My daughter, Horsefeathers, posted a few days ago about our dear pet hen, Rita. We now suspect she has either:
1) cancer
2) internal laying >>>> perhaps leading to egg yolk peritonitis
From what I gather, there is little we can do in either case, however, if there's ANY chance we can cure her we would like to try. Someone mentioned Baytril... would something like that help? What would the dose be, if we could get some? Can it be oral?
Here's the situation:
1) 3 year old Red Sex Link
2) Grossly swollen abdomen. It is firm and taught, like a large grapefriut. Skin appears red. Does not feel watery, nor can we palpate any hard objects. Also, the tips of her comb are blue-ish purple.
3) In retrospect it has been worsening over several weeks, as I noticed she was gaining weight. She has also not been laying recently, and she used to be very regular. We realized the problem on Saturday when she refused scratch grains (she was always crazy for food before) and then I picked her up and felt the swelling.
5) She is not interested in grains at all, but is eating small amounts of bugs and worms, a bit of yogurt, and is still interested in bread (treat).
6) Poop is very small, and not much of it. Easiest to examine under the roost, where it is a pool of watery yellow liquid with small green (like not-well-digested) solids.
7) On Saturday we gave her two warm-water soaks, and did a tentative digital exam. Felt nothing IN the egg tract/vent, but could feel the swollen mass through the wall of the tube. We also got her to eat a crushed TUMS yesterday and will feed another today (crushed in olive oil spread on a bit of bread).
8 ) We can't bring her to a vet but will try to get any meds that might help her.
9) She has not gotten terribly worse in the last 3 days. She seems a little bit "slower" and is waddling a little more. She has periods when she stands alone with her tail down and eyes squeezed shut with her head trembling...... but then most of the time she is off scratching for bugs with her tail up. Albeit, in a slower and more subdued way than her usual self.
I have a feeling there is not much we can do for her but try to make her happy and comfortable...... however, if there is any therapy (antibiotics??) short of X rays and surgery that anyone thinks might help, PLEASE let us know.
Thank you.
Stacey
1) cancer
2) internal laying >>>> perhaps leading to egg yolk peritonitis
From what I gather, there is little we can do in either case, however, if there's ANY chance we can cure her we would like to try. Someone mentioned Baytril... would something like that help? What would the dose be, if we could get some? Can it be oral?
Here's the situation:
1) 3 year old Red Sex Link
2) Grossly swollen abdomen. It is firm and taught, like a large grapefriut. Skin appears red. Does not feel watery, nor can we palpate any hard objects. Also, the tips of her comb are blue-ish purple.
3) In retrospect it has been worsening over several weeks, as I noticed she was gaining weight. She has also not been laying recently, and she used to be very regular. We realized the problem on Saturday when she refused scratch grains (she was always crazy for food before) and then I picked her up and felt the swelling.
5) She is not interested in grains at all, but is eating small amounts of bugs and worms, a bit of yogurt, and is still interested in bread (treat).
6) Poop is very small, and not much of it. Easiest to examine under the roost, where it is a pool of watery yellow liquid with small green (like not-well-digested) solids.
7) On Saturday we gave her two warm-water soaks, and did a tentative digital exam. Felt nothing IN the egg tract/vent, but could feel the swollen mass through the wall of the tube. We also got her to eat a crushed TUMS yesterday and will feed another today (crushed in olive oil spread on a bit of bread).
8 ) We can't bring her to a vet but will try to get any meds that might help her.
9) She has not gotten terribly worse in the last 3 days. She seems a little bit "slower" and is waddling a little more. She has periods when she stands alone with her tail down and eyes squeezed shut with her head trembling...... but then most of the time she is off scratching for bugs with her tail up. Albeit, in a slower and more subdued way than her usual self.
I have a feeling there is not much we can do for her but try to make her happy and comfortable...... however, if there is any therapy (antibiotics??) short of X rays and surgery that anyone thinks might help, PLEASE let us know.
Thank you.
Stacey
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