Rooster on antibiotics (vet prescribed) but still comb is flopped over and turns pale

[theroosternamedrooster]

less than 2 weeks ago, out of nowhere, he started having breathing problems and was lethargic. He lost weight and his comb flopped over which it’s never done before. It is usual for it to darken at night when he wants to go to bed, but lately it has been turning pale as well, and remains flopped over. He was struggling to breathe, *only at night*, open mouth, stretched out neck, and it sounds like there is fluid or bubbles throughout - like he has been “burping” and has internal sounds of indigestion.

His crop wasn’t fully emptying, still isn’t, but there is no smell at all to his breath. I took him to the vet and they did a bacterial and fungal culture. She gave me antibiotics and a week later said he has staph so the antibiotics should help.

However, when I look at posts about staph, it has nothing to do with breathing or a flopped over comb.

Can anyone help? I’ve been giving him his regular feed, plain yogurt, electrolytes, nutri drench, vetRX at night, and the antibiotics. He is my only chicken and my sweet little man. He is as important to me as my dogs are. I just want him better.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Can you get video of him? Upload video to Youtube and provide a link.

Where are you located in the world?

What antibiotic are you giving and the dosage?

Was a fecal float done to see if worms and/or Coccidiosis are part of the problem?

What's his poop like?

How old is he?

What do you feed?

If the crop is not emptying, that needs to be addressed. Read this article:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/

 

[dawg53]

Consider giving him an Epsom Salt flush.
Mix one teaspoon Epsom Salts into a cup of water. Use a syringe without a needle, draw up 5ml of the liquid and give it to him orally, 1/4ml at a time. No more than that or he might aspirate. Do this 2-3 times a day for 2 to 3 days.
Stop the antibiotics when you do this in order to look for improvement by the third day. If there's no improvement, continue with the antibiotics.

 

[theoldchick]

He could have a fungal infection and needs to be reevaluated by your vet.

 

[dawg53]

He could have a fungal infection and needs to be reevaluated by your vet.

That's what I was thinking. That's why I recommended the Epson Salts flush.

 

[theroosternamedrooster]

Can you get video of him? Upload video to Youtube and provide a link.

Video of his breathing at night

Audio of his breathing at night

Where are you located in the world?

Los Angeles, CA. He lives in the house with me and hangs outside on the porch when I am also outside. He takes regular dust baths.

What antibiotic are you giving and the dosage?

Doxycycline 25mg/5ml - giving 2.5ml twice a day, almost done with the full 7 days

Was a fecal float done to see if worms and/or Coccidiosis are part of the problem?

The vet did not do one, but before going in, I did my own DIY one. I showed the vet and she said “all debris”. I’m skeptical. Here are two links to my microscope pictures:

Regurgitation
https://reddit.com/r/phycology/s/65w722bc8s
Fecal
https://reddit.com/r/Parasitology/s/gzohWP445n

What's his poop like?

Currently mucusy, watery, mostly white with small bright green mounds and occasional yellow, I will attach pictures

How old is he?

5 years old

What do you feed?

• food: manna pro all-flock crumbles 16% protein mixed with a little bit of extra virgin olive oil, rooster booster vitamins, and ACV, plain greek yogurt, blueberries, and he is otherwise extremely picky - won’t eat eggs, other fruits, veggies or greens unless it’s occasional pieces of grass
• Treats: meal worms occasionally and his favorite is a seed mix containing white millet, Pearl millet, proso millet, red millet, sunflower seed kernels, hemp
• Electrolytes in water

If the crop is not emptying, that needs to be addressed. Read this article:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/

Ive read this and have it bookmarked. His crop is not sour smelling, it nearly empties but not fully at night, feels like small amount of liquid inside come morning

Also:
- I treat for mites; he has none.
- I’m waiting on the fungal culture to see if he has a fungal infection, vet says she sees no fungal in microscope pictures

 

[theroosternamedrooster]

Can you get video of him? Upload video to Youtube and provide a link.

Where are you located in the world?

What antibiotic are you giving and the dosage?

Was a fecal float done to see if worms and/or Coccidiosis are part of the problem?

What's his poop like?

How old is he?

What do you feed?

If the crop is not emptying, that needs to be addressed. Read this article:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/

I don’t know if my reply went through to you. I replied to your questions

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I'd try treating for sour crop/yeast/fungal infection if there's still liquid in the crop in the morning.

Does he normally roost at night? That may be helpful.

 

[Eggcessive]

The yellow urates could be liver problems or E.coli infection. The folks helping are very knowledgeable.

 

[theoldchick]

Fungal infection can also include the lungs and air sacs which does not require a epsom salt flush. This rooster is having respiratory/cardiac difficulties and needs to be handled with care. Avian patients that come into a veterinary clinic with these symptoms are put in an oxygen cage, allowed to stabilize, and then a physical exam will ensue. The fecal images do reveal typical debris that are non diagnostic (good photos though!). The yellow urates are worrisome as this indicates the liver is stressed. I would contact the vet and update him/her on your rooster's condition.