URGENT - Swollen abdomen, diarrhea, infection? Antibiotic dose?

[Lilorp14]

I've got a 5 year old BCM hen, i noticed yesterday she is very lethargic and not eating or drinking. She has yellowish white diarrhea around her vent, but pooping very little. Her bottom in between her legs and below her vent is swollen, squishy, hot, and bright red. She is pretty weak but can walk around. She falls over and can't get up but she isn't completely horizontal. It's just if her legs get knocked out from under her from jumping or something. She's only laid 2 eggs since Feb. I suspect either she's egg bound with an infection or just a general abdominal infection. What sort of antibiotic/penicillin should I get at TSC? What's the dosage? What other ways should I treat her? Thanks.

 

[Lilorp14]

@Eggcessive ?

 

[Lilorp14]

@Wyorp Rock @azygous

 

[azygous]

You've pretty much described the symptoms of egg yolk peritonitis (EYP). This is a chronic disease and antibiotics often fail to have an effect. But you should try, nonetheless.

If you can find fish mox (amoxicillin), it would be a good med for EYP. It's labeled for fish but we use it for chickens. The dose is 250mg daily for ten days. But it may do little more than buy this hen a couple more months.

I would give her sugar in her water to boost her glucose levels, giving her more energy to get around and eat. Also, Poultry nutri-drench was formulated for such a sick chicken. Give her some scrambled egg with the Nutri-drench sprinkled over the top. These measures may revive her so she's not falling down weak and give her a better quality of life before her time runs out.

 

[Lilorp14]

You've pretty much described the symptoms of egg yolk peritonitis (EYP). This is a chronic disease and antibiotics often fail to have an effect. But you should try, nonetheless.

If you can find fish mox (amoxicillin), it would be a good med for EYP. It's labeled for fish but we use it for chickens. The dose is 250mg daily for ten days. But it may do little more than buy this hen a couple more months.

I would give her sugar in her water to boost her glucose levels, giving her more energy to get around and eat. Also, Poultry nutri-drench was formulated for such a sick chicken. Give her some scrambled egg with the Nutri-drench sprinkled over the top. These measures may revive her so she's not falling down weak and give her a better quality of life before her time runs out.

I went to TSC and they were out of all penicillin. They don't have amoxicillin. I did get a bottle of Duramycin 72-200 Oxytetracyclin, I've never used this type of antibiotic before. Do you know the dosage? Or if it's SubQ or IM? Thanks

 

[Farmgirl283420]

Poor girl

 

[azygous]

Those two meds aren't the best ones for EYP. People prescriptions can work well if you you family has leftovers. If you have Cipro or Cephalexin, those work well.

 

[Lilorp14]

Those two meds aren't the best ones for EYP. People prescriptions can work well if you you family has leftovers. If you have Cipro or Cephalexin, those work well.

I don't have anything injectable other than the dura and she won't eat or drink, at least not in front of me. I'm going to just go for it with the duramycin if I can find a dosage and hope it helps in some way. She's one of my oldest and favorite hens ☹.

 

[azygous]

It doesn't have to be injectable. Push a pill into the beak and the chicken automatically swallows. In fact, due to the fragile nature of chicken skin, injection often causes tissue damage and the injection site can become necrotic in some cases, largely from the caustic nature of some of these meds. For this reason, even injectable meds are most often given orally to chickens.

 

[Lilorp14]

It doesn't have to be injectable. Push a pill into the beak and the chicken automatically swallows. In fact, due to the fragile nature of chicken skin, injection often causes tissue damage and the injection site can become necrotic in some cases, largely from the caustic nature of some of these meds. For this reason, even injectable meds are most often given orally to chickens.

Can I give the duramycin orally? Or would that not work