[non-emergency] Marek's Homeopathic Treatment - Video

[O.C.Chick]

Well she is not doing any better today and is gradually losing strength due to most of her food having to be syringe-fed since she can't get nearly enough on her own. As much as I'd like to be optimistic, this is looking grim and I think it is in her best interest to have her put to sleep. Please watch the video and let me know if anyone thinks there's still hope, or if I'm making the right decision...

I am trying to find a vet that won't charge $200 to put her to sleep. ( You'd think that mine would do it for free or at least a discount after billing over $1,000 to diagnose nothing. But apparently grabbing a final $200 is more important to him since I am having the necropsy done elsewhere.

)

I will have the necropsy done at the State Lab as suggested by BabsBag & MyPickleBird. I will add the findings to this post so that we can all find out what IS wrong with her, and then there will be a thread with video reference that might help others in the future. So at least something good will come of it.

To all of you that have been so helpful and supportive on this topic: THANK YOU.

And to those of you who have sick birds and have joined this thread, GOOD LUCK and please let us know what happens and any diagnosis you might find.

Sincerely,

Alys

 

[babsbag]

I am sorry that your hen isn't doing well. I know it is hard. I hand fed mine 2x a day for about 3 weeks. Took me an hour each time. She couldn't pick up anything on her own, or drink.Many times I struggled with how to put her down without spending anymore money, but before I could make that decision, she took care of it for me. She always looked happy, and I don't think that she was is in any pain. I kept her pretty hydrated and she certainly had some tastey food to eat, and in a nice cage near our wood stove at night to make sure that she was always warm. But like you, I just couldn't get enough food in her, or maybe her body wasn't able to process what I did give her.

My vet certainly wouldn't charge 200.00 to put a hen to sleep. I guess that is one advantage of living in a rural part of No. CA. Our vets understand the difference between fantasy and reality, at least many of them do. I hope you find one that is a little more reasonable.

Hugs to you and your hen.

You certainly gave it your best.

--Barbara

 

[babsbag]

I watched the video and she certainly is a pretty bird. She seems to have an appetite. Poor thing. It must be frustrating for them.

My hen couldn't even stand without falling over and she showed no interest in food unless I put it in her mouth, then she would readily swallow it. Her neck finally straigntened out, but she never raised her head up high. She always sat with her head against her body, almost like she had no neck. Her symptoms looked very different than yours.

I think that I always tend to hang on too long so I am probably not the one to ask about whether or not it is time. I know it is a hard decision either way.

I don't know when I will hear on the necropsy on mine. It seems like the report took a while when they did it on my dove.

At the time I lived 20 miles from Davis so I dropped the dove off and they put her down for me as well. I don't know if you can ship them a live chicken or not, but you might ask. If you shipped it over night it might work. Just an idea. Never hurts to ask.

 

[O.C.Chick]

Thank you for the kind words, Barbara.

A few hours after my last post, I know I am making the right decision, as difficult as it is...Here is a new video, and you'll see is fading fast:

I put her in a sunny spot to hopefully help her feel comfortable until my appointment with my old (dog & cat) vet at 3:00. They are only charging $30.00. Then I will messenger her to the San Bernadino lab. I talked to the pathologist, who was incredibly kind woman who loved chickens. The only downside is that the injection method of euthanizing will prevent them from testing for botulism, but the Pathologist said that based on my description of symptoms and progression, Botulism was unlikely.

The lab did say they could put her down, but I'm too far to drive and I didn't want to send her alive by messenger...It just seemed too stressful.

I'll let you know what they say.

Alys

 

[Chicky Tocks]

I'm sorry O.C. Chick. I understand how disheartening this all must be.

 

[ursula.eva]

Hi Alys,
I am just brandnew in this forum, writing from Italy. I am angry

with myself that I have not found your post before!!!! Just yesterday my second Appenzeller died, the syptm
oms were exactly the same you described. Just can't belief it.
I also found an interesting documentation about homeopathic remidies for cocinosi (don't know the correct english term) and will start to treat the whole group from tomorrow with a 10 days interval.
Believe me, also here our vets don't know ANYTHING about curing chicens. They even don't want to learn more. I tried to give them info and materials - no way.
Anyway, thanks

for your post, even if it was too late, it will help to prevent further disasters.
Ciao from Italy,
Ursula and all my

 

[O.C.Chick]

Thank you Chicky for the hugs...Everyone's support really does help!!! We sure get attached to these little guys, don't we?

Ursula, I hope you have better luck. Please keep us (or me) posted, and I would also like to find out more about the remedy you are giving yours, and if it helps,

I fear that mine went improperly diagnosed for too long. Hope we can all learn from the necropsy results. Another things that keeps coming up is heredity / genetics when it comes to the Appenzellers, at least here in the states. There is not a very big gene pool and many have said that most lines in the U.S. carry Lymphoid Leucosis. I sure hope the lab can shed some light on this, as I have five others that are presently doing well, two of which had the same initial symptoms (drooping wing, neck and then the whole body going entirely limp) and then recovered several days later. The sick one, Dottie, also had the same symptoms in December and made what appeared to be a full recovery. Then several weeks later the symptoms started again, but worse, with the spasms in the neck being much, much more severe. I just hope that this is not a sign of things to come for my others...If I can get a proper diagnosis hopefully this will help all of us.

Take care,

Alys

 

[O.C.Chick]

Since this has become such a depressing thread (for me at least) I thought I'd share a lighter video I just taped...My Araucana bantam Pearl demanding to get into the house, specifically in the Kitchen, to find anything that may have fallen off of the counter:

She does this several times a day, and interestingly has never pooped in the house. My Silkie Hattie Marie on the other hand has begun to follow suit, and is nowhere NEAR house trained! Hope it makes you guys smile...

 

[lovetocook]

Bless you O.C. that was a wonderfu lvideo. So sorry you lost you chick, but you certainly did everything possible to save her.

 

[O.C.Chick]

Thanks LoveToCook. Yes, as that video shows, they're such cute little characters that can sure work their way into our hearts.

No wonder we do so much for them!