Strange caterpillar may have nearly killed two of my chicks

[Shadrach]

Sorry to read about this @azygous
The wasp eggs are not likely to cause this. What is likely to cause this are some types of catapilar.
We have this one here. It kills animals every year not to mention the damage to the trees.
The symptoms you describe are very like the symptoms for processionary poisoning.
Have a read and a bit more research and see what you think. As you will read, a creature does not need to eat the caterpillar to be effected.

https://blog.abacoadvisers.com/processionary-caterpillar-in-spain/

 

[centrarchid]

I am having a similar health issue, in terms of gross behavioral signs. Appears in my case to be either extreme cocci infection or ingested toxin.

 

[Folly's place]

I just googled 'toxic caterpillars' and got lots of information, and had no idea! I'm so sorry for your chicks, and hope nobody else gets involved.
Mary

 

[LaFleche]

I am sorry this happened to your chicks. We do have these poisonuos caterpillars (Thaumetopoea processionea) as well around here, and they are continually destroying our formerly extensive oak forests and leave people and animals in terrible conditions that only so much as come near them.

You might want to try cortisone and holy thistle extract, I hope you can save her.

 

[Aunt Angus]

Gosh, @azygous . You have helped me so many times, and I've got nothing to add but that I'm very sorry. Wish I could help.

 

[azygous]

@Shadrach your caterpillar sounds even worse than this buck moth. I knew vaguely there were poisonous caterpillars, but I had never encountered one before. I looked into both chicks' mouths and there was no sign of a rash or tongue swelling.

The remaining chick so far is still managing to get around and she keeps up with the healthy three. But if she declines today, I will euthanize. I detest doing it, but I prefer that to watching an animal suffer.

 

[coach723]

I found this, addresses pet birds, may not help at this point but might be useful in the future (I hope you won't need it). Third page down addresses treatment for oral exposure to toxins.
https://aspcapro.org/sites/default/files/apcc_birdtoxic.pdf

 

[Folly's place]

Have you looked up symptoms, and duration, and is it reversible? Maybe more time will help, as long as she's not actually worse.
Mary

 

[LaFleche]

A high dose of holy thistle extract several times a day saved all of my already limp and completely icteric chicks that for whatever reason all of the sudden started to hork down big amounts of creeping crawfoot. They went like crazy with the crawfoot and would have surely died of liver failure. Holy thistle and medical charcoal alternately administered over several days saved them all without any persisting damage to their health.

Edit: I think if you continued your initial treatment it might just save her.

 

[azygous]

I gave her some milk thistle. Perhaps it's similar to holy thistle. I'll give her some more charcoal. I also gave her some vitamin E.