vent fleet with prolapse--AFTER vet visit

[hunthaven]

Update for Thursday morning--this morning, prolapse was INSIDE, no goop from vent gleet, and she's still eating and drinking. She pooped last night and prolapse did not come out. And I remembered something I did early on, which may have helped the gleet--I fed her about 1/3 of a Monistat 3 suppository. I was desperate, and trying everything, so I tried that and an athlete's foot cream on her bum. Not sure it helped, but something did! Still keeping her in low light bathroom and bathing her once a day, checking on her 4-5 times a day, keeping sling on her most of the time (with time off to let her relax a bit).

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Update for Thursday morning--this morning, prolapse was INSIDE, no goop from vent gleet, and she's still eating and drinking. She pooped last night and prolapse did not come out. And I remembered something I did early on, which may have helped the gleet--I fed her about 1/3 of a Monistat 3 suppository. I was desperate, and trying everything, so I tried that and an athlete's foot cream on her bum. Not sure it helped, but something did! Still keeping her in low light bathroom and bathing her once a day, checking on her 4-5 times a day, keeping sling on her most of the time (with time off to let her relax a bit).

Sounds like you're making progress!!!
The monistat may have helped, you never know. You'r doing a good job
Thank you for the update, please keep us posted on how she's doing.

 

[hunthaven]

Update for Sunday morning, 12/23: The prolapse has stayed in since Wednesday night, but we still have a little gleet going on. Am still giving her ACV in her water and feeding her probiotics and treating her bum with antibacterial AND anti fungal creams (I alternate!)

But two days ago I noticed something when I took her outside for a couple of hours in the playpen--she's limping, and one of her wings is lower than the other. I thought she might have Bumblefoot, but I snapped these photos of her feet, and I see no scabs or wounds--and I think that little pad is normal, right? I've uploaded photos of what look (to me) to be perfectly normal feet).

Which brings me back to my original fear--I'm afraid she might have Marek's, because she is limping much worse today and struggling to keep her balance, which is exactly what my Welsummer was doing last week. I put her down when it became clear that she couldn't get to her food and water. I'm afraid I might have to do the same for Dottie.

If so, I will have lost four vaccinated hens to the neurological strain of Marek's . . . hope I don't lose any more. I have been vaccinating all new hatchlings/arrivals TWICE, on their first day and a week later, a booster shot. I hate that disease.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

The prolapse has stayed in since Wednesday night, but we still have a little gleet going on.

two days ago I noticed something when I took her outside for a couple of hours in the playpen--she's limping, and one of her wings is lower than the other.

Which brings me back to my original fear--I'm afraid she might have Marek's, because she is limping much worse today and struggling to keep her balance, which is exactly what my Welsummer was doing last week.

If so, I will have lost four vaccinated hens to the neurological strain of Marek's . . . hope I don't lose any more. I have been vaccinating all new hatchlings/arrivals TWICE, on their first day and a week later, a booster shot. I hate that disease.

Glad to hear the prolapse is staying in!
The limping is concerning, her feet look o.k. to me.
In your photo, under the vent it looks saggy or full - what does that feel like? (hard, soft, pliable but firm, fluid filled, etc.)

I'm going to assume she has not laid an egg since the prolapse? I wonder if she is laying internally or has a reproductive problem/mass in there. That can sometime cause lameness.

Marek's is a possibility, but the only way to rule that out would be to have a necropsy/testing if your pullet does not make it. Refrigerate the body and send it to your state lab.
Sadly, the vaccine does not prevent infection by the virus, it can help reduce/stop the formation of tumors. Chicks that are vaccinated need to be kept in quarantine for at least 2 weeks and not exposed to other chickens. I'm not sure about giving a booster if that makes a difference or not since the vaccine is generally given within the first 24hrs of life. Here's an excellent article about Marek's.
http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/the-great-big-giant-mareks-disease-faq

 

[hunthaven]

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2643530/

The link above points out the results of a study that showed that revaccination after 7 days strengthen's a chick's resistance to Marek's. That's why I've been doing it--the 4 birds I suspect of having Marek's were all vaccinated.

Dottie is now mouth-breathing and will not eat, so I think I need to put her down today. My heart always breaks; especially after all we've been through together. And I've already prepared the materials I'll need to send her body to the state lab for testing. I want to know for SURE what is going through my flock.

Thanks for the help, everyone. Much appreciated. I have another question about Marek's, but I'll start a new thread, as it is unrelated to this one.

 

[hunthaven]

OH--forgot to answer your question--I've been keeping her in dim light, and only 8 hours of that, except for the 2 hours she went outside to her playpen. When I feel her rear, I can feel those two pelvic bones, but nothing else. She's not laying.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2643530/

The link above points out the results of a study that showed that revaccination after 7 days strengthen's a chick's resistance to Marek's. That's why I've been doing it--the 4 birds I suspect of having Marek's were all vaccinated.

Dottie is now mouth-breathing and will not eat, so I think I need to put her down today. My heart always breaks; especially after all we've been through together. And I've already prepared the materials I'll need to send her body to the state lab for testing. I want to know for SURE what is going through my flock.

Thanks for the help, everyone. Much appreciated. I have another question about Marek's, but I'll start a new thread, as it is unrelated to this one.

I'm very sorry to hear the Dottie is declining
Such a pretty girl! I also had a Wyandotte named Dottie, she sadly had reproductive problems as well and she passed last year.

I know it's heartbreaking when things seemed to be going so well. It's good that you have everything prepared to send the body for testing.
If you would, please share the results when they come in, it would be appreciated. Even though it's sad, your sharing helps us learn and I'm sure that others looking for assistance may come across your thread and find it helpful.

You can start another thread with your question about Marek's or you can ask here, that is up to you (maybe do both). Personally, if I don't know, I will tag in others that probably will. There are members here that have Marek's in their flock and are very knowledgeable.

Thank you for the link. I will have to read that!

 

[hunthaven]

I'll ask the other question here--and I asked it twice in a new thread (oops!) because I tried to edit and I'm still new at this. ;-)

Anyway--I read another study about how the most effective Marek's vaccinations are those done with a double needle in ovo, or in the egg. The system is called inovoject. Does anyone know of a hatchery that sells to backyard owners that uses this system? Links to studies and more info are in the other thread I started.

I would immediately switch my hatchery loyalties to another company if they used this system.

 

[hunthaven]

P.S. Zoetris (sp?) is the company that makes this system, and I went to their facebook page and asked about hatcheries that use their system. I'll let you know if/when I receive a response.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I'll ask the other question here--and I asked it twice in a new thread (oops!) because I tried to edit and I'm still new at this. ;-)

Anyway--I read another study about how the most effective Marek's vaccinations are those done with a double needle in ovo, or in the egg. The system is called inovoject. Does anyone know of a hatchery that sells to backyard owners that uses this system? Links to studies and more info are in the other thread I started.

I would immediately switch my hatchery loyalties to another company if they used this system.

I don't know of a hatchery that administers the vaccination in ovo, it would be nice if you found out.
From the little I know about in ovo vaccination, is used mainly in commercial broiler operations with an automated system.
For hatcheries' whose main focus and customer base is backyard chickens, the cost of setting that up would likely be impractical.