Salpingitis antibiotic questions

[SkyAJK]

I'm sorry you're going through this and my heart aches for you.

We lost a girl to Salpingitis earlier this year and it happened exactly as Coach723 describes, details and timeline -- all of it. I didn't know earlier on what the symptoms of Salpingitis were until we experienced it over time, it causes so many other problems for the bird.
We used the 60/40 rule. Was she having more good days than bad or more bad days than good. It's a simple method that helps us evaluate the "right" time for humanely saying goodbye - not that it ever feels right but it's about what's right for your girl.

Supportive care is important until the time you will know when it's no longer supportive. Best wishes to you.

Thank you for sharing

Yesterday she ate a bit of feed herself=improvement sign.
Pooped out 3 small shinny lash eggs=bad.
Poop is solid, light green colour and starting to look like a normal hen's poop = good

Yesterday was the 3rd day I gave her calcium tablet to push out whatever in her system - that was the idea in mind. I only want to give her 3 days of calcium, it is not stopped.

She dust bath, foraging for bugs and hanging out quietly. If she stopped working on my garden and sit still all day, then I know it is time.

For the time being, she will get 3 days of antibiotic, and the whole lots of other things as long as she continues to be interested in living.

I am preparing for how to let her go at home instead of going to the vet. I still working out that part - off with the head which I have not done before and I don't want to do the deed myself. Or let her slip away quietly without pain by administering CBD oil/Meloxicam. That part I am still doing research on BYC and the internet. Or the VET.

I am preparing for the worse and hoping for the best.

 

[coach723]

Not sure CBD oil/meloxicam would really be humane. Humane means as quick and painless for the bird as possible without suffering, not necessarily the easiest for us.
Cervical dislocation is usually considered the most humane, other than injection by a vet (which is medication that quickly and painlessly stops the heart).
I know the struggle with not wanting it to be "dramatic" or hands on.
I tried several methods (with sometimes very traumatic results) before settling on this one:
https://www.muranochickenfarm.com/2017/06/the-easiest-way-to-cull-chicken.html
In all honesty, no one LIKES to do it, but sometimes it is the kindest thing you can do, the last act out of love. I have found that the anticipation of it, the thinking about it before hand, is worse than the actual doing and the aftermath. Often after, there is just relief that they are no longer suffering. This method is about as goof proof as you can get, and once it's done you can walk away and breathe and gather yourself, before coming back and dealing with the remains. I have dedicated loppers that are kept sharp and clean, and are only used for this purpose. Whatever you decide, best wishes.

 

[SkyAJK]

Not sure CBD oil/meloxicam would really be humane. Humane means as quick and painless for the bird as possible without suffering, not necessarily the easiest for us.
Cervical dislocation is usually considered the most humane, other than injection by a vet (which is medication that quickly and painlessly stops the heart).
I know the struggle with not wanting it to be "dramatic" or hands on.
I tried several methods (with sometimes very traumatic results) before settling on this one:
https://www.muranochickenfarm.com/2017/06/the-easiest-way-to-cull-chicken.html
In all honesty, no one LIKES to do it, but sometimes it is the kindest thing you can do, the last act out of love. I have found that the anticipation of it, the thinking about it before hand, is worse than the actual doing and the aftermath. Often after, there is just relief that they are no longer suffering. This method is about as goof proof as you can get, and once it's done you can walk away and breathe and gather yourself, before coming back and dealing with the remains. I have dedicated loppers that are kept sharp and clean, and are only used for this purpose. Whatever you decide, best wishes.

Thank you Coach 723. I had read the link you attached.

I was thinking that 1 way for Mint is to let her slip away and with the help of stop the pain by way of administering CBD oil/Meloxicam...just one of the ways to go.

Also, I have watched many youtube on humanely cull a chicken. I want for all my chickens to go fast and painlessly. I had a few went at the VET and still I found them hard to stomach.

I do hope she pull through this illness, but I am preparing what to do when she is not. I am still thinking about it, and you are right it is very hard, certainly one one want to do this, but it needs to be done with kindness.

 

[Bawkbok]

Coach is an experienced chicken owner - I am not. I can attest to her comments of various methods.

For our first chicken death (being novices) we took her to a non avian vet who was willing to do it. It was suspected Marek's and she was in terrible condition. They did not allow us to go back with her. We had to leave her after examination until they could "get to her" in between other patients. They called a few hours later for us to pick up her remains. The cost was $250!! Twice more than for a dog. I know it was traumatic for her and expensive for us so I vowed never again to a vet.

The next couple of methods were so disasterous I won't even go into the details. The issue was I relied on someone else to do it for me as I was too weak and distraught mentally to deal with it. After those horrific experiences, I decided if I was going to continue down this chicken road, I would need to find my big girl pants and find a way to do this myself when the next time presented.

The next time was with the aforementioned Golden Comet we had with a raging case of Salpingitis. She developed other issues (crop, vent gleet) as a result of the infections. I loved her far too much to watch her suffer, knowing she was no longer enjoying being a chicken. Coach is correct in that the anticipation is a huge factor. I debated for days, which heightened my sense of anxiety. So, I scheduled it for a specific day and using the method in Coach's link, it was very fast for the chicken. I immediately walked away and came back about 20 minutes later to process her body. At that point, my science interested mind was able to perform an amateur necropsy in a pragmatic approach. Her final gift to me was the ability to learn from her body which enhanced my knowledge of chicken care. After taking care of her remains, it was then I allowed myself to grieve.

Also as Coach indicated -- we too have a very sharp set of loppers reserved for this purpose only. I have them hidden so they are not accidentally used in the yard. Having the loppers and a kill cone purchased in advance of the need is helpful.

I share this with you only because we are novices and if we can do this --- as is necessary when you have chickens --- you could to when the need arises. Chickens don't live very long lives so the need will one day present itself.

Enjoy your chicken for as long as you can. Best wishes.

 

[SkyAJK]

Thank you @Bawkbok for sharing your story

I shared your view that I must put on my big girl pant, I have chickens for many years now and more to come so I need to do this myself at some point. I am at that edge, just need that final moment to get there. Might be like you, I must set a day.

I had my previous chickens put to sleep at the VET, they let me held my chickens while they administered the medication. I see they were sleepy, I called their name and they tried to open their eyes, but it was heavy. After 10 minutes of that, the final medication administered and they turned purple and their heads dropped on my chest. I cried the river, the ocean, but I was glad that we were together in the last moment. As you mention, it is expensive going through this at the VET. Over here it is the same price as over there between A$200 - A$250. No consultant fee if the VET treated the chicken before, but if not, then consultant fee and the procedure fee.

My mint is digging my garden at the moment, she chases the butterflies so for now I will continue with treatment for her. She eats a little bit of feed this morning, poops normal hen's poop. Her tummy is not hot, same size as yesterday, but those lumps are still there and hard.