Possible tumor advice

[SrirachaSpice]

Update on sick chicken and advice

I was able to find a vet who would see my sick chicken last week and she suspects a tumor on her lower left side near her vent and left leg. Is it possible that this tumor is benign? Or is it possible that it’s not a tumor? We can’t do any exploratory surgery as she would not survive the anesthesia at her current weight.

This is the hen who lost weight and the vet said she’s emaciated enough that if my hen doesn’t show improvement soon she’d recommend putting her down. We have another appointment next week and she gave me Harrison’s recovery food in the meantime but does anyone have advice on foods/treatments that could help her put on more weight quickly? She’s still acting spunky enough that I don’t want to give up on her yet. (She’s wet in this picture from us washing her backside; she is kept in a dry environment otherwise). Thank you!!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Your other thread is linked below.
I don't see a tumor mentioned in the other thread.

Did the vet take an xray to see where the tumor was located and what it may look like?
I don't believe anyone can know if a tumor is benign or not without a biopsy.

Could be she has something going on with her gizzard, she may have a blockage in the intestines, tumor in the abdomen, internally laying, caseous exudes due to EYP or Salpingitis...there's so many things.

She didn't lose weight all in a day, so she shouldn't gain weight too rapidly. Give her the food recommended by your vet. If you wish to feed her something else, stick with poultry feed like chick starter or an all flock feed. Small treats of scrambled egg, fish (mackerel, sardines, tuna) or bits of meat can be given to boost protein.

It's good that she's acting spunky. I'd put her with her flock and let her chicken until she's unable to chicken anymore.

If you do lose her, please consider having a necropsy done through your State Lab or perhaps by the vet, but you will want to get a written report of the findings, so you know what the cause of decline was and what the tumor was. Often going through your State Lab will be more economical and thorough than going through your vet depending on where you live.




https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/sick-1-5-year-old-hen-help—what-to-do-next.1607622/page-2

 

[SrirachaSpice]

Your other thread is linked below.
I don't see a tumor mentioned in the other thread.

Did the vet take an xray to see where the tumor was located and what it may look like?
I don't believe anyone can know if a tumor is benign or not without a biopsy.

Could be she has something going on with her gizzard, she may have a blockage in the intestines, tumor in the abdomen, internally laying, caseous exudes due to EYP or Salpingitis...there's so many things.

She didn't lose weight all in a day, so she shouldn't gain weight too rapidly. Give her the food recommended by your vet. If you wish to feed her something else, stick with poultry feed like chick starter or an all flock feed. Small treats of scrambled egg, fish (mackerel, sardines, tuna) or bits of meat can be given to boost protein.

It's good that she's acting spunky. I'd put her with her flock and let her chicken until she's unable to chicken anymore.

If you do lose her, please consider having a necropsy done through your State Lab or perhaps by the vet, but you will want to get a written report of the findings, so you know what the cause of decline was and what the tumor was. Often going through your State Lab will be more economical and thorough than going through your vet depending on where you live.




https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/sick-1-5-year-old-hen-help—what-to-do-next.1607622/page-2

Thank you for your detailed reply, I appreciate it! The vet wanted to focus on her weight loss before worrying about the tumor/lump and I was preoccupied with that and forgot to mention it. I’m giving her the food recommended by the vet as well as layer crumble, oatmeal, mixed vegetables, and bananas. I also have her in the garage with a heat lamp and her favorite sister in the flock keeping her company.

The vet doesn’t want to do any sort of exploratory work at her current weight as she’s worried she wouldn’t survive it. I believe we are going to try for an X-ray at our appointment next week. If she passes from this I’ll definitely try to get a necropsy done but I’m really hoping it won’t come to that. Her energy is still low but improving which is why the vet said it wouldn’t be cruel to try and help her a bit longer.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I'd focus on her eating mainly her normal feed along with the recovery formula the vet gave you. Limit the veggies, fruit and oatmeal - choose 1 and give as a small treat.

Hopefully the vet can figure it out. Surgery is expensive and a lot of birds won't make it through anesthesia.

 

[SrirachaSpice]

I'd focus on her eating mainly her normal feed along with the recovery formula the vet gave you. Limit the veggies, fruit and oatmeal - choose 1 and give as a small treat.

Hopefully the vet can figure it out. Surgery is expensive and a lot of birds won't make it through anesthesia.

I’ll do that, thank you! I’m putting her back with the other chickens for now and while she’s not eating she’s purring which I’m hoping is a good sign.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I’ll do that, thank you! I’m putting her back with the other chickens for now and while she’s not eating she’s purring which I’m hoping is a good sign.

Keep me posted on how she gets along. I hope she improves.

 

[SrirachaSpice]

Keep me posted on how she gets along. I hope she improves.

Thank you, I will! She didn’t eat much yesterday until the evening but then she ate her special food when I added mealworms. Hoping yesterday was just weird and she had an appetite today.

 

[SrirachaSpice]

Keep me posted on how she gets along. I hope she improves.

Not as good as a real picture but the circled part is where the lump is on this sketch! The vet said she would have suspected it to be her gizzard except that it’s way too big considering how emaciated she is.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Not as good as a real picture but the circled part is where the lump is on this sketch! The vet said she would have suspected it to be her gizzard except that it’s way too big considering how emaciated she is.

I like the drawing!
Poor girl. It may be a tumor or some other material in the abdominal cavity, hard to know.

 

[SrirachaSpice]

Also was she tested for worms? Does she have access to free choice grit? I’ve had really skinny chickens get better after a good deworming (with real dewormer chemicals, not pumpkin seeds or natural dewormers). When I fed my hen with an intestinal problem tuna it made her crop block up so I would never do that again.

Her fecal sample did not show any worms; I originally was starting a SafeGuard deworming just to be safe but the vet said it probably wasn't the case. Her bloodwork was also perfect, just slightly low Ca+ since she hasn't been eating oyster shells as much as she's not laying. She does have access to granite grit and natural dewormers as well!