Need some encouragement please

[Engine823]

How are you and Emily doing today? Please call the vet and at least talk to them. I find many vets will work with you on payments. They are in it to help you and your animals. My thoughts and prayers are with you two.

Thanks for continuing to think of Emily and us. Today is day two of the tylan 50 were we are giving it twice daily. I gave it once daily the two days before that so she has had some form of antibiotic for 4 days now. Also day 2 of the vitamin supplement in conjunction with the probiotic and electralyte in her water. Still giving 1/2 baby aspirin twice daily.
She still is weak and laying around a lot. she will get up and eat some and drink on her own. A little bit of a limp but nothing drastic like before. Mass on her back has not changed that that I can see.
I set up a camera in the coop so I could monitor if she was eating and drinking, etc... without having to continually walk down there. I have a display set up in the house.
I called the vets number you gave me. She stated she almost exclusively worked on cattle and horses. I explained what was going on with her and she said it sounded like Merecks. Best I understood her to say is she could give a baytril antibiotic shot for a chicken but that was about it. She must have been driving because the call dropped, I called back but it wouldn't connect. I will try again in a minute.
Thats really were we are right now. I did call the University of Kentucky Vet Diagnostic Lab to let them know if she dies I'm planning to have a pathologist diagnose what was wrong that caused her to be sick.

 

[rebrascora]

I am feeling a bit uncomfortable about the OP being put under undue pressure to seek further veterinary advice when they have already stated that their finances will not allow it. They have already spent a considerable sum of money on veterinary fees and you are either encouraging them to get into debt to do so or seek charity from a vet. I personally would not be comfortable with either of these options, so please leave the OP to make their own decision on this without further pressurising.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I added a vitamin and mineral supplement for her today. It is a once a day thing given orally up to 3 cc. Also I went back to tractor supply and got littler needles because I don't want her to suffer anymore than she already is.
Am afraid I may cause her more stress or suffering than she is already in by all these shots in her breast and now pushing vitamin liquid into her mouth.
my wife says I need to just relax and give it time but for what ever reason this has been very stressful on me.
I want to make her better and I don't want to make her last few days ( possibly ) worse by poking and prodding her
I won't make a good vet

Are you still giving her the Tylan50? It can be given orally as well by injection. If she is having pain at the injection site (which can be common, Tylan is thick) then think about giving it to her orally. I have heard that it's bitter tasting, so you may want to offer some fresh water or a goodie afterwards.
Here's a good reference for giving oral medications: http://www.hopkinslivestock.com/oral_dosing_article.htm

Have you tried soaking/placing compresses on the wound/abscess to see if that will loosen the scab to see if there is pus underneath? @rebrascora gave you some good suggestions about treatment. Chicken pus usually can't be drawn through a needle - it is a semi-hard cheese like substance that would need to be removed. It won't dry up even if you are administering antibiotics. You had mentioned earlier that it felt hot? If she is declining, then you may have nothing to lose by investigating further. I'm very sorry - I understand she is dear to you. Mine are dear as well. It's heartbreaking when they are in a decline and you feel helpless.

Side note - I do agree with @rebrascora again. Sometimes vet care is not available for many reasons - finances, no vet will see them, etc. It's great that everyone is pitching in, offering tips, their help and support - @Engine823 has been given these suggestions, but it's ultimately up to them to determine what level of care they are able to provide- he has spent quite a sum of $$ already and should not be made to feel guilty if vet care is not an option at this time. Even with vet care, a lot of times there may be nothing that can be done.

 

[Mama Runner]

I am feeling a bit uncomfortable about the OP being put under undue pressure to seek further veterinary advice when they have already stated that their finances will not allow it. They have already spent a considerable sum of money on veterinary fees and you are either encouraging them to get into debt to do so or seek charity from a vet. I personally would not be comfortable with either of these options, so please leave the OP to make their own decision on this without further pressurising.

I didn't mean to sound pushy at allthat was not my intention at all. I wanted just wanted to help and be supportive and if the vet couldn't help him, I was willing to make the 3.5 hour drive to help. I'm not here to push or pressure anyone

 

[rebrascora]

@Mama Runner
I understand that you are just very keen to help and that is wonderful. It is what the spirit of this forum is all about. I just wanted to make you and perhaps others aware that, whilst offering support and suggestions is fine, it is important to realise that others situation may not be the same as yours in respect of time, facilities and particularly finances, which can be a delicate issue for some people. I know your intentions are good, but as @Wyorp Rock explains, it can make the other person feel guilty if they don't follow your suggestion to call the vet anyway, even though they already stated they can't afford it. The OP in this case may not have felt that pressure, but I certainly felt a little uncomfortable about it and felt obliged, as a member of this community to mention it, as much as anything to offer support to the OP if they did feel pressurized.
I hope my post will not deter you from offering advice and support, but just a little more sensitive to how people respond.

Very best wishes

Barbara

 

[FishMtFarm]

The way I see it is if you post on here for advice or anyplace, be prepared for some advice that met make you feel guilty or pressured cause really, only a vet can tell you what's wrong. I was a vet tech and I can't diagnose but I do know that if there is a scab and a big lump underneath, it's probably a pocket of infection that needs to be drained or it's just gonna spread. Sometimes home care can save them but this is pretty serious and the antibiotics are all wrong so it's probably prolonging suffering. I don't want to sound crude but the tylan isn't gonna fix the lump on her back. Sorry

 

[Engine823]

The way I see it is if you post on here for advice or anyplace, be prepared for some advice that met make you feel guilty or pressured cause really, only a vet can tell you what's wrong. I was a vet tech and I can't diagnose but I do know that if there is a scab and a big lump underneath, it's probably a pocket of infection that needs to be drained or it's just gonna spread. Sometimes home care can save them but this is pretty serious and the antibiotics are all wrong so it's probably prolonging suffering. I don't want to sound crude but the tylan isn't gonna fix the lump on her back. Sorry

Okay this is getting out of hand.
First of all I took the chicken to a vet that supposedly went to school to study chickens. This gentleman obviously went to school for much longer than anyone on this forum. Contrary to your statement he wasn't able to tell what was wrong. I drove 3 hours to see that vet. He looked at the place and stated that he didn't know exactly what it was, abscess, tumor??? Only recommendation he gave was $350 dollars to surgically remove it. Not the help I wanted but what I received, but none the less from a licensed vet. He was the one that stated that I could possibly try the Tylan. Will it help her I don't know. Probably not but I'm trying.
Secondly as you already stated you are not a vet and have no medical license to give advice really. You are basing your opinion on two crappy photos I attempted to take and my less than adequate ability to explain what it is that's actually on my chickens back.
Third I also contacted the other vet and talked to them as well. I believe around the 6-7 vet office I have called this week. She also stated she was not up to date on chickens and said that she had never had much luck in treating them because they were not hardy animals. I have only found 2 vets in central Kentucky that will even look at a chicken. The one I took it too and another that is out of the office. When I described the symptoms she immediately said it sounded like Merecks. A disease that causes tumors to rise up on the chickens body. Hence the reason I am leery of trying to remove any scab or lance it or attempt to draw fluid off it.
And lastly I want to say this! Thank you all for your kind words and advice. I appreciate it. This has been hard on me and have been stressed. She is not really declining as much as just not getting better. @FishMtFarm If you will read the title of my post I asked for encouragement! I didn't really ask for advise though I do appreciate it.
Am I causing my chicken pain or suffering? I pray not! I didn't cause what ever is wrong with her. I am just doing the very best I can to help her. The people with medical license were not able to or didn't help her and I'm just doing what I can.

 

[ChattyChickens4Life]

Emily will be in my prayers tonight. I am also praying for someone else's sick rooster. I hope she will get better!

 

[FishMtFarm]

I'm sorry you took offense but it wasn't really directed towards you. I did see your title and I have wished you the best but you have also asked advice and I'm just trying to tell you what our vet at our office would do and that you have been given false hope on the tylan. If they don't deal with chickens they shouldn't have told you that. I don't want you to be stressed but the vets you talked to are sugar coating and giving you false information. I hope your chicken can make it but if it is meraks then she needs to be put down and if you are reluctant to stop the spread of her infection cause it could be meraks, then she needs to be put down. Contagious deadly stuff like that is not something but to guess and hope and be wrong. Once again, I'm sorry and I sympathize, but I don't want to give you false hope.

 

[rebrascora]

Marek's is a horrible disease but many of us with it in our flock, do try to treat birds. I take the view that my flock has been exposed now anyway and those that are susceptible will have been infected. I've had some sick birds make miraculous recoveries and be unable to tell they were ever sick and some be able to return to free ranging with the flock after extended 3-4 months of support and TLC, but retain a limp. That said, if this bird has a tumour, there is unfortunately little chance of survival, but as the OP said, even a vet has been unable to say for sure if it is a tumour or abscess, so at the moment, the OP does not know and is supporting the sick bird as best they can.
I only euthanize once they lose interest in food, as they go downhill pretty quickly after that, but many people do not agree with euthanasia at all. You have to respect the individual's choice, as long as it is made with the good of the bird in mind.

@Engine823
Keeping my fingers crossed for you and Emily. Please keep us posted