Possible Merek's Infection, Need Help Confirming, Please?

[MysteryChicken]

MSU is in East Lansing, and the path lab phone number is 517-353-1683.
Mary

Okay, I did look up location, & that's too far from where we live to get too right now. Thanks for the suggestion. There is an animal hospital close to where we live called Tawas Animal Hospital. Do you know if they'd do the test on my chicken?

 

[MysteryChicken]

 

[MysteryChicken]

I did have a baby chick that was no more then 4 days old that I believed to be a failure to thrive chick, but now I'm thinking it may have been something else. The chick shared the same brooder with my Cuckoo EE when she was a baby.

The baby chick had low energy, lethargic, breathing heavily with open mouth gasps, droopy wings, cold to the touch, weight loss, & sleeping alot. It fought hard, it was eating and drinking, it died 5 days later.

 

[Eggcessive]

That is the problem with a chicken dying. It could be almost anything, and hard to know without a necropsy or some sort of testing. AE stands for avian encephalomyelitis, a virus seen in young chicks 2-4 weeks old that cause tremors and neurological symptoms. Here is some reading about symptoms:
https://thepoultrysite.com/disease-guide/avian-encephalomyelitis-epidemic-tremors

 

[MysteryChicken]

That is the problem with a chicken dying. It could be almost anything, and hard to know without a necropsy or some sort of testing. AE stands for avian encephalomyelitis, a virus seen in young chicks 2-4 weeks old that cause tremors and neurological symptoms. Here is some reading about symptoms:
https://thepoultrysite.com/disease-guide/avian-encephalomyelitis-epidemic-tremors
View attachment 1878817

Okay thanks for the info.

Update on miscolored eye. I was going to get a picture, but didn't after closer inspection. It was an eye injury which gives me great relief. There's a scratch in the pupil, I tested if she can see with the eye, it reacts to light a little, so she's partly blind in that eye. I'm thinking she injured her eye on a screw, or something sticking out somewhere. Is there any type of antibiotic eye drops I can give her to prevent complications during healing?

 

[Folly's place]

It needs to be an ophthalmic ointment or drops, not any wound dressing. It hurts too!
Mary

 

[Eggcessive]

Okay thanks for the info.

Update on miscolored eye. I was going to get a picture, but didn't after closer inspection. It was an eye injury which gives me great relief. There's a scratch in the pupil, I tested if she can see with the eye, it reacts to light a little, so she's partly blind in that eye. I'm thinking she injured her eye on a screw, or something sticking out somewhere. Is there any type of antibiotic eye drops I can give her to prevent complications during healing?

You can only get a tube of antibiotic ointment or drops from a vet, unless younget the Terramycin Eye Ointment for sale at feed stores ($15) where it might be locked up. I just spent $30 on a tube of Neosporin ointment for my bloodhound who suffered a corneal abrasion. Ideally, ophthalmic drops or ointment is best, since it is sterile and for the eyes. In an emergency, I have used a brand new tube of plain Neosporin or Triple Antibiotic Ointment for a polish hen who had a severe peck wound to the eye on a Saturday afternoon. A tube of the generic is a couple of dollars, or a dollar at Dollar Tree. You might be risking infection by using the topical Neosporin, but it is up to you. We have had this discussion for many years on BYC.

 

[MysteryChicken]

It needs to be an ophthalmic ointment or drops, not any wound dressing. It hurts too!
Mary

The drops seem better.

 

[MysteryChicken]

You can only get a tube of antibiotic ointment or drops from a vet, unless younget the Terramycin Eye Ointment for sale at feed stores ($15) where it might be locked up. I just spent $30 on a tube of Neosporin ointment for my bloodhound who suffered a corneal abrasion. Ideally, ophthalmic drops or ointment is best, since it is sterile and for the eyes. In an emergency, I have used a brand new tube of plain Neosporin or Triple Antibiotic Ointment for a polish hen who had a severe peck wound to the eye on a Saturday afternoon. A tube of the generic is a couple of dollars, or a dollar at Dollar Tree. You might be risking infection by using the topical Neosporin, but it is up to you. We have had this discussion for many years on BYC.

Is the Ophthalmic drop available at the feed store, or will I have to swing by the vet tomorrow too pick some up?

 

[Eggcessive]

Feed stores will only have Terramycin ointment which is oxytetracycline. The only other thing they would carry is maybe Vetericyn eye gel or spray, which is not an antibiotic. If you have a vet, that would be the best bet.