Infectious Synovitis?

[HollyWoozle]

I think a hen in my families’ flock, Skye, has infectious synovitis. She is a Heritage Skyline (CLB hybrid) approx 4-5 years old.

Yesterday I noticed a slight limp but wasn’t able to take a look. Today:

- sitting in an odd place (right in front of coop door which is close to food and water), never seen any of our chickens sitting there and not like her to sit around middle of the day anyhow
- lame
- picked her up and joints of feet are significantly swollen
- comb small, dry and a little dark
- she seemed generally a bit disheveled

The symptoms seem to fit with infectious synovitis and I can’t think what else? Rest of flock seems OK. I understand it is caused by mycoplasma synoviae and that she will be a carrier now, if it is that. She is separated in our hospital coop with easy access to food and water but not sure what else I can do to treat… there doesn’t seem much definitive evidence about the success of antibiotic treatment?

Any thoughts would be great. They are currently shut inside due to the avian bird flu risk in the U.K. but they have lots of space and access to a polytunnel in the daytime.

 

[Eggcessive]

Picture of the feet and legs could be helpful. Gout is something that also affects the feet and sometimes both can be confused. Is the swelling in the ankles and possibly the hock joints? Are the toes swollen as well or do they have a lumpy appearance.

 

[HollyWoozle]

I foolishly didn’t take my phone out with me when I looked at her this afternoon but I’ll get some photos. I realised after I should’ve checked her hocks, good point. The swelling was quite uneven in ankle and some toe joints too. No signs of bumble foot. She has suffered with scaly leg mites, a constant battle I have, but think I have sorted, some scales still raised though. She also grows a decent spur on one side only!

It is very unlike her to just be sitting somewhere. I was also able to pick her up in the daytime which never happens, she is extremely flighty generally and also not mostly blind in one eye and really keeps her distance!

 

[dawg53]

I suspect gout due to her age. Besides, other birds would be showing symptoms as well if it were Infectious Synovitis aka Mycoplasma Synoviae (MS.)

 

[Eggcessive]

Here in post 1 is a chicken with gout:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/gout-bumblefoot-or-treatment-see-photos.1064722/


In this article there are more pictures of gout, and the hocks are also involved:
https://pdf.sciencedirectassets.com...t&ua=4c025f54505601055c02&rr=6d8735fc9a5bf182

 

[HollyWoozle]

Here are some photos of the poor girl this morning. She has been confined over the weekend but basically will not walk anymore - I have started dosing her water with aspirin (I don't live here and my mother is her primary caretaker) as of now.

Her right eye always looks like that (she was blinded by an eye injury some years ago) but her left beye remains clear and bright as you can see. I didn't manage to photograph her feet very well as if I put her down she really just sits down and I felt holding her with one arm was uncomfortable for her. You get the idea though. Her hocks look normal but there is swelling to her feet, various joints - I am aware of the SLM damage so please ignore that. I spray her feet regularly and have improved the legs of the flock but some do still show damage like this. Her feet are also dirty - there is no sign of any bumbles there.

Her right nostril is a bit green and crusty... I can't see anything coming from her nostrils, they look completely dry, so not sure if that is just muck but I will clean it off. She also has this black spot on her wattle which I assume is just a peck wound and I will clean that too.

Her comb is very small, dry and dark. No sign of parasites.

She has been eating, drinking and pooing as usual over the weekend. She is generally a good layer but has not laid over winter. I read that calcium can sometimes bring on an episode of gout and that worries me... my mum went through a recent phase of feeding them piles of corn instead of layers pellets (they do have access to that too but would rather eat the corn) and consequently we had a lot of very poor quality shells, thin or in some cases soft shell eggs. I added some calcium liquid to their water, at the correct dosage, for around 6 days and worry I may have started this in Skye since she isn't laying at the moment herself.

 

[HollyWoozle]

I've now been out and there is a small wound on one swollen part, but I think she has picked at it... every now and then she pecks at her feet, presumably because they hurt. I've cleaned it up, as well as her nostril and wattle, and she is now well-dosed with aspirin water. I gave her some by dropper and then she started drinking herself. Hopefully will feel a lot more comfortable soon.

 

[Eggcessive]

Her feet so look pretty painful. Hopefully, the aspirin will help. Vets can prescribe other anti-inflammatory drugs such as meloxicam. Sour cherry extract capsules are given by some, as that is also used in humans.

 

[HollyWoozle]

Thanks @Eggcessive, they do seem extremely sore. Having said that, she is already quite a bit brighter compared to this morning so I believe the aspirin is working. She is drinking freely without encouragement and currently working her way through some food.

I will speak to our vets as they will see chickens with some persuasion, although we are meant to avoid moving poultry as much as possible due to the avian influenza situation (I assume vet visits don't count!).

 

[HollyWoozle]

Just to close off this thread, Skye passed away quietly overnight. Still not 100% sure on the cause but I think it was probably for the best... she was safe, warm and I had given her several drinks and pain relief throughout the day.

The rest of the flock exhibit no symptoms of anything but I will keep an eye on them and especially their feet for signs of swelling!

Thanks for the advice.