Very sick Chick - sneezes, paralysis...edit*looks like Marek's*

[Catsie22]

Hi everybody-
So the chick (who is now named ChickenHawk) is still pretty much the same.....her crop is definitely functioning now, but she's still pretty much unable to move (just flops around) and is still gaping and sneezing. I don't hear anything when she breathes (no air rushing, gurgling, anything) but I think she might actually be having a hard time getting sleep b/c of it. I talked to an avian vet this AM who said the gasping is usually end-stage and there was probably nothing she could do (besides charge me over 100 dollars). But she's been gasping like that for two days.....the vet also said Mareks is extremely rare so that doesn't explain the combination of paralysis and sneezing. For now I'm giving her a gruel of chick starter, yogurt, vitamin drops and a bit of gatorade (not too much b/c I know sugar can cause diarrhea). She scarfed about 12ccs of that this morning, but wasn't interested when I got home. Her poop has started to vary between normal and very wet, but I'm pretty sure that's due to the drastic changes in diet, and there's been no mucus or blood or anything to make me suspect pathogenesis.
I also called the guy who sold them to me and he said none of their other birds have been sick but it has been his experience over the years that occasionally one chick would get ill while everyone else was fine. He chalked it up to developmental difficulty or something similar and agreed with the supportive care I've been trying. He was also very concerned and was eager to get any more info about the bird he could, particularly if she died and I had an autopsy performed. (Obviously I'm not feeling terribly hopeful at the moment

) But glad to be working with someone who seems responsible and concerned.
I guess I'm leaving this info just to help anyone else who might end up in the same situation....if anyone has more suggestions, I would love them, but will post a conclusion regardless.
Glad there's a clearing house of info like this available!!!
-Cat
ps- all the other chicks that were with her are fine...tho suffering from lack of handling and thinking they own the yard!

 

[kisat]

Hey Catsie,

I'm sorry to hear it's not better for her yet (cute name btw

). I really hope that she will pull through. I'm closely monitoring my other two chicks that were housed in the same cedar chips as my other two that died, and I'm hoping that they are okay, but I've noticed some small signs that they might not be. Though, I'm hoping that since they are bigger and stronger, that they will survive what the other two could not.

I'm glad that you have a great vet that's helping you as well. Yes, I did notice that my bantam was doing the gasping too for just over two days before she passed, and the New Hampshire Red, Haley, started to slightly gasp (wouldn't notice unless you watched her closely) a day before she died. For me it was also the sleeping. I was the one that kept having to wake her up, they'd both even fall asleep while I was trying to give them water and food. But neither of mine were able to walk around well either. Haley scooted more towards the end, while Ruby - bantam - couldn't but wobble a little. That's also very nice of the man that you got them from to be so helpful.

I really do hope that ChickenHawk pulls through. I know how hard it can be to lose them - mine are still fresh in my heart and mind

My two other ones keep watching me. I spend a lot of time in my room and while I'm in here, they will lay so that they can keep an eye on momma - I think they're missing their sisters pretty bad as well.

I do agree too, that if you post the updates, it does help others. Whatever the outcome may be. Good luck.

 

[Catsie22]

Thanks for the reply....After doing lots more research, I really think ChickenHawk has got Marek's (as of this morning, she's still fighting tho!) I know the vet I spoke with said it is rare, but the symptoms are absolutely classical and she even matches the pictures on the web from the Merk website. Her iris are bluey-gray (though I think her pupil is still normal). It's a virus, so maybe with uber-supportive care she'll make it, but apparently the fatality rate is around 80% for the acute form, and there's significant risk of development of lymphoma.
My further concern is that if she does pull through, according to Merk and other sources she would be shedding virus for her life....what about re-introduction to the flock? They lived with her for the three weeks they have been with me and came from the same pen from the farm where I bought them....some sites I've read say that the virus is pretty much endemic anyway and you can't even test birds via typical tests like ELISAs b/c so many have been exposed and just naturally develop immunity as well as the application of vaccine in very young chicks. So maybe the other guys would be fine, or maybe I should cull her regardless as a more global health concern??!?
I'll try to post some pics later this evening to document the paralysis (and how she came about the name of chickenhawk) *Sigh*
-Cat

 

[kisat]

Glad to hear that! I've read that all myself too. I don't know what I'd do in your position. Sorry you have to go through that. I know for myself, I was thinking, what I would do and I was thinking I just couldn't cull one. I'd sooner make it a separate pen, but that's also since I have a spot already that we first used for our chickens, before moving them to a dif part of the yard. But yeh, you would think about the fact that the others have been around her already so does that mean they've built up immunity? I've never experienced this so I'm sorry I can't be of more help, maybe someone else has experienced this and can say more, but I am thinking about you and hoping you the best through this, whatever decision you make

 

[SpottedCrow]

Oh no!!!

The mortality rate is extremely high. And she'll always be a carrier if she survives...so you couldn't show or sell chicks either if those might be your aims...

And everyone else has already been exposed, so culling her wouldn't help in that case...

I can't wait to see your dear Chickenhawk and I'll say a prayer for her too.

 

[mhw]

Check out a web site with ILT sympotoms. I just bought 15 Ameraucans and they were infected with this herpes virus. We had to cull our whole flock and completly decontaminate our yard. Since it is really a dangerous virus check it out to be safe. may I ask where you got the ameraucana?

 

[angelmarie]

well, thats ggod to hear! p.s. you can buy vaccanations online at mcmurray

 

[Catsie22]

Thanks for all the notes guys....unfortunately my internet at home is acting up so I couldn't get on last night or upload the pics of C.H. I've got....will try again tonight. Luckily for me, I've just got these ladies as layers/bug munchers for the yard so the problem of showing or selling chicks hopefully won't be a concern for me. All the RIRs and Buff Orps are doing really well, and this morning I think that CH might actually be a *little* bit better....she's flexing her toes a bit more, thought still can't stand. She mostly props herself up against the side of a box on her hocks or just sits with her legs totally stretched in front of her. But her appetite is really good, and she'll peck at grass if I put her in the yard for a bit (fresh air, sunshine and all that

) I'm still feeding H2O with tetracycline and a homemade mash of:
-powdered chick starter
-little bit of cream of wheat
-whole milk yogurt
-peanut butter
-polyvisol drops
-gatorade
-vit E oil
-flaxseed oil
-water to get the right consistency and all microwaved gently and let cool.
She seems to really dig this stuff....and I think she's eating better than I am!! I really hope the antioxidants will help with any nerve repair and ward off some of the lymphoma risk.....I'm a bit of a geek about this stuff b/c I'm a cancer researcher by trade.
So I purchased this chick and the others from Eden Farms....a tiny family farm in central Va. Like I said before, I called them when she first got sick and they were very concerned. None of their other birds had been ill nor had they heard from anyone else, and when I was there it was clear they had a small, clean operation with well cared for animals. I would certainly purchase chicks from them again.
As a side note, my cat has gotten so used to ChickenHawk that he tried to play with her while she was in my lap on the couch last night rolling on his back, gently pawing her beak...he does this to my dogs too. CH wasn't too amused and I didn't let it go anywhere, but it was pretty darn cute!
-Cat

 

[kisat]

Hey Cat,

That's wonderful news to hear. Hopefully she'll be getting even better

And don't worry, I'm told all the time how my pets eat better than I do

I know the chickens do!

 

[Catsie22]

ok, so here's a pic...i hope!
DSC01832.JPG