SLW with titled head

[Julia62]

I will post the results of the biological work when it comes back. Thank you for all your help, both with information and emotional support

 

[Eggcessive]

You're welcome, and I look forward to hearing your results.

 

[Julia62]

The vet called back and left a message saying that nothing definitive came back from biology and I would need the next step to totally rule out Mareks which is micro-biology.

That is another $65.00. Not sure I want to spend that (that's 95.00 total spent then). Shoot! Am I going to gain anything knowing if it's Marek's? All my other three are perfectly healthy at this point.

 

[Eggcessive]

Well, it would be good to know, but at this point there is nothing to do to treat for it. If another comes down with similar symptoms, then you will probably know. I would, however, always get new chicks from a hatchery vaccinated for Mareks. If they are kept away from any dust or dander from contaminated chickens, they will develop immunity in 2 weeks. Mareks is thought to remain in an environment for 7 or more years. I do hope that you get more details in your final necropsy report. I'm really happy for you that it wasn't a huge positive for Mareks, but wouldn't it have been nice to have found out her problem? I'm really sorry that you lost her.

 

[Julia62]

I got the report today. The tumor is noted as a lymphoid neoplastic process (1.5cm x 1cm), possibly Marek's, avian leukosis, or some other neoplastic condition and that she was exhibiting signs of torticollis. Noted large numbers of round to oval shaped basophilic structures resembling lymphoglandular bodies along with rare heterophils and rare mitotic figures! Sheesh, I need to go look all that up.

He also noted "moderate number of feather lice". Yikes! I just checked the others (picked up and looked underneath) and didn't see anything. Their feathers looked good and felt nice and soft.

On the upside, no parasites were found.

They will keep the tissues for 30 days in case we decide to do the histopath exam. I may change my mind....I just wish this was more definitive.

 

[Eggcessive]

Although I am just an amateur at chicken diseases, I think that there is no paralysis with avian leukosis, but there can be with Mareks. Other wise the two diseases can appear similar. Since Tammy didn't have paralysis, you won't know for sure which disease that she had without the test. Avian leukosis has not vaccine, but Mareks does. Both diseases make chickens very susceptible to many common diseases that healthy birds can shake off, but due to their low white blood count, they have little immunity to fight off the least little illness. Here are some links with info and pictures about lice:
http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2012/08/poultry-lice-and-mites-identification.html
http://anrcatalog.ucdavis.edu/pdf/8162.pdf
http://extension.unh.edu/resources/files/Resource000790_Rep811.pdf
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ig140