Mareks? Is it too late for our hen?

[SeaChickens]

hi all,
I have a 3 year old speckled sussex that began having symptoms a few days ago. Initially she was stumbling when she walked. I believe this started on Dec 31st but it may have been a day before, we did not let them out of their run that day. She was also lethargic and laying down a lot.
It being New Year’s Eve, the only vet option was an emergency vet at an avian and exotics clinic. They claim to know chickens but the doctor we saw didn’t seem terribly experienced. She didn’t see an obvious cause to the symptoms (no injuries, etc) so gave us the following:injectable oxytetracycline (subcutaneous) and injectable ketoprofen (im). Plus they gave Dottie subcu fluids and vitamin supplements (calcium, vits E, A, D, B complex).
She’s had two doses of her meds and has not improved and instead had gotten worse. She now seems to be paralyzed or near it in both legs and one wing and just sits in a heap. She is somewhat alert and ate some layer pellets, corn and an earthworm but not much and won’t drink. I’ve got her in the garage with a heat lamp on a soft towel.
My question is: this sounds like Mareks, right? Is there any hope of her improving when she’s gotten to this state? I’m considering tube feeding her to get some fluids in but I hate to stress her out if it’s all for not. She doesn’t like to be handled but it’s fairly easy to do so since she can’t struggle much, pretty pitiful. Any chance the ketoprofen could cut down the inflammation and she could regain some strength? She’s fairly thin as well, so maybe this has been brewing for awhile...

 

[Eggcessive]

Sorry about your hen. I don’t like the idea of giving injections, but that is up to you and your vet. They could have prescribed oral meds that may have been less stressful to give. If she has Mareks, there is no cure, and the best way to diagnose it is to get a necropsy by your state vet or a college poultry lab. I would make some watery chicken feed, cooked egg, chopped liver, or tuna just to tempt her to eat. If she won’t eat chick vitamins or Poultry NutriDrench a couple of drops a day would help. A chicken sling or chair might be helpful since she cannot stand, to get her upright and in front of food and water. Or if she is more comfortable being propped on rolled towels, just keep her comfy. Here is a good link on chicken chairs and slings:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/versions-of-chick-chairs-please.1166308/

 

[Eggcessive]

Here is a good article that covers a lot of info on Mareks:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/the-great-big-giant-mareks-disease-faq.66077/

 

[SeaChickens]

Thanks for your replies @Eggcessive - I’ve read the Mareks post and it was very informative. I’ve tried giving Dottie water but she doesn’t show any interest and I’m nervous to try to put it into her beak, don’t want to her to aspirate it and make things worse. Going to research tube feeding. Has anyone had a chicken in this state that improved??

 

[Eggcessive]

If you have a syringe, you can look at this link to see how to give a small amount of water down the chickens’ right side of her throat. This is usually for small amounts of medicine. https://unitedpeafowlassociation.org/articles/oral-medication-dosing-of-peafowl/

Here is some info on learning to tube feed:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...ng-guide-pictures-under-construction.1064392/

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/updated-go-team-tube-feeding.805728/

 

[SeaChickens]

Thanks again @Eggcessive - update on Dottie- took her to our regular vet Friday and she recommended clavamox antibiotics since she was not improving on the other meds. She did not think it was Mareks and instead thought it was either an inflection or cancer.

Since there is nothing we can do for cancer she recommended trying the antibiotics to see if that helped, which if it did would mean we were on the right track. Also gave her a steroid injection, said it sometimes helps.

Dottie has had two days worth of the clavamox and seems to be improving, at least she “talks” a little now (usually yelling at me for giving her meds) and can almost stand up where before she just lay in a heap. I have also been tube feeding her pedialyte. Do you know if 45-50 ml 3 times a day is a good amount? She weighs a little less than 2 lbs. or maybe @casportpony knows as she seems to be a tube feeding pro! I haven’t been giving her food via tube because she will eat some, mainly mealworms but a little feed, greens, corn and blueberries too. Will not touch water though, so frustrating!

 

[MissChick@dee]

& sayin prayers

 

[Eggcessive]

I think the goal is to give 30 ml per Kg (14 ml per pound) 3 to 4 times daily. So I think that is about 28 ml 3-4 times a day, or a little less if she is under 2 pounds.

I am anxious to hear if the antibiotics and steroids help her. I have heard of an infection putting pressure on the sciatic nerves to cause lameness in a chicken. Coccidiosis has also been diagnosed in chickens with symptoms of lameness. Glad that she is eating.

 

[Villa delle Rosa Silkies]

I'm so sorry to hear about Dottie. I was just thinking, if she will not drink, & chickens can get dehydrated quite quickly, you could try giving her pieces of watermelon .... my Silkies love it, & it's a great way to rehydrate a chicken who is refusing to drink. I'm in New Zealand, so it's summer here & watermelons are readily available at the supermarket, but you might be in a country where it's winter now, so watermelons might not be available. However, there might be other fruit or vegetable that would help rehydrate Dottie.

 

[MissChick@dee]

Cucumbers! OP is in the US. there’s always cucumbers. Great idea for fluids on the watermelon tho~