Please Help, hen with swollen eye and rattled breathing PICS

[Doc McCluckins]

I just noticed her like this last night. One of her eyes is about half swollen and she has a rattle in her chest. About a month ago I purchased a rooster from a local show and about a week after bringing him home he started exhibiting these symptoms. All poultry at this show were tested for Avian Flu (throat swab) and Pullorum (blood test) upon arrive. Including the rooster than was purchased and the hen who is now sick. After a few days he would not walk anymore and he just kind of crashed around like he had no control over his body. He also had some congestion. The vet prescribed the medicine pictured below and we administered it to him daily but it did not seem to help him any. I have treated the hens water with the medicine pictured and isolated her. I also ordered some Tylansin from the vet but they received injectable rather than powdered like I had hoped so I don't know if that will help or not. What can I do for her? She is the favorite of course.

 

[theuglychick]

Looks and sounds like possible mycobacterium gallisepticum. I had this show up in my flock and ended up having to cull a bunch of birds. Injectable tylan is the recommended method to treat it but I believe birds that recover will become lifelong carriers and have reduced fertility and egg production.

 

[Doc McCluckins]

Do you know how much Tylan and how to administer? Will she ever be able to mix back with my other birds? Do I need to treat the entire flock even if they aren't showing symptoms? If she makes it and is a carrier will she still be contagious? I'm off to google now so I may answer some of my own questions. I am so worries about her. She was just Grand Champion Featherleg at our last show. UGH

 

[theuglychick]

I found a PDF on treatment for MG
http://www.ecoanimalhealth.com/_images/news/aivlosin-poultry-mycoplasma-challenge.pdf

 

[theuglychick]

When I first ran into MG, I tried to treat it with flushing and eye ointments because I wasn't sure of what I was dealing with (young brahma cockerel). It showed up after a few weeks of rain. But the eye steadily got worse and began to bubble, leak, and eventually bleed and the skin peeled away.

By the time I got the tylan, It had no effect on him, as I was probably too late in treating him by the time I figured out what I was dealing with and I chose the oral route instead of injecting him like I should have. I culled him because he was suffering so much.

Then it spread to my ameraucana flock and affected 100% of my birds that came from one specific hatchery. We decided to cull them as well.

All of my birds free range and roost together and all we're in close contact with the infected birds, and the cockerel and 8 ameraucana (out of 26 birds) were the only ones who showed symptoms. No one else got it or has gotten it since. But we did remove all infected birds. My remaining birds egg production is high.

I, personally, would be hesitant to let her join the rest of the flock, especially knowing that she has it and that she will always be a carrier. If I wanted to keep her, I'd maybe islolate her with a buddy or two in a separate little flock (far) away from your main flock. I would also read up on hatching eggs from MG infected birds, as I believe they have to be heat treated to prevent MG from spreading to the chicks.

I don't want you to think that I'm trying to bum you out, just wanted to let you know everything I know about it to make the best decision for your situation. Also, if you sell to the public I'd hate for you to get a sick bird back.

 

[Doc McCluckins]

I'll plan on treating her with Tylan this afternoon and going from there. If she recovers I can keep her and a friend separate or may decide to cull. If her egg product doesn't stop I may research and see if we can safely incubate eggs from her without passing MG. Thank you for all your help. Not good news but at least maybe I can help her feel better. She is my daughters pet. It would be hard to loose her.

 

[theuglychick]

You're welcome, hoping the best for y'all!

 

[Doc McCluckins]

Update: yesterday evening when I checked in on her, her eye was barely swollen and there was no sound in her chest when she breathed. I did go ahead and give her half a cc of Tylan 200 intramuscular in the breast. I don't know if the medicine that was in her water made such a big difference or if it is just running its course but she was significantly better. I am going to continue the tylan today and tomorrow at least. Do you know if I can get her bloodtested to see if she does/did indeed have microplasma. I don't want to risk the rest of my flock if that is the case.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I'm sorry you're having trouble.

Mycoplasma is contagious and makes birds and those exposed, carriers for life, even if no other birds show signs of illness. It's transmitted both vertically and horizontally (bird to bird, dust, dander, clothes, shoes, etc. and through the egg). Testing is the only way to confirm whether or not you are dealing with Mycoplasma or some other respiratory illness. Check with your state lab to see what services/testing they have available. There are also independent labs that accept swabs for testing as well.

If you have her quarantined and are practicing bio-security between her and your flock, it's best to keep her there, have testing then decide what steps you need to take.

Keep us posted.

Mycoplasma
http://ucanr.edu/sites/poultry/files/201395.pdf
https://extension.umaine.edu/livestock/poultry/mycoplasma-gallisepticum-faq/

Common Poultry Disease:
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps044

Independent lab testing:
http://www.zoologix.com/

Find your state lab:
https://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_health/nahln/downloads/all_nahln_lab_list.pdf

 

[theuglychick]

That's GREAT news!!!

I do not know about testing procedures. But I would be willing to bet that your states USDA contact, or a local university's ag program could point you in the right direction. I think testing maybe different for each state.