Ribh's D'Coopage

[Shadrach]

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.​

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One doesn't always see blood in droppings with coccidiosis in my experience.
I always have amprolium at hand and it's often the first thing I give when no obvious symptoms say different. Next it's worming. Stress and diet come next.

It is my belief that if one was to run a chicken knowledge check on most vets, even those who will see chickens and are well intentioned most would fail.

I hope Sorbet continues to recover.

 

[Ribh]

One doesn't always see blood in droppings with coccidiosis in my experience.
I always have amprolium at hand and it's often the first thing I give when no obvious symptoms say different. Next it's worming. Stress and diet come next.

It is my belief that if one was to run a chicken knowledge check on most vets, even those who will see chickens and are well intentioned most would fail.

I hope Sorbet continues to recover.

Thanks, Shad. Yes, I wormed also ~ basically running through all the obvious things. I do keep amprolium on hand but the last lot was pretty old so I bought new. I agree blood doesn't always show but it's almost always the 1st question I get asked, as if that then rules out even the possibility of coccidia, which it shouldn't of course.

@MJ is particularly lucky with her vet. It is frustrating when you pay good money only to find you have more idea than the vet does ~ & in my case, when you know you aren't that clued in to start with.

 

[BY Bob]

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.​

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I'm so very happy she is improving! That's wonderful

Yes, poop sign is not magical. But a simple float test would have been diagnostic. Did the vet not do one?

 

[BY Bob]

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.

What does expensive mean? It is one of the cheapest tests you can do based upon supply costs. It's literally so easy the vet could do it themselves in 5 minutes. There is nothing I know of that would make it expensive.

I'm getting mad because there is no reason for a simple test to be expensive and not used when it can save lives. Man I really hate vet care sometimes.

 

[BY Bob]

Thanks, Shad. Yes, I wormed also ~ basically running through all the obvious things. I do keep amprolium on hand but the last lot was pretty old so I bought new. I agree blood doesn't always show but it's almost always the 1st question I get asked, as if that then rules out even the possibility of coccidia, which it shouldn't of course.

@MJ is particularly lucky with her vet. It is frustrating when you pay good money only to find you have more idea than the vet does ~ & in my case, when you know you aren't that clued in to start with.

 

[RoyalChick]

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!

I remember that about you. And how you deal with whatever your cats gift you remains a mystery to me!

 

[LozzyR]

What does expensive mean? It is one of the cheapest tests you can do based upon supply costs. It's literally so easy the vet could do it themselves in 5 minutes. There is nothing I know of that would make it expensive.

I'm getting mad because there is no reason for a simple test to be expensive and not used when it can save lives. Man I really hate vet care sometimes.

Yes, our vet charges something like $70.00 for a fecal float. I think I should probably dose my girls; we’ve had quite a bit of rain and it’s humid. Angel stopped being broody after a week but she’s had another massive moult. She laid again today.

 

[Ribh]

I remember that about you. And how you deal with whatever your cats gift you remains a mystery to me!

The boys are indoor only cats now. The last indoor/outdoor boy would catch a bird, put a paw on it to stop it flying away & wait patiently for someone to find him & tell him what a good boy he was. Unlike the only female we ever owned who hid rats under my daughter's pillow. There was a lot of screaming I can tell you!

 

[Ribh]

Yes, our vet charges something like $70.00 for a fecal float. I think I should probably dose my girls; we’ve had quite a bit of rain and it’s humid. Angel stopped being broody after a week but she’s had another massive moult. She laid again today.

Yes. I don't remember what I was charged last time for a fecal float but I know it wasn't cheap & just the consultation cost me AUD$99 so the cost adds up pretty quickly.

 

[RoyalChick]

The boys are indoor only cats now. The last indoor/outdoor boy would catch a bird, put a paw on it to stop it flying away & wait patiently for someone to find him & tell him what a good boy he was. Unlike the only female we ever owned who hid rats under my daughter's pillow. There was a lot of screaming I can tell you!

My indoor cats regularly supply mice and on occasion a flying squirrel and once a rat. I feel like maybe my indoors is a bit to outdoors!