Mareks?

[dekel18042]

This gives me hope. I wish the vet had given me antibiotics. I feel he was just like "oh well, There's no cure". Wonder if I called they would give me some. Unfortunately I can't put her in with the others at this point because she is scratching her neck raw and they are pecking at it

Maybe use some antibiotic cream purchased at a pharmacy? But don't use any with pain killers or pain medication in it. That can be lethal to chickens.

 

[Wendyhowarth]

Hello All,
Just an update on Daisy...She has recovered fully. My question is...if it were actually Mareks disease would she recover fully? She has absolutely no issue, in fact she is bigger than the other one. Very healthy, strong bird.
Thanks
Wendy

Unfortnetly I have a barred rock who is not doing well at all but I will add that in another thread..trying to figure out how to put the video I took of her on the post.

 

[Eggcessive]

That is great news about Daisy's recovery. I would lean more toward it being a vitamin deficiency than Mareks. In some rare cases, there can be a spontaneous recovery from Mareks paralysis, only to have the disease later causing other Mareks symptoms.But that is not common. Mareks can be easily misdiagnosed, since the symptoms can be common with many other problems. I hope your other chicken recovers, but definitely get a necropsy performed on her if she dies--that would get a diagnosis if it is Mareks.

 

[Wendyhowarth]

Where would I get this test done? And what do I do with this information?

 

[Eggcessive]

The test is called a PCR test for Mareks. There are other PCR tests for other diseases. Contact your state vet for information or Google the test. I know some veterinary poultry labs around the country have performed it in the past, such as Texas A &M, but the last time I checked, I'm not certain. Your local vet would need to draw blood, and then ship it off in a tube. I have necer done this, so it would be good for the state vet to instruct you. They do this often after necropsies.

 

[Wendyhowarth]

Ty. I hope it doesn't cost alot.

 

[Eggcessive]

The cost would lie more in having a vet draw blood and sending it off. In the past, I had seen a charge of around $25 for just the test.They don't seem to have tht test available there anymore. But now I am seeing more tests involving sending of tissue from tumors, which presumably would be done with necropsy after euthanizing a chicken. Feathers may also be tested. The state vets or university poultry labs would be more likely to perform that. North Carolina State UniversityCollege of Veterinary Medicine has a link about that.Another lab at East Lansing Michigan at the ADOL is performing tests. So, it may be that the only testing available would be through your state vet or state university poultry lab with a necropsy. Here is some reading for you:
http://www.usaha.org/Portals/6/StateAnimalHealthOfficials.pdf
https://cvm.ncsu.edu/research/labs/population-health-pathobiology/poultry-tumor-diseases/
http://www.thepoultrysite.com/articles/3263/developing-tools-to-fight-mareks-disease/

 

[Wendyhowarth]

Ty very much

 

[CknNewbee15]

Wendy, how is Daisy? My silkie rooster is having the same exact symptoms... he's still eating and drinking and I've given eggs and vitamins this morning along with regular layer crumble. Hoping he will make a full recovery

 

[Wendyhowarth]

Daisy has made a full recovery. Unfortunately my other one passed away yesterday from it. She became paralysed. We tried giving her Colidial silver (spelling?) I read on a previous post about it helping with the symptoms. Although she seemed to perk up, I feel like it was too.late for her ...I pray yours does well. She was such a sweet girl.