Sneezing new pullet

[Animalian]

I think the avian flu/swine flu is mainly a problem because it has only just started to cross species and infect the human population. Therefore our species haven't developed a resistance to it yet.

My partner caught swine flu and had his kidneys fail, got rhabdomylosis (spelling?), muscle meltdown (he went from being pretty well muscled to skin and bone in two weeks) and his brain swelled. He had to have dialysis for a month and was so weak he couldn't even open a tupperware container. He had never had ANY sort of flu before so his body had no idea how to fight flu in general let alone one that didn't have much of a human signature on it yet (how viruses evolve with every infected host etc). The doctors said his reaction was extreme and he's the second person in australia to have such a reaction.

Other zoonoses aren't as serious as both species have developeed a resistance to the infections.

 

[chickenjoefan]

Quote:
the bird i bought in - who i believe was the initial carrier had no other symptoms than sneezes just as you describe and she lived happily with the older birds i bought at the same time for a few weeks without any spread of the disease or signs of inllness in any of them. unfortunately bad weather changed that, by which time i had introduced my younger birds whose immunity was not as strong and everyone went down hill really fast.

I will try the GSE (thanks for the explanation).

please be careful, I don't like to sound so doom and gloom but please don't make the same mistakes as me. my vet took ages and cost £50 for the diagnosis (you may be luckier) but if i were faced with a sneezing bird again like that I would pay it and wait to test that first bird before introduing her to the rest, she cost me much more that £50 in quality birds. I know there are alot of people who would just cull. I can't face that, they are my pets but its a personal choice.

Do you have a good vet who could do a test for you?

 

[Animalian]

I have friends who are vet nurses actually, so I might call in a favour of sorts rather than pay for a consult. How do they test for it? feacal? blood?

I got some GSE today and got all my girls onto it. I was stupid enough to see what a drop of it tasted like....
tasted ok for about two seconds then BLERRGHH!!!!!

BAD IDEA!! And it wouldn't go away for 5minutes!!! YUCK!

 

[earthmama24]

You're funny!!! I actually took some when I was sick a while back and my husband was dying laughing at the crazy dance I was doing all over the kitchen. I found out that they sell it in pill form and that is what we take now! It is horrid. Funny thing though, my goat will guzzle it if you don't watch him. Weird, I know.

Hope the GSE keeps everyone healthy. It's working for us so far and we're 7 months in from the beginning of this harrowing ordeal!

 

[Animalian]

Thought I'd let you know I only heard her sneeze twice today, and it sounded normal!
Yay for GSE