NEED HELP with Paralysis.... in 9 week old Americana

[AriesF5]

Oki, so I got the Cocci meds to the other chicks. I'm washing their crusty eyes from CRD or some Resp. problem daily....

BUT!!!!

I now have an americana chick that has "paralysis." It's not total. She can clasp her claws and push with her feet, she just can't stand or walk... and she falls to one side all of the time. Her head also falls forward, but she corrects it and pulls it back up.

I now have her separated, and in her own box. I dipped her beak in water a few times. She has a medicated food mash (to get her food and water), and she looks content. She had a bowl movement... it was light yellow with a bit of watery subsance with it. It had form. Hopefully the attention will help her pull through. I just don't know what to do from 7:30 am to 4:00pm when I'm at work. I don't think they will let me have a sick day in order to care for my chickens.

Anybody have any ideas about what this may be? She doesn't have gray pupils (please, please don't be Mericks).

Thanks for all of the help so far. It's hard learning to deal with sick chicks. But, I'm getting through it because of everyone's help. Thanks.
Erin

 

[AriesF5]

This morning the chick has gotten full work of her feet back. HOWEVER, she acts like she doesn't know where her body's center is. She keeps pushing on her feet and toppling backwards. She only drank the water that I have given her via beak dip, and has had one BM, and no food.

HELP!!!! Any ideas at all????
Erin

 

[dlhunicorn]

dehydration can also give these symptoms (not saying she is but trying to offer some additional suggestions to the cause)
Give her polyvisol ENFAMIL formulation liquid childrens vitamins >three drops in beak once a day for a week then taper off the next and put electrolytes in her waterer (and make sue it is in an easy to reach place yet you may have to change to waterer itself to ensure she does not drown if she accidentally falls in it face first.
You should also add one of the following to the starter to moisten it :
cooked human oatmeal (cooked in water not milk > just enough to make it clump together so she gets more feed with each bite> it will also help digestion)
OR
baby parrot hand-feeding formula (buy in petstore >it is a powder you add water to)
This is one of those situations where the product GROGEL can be helpful as it is a solid - like electrolyte (can purchase at Mcmurray or many other hatcheries)

 

[gervais22]

Give her time, but if she's suffering and get worst I think there's only one outcome you should take. But not now, She'll get better, Give her time

 

[AriesF5]

Since I work from 7:30 to 4:00 every day, should I be concerned that the dehydration will get worse? Right now, she is home by herself. She has moistened starter mash, but no water (I thought that she might drown). She is in a box in the bathroom. I'll see what stuff I can find, and order that growgel today durring lunch break. Thanks guys, I thought it was dehydration... I'm just sad that she is sick. Thanks again.
Erin

 

[Catsie22]

Yikes...that sounds a lot like my 7week old americana. The story with her is on another thread "Very sick chick...." I think I'm dealing with a case of Marek's, but there's no way to know for sure unless autopsy is done. I've been dealing with the work thing too...I work 9-6. So far she's been ok, but I pump the water and food to her both AM and twice in the PM, when I get home and again just before bed. Good luck with your americana!
-Cat

 

[AriesF5]

oki,
I got the ploy-vi-sol drops. I ordered the gelgrow and chick boster from Murry McMurry (In fact they already shipped it out). I gave the americana some of the drops...only problem is when the dropper is in her mouth, I'm not sure how many she is getting. I'm being very conservative, last thing I want to do is make her more sick. Three drops is below the 5mL line, correct? I dipped her beak into the water, and just let it sit there for a bit. She drank a lot of water.... I would too after 8 hours of nothing. She hasn't touched the chick mash... I'm gonna give her some buttermilk (the other chicks love it). I would give her yogurt, but all I have is vanilla flavored.
She acts like she got worse again. He head is flopping again. It had stopped this morning. Maybe it's from the lack of water all day long. Should I be worried about her getting too hot/cold? I'm gonna try and get more water, and perhaps some food in her tonight.
Thanks for the help guys.
Erin

 

[AriesF5]

I just got a small amount of that food mash in her. She washed it down with some buttermilk. I hope she feels better in the morning. I've really been pushing the fluids. I dip her beak about 4 times every hour. When I got back at 4pm, I gave her water. After that, I've been getting her to drink the buttermilk. Hopefully, it will give her some kind of substance in her tummy. And the little bit of food was her first since I brought her in 24 hours ago.

Should I keep giving her the buttermilk? Maybe add applesauce or anything easy to eat? I'm scared that she may starve. I'm watching her contently though. Should I be worried about heat/cold? And what about electrolites... I got some. Should I give them after the poly-vi-sol or i conjunctin?
Thanks Guys
Erin

 

[AriesF5]

Thanks for everybody's help, but my chick passed sometime in the night. I kinda expected her to die, but I'm still very very sad. I just wish she wasn't in such a way when she died. I talked to my mom, and she said that (even in hospic care they do this) dehydration actully deadens the pain sensors in people/animals. So she might not have felt pain, but I still feel like a bad mommy. I think I'll bury her under some plants that I got to put near/ close to the coop (bee balm/ yarrow: does anyone know if they are toxic to chickens?)

One more question though. Is it bad if I bought the poly-vi-sol drops with the iron in it? Chould that have made her more sick??

Thanks again everybody. I'll keep you posted on the other chicks that have the cocci.

Thanks
Erin