Sick bird, please advise

[PennyMD]

Can anyone help? I have a one year old Speckled Sussex. For the last few months she's been very lethargic and pale, with diarrhea. We don't have a local vet that treats backyard poultry so I was hoping she'd improve. Today I noticed blood in her stool. Picture attached. I have a Tractor Supply nearby if anyone can advise a treatment... We have five other birds but none are showing any symptoms. Thanks.

 

[Eggcessive]

I can't tell if that is blood or a cecal poop that looks reddish brown. I'm sure you can probably tell the difference in person. Hemocult strips would be useful, LOL. Blood in the stools can be caused by coccidiosis, necrotic enteritis, and capillary (hairworm.) She has a lot of mucus and urates in her stool too. Coccidiosis can be treated by Corid (amprollium) in the water for 5 days. Dosage is 1 1/2 tsp per gallon of water. Enteritis can sometimes follow a chronic case of coccidiosis, and can be treated by antibiotics such as amoxicillin, Tylan, Aureomycin, and many others. Fenbendazole the active ingredient of SafeGuard Liquid Goat Wormer or the Equine Paste, given 1/4 ml per pound of weight for 5 straight days. It would be good to sweet talk a regular vet into just running a fecal float, since you could narrow it down. Give her some vitamins and probiotics between treatments, or when she is not on medicine.

 

[CarolynF]

I can't tell if that is blood or a cecal poop that looks reddish brown. I'm sure you can probably tell the difference in person. Hemocult strips would be useful, LOL. Blood in the stools can be caused by coccidiosis, necrotic enteritis, and capillary (hairworm.) She has a lot of mucus and urates in her stool too. Coccidiosis can be treated by Corid (amprollium) in the water for 5 days. Dosage is 1 1/2 tsp per gallon of water. Enteritis can sometimes follow a chronic case of coccidiosis, and can be treated by antibiotics such as amoxicillin, Tylan, Aureomycin, and many others. Fenbendazole the active ingredient of SafeGuard Liquid Goat Wormer or the Equine Paste, given 1/4 ml per pound of weight for 5 straight days. It would be good to sweet talk a regular vet into just running a fecal float, since you could narrow it down. Give her some vitamins and probiotics between treatments, or when she is not on medicine.

@Eggcessive , do you know if enteritis can be effectively treated with tetracycline hcl (duramycin-10)? If so, how many days?
Thank you.

 

[Eggcessive]

Have you taken in some droppings to get that diagnosed by a vet? The problem with enteritis is that it can be caused by different bacteria. Commonly it may be from clostridium perfringens, which is treated by many antibiotics such as Tylan, amoxicillin, tetracyclines (especially chlortetracycline) and others. Your vet could select the right one. Duramycin is a tetracycline drug. I have never treated it, only read about it. Others such as Nambroth, Michael Apple, and more have posted about what they have used. Enteritis frequently follows and outbreak of coccidiosis, and Corid could be used first. A fecal test would give a lot of information.

 

[CarolynF]

Have you taken in some droppings to get that diagnosed by a vet? The problem with enteritis is that it can be caused by different bacteria. Commonly it may be from clostridium perfringens, which is treated by many antibiotics such as Tylan, amoxicillin, tetracyclines (especially chlortetracycline) and others. Your vet could select the right one. Duramycin is a tetracycline drug. I have never treated it, only read about it. Others such as Nambroth, Michael Apple, and more have posted about what they have used. Enteritis frequently follows and outbreak of coccidiosis, and Corid could be used first. A fecal test would give a lot of information.

Thanks. A trip to the vet isn't in the cards, but I appreciate your input. Everything I can learn helps.

 

[Eggcessive]

Thanks. A trip to the vet isn't in the cards, but I appreciate your input. Everything I can learn helps.

Then, I would give her 5 days of Corid in the water, which is safe to also give the others. After a few days of poultry vitamins and a little plain yogurt, then I would give her 1/2 ml of Valbazen cattle and sheep wormer and repeat it in 10 days. Or give1 1/4 ml of SafeGuard Liquid Goat Wormer or the equine paste for 5 straight days. If she is no better after that, then I would use an antibiotic, such as oxytetracycline from the feed store, for possible enteritis. Here is a link to read about enteritis: http://www.thepoultrysite.com/publications/6/diseases-of-poultry/184/necrotic-enteritis/

Dosage is 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 tablespoonsful per gallon of water

 

[CarolynF]

@Eggcessive - Again, thank you. Having a specific plan is very helpful!
She was treated with fenbendazole (safeguard) a couple of months ago, 2 doses ten days apart. I'm assuming you're suggesting that for treating thread worms. Yesterday I started her on Duramycin-10 and it was suggested elsewhere to combine that with Corid as they are different types of medication. I haven't found anything on-line that would indicate they shouldn't be used together. Have you?

The information at the Poultry Site was where I began my search, looking at all the conditions that included diarrhea as a symptom. Enteritis seemed the closest, and because the most suggested treatment is penicillin type meds, I'll try amoxycillin if what I'm doing now doesn't work.