how big her belly has become. Her belly was a large handful, rock solid, with a little soft area on each side (where my thumb & pinky were). I could feel movement in the main rock hard part happening here & there... Not major movement, maybe just a little blip of water moving around the mass? I also noticed that her comb is becoming dull. It was a good red when I brought her in, but by now it's just starting to blue/purple ever so slightly. Not blue/purple yet, but probably heading that way. (heart?)

I'm worried the mass is too large for her to pass & has swollen to the point of squishing her heart (this worry is based off her change in comb color).

This morning was the last dose I had of amoxicillin, so I'm planning to switch to Doxycycline for tonight's antibiotic dose. I also have some Rimadyl I'm planning to give her this evening, if that's a good idea? I have a senior lab that I give CBD oil, so I might give her some of that as well... I figure it can't hurt.

I learned through all of this that she absolutely LOVES blueberries.

Let me know if y'all have any other suggestions on what I should do. I don't want to prolong her suffering, but I so desperately want to save her. Thanks a million.

I'm sorry to hear she's not improving very much. How is her overall behavior - is she walking about some, eating/drinking? Can she interact with her flock any?

Possible that she may have Lash Material accumulating in the abdomen.
You're feeling movement with your hand under her, hard to know, you may have been feeling the digestive system or even the gizzard going through the paces.

I agree, a comb becoming dull can be a sign of decline. I've seen it in my hens that have had reproductive problems.

While soaking is sometimes soothing when a hen is feeling poorly, it can be stressful for some and push them over the edge. If she had a bad turn during her spa time, then I'd hold off on doing that. If she gets really messy on her bum, then just a washing of the area may be sufficient.

Oh dear The best thing I can tell you is go by what she is doing. If she's able to rally and fight, give her more time.

 

[gracemortizzle]

Another update: I still feel like I have no idea what's going on. Her poo seems to have gotten more solid & less alarming. She never laid a lash egg or passed any large blobs of anything.
I originally had her on a stool in the bathtub. It usually works great for a chicken hospital. Their poo goes right into the tub- they stay clean. Rinse tub a few times a day- they stay dry. Deep clean tub when isolation is over.
But she started curling her toes over the edge of the stool, none of my hens I've ever had to isolate have done this. She did that for a couple days. Then one morning she fell off the stool, so bye bye stool. Now, just being on some towels in the tub, she seems really uncomfortable but not acting like she's in severe pain. One leg is curled in & the other is poked out behind her. She moves in circles, using her wings to assist, maybe trying to get comfortable?
It's really throwing me for a loop that she seems so unwell, but still eating & drinking normally.
I feel like I am, again, probably forgetting important details... please let me know what you think & let me know if you have any questions.

 

[gracemortizzle]

I'm sorry to hear she's not improving very much. How is her overall behavior - is she walking about some, eating/drinking? Can she interact with her flock any?

Possible that she may have Lash Material accumulating in the abdomen.
You're feeling movement with your hand under her, hard to know, you may have been feeling the digestive system or even the gizzard going through the paces.

I agree, a comb becoming dull can be a sign of decline. I've seen it in my hens that have had reproductive problems.

While soaking is sometimes soothing when a hen is feeling poorly, it can be stressful for some and push them over the edge. If she had a bad turn during her spa time, then I'd hold off on doing that. If she gets really messy on her bum, then just a washing of the area may be sufficient.

Oh dear The best thing I can tell you is go by what she is doing. If she's able to rally and fight, give her more time.



View attachment 4058564

I don't know how, but I missed this comment!! I just commented another update. Yes, she is still eating/drinking. I'm worried the suspected lash material build up may be causing pinched nerves/leg issues. I haven't given her another soak since, but I'm starting to wonder if it's time for another one. I'm feeling so lost, I have a giant storage tote of flock first aid, but not really an idea on what to do anymore. She does seem like she wants to make it through.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Did give a full course of an antibiotic like Amoxicillin or Baytril?

I'm sorry she's not doing well, it seems like she's declining further.
Very possible there's a build up of material that is causing the loss of the use of her legs, but it's so hard to know.

 

[gracemortizzle]

Did give a full course of an antibiotic like Amoxicillin or Baytril?

I'm sorry she's not doing well, it seems like she's declining further.
Very possible there's a build up of material that is causing the loss of the use of her legs, but it's so hard to know.

I didn't have enough amoxicillin to do a full course. I did amoxicillin 2x daily for 3.5 days & then did doxycycline 2x daily for another 3.5 days. Last day of doxy was about a week ago. In the meantime, I had some Fish Mox shipped from Canada. Can/should I do another 7 day treatment with the Fish Mox?

 

[Eggcessive]

The usual dose of amoxicillin is 250 mg twice a day for an average size chicken, for 7-10 days.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I didn't have enough amoxicillin to do a full course. I did amoxicillin 2x daily for 3.5 days & then did doxycycline 2x daily for another 3.5 days. Last day of doxy was about a week ago. In the meantime, I had some Fish Mox shipped from Canada. Can/should I do another 7 day treatment with the Fish Mox?View attachment 4065736

Might be worth a try to see if helps.