Sick pullet- inflamed, crusty, pus filled, smelly left leg

[DPWPDX]

yea it's hard! she was the only pullet to survive (the rest were roosters who went to freezer camp) from my very first incubation and hatch and she came out of a beautiful dark brown egg so i was really hoping to get those eggs from her. she's eating and drinking - she loves eggs, so i scrambled some in the am and pm to make sure she's getting food, mixed it with some crumble and will add yogurt and grit to the mix.

with the unusual and extreme heat (a week with several days in a row of 104+, several weeks with 95+, last week with 106+, this week at 95+) up here in the PNW this spring and summer all the birds have had such a stressful time so that might be the main source of the immune suppression.

thank you all so much for the advice and understanding, i'll be getting the vaccinations and taking care of the babies in the flock (the adult birds were already vaccinated). :-( those silkies are gorgeous and i have a couple of beautiful olive egger pullets that i'm so excited to have grow up and i want to give them all the best chance to survive and thrive.

luckily i was a biology major so i'm not very squeamish and my roommate wants to be a nurse so she's gonna have to get used to all this.

i have so many feelings (sad, frustrated, determined, slightly asthmatic from the chicken living in my living room ....)

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I'm sorry to hear that prognosis.

I hope you are able to treat the leg, but if she does not make it, then sending her for testing/necropsy would be a very good idea. To verify Marek's tissue samples would need to be tested along with feather follicles. It's possible she may have something else like Mycoplasma synoviae that can affect the joints like that, but again, that's only a guess unless you get confirmation.

fwiw - do some research/reading on Marek's and how it behaves and what the vaccine can and cannot do for you. If this is what you are dealing with, any birds you have are already exposed. The vaccine prevents tumor formation, it does not prevent infection by the virus.

Here's more information to get you started on determining what course of action is best for you:
http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/the-great-big-giant-mareks-disease-faq
http://www.merckvetmanual.com/poultry/neoplasms/marek’s-disease-in-poultry
http://www.merckvetmanual.com/poultry/mycoplasmosis/mycoplasma-synoviae-infection-in-poultry

 

[DPWPDX]

yes thank you! - i've been spending a lot of time reading up on all of what you link to below. if she doesn't make it that's a great suggestion about necropsy - thanks again - i definitely thought it was M.S. too which is why i'm treating the infection internally and topically too. definitely the epsom salt bath seemed to help both the slightly sickly smell from the tumor area and the heat from her leg. :-(

I'm sorry to hear that prognosis.

I hope you are able to treat the leg, but if she does not make it, then sending her for testing/necropsy would be a very good idea. To verify Marek's tissue samples would need to be tested along with feather follicles. It's possible she may have something else like Mycoplasma synoviae that can affect the joints like that, but again, that's only a guess unless you get confirmation.

fwiw - do some research/reading on Marek's and how it behaves and what the vaccine can and cannot do for you. If this is what you are dealing with, any birds you have are already exposed. The vaccine prevents tumor formation, it does not prevent infection by the virus.

Here's more information to get you started on determining what course of action is best for you:
http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/the-great-big-giant-mareks-disease-faq
http://www.merckvetmanual.com/poultry/neoplasms/marek’s-disease-in-poultry
http://www.merckvetmanual.com/poultry/mycoplasmosis/mycoplasma-synoviae-infection-in-poultry

 

[Wyorp Rock]

definitely the epsom salt bath seemed to help both the slightly sickly smell from the tumor area and the heat from her leg

An odor does not sound too good. Can your vet prescribe something different for infection?

 

[Eggcessive]

It might help to soak the leg as needed with chlorhexidene or Hibiclens and warm water daily, then apply plain Neosporin or triple antibiotic ointment twice daily.Mareks is a common cause of tumors along nerves, on skin, and in organs of the body. Avian lymphoid leukosis is another virus that can cause tumors. Cancer can also without an underlying disease. So I would take Wyorp Rock's advice to get a PCR test for Mareks on the tumor done by your state vet or poultry lab with a necropsy. Many times they will euthanize at no extra cost, and some do 2-3 birds for the cost of one. You can find out details by contacting your state vet here in this link:
http://www.metzerfarms.com/PoultryLabs.cfm

 

[DPWPDX]

Well she seems to be doing better once I cleaned out the infected areas. Used triple antibiotic cream, sprayed with blukote and injected her with Tylan 50. She's eating and drinking (oxytetracycline in the h2o). Hope?

 

[Eggcessive]

I am so glad to hear that she is doing a little better, and hope she continues. Please update here of any changes. Thank you for posting.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I'm glad she is doing better, thanks for the update