Ovarian Cancer Treatments?

[Elie And Her Flock]

I have come to believe that my hen has ovarian cancer. She's not laying anymore, but it still seems that she's in pain. If you look at some of my older threads posted, I have the symptoms listed. What can I do for her? Spaying seems cruel. How can I make her more comfortable and minimize her pain?

 

[Chickenhappy8708]

Take her to the vet to make sure, you may be able to slow or stop the cancer, or at least get some pain meds, that may give her a few more months. But you can't tell for sure without an ultrasound.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

IMHO there is nothing you can do. Especially if it is cancer. Humans have the advantage of millions of dollars of medical equipment and staffs available to them.
Chickens don't have that. There isn't a treatment for avian cancer.
The best thing you can do is humanely euthanize for a necropsy at your state poultry lab.
Then you will know exactly what is ailing the hen.

All that said, If you are a millionaire, there may be something possible to do.

 

[Elie And Her Flock]

IMHO there is nothing you can do. Especially if it is cancer. Humans have the advantage of millions of dollars of medical equipment and staffs available to them.
Chickens don't have that. There isn't a treatment for avian cancer.
The best thing you can do is humanely euthanize for a necropsy at your state poultry lab.
Then you will know exactly what is ailing the hen.

All that said, If you are a millionaire, there may be something possible to do.

Thank you for the reply! Say I did have enough assets to go through with some kind of crazy procedure - do you know of any out there? I can't find anything besides spaying which just seems cruel. My family trades legal work for vetrinary work and so we're very lucky to have pretty much unlimited vetrinary care.

 

[Chickenhappy8708]

Ok, I don't think spaying is cruel, as it would save her life, as far as I know, quality of life stays the same.

 

[Elie And Her Flock]

Ok, I don't think spaying is cruel, as it would save her life, as far as I know, quality of life stays the same.

I'll look into it. Thank you!!

 

[Travelsweety]

Ovarian cancer develops in almost 40% of chickens by the time they get to 2 or 3 years old. There is a study that strongly shows that a pinch of curcumin daily massively reduces the likelihood of your chickens developing cancer.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29089332/

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Ovarian cancer develops in almost 40% of chickens by the time they get to 2 or 3 years old. ...

I've never heard that nor have I experienced it.

 

[LaFleche]

Thank you for the reply! Say I did have enough assets to go through with some kind of crazy procedure - do you know of any out there? I can't find anything besides spaying which just seems cruel. My family trades legal work for vetrinary work and so we're very lucky to have pretty much unlimited vetrinary care.

To me this would not be a question of what might be possible to put her through (money or techniques etc.), so I would end her misery to prevent her from pointless suffering.

Chicken do not tolerate anesthesia well, most of them do not survive.

 

[Travelsweety]

I've never heard that nor have I experienced it.

I rescued 5 commercial laying hens, I'd loved and cared for them for 18 months of their retirement when one was diagnosed with ovarian cancer by the vet and euthanised, another developed the same symptoms 6 weeks later. I stumbled across this research as I was looking to prevent future problems.