Sick SLW- 7 months old- nothing is helping

[Eggcessive]

We hope that you didn't have any power outtage in the ice storm. Is Velma feeling any better?

 

[STaggart]

We hope that you didn't have any power outtage in the ice storm. Is Velma feeling any better?

Oh, I am thankful the power did not go out. It's been cold and icy, but still have power! Velma is.... I'm not sure... she is gaining small amounts of weight from the tube feeding and will eat and drink small amounts on her own. She is still emaciated looking; however, she is moving around a bit. Shes got one day left on the metronidazole and she is still looking ill. She has started to scratch her head excessively (so I put some Vaseline on her comb and wattle- not sure if this will help?) and she is still favoring the one swollen eye by keeping it closed. She has developed a pretty big knot on one of her wattles; on the back side of it. I am not sure if this is from the scratching or from something else. I have ordered Baytril and I am waiting on it to come in any day now. Until then I am not sure what else to do or try with her. I do wonder if her E.coli levels are out of whack due to everything (as you had once stated). If they are is there anything I can do, that you or anyone else knows of, until I receive the Baytril?

 

[Eggcessive]

Oh, I am thankful the power did not go out. It's been cold and icy, but still have power! Velma is.... I'm not sure... she is gaining small amounts of weight from the tube feeding and will eat and drink small amounts on her own. She is still emaciated looking; however, she is moving around a bit. Shes got one day left on the metronidazole and she is still looking ill. She has started to scratch her head excessively (so I put some Vaseline on her comb and wattle- not sure if this will help?) and she is still favoring the one swollen eye by keeping it closed. She has developed a pretty big knot on one of her wattles; on the back side of it. I am not sure if this is from the scratching or from something else. I have ordered Baytril and I am waiting on it to come in any day now. Until then I am not sure what else to do or try with her. I do wonder if her E.coli levels are out of whack due to everything (as you had once stated). If they are is there anything I can do, that you or anyone else knows of, until I receive the Baytril?

Dawg 53 and Casportpony have treated it before, but I haven't treated much of anything before. Most of what I know, I have learned from reading. Michael Apple knows quite a bit about diseases, and could also be of help. There are a lot more experienced people on this forum, but not a lot of them come on that often. I know pasteurella (fowl cholera) can cause swelling of the wattles, but not sure about E.coli. I guess I'll be researching some more. Not to worry you, but keep an eye on Velma's crop because from what I've read, many chickens will get crop stasis or sour crop from just being so sick--in the early morning the crop should be empty and flat. I'm hoping for good news tomorrow. Take care.

 

[casportpony]

In almost of my blackhead birds I have seen improvement by day 3 of metronidazole, but there have been a few that had secondary e. Coli infections that I treated with Baytril or Clavamox, and the most recent one also had a yeast infection that I'm still treating.

Could we get a list of all of the symptoms since you noticed her acting sick? Another possibility is Marek's.

-Kathy

 

[STaggart]

In almost of my blackhead birds I have seen improvement by day 3 of metronidazole, but there have been a few that had secondary e. Coli infections that I treated with Baytril or Clavamox, and the most recent one also had a yeast infection that I'm still treating.

Could we get a list of all of the symptoms since you noticed her acting sick? Another possibility is Marek's.

-Kathy

I cant seem to find my list... So I will try to remember everything off the top of my head:

-bloody green poo- not bloody anymore
-diarrhea
-sleepy
-lethargic
-puffed up- no longer
-pupils not dilating
-twitching
- making weird noises- no longer
-eye swelling- just on one side now and it is the skin around the eye not the eye itself
-pale skin- went from yellow color to white now
-black spots on legs (not raised)- starting to diminish
-weight loss
-no appetite- tube feeding now
-bump under one side of wattle- the bump could be from scratching?
- wattle and comb are dried out feeling

If I can remember anything else I will edit the list.

 

[pwand]

Has she been treated for mites?

 

[STaggart]

Has she been treated for mites?

yes. Just 5 days ago. I didn't see any mites or lice on her, but just in case...

 

[Eggcessive]

How is Velma getting along? I have been thinking about her, just hoping that she is getting better.

 

[gander007]

So how is Velma going I haven't seen or heard a thing in several
days and now I have some time to ask about her as she is on
our thoughts and part of our conversation last night at dinner ...

gander007

 

[STaggart]

How is Velma getting along? I have been thinking about her, just hoping that she is getting better.

So how is Velma going I haven't seen or heard a thing in several
days and now I have some time to ask about her as she is on
our thoughts and part of our conversation last night at dinner ...

gander007

I am most sorry for not updating. Things have been busy needless to say. Trying to get things in order for Christmas, finals for school and still treating my Velma. Velma is still ALIVE! I am so thankful, too. We had a very rough week last week and throughout this past weekend, but this week she seems to be showing signs of improvement, although her weight gain is not as much as I'd hoped for by now with the tube feeding. She now eats and drinks a little on her own and is more vocal. I have cut back the tube feeding to every 8 hours and the swelling around her eye seems to be going down. She is now keeping the one "gimp" eye open more and more everyday! All of which I take as good signs. However, I am concerned about her partial seizures. She seems to have these early in the morning (right before her early morning tube feeding). This consists of one of her wings flapping a bit, head twitching, and then she flops down on her other side at an angle. She will stay like this until her partial seizure is over with. This I do not take as a good sign. Do any of you know what could be causing this. I have read up on them and they can be caused by too much heat, being too hot, and dehydration, which I do not think she is because of the tube feeding. I have moved her out to our garage and have moved the heat lamp up a little higher and no improvement with the seizures. Any ideas? I hope to receive the Baytril I ordered today or tomorrow. Before I go researching do any of you know the dosage? If not I will do a quick search and I'm sure I will get the information I need. Thank you all for your thoughts for Velma! She truly is a lucky gal thus far! I think it is a little crazy how one bird can affect one's life as she has done for me. She is a trooper and I can only hope that she gets stronger and stronger everyday and heals from this illness. My other girls are still showing no signs of sickness, which I am very grateful for as well. I hope you both have a wonderful day as I hope to and thank you once again for your thoughts and concerns for my very little Velma!