Salpingitis? Calcium? Antibiotics?

[specklesmom]

Yesterday morning an egg was found under roost with no shell or membrane. By afternoon Blondie, 2 year old Buff Orpington, was definitely sick....back hunched up, little interest in treats, lethargic.....totally different from her normal behavior. She was first to go into the coop yesterday evening and settled into a nest instead of getting on the roost. At 11:00 last night I read that Calcium might help and managed to get half a Calcium Citrate + Vitamin D table down her throat before putting her in the laundry room inside a crate for the night. This morning I found a bit of some normal looking poop but also small a cheese looking clump. I smashed up a calcium tablet, mixed it with some water and was able to get a small amount down her throat. Added smashed calcium to a scrambled egg and she ate a bit of this and drank some water. She looked a bit better and I decided it would be best to return her to the flock. When she went into the run she drank a good bit of water, possibly a sign of Salpingitis? She is still obviously ill. I have a call in to an avian vet I have seen with my 22 year old Cockatiel, but the office is closed now and, although I was told the vet would be given the message asking for a call, I'm not sure if I will hear anything until Monday. From what I've read Blondie will need antibiotics. Her vent was normal lookig yesterday afternoon, but this morning it was red, dry and seemed irritated. I applied KY jelly type gunk to her vent. Maybe I should have sprayed it with Vetericyn instead....The only antibiotic I have is Duramycin-10 (Tetracline Hydrochloride soluble powder), but it has an expiration date of 3-20. All the antibiotics I have searched for online require a prescription. This chicken is a much loved pet and anyone who can offer information or advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!!

 

[Eggcessive]

That does look like lash egg material from salpingitis. Can you cut it open? I would give her a total of 600mg of calcium with D each day for a few days. Just pop the tablet into the back of her throat. You can get amoxicillin for fish online and possibly at a pet or feed store. It is called Aqua Mox or Fish Mox, and dosage is 250 mg twice a day for 7-10 days. Some also use enrofloxacin 10% liquid, 0.25 mg for a 5 pound chicken twice a day for 5 days. That is found online for pigeons without a prescription, but just so you know, it is not approved for chickens. It is like human cipro, and some vets do quietly treat chickens with it. Here is some reading:
https://the-chicken-chick.com/salpingitis-lash-eggs-in-backyard/

https://jedds.com/products/enrofloxacin-10

 

[specklesmom]

Enrofloxacin is an antibiotic. It is available online in the 10% liquid, as I posted earlier, see post 2 for the link. It would be better for salpingitis, but Aqua Mox is okay too. Here is a link for the Aqua Mox:
https://www.allivet.com/product/aqu...wINhq5KbMAs8F48mB2nq3-zHytYSCjOsaAvF0EALw_wcB

Thanks, Allvet is where I ordered the amoxicillin but it won't arrive until probably Tuesday. I'm definitely leaning to just taking her to the Emergency vet place so she can get started on antibiotics immediately.

 

[specklesmom]

That’s great. Just a heads up, the avian vet is unlikely to prescribe enrofloxacin. I would push/ask for it and say you are willing to sign something saying you will not eat the bird nor the eggs. My inderstanding is that enrofloxacin is “not indicated in poultry” because of the possibilty of causing human resistance, but I could be mistaken. If they refuse, ask what they think about doxycycline. Let them know you’ve done your homework and you understand salpingitis needs something strong.

Amoxicillin is gentler on the stomach, but not as strong.

So, the "exotic specialist" vet is doing x-rays and blood work to see about blood calcium levels and if her body is able to process calcium appropriately. I was given the lecture about the illegality of certain types of antibiotics for use with poultry. He says Blondie was in pain when he examined her so she needs pain medication and she is dehydrated as well. He is supposed to call again when they have the results of testing.....I'm hoping she is going to have a decent chance to recover. I think he initially thought I was some kind of ding-bat who didn't know chickens need oyster shell.........

 

[micstrachan]

So, the "exotic specialist" vet is doing x-rays and blood work to see about blood calcium levels and if her body is able to process calcium appropriately. I was given the lecture about the illegality of certain types of antibiotics for use with poultry. He says Blondie was in pain when he examined her so she needs pain medication and she is dehydrated as well. He is supposed to call again when they have the results of testing.....I'm hoping she is going to have a decent chance to recover. I think he initially thought I was some kind of ding-bat who didn't know chickens need oyster shell.........

Did he confirm salpingitis? Did he prescribe any antibiotic at all? Calcium is great, but it will do ZERO for salpingitis. Glad he’s prescribing pain meds. Is it meloxicam? That is also for inflammation, so double benefit.

If he does not prescribe antibiotics, you might consider administering, anyway. I not in a position to give veterinary advice, but I feel very confident she needs them. I feel ny avian vet would, too,

 

[Eggcessive]

Did he confirm salpingitis? Did he prescribe any antibiotic at all? Calcium is great, but it will do ZERO for salpingitis. Glad he’s prescribing pain meds. Is it meloxicam? That is also for inflammation, so double benefit.

If he does not prescribe antibiotics, you might consider administering, anyway. I not in a position to give veterinary advice, but I feel very confident she needs them. I feel ny avian vet would, too,

The calcium is probably for the shell-less egg that was found. She is also eating layena feed. If her calcium level is normal, then she may have a problem with her shell gland.

 

[Eggcessive]

She is getting amoxicillin on Tuesday. The vet may still prescribe enrofloxacin or something else in the meantime. I gave a link for where to buy it on her own in post 2.

 

[specklesmom]

Did he confirm salpingitis? Did he prescribe any antibiotic at all? Calcium is great, but it will do ZERO for salpingitis. Glad he’s prescribing pain meds. Is it meloxicam? That is also for inflammation, so double benefit.

If he does not prescribe antibiotics, you might consider administering, anyway. I not in a position to give veterinary advice, but I feel very confident she needs them. I feel ny avian vet would, too,

He prescribed Trimethoprim-Sulfa, Metacam, and Calcium Glubionate. Radiologist will read x-rays tomorrow but no internal egg was shown, although he said he saw some small opaque area in lung. I haven't seen any issues with her respiration. He said she was dehydrated. I took her in around 10:00 this morning and although he told me she was dehydrated when he saw her around noon they did not do any treatment until 5:00 or so. At that time he suggested I hospitalize her so they could do IV hydration, but also gave me the option of sub-Q fluids so I could bring her home, which I chose. I would have thought they would have immediately done something about hydration. When I picked her up I asked if she had eaten anything all day or had drunk any water. No one had observed her take food or water, but she did poop. They had sedated her----maybe for x-rays (?) and she looked worse than when I took her in this morning. He did not give me any diagnosis but said the infection was secondary to some other issue, possibly the radiologist's report might give more information. He is supposed to e-mail me some paperwork tomorrow. Blood work showed no problems with low calcium but that might be because I was able to get her to take some Calcium Citrate with Vitamin D. Also no issue with her ability to utilize calcium. I had taken the cheese looking blob in along with a poop from last night. No comment from him about either. When I got her home she did eat a small amount of wet Layena along with some dry oatmeal and a small amount of the wild bird seed I give for treats. I know she needs to eat only Layena but I was glad to get her to eat anything. Could not get her to drink water. Very difficult to get the portion of antibiotic tablet down her throat and she fought the liquids as well..........She is supposed to take 1/4 of the antibiotic pills twice a day for 14 days. Thanksgiving plans are going to be difficult; I'm supposed to drive my 91 year old Mom, who has dementia, down to my brother's place south of Houston...a 9 hour trip. I'm already hauling the 22 year old Cockatiel because if I leave her here she won't eat while we're gone. I'm going to see about possibly boarding Blondie with the avian vet I tried to contact on Friday afternoon when she first got sick. Today's bill was $1, 130.94. I told my husband this will be my Christmas, anniversary, birthday, Valentine's Day, etc. for the next few years.....I just hope she will get through whatever is going on.She is exhausted and so am I.

 

[micstrachan]

I'll have to read about shell gland problems......It seems strange that she was so normal and then suddenly Friday evening she was just totally changed in her behavior. From zippy to zapped. If the cause of the infection is egg yolk peritonitis does she have any chance of recovery? The vet seemed to think the opaque area (cancer?) could be a cause. Is the antibiotic the ER vet prescribed effective at all? I asked him about Baytril, told him we would never, ever consider eating my dear pet and certainly will toss the eggs but he said he didn't want the FDA on my doorstep. I think I could get Baytril at the local farm store tomorrow. When I went there yesterday I didn't recognize the generic name and they told me it was only an anti=inflamatory so I didn't realize it was actually an antibiotic. Ampicillin is supposed to arrive on Tuesday. Could cancer cause an infection? Wouldn't she become more gradually ill instead of suddenly going downhill so quickly? I found out the vet who saw her is actually an intern........who works at the hospital where he suggested I move Blondie so she could get IV hydration.

I don't know what I'm going to do about Thanksgiving. We're driving my 91 year old Mom, who has dementia, to my brother's place south of Houston....a 9 hour drive. We'll be gone two nights. Either my husband will have to stay here and do the medication , which is difficult, or we'll have to see if we can board her with the avian vet who has taken care of my Cockatiel. I told him we could take her with us to my brother's place and I'd set up a recovery area in the back of our Suburban while there....But, nine hours with my poor Mom asking the same questions over and over plus the smell of chicken poop doesn't sound like a situation which would inspire genuine feelings of thankfulness........

What a rough time you were having. How bad is she? I’m wondering if you should wait to start the antibiotics until after you return.

I don’t know the answer to your question. I had a hen who is treated with antibiotics, anti-inflammatories, and hormone implant for years. Three years, actually. The antibiotics were just a couple times here and there. In the end, she ended up having advanced ovarian cancer that had spread to a bunch of organs. I don’t think cancer causes infections, but these poor hens are so prone to reproductive issues, it’s certainly possible they could have both at the same time.

 

[specklesmom]

Thanks for the response! I'm trying to locate a place where I could pick Aqua Mox up. Online will take at least until 11-22......