My Chicken Has Cancer!!

[BawkBawk123]

Hello, I have a 5 year old Rhode Island Red hen who has cancer and water belly. She was drained for the 3rd time 2 days ago. However, after coming home from the vet she’s been sleepy and had a lack of appetite. She barely walks too. (keep in mind she also ate a vets earring during draining and went under anesthesia to get it out, but it was stopped because the vet felt like it was too risky to continue) She hasn’t been eating the antibiotics we’ve been feeding her and only eating fruits like strawberries and grapes. My dad wants to try a keto diet to starve out the cancer cell. However there is no research done into this for chickens and we have no way of knowing if it will work. I feel like it’s too risky at the moment since she’s already weak. Starving out the cancer cell may do more harm then good. I’m not sure if she’s acting like this because of the anesthesia or the cancer. If anyone has any advice, please tell!

 

[LaFleche]

I am sorry that your chicken seems to be nearing the end of her life.

How much time was there between the drainages?

As far as I know, there is no cure for a cancer stricken laying hen and there is no way to starve them back to health. All one can do is trying to keep them as comfortable as possible by draining the fluid, feeding them extra nutrients and vitamins and help them out of their misery when the time is right and the suffering gets intolerable .

 

[BawkBawk123]

I am sorry that your chicken seems to be nearing the end of her life.

How much time was there between the drainages?

As far as I know, there is no cure for a cancer stricken laying hen and there is no way to starve them back to health. All one can do is trying to keep them as comfortable as possible by draining the fluid, feeding them extra nutrients and vitamins and help them out of their misery when the time is right and the suffering gets intolerable .

Thank you for your help, i had suspicions and was thinking the same thing

 

[LaFleche]

Does she still have the ingested earring inside?

 

[Brooks_]

I agree with LaFleche, comfort is the only thing that can be done now.

As a side note, I find it very irresponsible for an avian vet to allow earrings (worn by the vet or staff) in the exam room.

 

[Mtnboomer]

I hate to be the bad guy here but it sounds like your hen has already passed the threshold for poor quality of life. Sometimes the most loving and caring act of kindness we can do is to know when to end the suffering and say goodbye.
I am sorry that you are going through this but as with all animal ownership, their well being is what's most important. You have done all you can. Now its time for her to be at peace.

 

[BawkBawk123]

Does she still have the ingested earring inside?

yes, unfortunately. But the doctors said that it’s ok if they can’t get it back, and that Penny (our chicken) should just live her life

 

[Brooks_]

yes, unfortunately. But the doctors said that it’s ok if they can’t get it back

I hope she poops it out, you find it, and it's valuable.

 

[Goosebaby]

I’m so sorry, cancer is a hard one to beat, even in humans with more treatments available.

Please just try to keep her comfortable and feed her what she wants to eat, let her do what she wants, happiness is the best gift you can give her, and though it may not work at this point it’s often the best medicine too.

Just remember that you and your family tried everything, you did all you could. Unfortunatly some things are just out of our control no matter what we do.

The important thing is she knows how much you’ve done for her and she knows she is loved.

 

[rodger89]

Can you please update the outcome? thank you