Marek’s and ALV

[charlotte-and-the-bees]

Hi BYC, I’ve been taking a little break after losing 2 of our hens to ALV and/or Marek’s. Before we lost our first, we had PCR testing done on 2 live birds that confirmed positive ALV and negative Marek’s. They were from a hatchery and vaccinated for Marek’s at 1 day old, but now starting to suspect the vaccination did not occur. Marek’s was confirmed as cause of death in our last hen who passed, but also had ALV. I had samples sent out to a lab in Georgia just to understand what I’m working with.

I practice biosecurity and generally dote on the flock. Always have clean food and water, clean bedding, etc. It’s been really heartbreaking.

Last night, I went to go check that the girls were all in and found our 2 year old Silkie hen lying on her side outside of the coop. I immediately took her inside and she is extending a leg forward, very likely experiencing leg paralysis versus injury based on lack of grip. Seems like very standard sign of Marek’s.

Is there anything else I can check for to see if there’s injury? No sign of lesions or bumble foot, no parasites. She’s eating and drinking normally and poop is basically perfect.

Think that holding out hope here is a fool’s errand, but like the others want to make sure I’m not ignoring other illness or injury despite the grim diagnoses.

Thank you

 

[EggSighted4Life]

They were from a hatchery and vaccinated for Marek’s at 1 day old, but now starting to suspect the vaccination did not occur. Marek’s was confirmed as cause of death in our last hen

Sorry for your loss and experience.

Marek's vaccine does NOT prevent the disease it ONLY hides the symptoms when the the virus does present.. Hiding the disease and allowing it to proliferate undetected.. The main reason I used to be anti Marek's vaccine.

While it usually presents much younger.. I decided that aging (getting older) is yet one more factor.. It's usually slow wasting more than leg paralysis when older.

If it is slow wasting.. causing a vitamin deficiency.. supplementing vitamins MIGHT help aid in recovery.

Marek's can travel up to two miles away so even the best biosecurity practices may not prevent it.

Note this.. all your birds are exposed to and likely carrying Marek's since you had one test positive. If you do get more chicks, allow quarantine time for the vaccine to set up properly. Here on some years unvaccinated chick loss can be as high as 30%. Other years no losses at all.

You're correct, it is heart breaking.

Good resource..
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/the-great-big-giant-mareks-disease-faq.66077/

Thank you for getting your birds tested and caring truly about what's going on!

 

[charlotte-and-the-bees]

Sorry for your loss and experience.

Marek's vaccine does NOT prevent the disease it ONLY hides the symptoms when the the virus does present.. Hiding the disease and allowing it to proliferate undetected.. The main reason I used to be anti Marek's vaccine.

While it usually presents much younger.. I decided that aging (getting older) is yet one more factor.. It's usually slow wasting more than leg paralysis when older.

If it is slow wasting.. causing a vitamin deficiency.. supplementing vitamins MIGHT help aid in recovery.

Marek's can travel up to two miles away so even the best biosecurity practices may not prevent it.

Note this.. all your birds are exposed to and likely carrying Marek's since you had one test positive. If you do get more chicks, allow quarantine time for the vaccine to set up properly. Here on some years unvaccinated chick loss can be as high as 30%. Other years no losses at all.

You're correct, it is heart breaking.

Good resource..
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/the-great-big-giant-mareks-disease-faq.66077/

Thank you for getting your birds tested and caring truly about what's going on!

Thank you for your support. It’s so difficult. I have a fully closed flock. We only had 7 hens to begin with, my first time chicken keeping. Now we have 5, possibly soon to be 4.

 

[LaFleche]

Just an addition to what @EggSighted4Life correctly said:

The vaccination does not prevent the infection or spread, it only slows down the development of symptoms, and there are many different strains of Marek's Disease which will not be covered by the vaccination.

Have a hug

 

[charlotte-and-the-bees]

I sent our vet an email, she's out of office, but said it looked like an injury though hard to tell. She knows the full history. Waiting on her response, but any tips on checking the leg for injury? I palpated and don't feel any obvious swelling or heat.

 

[lisa69]

Was the bird your vet said died of Marek's...PCR tested or just Necropsied? You can't tell Marek's from AVL by Necropsy, or antibody testing (ELISA) , if they are vaccinated.