Ribh's D'Coopage

[BY Bob]

Happy Caturday

It's sleepy time here.

 

[fuentemoon]

Merlin

 

[BY Bob]

Merlin
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What a cutie!

 

[Ribh]

OK, I'm just putting this out there. It may be helpful to someone or it may not.
As most of you know, I'm not a scientist. I just don't think that way so when I have a sick bird I don't do a clinical analysis & unless it's something super obvious its hit & miss or the vet. If the vet doesn't know it's very hit & miss.

Sorbet showed no sign of illness until she started staggering. Her stance was so weird I thought she was injured & when things didn't improve I took her to the vet ~ a very expensive exercise for zero result. The vet was clueless ~ & mind you, this woman keeps chickens too. Probably neurological...

So home we came & I was treating her as if it was a neurological thing & worrying because she was declining fast. So tiny & not half a chance @ life yet. It makes me so angry so I was stewing about it when I had a *God moment*. We've been getting daily thunderstorms & have had 10 days of torrential downpour. It's a breeding ground for coccidia.

So when I went to the produce store for feed I picked up some fresh Amprol & have been syringing that into her for the past few days. Today she has been eager for her yoghurt & water & is verbalising again after being absolutely silent for the past 48 hours. When I put her back in the cage this afternoon she was squwarky & able to prop on her feet for a short time. She's not out of the woods by a long shot but for the first time I'm feeling like she just might make it.

The thing is, even the produce store asked when I asked for the Amprol if there was blood in her poop. The answer is no. There's still no blood but it looks like coccidia is the culprit. Yes, I am treating everyone. The thing I want to highlight is symptoms for coccidia seem to not run true to form & Sorbet is not the first chicken I've had to show paralysis with no other symptoms. Always worth checking when all else fails.​

 

[ManueB]

OK, I'm just putting this out there. It may be helpful to someone or it may not.
As most of you know, I'm not a scientist. I just don't think that way so when I have a sick bird I don't do a clinical analysis & unless it's something super obvious its hit & miss or the vet. If the vet doesn't know it's very hit & miss.

Sorbet showed no sign of illness until she started staggering. Her stance was so weird I thought she was injured & when things didn't improve I took her to the vet ~ a very expensive exercise for zero result. The vet was clueless ~ & mind you, this woman keeps chickens too. Probably neurological...

So home we came & I was treating her as if it was a neurological thing & worrying because she was declining fast. So tiny & not half a chance @ life yet. It makes me so angry so I was stewing about it when I had a *God moment*. We've been getting daily thunderstorms & have had 10 days of torrential downpour. It's a breeding ground for coccidia.

So when I went to the produce store for feed I picked up some fresh Amprol & have been syringing that into her for the past few days. Today she has been eager for her yoghurt & water & is verbalising again after being absolutely silent for the past 48 hours. When I put her back in the cage this afternoon she was squwarky & able to prop on her feet for a short time. She's not out of the woods by a long shot but for the first time I'm feeling like she just might make it.

The thing is, even the produce store asked when I asked for the Amprol if there was blood in her poop. The answer is no. There's still no blood but it looks like coccidia is the culprit. Yes, I am treating everyone. The thing I want to highlight is symptoms for coccidia seem to not run true to form & Sorbet is not the first chicken I've had to show paralysis with no other symptoms. Always worth checking when all else fails.​

View attachment 3721046

I hope you are right. Good thoughts for Sorbet.

 

[Ribh]

I hope you are right. Good thoughts for Sorbet.

Thank you. I hope I am right too. She's definitely showing more signs of life than she has for the past few days.

 

[RoyalChick]

OK, I'm just putting this out there. It may be helpful to someone or it may not.
As most of you know, I'm not a scientist. I just don't think that way so when I have a sick bird I don't do a clinical analysis & unless it's something super obvious its hit & miss or the vet. If the vet doesn't know it's very hit & miss.

Sorbet showed no sign of illness until she started staggering. Her stance was so weird I thought she was injured & when things didn't improve I took her to the vet ~ a very expensive exercise for zero result. The vet was clueless ~ & mind you, this woman keeps chickens too. Probably neurological...

So home we came & I was treating her as if it was a neurological thing & worrying because she was declining fast. So tiny & not half a chance @ life yet. It makes me so angry so I was stewing about it when I had a *God moment*. We've been getting daily thunderstorms & have had 10 days of torrential downpour. It's a breeding ground for coccidia.

So when I went to the produce store for feed I picked up some fresh Amprol & have been syringing that into her for the past few days. Today she has been eager for her yoghurt & water & is verbalising again after being absolutely silent for the past 48 hours. When I put her back in the cage this afternoon she was squwarky & able to prop on her feet for a short time. She's not out of the woods by a long shot but for the first time I'm feeling like she just might make it.

The thing is, even the produce store asked when I asked for the Amprol if there was blood in her poop. The answer is no. There's still no blood but it looks like coccidia is the culprit. Yes, I am treating everyone. The thing I want to highlight is symptoms for coccidia seem to not run true to form & Sorbet is not the first chicken I've had to show paralysis with no other symptoms. Always worth checking when all else fails.​

View attachment 3721046

I hope it works out OK.
Actually your thinking is very scientific. Common things are common - so exclude common things before assuming it is something exotic, strange, or alien.

 

[ChicoryBlue]

OK, I'm just putting this out there. It may be helpful to someone or it may not.
As most of you know, I'm not a scientist. I just don't think that way so when I have a sick bird I don't do a clinical analysis & unless it's something super obvious its hit & miss or the vet. If the vet doesn't know it's very hit & miss.

Sorbet showed no sign of illness until she started staggering. Her stance was so weird I thought she was injured & when things didn't improve I took her to the vet ~ a very expensive exercise for zero result. The vet was clueless ~ & mind you, this woman keeps chickens too. Probably neurological...

So home we came & I was treating her as if it was a neurological thing & worrying because she was declining fast. So tiny & not half a chance @ life yet. It makes me so angry so I was stewing about it when I had a *God moment*. We've been getting daily thunderstorms & have had 10 days of torrential downpour. It's a breeding ground for coccidia.

So when I went to the produce store for feed I picked up some fresh Amprol & have been syringing that into her for the past few days. Today she has been eager for her yoghurt & water & is verbalising again after being absolutely silent for the past 48 hours. When I put her back in the cage this afternoon she was squwarky & able to prop on her feet for a short time. She's not out of the woods by a long shot but for the first time I'm feeling like she just might make it.

The thing is, even the produce store asked when I asked for the Amprol if there was blood in her poop. The answer is no. There's still no blood but it looks like coccidia is the culprit. Yes, I am treating everyone. The thing I want to highlight is symptoms for coccidia seem to not run true to form & Sorbet is not the first chicken I've had to show paralysis with no other symptoms. Always worth checking when all else fails.​

View attachment 3721046

Hello, Ribh!
Well, the diarrhea was one other symptom? If I've read back correctly. I agree with @RoyalChick , and wonder why the vet did not apparently suggest a fecal float to help eliminate coccidiosis as a possibility. Your course of amprolium is very scientific. Without the blood the vet would not do one? A float is not a sure thing, but would have been one more piece of evidence to consider.

Sorbet may be very dehydrated. That and failure to gain weight could also be early symptoms before she is seen shedding blood.

By the way your "God" moment is how a lot of scientists and inventors work at times - ruminating on the available evidence. Letting all the small and large noticed things mix together in the mind, waking and sleeping, with the small and large unnoticed things. Sometimes it gels and a good idea pops out.

 

[Ribh]

Hello, Ribh!
Well, the diarrhea was one other symptom? If I've read back correctly. I agree with @RoyalChick , and wonder why the vet did not apparently suggest a fecal float to help eliminate coccidiosis as a possibility. Your course of amprolium is very scientific. Without the blood the vet would not do one? A float is not a sure thing, but would have been one more piece of evidence to consider.

Sorbet may be very dehydrated. That and failure to gain weight could also be early symptoms before she is seen shedding blood.

By the way your "God" moment is how a lot of scientists and inventors work at times - ruminating on the available evidence. Letting all the small and large noticed things mix together in the mind, waking and sleeping, with the small and large unnoticed things. Sometimes it gels and a good idea pops out.

Hi @ChicoryBlue. No to the diarrhea being a symptom. That developed after I'd been shovelling water, vitamins & yoghurt down her throat for 24 hours & not really unexpected given her diet.

None of the vets round here routinely do fecal tests. You have to ask for one & they're expensive. Given the amprolium is a preventative as well as a cure I think that should have been suggested ~ especially given our present weather.

The weight loss & dehydration were the result of not being able to move around & get to the food & water. The inability to stand & move around was the 1st symptom & that is what has thrown everyone off & why I'm mentioning it. If I'd twigged earlier we would not be where we are now because all the things listed to watch for were missing. She wasn't lethargic, fluffed up or off her tucker. Until she suddenly keeled over there was nothing to suggest she was sick. I hate how chickens do that!

I don't think I was ruminating much. It was more like a lightening strike. A *duh!* moment, if you like.

Sorbet is still with us so we will proceed as we have begun.

Thank you for chiming in.

 

[Ribh]

I hope it works out OK.
Actually your thinking is very scientific. Common things are common - so exclude common things before assuming it is something exotic, strange, or alien.

lol You might not say that if you'd seen me dithering round but sound advice.

You are, however, talking to the woman who throws out the mouse trap with the mouse. I can't abide dealing with the bodies!