Issues breathing in almost 10 year old hen

[Eddie12109]

This vet was good in the past so I’m hopeful. I have an appt for 2:30 tomorrow.

Eddie has been drinking and eating slightly but has also been opening her mouth a ton today to breathe. She opened it whenever she inhaled but now she just has her mouth open constantly. She’s making a squeaking sound whenever she breathes.

 

[Eddie12109]

Here is a YouTube video

 

[TwoCrows]

Here is a YouTube video

Poor girl.

 

[Eddie12109]

What do you think could be going on based on the video?

Could it still be congestive heart failure?

What should I expect from the vet appt tomorrow? Last time Eddie got X-rays she got three and we couldn’t see her heart.

 

[coach723]

I'm sorry about Eddie.
To clarify one of your medication questions, the bottle with the 7.5 mg on it...I read it as it contains 7.5 mg tablets and you are to give 1/2 of one, so a dose of 3.25 mg.
The most common dose that I can find for chickens is .5 mg/kg (1 kg = 2.2 lbs). So 3.25 mg may still be high, depending on her weight. I found a couple of sources that show up to 1 mg/kg. The half life of it is shorter in larger birds and longer in smaller birds, so that has to be considered in dosing.
Have you checked her crop? Is it emptying over night? If age is catching up to her then digestion often slows, if she's bringing fluids up because the crop is not emptying or it's emptying slowly, that may be part of the liquidy wheezing when she breathes. They may check to see if she may have pneumonia, maybe from aspiration. Her comb and wattles don't look dark or purple in the video, but that may just be the lighting.
My oldest bird was almost 12, and died from an abscessed ovary. I've lost one to a heart issue (grossly enlarged heart found at necropsy, suspected based on symptoms, I did not have x rays), she was very slow, never ran, only walked.
She sure looks like she's struggling, poor girl. Good luck tomorrow at the vet, hope they can help.

 

[Eddie12109]

Eddie is currently around 4.7 lbs.

Thank you for the help, her crop is digesting normally. She didn’t eat a ton today so there’s not much in her crop currently.
Could they possibly think this is avian flu? I don’t want her to be tested for that.

Her combs and wattles are not purple but I have noticed her wattle tips are cracked, kind of like chapped lips. I put neosporin on it to help.

 

[Luv Ducks]

Poor girl.

I am so sorry for her. She doesn't sound good at all. I am praying that she can be helped.

 

[TwoCrows]

Eddie is currently around 4.7 lbs.

Thank you for the help, her crop is digesting normally. She didn’t eat a ton today so there’s not much in her crop currently.
Could they possibly think this is avian flu? I don’t want her to be tested for that.

Her combs and wattles are not purple but I have noticed her wattle tips are cracked, kind of like chapped lips. I put neosporin on it to help.

They say Avian Flu kills pretty fast and that ducks and geese can survive to be carriers. I would think not every chicken would die from Avian Flu, so anything is possible. Keep her warm and comfortable as possible, keep up with the medication.

 

[Eddie12109]

Do you think Eddie could be tested for avian flu at the vet? Can I decline it or are they allowed to do it no matter what?

 

[TwoCrows]

Do you think Eddie could be tested for avian flu at the vet? Can I decline it or are they allowed to do it no matter what?

I think vets can test however if she has it, she will probably have to be put down along with Dev. So you might not want to suggest it to your vet.