St John’s Wort vs hypericum

[smott]

I have a bird with Marek’s symptoms (blood test pending). She has been having difficulty with progressively poor balance and leg weakness for over two weeks now. I have read many threads regarding improvement of symptoms using St. John’s wort and/or hypericum however there seems to be a difference in the two that I am confused about. Many of the posts seem to reference a homeopathic formulation of hypericum which I cannot find. What I found locally is the St. John’s wort 300 mg capsule (states active ingredient is hypericum perforatum). Is there anyone who can tell me what the appropriate dosage to try would be for a 9 week old 290 gram bantam?

 

[smott]

I just wanted to update this thread about Dottie in case anyone experiences similar problems and is interested in the outcome!
Dottie is now running all over the yard like nothing has ever bothered her. I still notice some trembling of her legs with exertion, however she is able to walk without a limp and scratches around the yard keeping up with the other chickens. She just in the last few days has started hopping up onto the big roost as well! I was told by the vet that the Marek's blood test came back negative, however a specimen was sent off to another lab for further testing that I have not been informed about yet. After about a week, I stopped the hypericum dosing as she had regained enough strength to really fight me when I tried to give it to her lol. I pray that she will continue to thrive and never experience a relapse of whatever caused all of this, and I sincerely thank everyone who showed concern and offered advice. This site is a great resource!

 

[DolceVita]

Can you test for mareks with blood?

 

[pozees2]

@casportpony I hope this works. This is best video I could get of her. She has actually strengthened over the last couple of days to what appears to be more of a limp favoring the right leg. She had actually gotten so weak that she was barely able to stand a few days ago. I have given her the St. John’s Wort for 5 days now. Found a study referencing a dose of 667.9 mg/kg daily that showed effectiveness at treating some viral symptoms (not specifically Mareks) so that is what I have been *trying* to give her. She is having tremors worst in that leg and especially if she exerts herself even a little.

Have you given that right foot a good look? I know it's hard with all the feathering, but I noticed her pecking at it and wondered if maybe there's something wrong with the foot.

 

[smott]

Have you given that right foot a good look? I know it's hard with all the feathering, but I noticed her pecking at it and wondered if maybe there's something wrong with the foot.

Yes there’s nothing visibly wrong and vet that thought there was a bone deformity actually x-rayed her and found nothing. They actually sedated her, picked quite a few feathers off both legs in order to examine and X-ray them. Both legs were almost flaccid at one point but now the left one is obviously stronger than the right (despite the fact that she has a toe that turns under on the left).

 

[DolceVita]

I was told only after a birds death then you can test for mareks... where did you send the blood too. Cause mine is having difficulty with her neck and it worries me...

 

[smott]

Can you test for mareks with blood?

I am in Louisiana and my vet sent a blood sample to Texas A&M veterinary diagnostic lab for Marek's as well as Newcastle's disease. I read that some veterinary labs will allow you to submit your own sample if you are equipped to draw a chicken's blood (not me). They drew blood from Dottie while she was sedated. I'm sure the blood test isn't as definitive as a positive necropsy, but it would be nice to know before your chicken dies if that's what it is!

 

[smott]

I have a silkie that is about 1 1/2 pounds that I think has Mareks. What dosage did you end up giving?

@Alicrawf914 i used the St. John’s wort 300 mg capsules bc that’s all I could find locally, and I dosed daily as close to the 667.9 mg/kg as I could (not exactly easy giving liquid med to a chicken!) I would open the capsule, dilute with water, and pull it up in the smallest syringe I could find then just put a drop or two in her beak at a time until I got most of it down her. As she recovered she started running from me bless her heart... she got so tired of me medicating her, but she made a full recovery from whatever caused it.

 

[smott]

To give more details, I have taken her to the only two vets in my area that will see poultry. First one said she had a splayed leg and recommended euthanasia. 2nd one said she had congenital leg/foot deformities and gave her vitamin b12 injection which perked her up for a day or so. Last visit she did leg xrays and found that her bones and tendons are fine. Sent off blood for Mareks and Newcastle but didn’t offer any additional advice. I have been giving her daily doses of poultry cell in addition to extras like boiled egg yolk.

 

[casportpony]

Can you take a video of her walking, upload it to YouTube or Vimeo then copy and paste the link here?