Saying goodbye to Daisy-In need of some support :(

[blondiebee181]

My poor, sweet little Leghorn hen Daisy used to be the perkiest, most boisterous little sassypants you ever did see. Last July she suffered her first case of what I believe to be egg yolk peritonitis, or something similar. She wouldn't lay, she wouldn't eat much or drink, she started to get thin, she had diarrhea, and spent most of her time moping in a corner of the run. I took her to an exotics vet who owned chickens and had experience dealing in their ailments...in my frantic search to figure out what was going on I also began a PM with Speckledhen, who I can't thank enough for her support. With some TLC and some antibiotics prescribed by the vet, Daisy seemed to make a good recovery, and even went back to laying eggs for a while. This July, her symptoms cropped back up again....not having money for another vet visit, I went down to our feed and farm supply store and picked up a water soluble antibiotic with the hope that at least I'm giving it my best shot...again, she seemed to bounce back a little. Her appetite and some of her spunk at least returned, even though she still hadn't laid an egg in a few weeks. I pulled her back off the meds and returned her to the flock again. For a few weeks she seemed to do okay, but in the past week she seems to be relapsing again. I tried putting her on the medicated water again, and even hand dosing her the first 5 days to make sure she was getting enough fluids...it's been 10 days with little improvement. I tried putting her back in with the girls to see if being with her buddies would perk her up, but she is now at the bottom of the pecking order, she gets bumped around by the others and spends most of the day in a corner of the run. If I let them out, she will peck disinterestedly at a few spots in the yard, but then she will find a corner and just stand listlessly watching the others happily gambol about. She eats a little, and drinks a little, but her breastbone is protruding more than I think it should, and her abdomen is swollen and warm....her poop is still runny, and her vent is all messy....I just can't stand it anymore, she isn't the same hen and I don't know what else to do, I know reproductive problems can be chronic and I don't want her to be in pain or unhappy...I made an appointment this morning to have her put down.....am I making the right choice?

 

[MargaretYakoda]

I am so sorry to hear your favorite is so ill.

I will skip the gory story, but... my parents once had a beloved cat that the vet had urged them to have euthanized. They didn't follow his advice and they regretted it very soon.

Point? If you're wondering if it's time, it's about 99.999% certain that yes, it's time. And you don't want to find out you should have euthanized, but didn't do so in time... You really, really don't want that.....

 

[N F C]

I'm sorry Daisy isn't doing well. That's always heartbreaking when one of our pets isn't doing well.

It sounds like Daisy has had a wonderful life with you and you have given her the best treatment possible (and yes, Speckled Hen is great). We have had to put down 2 of my girls due to various problems. With the first one I tried everything and left the decision way too long. Once we put her down, I wished I would have done it sooner so she wouldn't have been sick so long. But it never gets easier so you have to be sure that is what you think is best.

Sometimes our animals are ready to go before we are ready to let them go. We have to do what's best for them, even when that means ending their life.

Take care of yourself and know you did what you could.

 

[blondiebee181]

Thanks you guys...I'm just so crushed. I let her out today to have another run around the yard with the girls and she seemed to be having a good day. She has been very up and down lately, good days and bad ones, it makes me sick....but I would hate for her to really tank again and just continue to be up and down....it's just so hard to convince myself to do it.

 

[bigmomma85]

Is hard to see good chick suffer. Life full of pain is no life. Good luck!

 

[blondiebee181]

Taking her in at 5 today. Poor little girl. She won't be in pain anymore.

 

[bigmomma85]

Give nuzzle from me. Little liebchen, aka little sweetheart , will rest in peace.

 

[N F C]

Daisy deserves some peace. And give yourself a hug and pat on the back for helping her get some rest.

 

[blondiebee181]

Thanks guys, the vet was really nice. We buried her in the backyard under a shady tree.

 

[deacons]

So sorry for the loss of Daisy. Thank you for giving her the final gift of a peaceful passing.

I am approaching the same point with my little Goldie. I think she too has a reproductive problem and has been through ups and downs all summer. We're in a "down" right now and with colder days coming, I am trying to figure out when it's the right time so she doesn't suffer. Never easy.