Vent area swollen like large marble

[Doctor Pammie]

Have researched and can't find anything similar. Would love thoughts/suggestions. 18 month old Ameraucana. Presented with constipation about a month ago. After soaking, I gently pulled the blockage out and returned her to flock after 2 days figuring out problem. Two weeks later, discovered vent swollen again. Brought her in and tried same remedy. Found another blockage and eventually was able to remove it. (With each removal, hen seemed to become much brighter, although throughout both ordeals she has kept eating, drinking and acting more or less normal.) This time kept her inside for 3 days feeding yogurt, ACV in water, flax seed for fiber.Treated with hemorrhoid ointment in hopes of reducing swelling. Finally decided she needed to be with flock and put her out. Her vent is swollen about the size of a large marble. She is now finally pooping normally--normal amount and normal size. (She has kept pooping throughout this, but her poops had gotten small like earthworms.) I am still treating with hemorrhoid ointment topically but it doesn't seem to be reducing swelling. Something on the inside must still be swollen. No tissue is presenting outside the vent and what I can see on the inside looks healthy and pink. I am worried that the longer this continues, the more jeopardy she is in. She hasn't laid since molting, but none of mine have resumed so that's not a worry. She is not egg-bound, she does not have vent fleet, this is not a case of prolapse--I found good explanations of all those things and photos while trying to figure this out. This is my first flock so I don't have a lot of experience and I really want to do right by my girl. Any help would be greatly welcome!

 

[Kelsie2290]

Sorry about your girl. Could you post pictures? Maybe that would get you more responses on what might be going on with her.

 

[casportpony]

It's possible that she has some sort of obstruction. If I were you I would do a cloacal exam on a couple of hens to get an idea of what normal feels like, then do one on her.

-Kathy

 

[GD91]

It's possible that she has some sort of obstruction. If I were you I would do a cloacal exam on a couple of hens to get an idea of what normal feels like, then do one on her.

-Kathy

If shes got hemorrhoids, then that is an obstruction, trust me I've got 'em bad & they are a real pain in the a**.
But I agree with you, it may be something else. Sure does sound like piles though. I'd be very concerned about how this bird is going to lay an egg because as she strains the piles get bigger & they don't like to go back down. Laying will be extremely hard & painful. That's why they say don't strain too hard on the toilet.
Does sound like external piles.

I never thought a bird could get piles though.

 

[casportpony]

This is why I suggested do a cloacal exam, and obstruction will be easy to feel.

-Kathy

 

[GD91]

OP, did you do the exam & what did you find?

 

[Doctor Pammie]

Sorry for the delay. My husband and I have been so busy getting ready for today's snow storm and the frigid temps we're having for the next few days here in Virginia.

I did *not* do a cloacal exam on anyone. I'm not really sure what that means. I have looked over and over again at the images of the hen's insides. I guess I'm afraid that inserting a finger too far will hurt something? I did put my finger just inside to pull out these "blockages" twice, but that didn't require too much insertion.

Believe it or not, yesterday she laid an egg--the first since molting--the first of any of our little flock since they molted. I didn't get the chance to grab her and take a look yesterday afternoon although I'd treated her yesterday morning with more preparation H. Today when I got her, her vent looked exactly the same. It's swollen and a little squishy. I can see what looks to be swollen but healthy tissue from her insides through the gaping vent and also poop that's about to come out. This is what I've been seeing for over a week now. I had hoped that the egg was the problem, but I had been pretty certain that she wasn't egg bound. It's like she's swollen right at the edge of her vent, but on the inside of her body. Her vent is gaping open about the size of a dime for me to be able to see the pink tissue (on the inside, not protruding at all) and the poop. What is coming out of her looks totally normal in size, consistency and color. And her behavior is totally normal.

Thanks to all who have responded. I haven't been able to get a photo and today was extra rushed because the snow was starting. If anyone can give me any other ideas or explain exactly what a cloacal exam is, I'd love to learn.

Thank you very much!
Pam

 

[Doctor Pammie]

Wow! I just read up about "piles" in humans and it sounds exactly like what she has! If that's the case, then I've probably been doing the right things. Her abdomen is not swollen and hasn't been through any of this, which has eliminated a lot of other medical possibilities. I found the original blockage (about 3 weeks ago) because I noticed how much she was straining to poop. That would explain why she might be sort of suffering from hemorrhoids now. (I knew nothing about any of this stuff in humans.) It seems logical. I have been encouraged that her behavior has all been normal since I pulled the last blockage out of her--socially bright and talkative, drinking well, eating well, poop returning to normal. If this is what it is, I guess it will just take some time for her to heal because it sounds like it takes a while to resolve in humans. I had been feeding her flax seed for fiber and yogurt for the gut flora in her crumble when I had her inside. Maybe I should keep doing that as a supportive measure and continue to keep an eye on her. Thanks so much!

 

[GD91]

I can understand why you didn't want to poke around too much

piles are just something that look like you don't want to prod. There are 2 types, internal or external. You can have one or another or both.

If that's what it is....
They NEVER resolve! They do go down though.... sometimes. But once you've got them, your stuck with them. Everytime you start to strain enough, they swell back up.

I was supposed to have gone for an operation to remove mine last year but I missed the appointment by mistake.

Wow, she passed an egg? "Ouch"

Something like that would kill me.

My grans dog had external piles, now I think of it. Also her glands would block up terribly

Maybe a vet can do something for her, or try putting some Anusol or hemorrhoids cream on her bottom.... it may help.

 

[Doctor Pammie]

Thank you for the information. I had put Prep H on the area both outside and just inside for 5 days with no noticeable difference. The only time the swelling went down was after I removed the second "object" from her vent. (It was like a flattened weird poop that got stuck somewhere it shouldn't have been. Yuck.) Since the Prep H didn't seem to be having any effect, I stopped using it. She's now laid a second egg and is acting totally normal although she's still swollen. I am just scratching my head. Maybe she'd been like this before I noticed her straining a month ago with the first blockage and I just had missed it. I am continuing to feed her flax and yogurt in with her layer's feed to insure she's getting enough fiber and good bacteria. Not sure what else to do. There are no vets that see birds in my area--when we had our first chicken illness I hunted high and low in about a 75 mi radius, called everyone in the phone book, and NO one saw birds, much less chicken. I goes they are considered expendable livestock around here. That's why this forum is so helpful to us. Thanks again.