Rickets

[Nambroth]

Sorry for the short post last night. Was checking my messages before bed on my phone (I'm way too addicted to chickens) and saw this.

How is she doing today?

If she were mine, I'd give her vitamin supplements at this point. I will say that I do not know of the interactions of vitamin D in the uptake of these other vitamins-- you may want to call your vet and ask. However, it's important to know that some vitamin deficiencies CAN cause leg paralysis/weakness. Look at it this way... if it's Marek's, there is little you can do beyond supportive care. So may as well see if vitamins help her, right?

Here's a post I made in another thread, in case it helps: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...e-wing-very-unbalanced-stiff/10#post_11756621

Okay! Take a deep breath.

The photo and the symptoms you are describing do sound like Marek's, but it CAN be other things. The fact that she's been exposed to other birds, especially at a fair, is obviously a big disease vector, since Marek's travels on chicken dander-- which is everywhere at a show/fair. The best thing to do is to keep biosecurity at this point in case it is Marek's, but explore other possibilities.

The one good thing is that she's been like this for two weeks you say? With the leg paralysis? That suggests it might not be Marek's, because usually once they develop paralysis they have tumors and (sadly) they don't last long after that. It tends to be an aggressive lymphoma.

What is her diet like? Sometimes vitamin deficiencies can manifest as paralysis or weak limbs. It may be worth exploring Vitamin E (most importantly considering her symptoms) and Vitamin B complex (that contains B12) vitamin supplements. Selenium when used in conjunction is generally thought to be beneficial for uptake/absorption. Here's some reading: http://www.merckmanuals.com/vet/pou..._poultry/vitamin_deficiencies_in_poultry.html
This page describes the symptoms you have mentioned, and has some dosing information at the end for Vitamin E... http://www.poultrynews.com/New/Diseases/Merks/207020.htm
More dosage: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/380235/vitamin-e-dosage#post_4600002

As vitamin E is fat soluble, please be sure not to overdose as they can end up causing other problems if they build up too much in the hens' body.

After some discussion with another user on yet another thread (which I can't find at the moment), it was suggested that B-complex (especially B12) might be AS important as vitamin E.

I hope this is of some help!

 

[genilou]

Hi Nambroth,
Thanks so much for being there, this must be hard after you lost Trousers. I thought she was a little better yesterday, seemed to want to stand more & to be stronger but she stopped wanting to eat or drink, which I imagine is a strong sign she doesn't want to live. She's much the same this morning as she has been the last couple. I haven't really been able to get her to drink anything. I've been giving her nutritional yeast for the vitamin B, but I've also got some water soluble people ones I'll try her with. I wa relying on others to get poultry vita,ins yesterday (I won't leave her) and they didn't come through but I'll read through those threads you posted & maybe just get some from the shops. I'm not very hopeful for her st this stage, it just seems too much for her little body to overcome.
EDIT: I just read those posts. I've dissolved a water soluble vit b12 tablet & am figuring a way to get it into her. Tom will go to the shoos and get vit e capsules as soon as they open and we'll try that too. We made a sling for her last night so she could be more comfortable and still move her legs if she wants to. She stayed on our laps all evening but I'll try it today, she might like bring in a different position and it will give her knees/elbows/cute yellow knobbly bits a rest. If we do lose her I don't want to think there was anything else I could have done. Thanks again.

 

[Nambroth]

No problem, it's so tough when they are like this! You feel so helpless. I understand how you must feel very deeply. We get so attached to these wonderful birds!

This won't really change the situation any, but if I may ask, does the vet you went to specialize in avian medicine?

 

[genilou]

Hi Nambroth,
Yep, he's an avian vet & sees 3-5 chickens a day. He really thought it was vit D deficiency stopping her absorbing calcium because of her crazy laying, but she really should have improved by now if that's the case. He said to leave it to the weekend and see how she is. I reckon she'll be the same,depending on how much food I can get I to her today. It's pretty devastating.

 

[casportpony]

Here's an interesting arcticle on calcium:
http://avianmedicine.net/content/uploads/2013/03/calcium.pdf

-Kathy

 

[genilou]

Thanks casportpony. She went a bit crazy laying a couple of weeks ago (she only started a week before that) and was laying an average of about 10 eggs a week, 3 or 4 of which had soft shells, and I was giving her a calcium supplement which made him think her wobbly legs were because of a vitamin d deficiency. She had a shot on Monday and its Friday now, so she really should have improved by now if that's what it was. He said she wouldn't be in any pain, but I can't see how she could be comfortable. Her neck's all tucked and I'm worried about muscle cramps. She still looks around. She's very quiet. Usually she's causing chaos & talking about it. She also tries to preen and misses all her feathers.

 

[genilou]

Tunes has her appetite back! She just ate a good breakfast