Marek's testing in living birds

[rottlady]

Interesting. This has come up before, and yet many of the major diagnostic labs (We deal with UC Davis, who would definitely stand to benefit from this) are still insisting necropsy is the only diagnostic tool.
Also, logically speaking - the blood test doesn't sound very useful, and the $100+ per pop price for the feather test is the price of a whole bunch of replacement, vaccinated birds.
I think I'll wait until the major research facilities offer something like this before I throw my hat in the ring.

This lab in Georgia IS a major university lab

In fact all the labs I called except uc Davis, referred me to this lab as THE best avian lab in the country

Zoetis and Cornell did not hesitate or think they just said "call this place if the test is available in the USA they will do it"

 

[duluthralphie]

I doubt, I would ever use a test like this. With the mortality rate of marek's I would just wait a few days and do a necropsy or sacrifice one to do it.

I am fairly certain I can ID 4 of the 6 current strains myself. Looking for nerve damage/gravelly feel in the legs, Bloodshot under the eye lid, tumors in the gut or enlarged follicles. There is not much you can do for Marek's at this time other than keep them fed and loaded with vitamins, minerals and electrolytes and pray. Or put them out of their misery and stop the shedding of dander that might infect another bird.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[Wickedchicken6]

I doubt, I would ever use a test like this. With the mortality rate of marek's I would just wait a few days and do a necropsy or sacrifice one to do it.

I am fairly certain I can ID 4 of the 6 current strains myself. Looking for nerve damage/gravelly feel in the legs, Bloodshot under the eye lid, tumors in the gut or enlarged follicles. There is not much you can do for Marek's at this time other than keep them fed and loaded with vitamins, minerals and electrolytes and pray. Or put them out of their misery and stop the shedding of dander that might infect another bird.

Just my 2 cents.

IF we had a less expensive test here...it would be more appealing than a formal lab necropsy, which is $200 plus from what I understand. (ouch!)

 

[rottlady]

I doubt, I would ever use a test like this. With the mortality rate of marek's I would just wait a few days and do a necropsy or sacrifice one to do it.

I am fairly certain I can ID 4 of the 6 current strains myself. Looking for nerve damage/gravelly feel in the legs, Bloodshot under the eye lid, tumors in the gut or enlarged follicles. There is not much you can do for Marek's at this time other than keep them fed and loaded with vitamins, minerals and electrolytes and pray. Or put them out of their misery and stop the shedding of dander that might infect another bird.

Just my 2 cents.

The pullet I lost had no such signs

She was good weight on sat eating running etc
Tues pm eating fine
Wed am sitting on floor but when picked up and sat back down she ran and walked fine but was quite thin and breathing heavy

I put her in a crate to isolate and made her scrambled eggs by the time I got back and put the food in (which she did not touch) not two min later she seized and died

 

[rottlady]

IF we had a less expensive test here...it would be more appealing than a formal lab necropsy, which is $200 plus from what I understand. (ouch!)

Here in Nh we have direct to farmer services with the state vet lab
The necropsy cost me $45 plus overnight postage of under $30
I could have driven her down but it's a five hour round trip

 

[microchick]

I wish I could bring myself to cut open one of my birds and see what is going on inside of them when one dies.

I know for certain that I have ocular Marek's in my flock. I know I've lost one 9 week old to solid Marek's paralysis. Other adult birds have died at less than a year, the oldest almost 2 years to sudden death what appeared to be cardiac or lung involvement and I've lost others to neurological problems, seizures, etc.

But given that I have the solid diagnosis of ocular Marek's and have see the classic Marek's paralysis in 5 birds, I can't see putting myself through that just to see what's ticking inside my flock.

Like @duluthralphie said in another thread. What killed my bird? Marek's, pure and simple.

Granted, there are times I can see doing the testing. When I started loosing birds, their symptoms couldn't be pointed directly at MDV. I truly doubt if I would have spent 100 dollars on the primary feather test, BUT, and here is the problem for me, getting the correct collection tube, drawing the blood, spinning it down would be a pain. I could probably draw the blood--I'm certified to do phlebotomies on humans--I could even probably scrounge up the right tube but I wouldn't trust my older washing machine to spin anything that vital down to the degree that the sample would require. I would have to go begging to our vet who will not no way can't pay him enough to even look at a chicken yet alone draw blood on one so I would be back to square one.

It would be easier for me just to have a full necropsy done at Mizzou and fork over 150$ knowing it was going to be done right and give me good results.

@duluthralphie. I know there are 4 types of MDV but what are the 6 strains precisely? What are they affecting in the birds?

 

[rottlady]

Your state does not have a farmer necropsy program?
I felt the 45 I spent well worth it
I know she was negative for all parasites including coccidia and neg for ai
And had nothing else wrong with her other than visceral mareks

 

[Wickedchicken6]

Here in Nh we have direct to farmer services with the state vet lab
The necropsy cost me $45 plus overnight postage of under $30
I could have driven her down but it's a five hour round trip

See, now I like THAT price.

 

[duluthralphie]

I had the state do a necropsy about 6 weeks ago just to confirm what I had found...I was hoping I was wrong. It cost me $72 but they let me watch so I learned a ton and it was well worth it....

 

[Wickedchicken6]

I had the state do a necropsy about 6 weeks ago just to confirm what I had found...I was hoping I was wrong. It cost me $72 but they let me watch so I learned a ton and it was well worth it....

I would LOVE to be able to do that.