Loss of balance after Wazine treatment, and scaly leg mites

[GoldenPeep]

Can this be related, or is it likely coincidental? Yesterday, I treated my four hens with Wazine 17 (1 oz in one gallon of water for one day). Today, the oldest one, an almost 6 year old Buff Brahma, is stumbling a bit and seeming to have poor balance. She also appears to be limping a little. It's a little hard to tell if this is more a balance issue or a problem with her legs or feet.

She does have scaly leg mites pretty bad, which we have been treating for the last couple weeks by oiling her legs, but I admit we haven't done it as often as we should so it is still an issue. No signs of bumblefoot, though I removed two from her last year.

I have her in the house and she is alert and eating well. Poops are a little runny. I have a perch in the crate with her, but she is choosing to lie down instead. Breathing is very slightly wheezy, but this is only noticeable when I had her wrapped up and held upside down to look at her feet after soaking them for a bit.

I know Merek's is a consideration with balance issues. But isn't it unlikely at her age? Two of our girls were added to our flock on Nov 4, but none of the other girls have been sick or showing any symptoms. So I'm wondering if the could be a reaction to the Wazine. When I took the water with Wazine out yesterday, she seemed to drink more than the other girls, at least while I was out there.

 

[dawg53]

The limping and poor balance is most likely due to the scaly leg mites eating their way through her leg.
Holding a bird upside down isnt a good idea. If there is liquid in the crop and then she's turned right side up, the liquid can go down the trachea resulting in wheezing. It is similar to a person accidentally swallowing water down the windpipe. All you can do is keep and eye on her and continue treating the scaly leg mites.
Wazine is a safe wormer and shouldnt be any problem unless she was loaded up with large roundworms and a blockage occurred. If there were a blockage, she would be at death's door. Since she is alert eating normally, she's not in any danger due to the wazine treatment.
You can give her buttermilk mixed with plain boiled white rice in her feed for a couple of days to take care of the runs.

 

[GoldenPeep]

Thanks. Do you have a favorite treatment for SLM?

 

[dawg53]

I use Nu-Stock. It can be found in the equine section in a feed store. Wear disposable gloves when applying it and put it on roosts as well.

 

[GoldenPeep]

That's actually what I have been using! I got separated so it was half oily, half thick paste so I squeezed it all into a glass jar and added Vaseline. That made it a lot easier to apply. But it hasn't cured her yet. Applied it about a week ago and again today.

 

[GoldenPeep]

A couple pics. In the one showing the back of her leg, is the raised, pink, patch normal? This was right after soaking her legs in warm water with epsom salts for 15+ minutes.

 

[MissChick@dee]

I thought Wazine was for round worms. How much did you give them & how did you give it?
ETA: she had leg mites right?

 

[dawg53]

That's actually what I have been using! I got separated so it was half oily, half thick paste so I squeezed it all into a glass jar and added Vaseline. That made it a lot easier to apply. But it hasn't cured her yet. Applied it about a week ago and again today.

You have to shake the tube well to mix it per instructions, but it may have been on a shelf too long in the store where you bought it. You did the right thing.
The back of her foot and leg looks good. The front of the foot could use one more treatment with the Nu-Stock. Then after that just use vaseline to help smooth the scales and smother any residual mites. Sometimes it can be difficult to tell if feather footed birds have scaly leg mites or just dirt or debris under scales where feathers grow on the legs since the feathers raise the scales anyway. Occasionally soaking the feet in warm epsom salts water removes dirt and debris as you know.
I think you're doing a great job. Give her time to heal and her scales will eventually flatten out and look new.

 

[dawg53]

I thought Wazine was for round worms. How much did you give them & how did you give it?
ETA: she had leg mites right?

@GoldenPeep gave her chickens 1oz wazine per gallon of water for one day for roundworms as directed. The mixture can be put in a waterer or any other container that chickens drink from. Make sure it's their only source of water to drink during the day.

 

[GoldenPeep]

Yes, the Wazine treatment was unrelated to the scaly leg mites. I was just wondering if it might have caused her loss of balance somehow. like maybe she drank more of the water then she should have and it was a little toxic?
Today she seems about the same. Still eating and looks relatively perky although she's an old granny now and is never really perky. Her balance still seems a little off to me. Like when she leans over to pick at her food she looks like she's teetering and trying to avoid falling. Could she have sprained or broken something in one of her feet? If so how would I know?