Silkie with severe crook neck for 3 weeks

[Fingers crossed]

Quote:
Yes we have been giving her vitamins, but her head is upside down now and she just lays there. Reading up on it we think it may be a head injury... when we collected her from the breeder she was fine, a few hours after we got her home i noticed her head was slightly bent to the side but at that point she was still eating, drinking and moving around normally. Her neck is quite severe now... got gradually worse even with the vitamins. If i can find anything that will help her i will do it but right now i'm losing all hope.

Are you doing the vitamin E with Selenium capsules twice a day? I know you said you were doing vitamins, but I wanted to clarify what type of vitamins? The Poly-Vi-Sol won't fix the problem by itself.

Sorry for delay in answering... we were actually giving her a poultry vitamin booster but are about to go to the chemist now to get the vitamin E and selenium to start her on straight away. What dose do you recommend?

 

[fourfeathers]

Below is a very helpful article for treating wry or limber neck. It really sounds to me like it is due to a head injury, but depending on the diet could be a vit deficiency. If you follow his instructions, she may get better. You should see improvement and not decline anyway, otherwise there is something more going on. If the neck loses range of motion and curves into an S, it can result in a contracture which will be hard to resolve. I have a pheasant who was born with crooked neck, but it was an orthopedic condition with bone curved in a fixed position. She is doing fine, knows no difference since happened right from the start, but takes ALOT of special care and accomodations. I have had two others with more the limberneck/wry neck and they have shown improvement with Alan's treatment, one is completely well. I would also get a flea comb and comb or handpick the lice or mites from her, that can't be helping her comfort level. Good Luck!

Treating "Crookneck"
by Alan Stanford
Permission to share this is granted as long as you give credit to the Author

Here is my theory and therapy for what some call "limber neck" and I call crookneck. The symptoms first show as a crook in the neck. It progresses to
tucking the head, then tucking the head between the legs, then backing up, and tumbling over. It usually hits young birds but can happen at any age.

It is unclear what causes crookneck. American Silkie Bantam Club members suggest water on the brain, vitamin E deficiency, and injury to the brain that
is outside the skull and forms the knob on the top of Silkie's heads. The brain injury is the cause I feel fairly certain about.

Water on the brain was seen in a necropsy of an affected bird. Prednisone was suggested as symptomatic relief. Vitamin E and B complex are both good for neurological disorders. Selenium helps absorb vitamin E.

Here's what I do for affected birds. If started before symptoms get severe, the bird will totally recover. To give vitamin E - just cut the end off a human capsule and squirt it in the bird's mouth.

It is important to be sure the bird gets enough to eat and drink while it has this problem. Birds with severe cases of crookneck can't eat and drink enough to survive. You will need to gently place their head in the feed dish and carefully dip just the tip of the beak in water. Be careful not to dip too far into the water and to not stress the bird while trying to help.

The following is for an adult about 2 pound bird. Scale back for smaller birds.

For the first week I give

Twice a day
2.5 mg of prednisone
400 IU of vitamin E

Once a day
A piece of human vitamin B complex pill or a squirt of human liquid vitamins
Selenium (50 micrograms/day for half size juvenile for 3 days)

For the second week I give

Once a day
2.5 mg of prednisone
400 IU of vitamin E
A piece of human vitamin B complex pill or a squirt of human liquid vitamins

Every other day
Selenium (50 micrograms/day for half size juvenile for 3 days)

For the following weeks I give

Once a day
2.5 mg of prednisone
400 IU of vitamin E
A piece of human vitamin B complex pill or a squirt of human liquid vitamins

Every third day
Selenium (50 micrograms/day for half size juvenile for 3 days)

Do not abruptly stop prednisone, the swelling rebounds, decrease dose
gradually.
Vitamin E recovery can be slow; continue the vitamin E for several weeks at
least.

You can get the prednisone from a vet; just describe the problem of
swelling in
the brain probably due to injury. Yes Silkies' brains do stick out through a
hole on the top of the skull.

You can get the vitamin E, selenium, and vitamin B complex or liquid
vitamins at
any pharmacy.

 

[gumpsgirl]

Quote:
Are you doing the vitamin E with Selenium capsules twice a day? I know you said you were doing vitamins, but I wanted to clarify what type of vitamins? The Poly-Vi-Sol won't fix the problem by itself.

Sorry for delay in answering... we were actually giving her a poultry vitamin booster but are about to go to the chemist now to get the vitamin E and selenium to start her on straight away. What dose do you recommend?

Sorry for my delay! I've been at the vet's with my puppy all morning.

It looks like fourfeathers has already answered this question for you. That's a great article and info!

 

[Fingers crossed]

Yes thats very informative... thank you to both of you. So sorry that i seem to have taken over someone elses thread. (p.s, have now started with 400 iud vit e so fingers crossed!)

 

[gumpsgirl]

Hopefully this info. will help the OP.