Ruby’s Toe is Broken & Possible Ascites

[micstrachan]

Aww, it just breaks your heart. She really isn't feeling well! Can you tell if her abdomen as swollen? I know you hate to go anything that will add to her discomfort.

Yes, she’s a bit swollen. However, she alternated between doing that and acting somewhat normal. I have a call into an avian vet. Hoping she can be seen tomorrow. I would love to hear that it’s just her foot, but I don’t think so.

 

[micstrachan]

Ruby has an appointment with an avian vet at noon today. Will let everyone know how it goes.

 

[micstrachan]

It’s not good. At the vet right now. Ruby’s in the other room getting an x-ray. She has a solid mass. Vet was unable to drain fluid. She weighs just over 7 lbs, which is heavy for her. Will update in a bit.

 

[micstrachan]

There’s no diagnosis. We’re treating for infection just in case and see if she responds. Poor Ruby. She was quite the trooper. Several pokes with no relief. Glad I didn’t try it myself. She’s resting in the run now.

@casportpony, ibuprofen prescription was 0.8mL of a 20mg/mL suspension... about half of what I gave the other day. It starts tomorrow since she received an injection of anti-inflammatory (metacam) today.

The doctor hopes we can reduce the mass a bit. She might be a candidate for hormone implant, too. Trying one thing at a time. If she does not respond and continues to decline, I’ll reevaluate.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

There’s no diagnosis. We’re treating for infection just in case and see if she responds. Poor Ruby. She was quite the trooper. Several pokes with no relief. Glad I didn’t try it myself. She’s resting in the run now.

@casportpony, ibuprofen prescription was 0.8mL of a 20mg/mL suspension... about half of what I gave the other day. It starts tomorrow since she received an injection of anti-inflammatory (metacam) today.

The doctor hopes we can reduce the mass a bit. She might be a candidate for hormone implant, too. Trying one thing at a time. If she does not respond and continues to decline, I’ll reevaluate.
View attachment 1732216

I'm sorry Michelle. I hope Ruby responds to the medication.

 

[micstrachan]

Thanks. I’m a bit dubious and I think we all know where this is headed, but I had to give her a chance. If she declines quickly, I’ll probably have her put down. Don’t want her suffering more than necessary. I’m going to give the meds a few days. I’m pretty bummed. The heartache when they get sick is brutal. I hate this part.

 

[micstrachan]

@Hen Pen Jem, I’d like to hit her with colloidal silver, too. My neighbor healed his cat with it and she was in really bad shape. What dosage would you recommend? We’re treating for E. Coli, though she hasn’t been tested.

Ruby was in bad shape after the vet. Pretty traumatized, I bet. Now she’s pretty spunky and happy to be out foraging with her flock.

 

[Hen Pen Jem]

Greetings micstrachan,

Sorry to hear about your Ruby.

Colloidal Silver is very effective against E. Coli.

As you know, a dosage has not been established for Colloidal Silver use in chickens. So, I use the following.

• Colloidal Silver 1100 ppm, I use 5 drops, in a half gallon of water for hen to drink.
• Or, you can use a lower concentration of 20-30 pmm of Colloidal Silver and administer it without diluting. 2 drops or .1 mL, 2 times a day.

I have a hen, that was diagnosed with a tumor in early October 2018. The vet said she'd probably pass away by November. She stopped eating, drinking, and laying eggs. By end of October she became lame and was critically ill. I nursed her all Winter. I provided red light therapy/warmth of 68-70 degrees, daily. I also fed her a Hemp protein slurry, with coconut oil, Manuka honey, Ashwaghanda, and Liquid Hepato, 3-4 times a week. Colloidal Silver in the water when she was on a course of Doxycycline. Long story short, not only is she still alive, she is walking, running, jumping and laying eggs!

Was it the care she received, the red light therapy, the special herbs and supplements, or God's grace? All I can say, is she's truly a miracle hen.

God's blessings of good health, for your hen.

 

[micstrachan]

Greetings micstrachan,

Sorry to hear about your Ruby.

Colloidal Silver is very effective against E. Coli.

As you know, a dosage has not been established for Colloidal Silver use in chickens. So, I use the following.

• Colloidal Silver 1100 ppm, I use 5 drops, in a half gallon of water for hen to drink.
• Or, you can use a lower concentration of 20-30 pmm of Colloidal Silver and administer it without diluting. 2 drops or .1 mL, 2 times a day.

I have a hen, that was diagnosed with a tumor in early October 2018. The vet said she'd probably pass away by November. She stopped eating, drinking, and laying eggs. By end of October she became lame and was critically ill. I nursed her all Winter. I provided red light therapy/warmth of 68-70 degrees, daily. I also fed her a Hemp protein slurry, with coconut oil, Manuka honey, Ashwaghanda, and Liquid Hepato, 3-4 times a week. Colloidal Silver in the water when she was on a course of Doxycycline. Long story short, not only is she still alive, she is walking, running, jumping and laying eggs!

Was it the care she received, the red light therapy, the special herbs and supplements, or God's grace? All I can say, is she's truly a miracle hen.

God's blessings of good health, for your hen.

Wow, yes, I’d say she’s a true miracle hen!

 

[micstrachan]

Greetings micstrachan,

Sorry to hear about your Ruby.

Colloidal Silver is very effective against E. Coli.

As you know, a dosage has not been established for Colloidal Silver use in chickens. So, I use the following.

• Colloidal Silver 1100 ppm, I use 5 drops, in a half gallon of water for hen to drink.
• Or, you can use a lower concentration of 20-30 pmm of Colloidal Silver and administer it without diluting. 2 drops or .1 mL, 2 times a day.

I have a hen, that was diagnosed with a tumor in early October 2018. The vet said she'd probably pass away by November. She stopped eating, drinking, and laying eggs. By end of October she became lame and was critically ill. I nursed her all Winter. I provided red light therapy/warmth of 68-70 degrees, daily. I also fed her a Hemp protein slurry, with coconut oil, Manuka honey, Ashwaghanda, and Liquid Hepato, 3-4 times a week. Colloidal Silver in the water when she was on a course of Doxycycline. Long story short, not only is she still alive, she is walking, running, jumping and laying eggs!

Was it the care she received, the red light therapy, the special herbs and supplements, or God's grace? All I can say, is she's truly a miracle hen.

God's blessings of good health, for your hen.

Thanks for your detailed response. When you get a chance, will you run through the health benefits of all those items? Ruby isn’t eating much, but hasn’t stopped altogether. She is hesitant to eat anything but feed and what she forages for. Except millet. My girls go nuts for millet, and I use it to get them back into the pen from free ranging. Used sparingly, as not a great nutritional source.

I might start keeping Ruby in the hospital pen so can eat at her leisure. She’s already low in the pecking order. She always backs off if another hen approaches, even though I keep several feeders around.

So I was not great about following up with a full course of probiotic after treating Ruby for doughy crop last fall. If it’s an infection, could I have caused this? (It may also be cancer, which we’d know eventually.)