Hi guys,
I've looked through dozens of online articles for help with this (including many on this site) but can't find anything that really fits the situation I'm in.
About 3 weeks ago, one of my Isa Brown hens (approx. 4 years old; ex-battery hen) became a bit lethargic and lost some of her normal appetite, but for several days she was still walking, foraging, socialising, and eating fairly well so I wasn't too concerned. Approx. 2 weeks ago, I noticed she was no longer wandering the yard or eating/drinking. I knew she had sour crop right away as had all the typical signs of swollen, soft crop, sour breath, and regurgitating. I regurgitated her (have done safely many times before) until the crop was basically drained and administered salt/vinegar and water flush. Let the flush sit, massaged crop to loosen things up, and then let her rest.
The next day, she was looking worse and the crop hadn't emptied at all, so I played it safe and took her to the vet. He took a faecal sample, and prescribed her with some anti-fungals and antibiotics (8 day treatment for both). While on these medications, I was administering an electrolyte solution via careful syringing to keep her hydrated 2-3 times a day. A few days into the treatments, she seemed to start feeling a bit bit better. Her crop had reduced quite a bit, though was still squishy. On the first good day, she ate some probiotic yoghurt and drank some electrolytes by choice. The next day, I allowed her to have a couple of blueberries and a tiny bit of tuna for some fat/energy, because she has lost so, so much weight and I'm worried she's got no energy reserves left.
Anyhow, after those 2 days of feeling okay and eating a little bit, she was worse again the next day. Big swollen crop again; straining to poo and poo was green-white and completely liquid; asleep almost all day, so I went to the vet again. He had received test results and found no worms, no coccidia, no concerning bacteria or viruses. He was unsure what it could be, so has given me a course of Amoxyclav for her in case it is a case of peritonitis or something else bacterial. It's been 2 days since she started Amoxyclav and she's only gotten worse. I'm concerned this drug cocktail has done more harm than good, however she is so unwell that I'm sure what else I can do for her.
So far, I've tried (each method over several days, but I'd eventually move on to try something else given I never noticed improvement):
- Flushing crop and allowing approx. 12 hours, before offering small bits of yoghurt and water/electrolytes.
- Massaging crop to 'break up' anything that might be impacting, and administering small amounts of vegetable oil to assist in loosening.
I've even give her a warm bath in the hopes that a) it would help shift things in her crop/digestive tract, b) it was a case of peritonitis/ egg binding.
Today, I have massaged her crop and I can feel something gritty and 'sticky' in there (gluggy is probably the right word), but I've flushed and regurgitated her several times over the past 1-2 and don't get anything up except straight, smelly liquid. I will say that when she does eat something, it is obviously being partially digested because when she regurgitates 1-2 days later there is only liquid (never solid, undigested food)
What should I do for my poor girl? I feel that perhaps there is a bigger, nastier problem going on inside her that won't be resolved without surgery or the likes. I don't really trust the vets in this area as none are avian specialists, and all of them just seem to prescribe random drugs in the hope they get it right.
Can anyone provide any advice?
I've looked through dozens of online articles for help with this (including many on this site) but can't find anything that really fits the situation I'm in.
About 3 weeks ago, one of my Isa Brown hens (approx. 4 years old; ex-battery hen) became a bit lethargic and lost some of her normal appetite, but for several days she was still walking, foraging, socialising, and eating fairly well so I wasn't too concerned. Approx. 2 weeks ago, I noticed she was no longer wandering the yard or eating/drinking. I knew she had sour crop right away as had all the typical signs of swollen, soft crop, sour breath, and regurgitating. I regurgitated her (have done safely many times before) until the crop was basically drained and administered salt/vinegar and water flush. Let the flush sit, massaged crop to loosen things up, and then let her rest.
The next day, she was looking worse and the crop hadn't emptied at all, so I played it safe and took her to the vet. He took a faecal sample, and prescribed her with some anti-fungals and antibiotics (8 day treatment for both). While on these medications, I was administering an electrolyte solution via careful syringing to keep her hydrated 2-3 times a day. A few days into the treatments, she seemed to start feeling a bit bit better. Her crop had reduced quite a bit, though was still squishy. On the first good day, she ate some probiotic yoghurt and drank some electrolytes by choice. The next day, I allowed her to have a couple of blueberries and a tiny bit of tuna for some fat/energy, because she has lost so, so much weight and I'm worried she's got no energy reserves left.
Anyhow, after those 2 days of feeling okay and eating a little bit, she was worse again the next day. Big swollen crop again; straining to poo and poo was green-white and completely liquid; asleep almost all day, so I went to the vet again. He had received test results and found no worms, no coccidia, no concerning bacteria or viruses. He was unsure what it could be, so has given me a course of Amoxyclav for her in case it is a case of peritonitis or something else bacterial. It's been 2 days since she started Amoxyclav and she's only gotten worse. I'm concerned this drug cocktail has done more harm than good, however she is so unwell that I'm sure what else I can do for her.
So far, I've tried (each method over several days, but I'd eventually move on to try something else given I never noticed improvement):
- Flushing crop and allowing approx. 12 hours, before offering small bits of yoghurt and water/electrolytes.
- Massaging crop to 'break up' anything that might be impacting, and administering small amounts of vegetable oil to assist in loosening.
I've even give her a warm bath in the hopes that a) it would help shift things in her crop/digestive tract, b) it was a case of peritonitis/ egg binding.
Today, I have massaged her crop and I can feel something gritty and 'sticky' in there (gluggy is probably the right word), but I've flushed and regurgitated her several times over the past 1-2 and don't get anything up except straight, smelly liquid. I will say that when she does eat something, it is obviously being partially digested because when she regurgitates 1-2 days later there is only liquid (never solid, undigested food)
What should I do for my poor girl? I feel that perhaps there is a bigger, nastier problem going on inside her that won't be resolved without surgery or the likes. I don't really trust the vets in this area as none are avian specialists, and all of them just seem to prescribe random drugs in the hope they get it right.
Can anyone provide any advice?