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

[O.C.Chick]

Also, here's a useful chart for diagnosing common diseases in chickens:

http://www.welphatchery.com/poultry_health.asp

 

[O.C.Chick]

Here's a video from this morning:

This is day 4 since I started treatment with Hypericum. It unfortunately doesn't seem to be working. I didn't post a video yesterday, but she's about the same. (Not good.)

In addition, although it is doubtful that she has a vitamin deficiency, as a precaution I have been giving selenium (from Brazil nut), vitamin D3 & K2, E, B-complex, Probiotic (Plain Kefir), Omega 3 complex, and also tube feeding baby-bird hand rearing formula to keep her strength up.

It is very difficult for her to eat on her own, as she has lost most control of her neck and it keeps spasming / twisting to the side and she can't really tell where she's pecking. She enthusiastically ate live mealworms, but I had to hand-feed them to her.

I also notice that her feather follicles seem red and inflamed, which I believe is a sign of Marek's. I also just noticed that she has come down with mites since she is not able to dust-bathe. She did not have them a few days ago, so I don't think they are the cause of the weakness. I will however dust her with DE to nip this in the bud. (I'm totally itchy just thinking about!!!

Afer seeing the video, Does anyone have any thoughts on ANYTHING else I should do? Do I wait it out and keep hand feeding her? Do I take her to the vet tomorrow and have her put down? I just don't want her to suffer!!!

 

[O.C.Chick]

DLHUnicorn sent me a most informative link that I think is worth bookmarking:

Cornell's Veterinary Atlas of Poultry
http://partnersah.vet.cornell.edu/avian-atlas/

Extremely informative with photos and notes for diagnoses, but sadly, not encouraging in my case. The head twisting thing, even if it isn't Marek's, is never a good sign, especially when it's not due to a nutritional deficiency.

And regarding Mareks, One thing that is particularly discouraging is the mention of transient paralysis:

"In transient paralysis syndrome, birds may exhibit ataxia and flaccid paralysis of the neck or limbs, 8-12 days post-inoculation. The clinical signs, caused by a transient vasculitis and edema in the brain, persist for 1-2 days and are followed by a rapid recovery. Several weeks after the transient paralysis, infected birds may develop MD lymphomas"

In December, three of my birds, including this one, had these exact symptoms, and then recovered 2 days later while on antibiotics. I had taken this particular bird to the vet the first time (she was the first of the three to show signs), thinking it might be Botulism or lead poisoning. The vet said "no", and also that he didn't think it was Marek's because "she would be dead already". He instead insisted it was extreme weakness, not paralysis, caused by anemia (blood test showed extremely low blood count), and coccidia (two different fecal tests showed absolutely NO sign of coccidia or other internal parisites...He was basing his "guess" on one of my other birds having had coccidia three months before). She, as well as the other two birds, made a complete recovery in a couple of days. At the time, I had attributed it to the triple-antibiotics the vet had prescribed, figuring that it HAD been either coccidia or a secondary bacterial infection as a result of the coccidia. But in retrospect, the antibiotics may have had nothing to do with it. She may now be exhibiting the signs of MD lymphomas, not an encouraging prognosis.

I'm going to continue to hand-feed her today and see what changes tomorrow, if anything.​

 

[cicene mete]

The inflamed feather follicles are definitely signs of Marek's disease. When paralysis extends to the neck, it is very hard for the bird to survive. In the end, it's up to you how long you want to let this go on. She may have a turnaround (one of my birds did) or she may slowly starve to death or die from other internal tumors. I'm really sorry you're having to go through this. There are no easy answers.

 

[O.C.Chick]

cicene mete: Yes she has developed mites which is why I am dusting her with DE. I have been eaten alive over the last two day because I've been holding her so much and keep getting bitten.

I believe that, unless something miraculous happens overnight, it may be too late for my little girl. If you read my most recent post, you probably know the prognosis isn't encouraging. I am preparing for the worst, but am still hand-feeding her to keep her comfortable. I won't let her starve to death...That would be awful. My plan is to see how she is tomorrow and if she is worse, make the dreaded appointment with the vet to put her down and do a necropsy (which will probably cost me another $350). I DO want to know, for the sake of my other girls...Although I hate to pay him one more dime since he's charged me over $1,000 and not diagnosed anything correctly as far as I'm concerned. I would do the necropsy through a state agency, but 1. My chickens aren't allowed where I live so don't want to red-flag the rest. and 2. I want to bury her here, and doubt that the county would give me her body back.

I'm so very sad!!!

 

[cicene mete]

I am really sorry you're having to go through this OC Chick. I missed the part where you talk about mites, and so I've edited my post. When our bird died from Marek's, we also paid to have her put down and have a necropsy performed. The confirmation was worth it for us, even though we we're pretty sure already.

This is the hard part of chicken keeping, isn't it? When my little bird was sick, I felt like giving up entirely on this whole chicken keeping thing. It's so depressing and I know you feel helpless. All I can give you is a

It sounds like you're doing absolutely everything you can, and only you will know when it's time to let her go.

 

[cicene mete]

Just one last thing. I might have missed it, but do you know how your bird contracted Marek's disease? Do you have a closed flock, etc.? We have a closed flock, and no one with chickens lives nearby, so all I can think is that we somehow brought it home on our clothes (from the feed store, or somewhere like that).

 

[O.C.Chick]

Thank you so much Cicene. Yes this is pretty tough and discouraging as far as keeping chickens for pets goes. I've gotten so attached to them, and I fear that I may lose them all.

Yes I do have a closed flock, and am in an urban area with no livestock or other chickens. Chickens have been banned here since the 1940's. But, my original chickens, the silkies, came from central California and were never vaccinated, so could be carrying anything although they are healthy. One of the silkies was the chicken I mentioned that had severe Coccicia in May of last year (eimera mitis, which I'm told is one of the worst). The Araucanas (from Alan Satnford) had never been exposed to anything prior to coming here, and I hatched the Appenzellers from Julie Gabbard's eggs, parents/flock were NPIP Certified.

But, we have lots of wild birds here, and the chickens do free-range during the day. And, from what I've read, Marek's is EVERYWHERE in the soil, even in non-rural areas. So, I'm thinking that my silkies could have been carriers and are immune, or I am just very unlucky.

Thanks for your kind words. I'll keep you posted on what transpires in the next 24 hours.

Alys

 

[O.C.Chick]

Cicene: You know, I did just think of something...In October I special-ordered batch of no-mow-fescue Sod from up north...My chickens had NEVER had mites before, and they suddenly and immediately became badly infested. I read in one of the veterinary posts that, despite what was previously believed, Marek's CAN be carried by mites, so this may be a factor. Wow, I thought my house was so safe for chickens...Organic for 15 years, no predators, no other chickens...I pretty much "baby-proofed" (or chicky-proofed) my house before ever getting chickens. To think that a simple sod delivery might have been the culprit is beyond frustrating to say the least. I guess I'll never know...

 

[NewHobbyForMe]

Good luck OC Chick, I hope things go better tomorrow. I am keeping up on your post since I am also giving the HP to my rooster. This is just experimental but I want to see if I can get him better with Homopathy.