Recent pet deaths, afraid more are on the way(EDIT: nvm, crisis over!)

[hudsonhousechicks]

Taking a fecal sample to a vet is a really good idea. It's relatively inexpensive and it's a good starting point for diagnosis. I would also suggest that it's not something in the air but perhaps a bacteria carried on your shoes. In vet offices where I've worked anyone that has been working with animals that are contagious have to walk through a disinfectant for their shoes before leaving the area. I hope the worst is behind you and I'm sorry to hear about the trouble you are having.

 

[lanimilbus]

I called and talked to three state vets; none of them seemed too concerned about it and said even if the chicks that died did have Pullorum, they doubted it was the cause of death or illness for any of the other animals-- they also said that if I really wanted they could test one of the chicks anyway though. However, their method of testing involves killing the chick first and then doing a necropsy, something I am not willing to do if not absolutely necessary...I've had too many deaths already, I don't want to be the cause of another, especially if it isn't needed.

After that I called my vet again and asked if they could test for it, which they said they could, but only with a blood sample, not a fecal sample. When I asked if they could get a blood sample without having to kill the chick first she told me she didn't know (the vet was gone by that point). I was getting the information from a secretary who in turn was getting the information from a vet (you apparently can't talk to the vets directly for some reason) and the secretary had never heard of Pullorum so I'm not totally sure how reliable the info I got was, but I did get a number for a state university that apparently does these kinds of tests on a daily basis so I'll call them when they're open on Monday and see what they say. I'm hoping they're able to do it without needing the chick to be dead first.

Does anyone here know anything more about testing for Pullorum? Is it absolutely necessary that the bird needs to be dead in order to perform the test? And if not, is there really no other way to test for it other than with a blood sample? I don't see how or where you could draw blood from those little chicks without causing some kind of serious damage, but then again I'm no expert with this stuff.

Finally, on a positive note, the initial reason I posted this thread (the two adult hens that looked very sick) seems to have mostly resolved itself. The Golden Lakenvelder has her eyes completely open now and looks fine; the Red Star still looks a little funny and her eyes still aren't fully open and her butt isn't fully clean either but she still looks better than before. Still have no idea what was going on with them that day, but whatever it is, it appears to be getting better.

 

[easttxchick]

I had my flock tested in July for Pullorum and Typhoid -simple, quick, painless blood test.
What state do you live in? Have them test an older bird-not a chick.

 

[lanimilbus]

Quote:
Where did they draw the blood from? Also, did they test all of your birds or just one?

The chicks have been isolated from the older chickens since day one; the chicks have been in a brooder inside the house while the chickens have been outside in a coop. And given the descriptions I've read of Pullorum, I don't think the older chickens would be or have been infected with it since it was just those three newly-hatched chicks that were exhibiting the symptoms and they were only ever in with the other chicks, not anywhere near the chickens.

Btw I'm in Maine