Not an Emergency...Marek's in the Flock

[Haunted55]

Hah!! now I don't know what to think. I was all set to have him euthanized tomorrow morning and I go down stairs and he is STANDiNG in his crate and took some wobbly steps?! I'm
Going to make him some fresh vitamin water. Maybe I'll just have the vet do the blood test after all. Any thoughts? Is this typical? Get better get worse, etc?

Julie0477, I don't know all of the symptoms your birds are showing. If you are giving him the Bs and he is showing improvement....how long has he been getting them? Are all of the birds on the Bs? I'm not sure what else you have done. I be very tired tonight, sorry.

Look, if you can afford the test, do it. Either on this one or another that is worse off. This will give you a snapshot of your flock. It may not be Marek's there, but again, it could very well be just that. Marek's does some funny things sometimes, a bird could be showing signs of paralysis only to get 'better'. Doesn't mean the disease has gone away, it doesn't, it just means that for whatever reason, the swelling or tumors that were causing the initial signs have gone away or changed somehow to allow nerve function again. I've seen it quite a few times with my own and still don't understand why this one and not that one. Resistance? Probably, only thing I can think of.

My advice? I would get the test done for my own peace of mind. I would get the vaccine regardless and give it to all of them. It can only help with building a much better resistance in the birds. This is what I would do, you have to make your own choices because this is your journey.

 

[julie0477]

Julie0477, I don't know all of the symptoms your birds are showing.  If you are giving him the Bs and he is showing improvement....how long has he been getting them?  Are all of the birds on the Bs?  I'm not sure what else you have done.  I be very tired tonight, sorry.

Look, if you can afford the test, do it.  Either on this one or another that is worse off.  This will give you a snapshot of your flock.  It may not be Marek's there, but again, it could very well be just that.  Marek's does some funny things sometimes, a bird could be showing signs of paralysis only to get 'better'.  Doesn't mean the disease has gone away, it doesn't, it just means that for whatever reason, the swelling or tumors that were causing the initial signs have gone away or changed somehow to allow nerve function again.  I've seen it quite a few times with my own and still don't understand why this one and not that one.  Resistance?  Probably, only thing I can think of.

My advice?  I would get the test done for my own peace of mind.  I would get the vaccine regardless and give it to all of them.  It can only help with building a much better resistance in the birds.  This is what I would do, you have to make your own choices because this is your journey.

I will get the test. I can't really afford it but it'll drive me crazy if I don't. He's been on the vitamins since Friday night. Today is the first day he's stood and walked although it was very shaky and uncoordinated. Before he would just scoot back if he tried to walk and he couldnt really stand. My other silkie boy just has a slight on again off again limp. This is my worst case that I'm taking in tomorrow. As soon as I can afford the vaccinations, I'll do that too. He just surprised me tonight is all. As always thanks. Get some rest

 

[Haunted55]

I will get the test. I can't really afford it but it'll drive me crazy if I don't. He's been on the vitamins since Friday night. Today is the first day he's stood and walked although it was very shaky and uncoordinated. Before he would just scoot back if he tried to walk and he couldnt really stand. My other silkie boy just has a slight on again off again limp. This is my worst case that I'm taking in tomorrow. As soon as I can afford the vaccinations, I'll do that too. He just surprised me tonight is all. As always thanks. Get some rest

If you can, try the Super B Complex. There really is a difference and improvement seems to happen much more quickly. I'm thinking it may be the added vitamin C that is the key as well as the higher doses of the Bs. C and the Bs work to build and strengthen nerves and muscles. Now something else Casportpony and i talked about on another thread a while back. Calcium is another needed thing for proper muscle function. I am a little leery of saying this because I don't want you to get the wrong idea and think more is better. It isn't, trust me. But...you might want to try a tsp. of layer feed added to his normal feed. You could try to give him the first 'dose' of this all alone, but from there on, just that little bit may be the jump start he needs. Please just do this small amount, it's enough and more will just cause problems later on. There isn't enough here to hurt him, but enough that if the calcium level is down, it will bring it up. Not oyster shell, not a calcium pill or a tums. Way too much.

 

[casportpony]

Just skim read, so not trying to make a point, just wanted to add that calcium is good unless it exceeds more than 3% and then there's something about the calcium to phosphorus ratio, too... just thinking out-loud and not trying to make a point, but maybe haunted will use her awesome research skills and come up with more info to better educate me on the subject, lol.

-Kathy

 

[genilou]

Hi all,
Just letting you know we've made an appointment for Tunes tonight and she'll most likely be put down. She can flap her wings again and still move her legs, but she still can;t support herself at all and yesterday she lost all interest in food. I love her dearly but I'm not going to keep her in a half life for my own sake. Just wanted to let you know, thank you for all the support and get some more info about marek's/leukosis out there (we're still not sure which one it is). At least I know she had the best life I could give her and I've done absolutely everything I could to try and keep her going for as long as it seemed like there could be hope.

 

[casportpony]

So sorry!

-Kathy

 

[genilou]

Thanks Kathy. I'm absolutely heartbroken. I didn't think I would ever get so attached to her, or lose her like this.

 

[Shabana]

So so sorry for your loss
I,m sure she will know you did everything you could for her. It's the hardest thing to let them go but often the right course to take.
love
shabana x

 

[Haunted55]

Genilou, I am so sorry about Tunes.

 

[julie0477]

I'm very sorry