Please help! Pet chicken dying from pneumonia..

[sara1226]

I have a 3 year old Rhode Island Red that I found struggling to breathe when I got home from a funeral two days ago. I can tell there is fluid in her lungs because she is making gurgling sounds and slurping. Especially when she tries to put her head down to eat. I have even found bloody mucus she coughed up, on the side of her cage.

I have her warm in my house, separated from the rest, and I have a vaporizer going with vetrx in it. I have also given tylan 50 injections twice a day for two days at 1/2 cc. (She is about 5 pounds). Electrolytes, probiotics, oregano oil, acv, and vitamins in the water. Nothing is helping! Yesterday she was atleast walking around eating on her own, but now today she is just standing around sleeping, tail down. IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE I CAN DO?? Why isn't the tylan working? I read that pneumonia can be viral OR bacterial.. and if it's a virus antibiotics won't help.. but then what? So I just have to wait and see if she will die if it's viral??

This is one of my best hens. I sure hope someone has some advice, I am desperate to save her. I never expected to find her this sick when I got home.

 

[Eggcessive]

I would increase the Tylan 50 dosage to 1 ml twice a day. You can even give another 1/2 ml orally twice a day. Bloody mucus from the beak can be a sign of ILT, a viral disease. Usually there is bloody mucus slung all around the walls of the coop from shaking the head. It also can cause "pump handle respirations" as in the photo below. Avian inluenza, although rare can also cause blood in the sputum. The mucus is more likely in her airway or trachea. Chickens breathe through their air sacs, and although they have lungs, they usually get tracheal or sinus infections. Here is some reading about ILT, avian flu, and some of the other common respiratory diseases: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps044

Infectious Laryngotracheitis

Synonyms: LT, ILT, trach, laryngo
Species affected: Chickens and pheasants are affected by LT. Chickens 14 weeks and older are more susceptible than young chickens. Most LT outbreaks occur in mature hens. In recent years, LT has also caused significant respiratory problems in broilers greater than 3 weeks of age, especially during the cooler seasons of the year. This is believed to be due to unwanted spread of LT vaccines between poultry flocks.
Clinical signs: The clinical sign usually first noticed is watery eyes. Affected birds remain quiet because breathing is difficult. Coughing, sneezing, and shaking of the head to dislodge exudate plugs in the windpipe follow. Birds extend their head and neck to facilitate breathing (commonly referred to as "pump handle respiration"). Inhalation produces a wheezing and gurgling sound. Blood-tinged exudates and serum clots are expelled from the trachea of affected birds. Many birds die from asphyxiation due to a blockage of the trachea when the tracheal plug is freed (see Table 1).
Transmission: LT is spread by the respiratory route. LT is also spread from flock to flock by contaminated clothing, shoes, tires, etc. Birds that recover should be considered carriers for life. LT may be harbored in speciality poultry such as exhibition birds and game fowl.
Treatment: Incinerate dead birds, administer antibiotics to control secondary infection, and vaccinate the flock. Mass vaccination by spray or drinking water method is not recommended for large commercial or caged flocks. Individual bird administration by the eye-drop route is suggested. Follow manufacturers instructions. In small poultry flocks, use a swab to remove plug from gasping birds, and vaccinate by eye-drop method.

Avian Influenza

Synonyms: AI, flu, influenza, fowl plague
Species affected: Avian influenza can occur in most, if not all, species of birds.
Clinical signs: Avian influenza is categorized as mild or highly pathogenic. The mild form produces listlessness, loss of appetite, respiratory distress, diarrhea, transient drops in egg production, and low mortality. The highly pathogenic form produces facial swelling, blue comb and wattles, and dehydration with respiratory distress. Dark red/white spots develop in the legs and combs of chickens. There can be blood-tinged discharge from the nostrils. Mortality can range from low to near 100 percent. Sudden exertion adds to the total mortality. Egg production and hatchability decreases. There can be an increase in production of soft-shelled and shell-less eggs (see Table 1).
Transmission: The avian influenza virus can remain viable for long periods of time at moderate temperatures and can live indefinitely in frozen material. As a result, the disease can be spread through improper disposal of infected carcasses and manure. Avian influenza can be spread by contaminated shoes, clothing, crates, and other equipment. Insects and rodents may mechanically carry the virus from infected to susceptible poultry.
Treatment: There is no effective treatment for avian influenza. With the mild form of the disease, good husbandry, proper nutrition, and broad spectrum antibiotics may reduce losses from secondary infections. Recovered flocks continue to shed the virus. Vaccines may only be used with special permit.

 

[sara1226]

Thanks for the response. Those things don't seem to fit. There is no nasal discharge, no sneezing, no eye Bubbles... etc. this appears to all be in the lungs, as the only respiratory symptom is the raspy gurgling when breathing. I will up the tylan dose, but again if it is viral caused pneumonia this won't help correct?

 

[strangeanimal]

I would increase the Tylan 50 dosage to 1 ml twice a day. You can even give another 1/2 ml orally twice a day. Bloody mucus from the beak can be a sign of ILT, a viral disease. Usually there is bloody mucus slung all around the walls of the coop from shaking the head. It also can cause "pump handle respirations" as in the photo below. Avian inluenza, although rare can also cause blood in the sputum. The mucus is more likely in her airway or trachea. Chickens breathe through their air sacs, and although they have lungs, they usually get tracheal or sinus infections. Here is some reading about ILT, avian flu, and some of the other common respiratory diseases: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps044

Infectious Laryngotracheitis

Synonyms: LT, ILT, trach, laryngo
Species affected: Chickens and pheasants are affected by LT. Chickens 14 weeks and older are more susceptible than young chickens. Most LT outbreaks occur in mature hens. In recent years, LT has also caused significant respiratory problems in broilers greater than 3 weeks of age, especially during the cooler seasons of the year. This is believed to be due to unwanted spread of LT vaccines between poultry flocks.
Clinical signs: The clinical sign usually first noticed is watery eyes. Affected birds remain quiet because breathing is difficult. Coughing, sneezing, and shaking of the head to dislodge exudate plugs in the windpipe follow. Birds extend their head and neck to facilitate breathing (commonly referred to as "pump handle respiration"). Inhalation produces a wheezing and gurgling sound. Blood-tinged exudates and serum clots are expelled from the trachea of affected birds. Many birds die from asphyxiation due to a blockage of the trachea when the tracheal plug is freed (see Table 1).
Transmission: LT is spread by the respiratory route. LT is also spread from flock to flock by contaminated clothing, shoes, tires, etc. Birds that recover should be considered carriers for life. LT may be harbored in speciality poultry such as exhibition birds and game fowl.
Treatment: Incinerate dead birds, administer antibiotics to control secondary infection, and vaccinate the flock. Mass vaccination by spray or drinking water method is not recommended for large commercial or caged flocks. Individual bird administration by the eye-drop route is suggested. Follow manufacturers instructions. In small poultry flocks, use a swab to remove plug from gasping birds, and vaccinate by eye-drop method.

Avian Influenza

Synonyms: AI, flu, influenza, fowl plague
Species affected: Avian influenza can occur in most, if not all, species of birds.
Clinical signs: Avian influenza is categorized as mild or highly pathogenic. The mild form produces listlessness, loss of appetite, respiratory distress, diarrhea, transient drops in egg production, and low mortality. The highly pathogenic form produces facial swelling, blue comb and wattles, and dehydration with respiratory distress. Dark red/white spots develop in the legs and combs of chickens. There can be blood-tinged discharge from the nostrils. Mortality can range from low to near 100 percent. Sudden exertion adds to the total mortality. Egg production and hatchability decreases. There can be an increase in production of soft-shelled and shell-less eggs (see Table 1).
Transmission: The avian influenza virus can remain viable for long periods of time at moderate temperatures and can live indefinitely in frozen material. As a result, the disease can be spread through improper disposal of infected carcasses and manure. Avian influenza can be spread by contaminated shoes, clothing, crates, and other equipment. Insects and rodents may mechanically carry the virus from infected to susceptible poultry.
Treatment: There is no effective treatment for avian influenza. With the mild form of the disease, good husbandry, proper nutrition, and broad spectrum antibiotics may reduce losses from secondary infections. Recovered flocks continue to shed the virus. Vaccines may only be used with special permit.

these symptoms ( not all of them ) seem to be fitting on one of my hens , she has a sneeze and sometimes that kind of breathing , so should I be worried since all my hens use to do it and actually have never been sick from their meat nor their eggs and they always did just fine ? they ate and only when laying they looked a little bit like that with heavy breath ?