Vet says gapeworm, recommends unavailable treatment; options?

[casportpony]

Quote: Okay... try this. Count out total number of tablespoons in your pack.

-Kathy

 

[casportpony]

I did this twice before and got 18, and one person got 20.

-Kathy

 

[casportpony]

Tablespoons should be loosely packed and level.

-Kathy

 

[casportpony]

How many tablespoons are in the pack?

-Kathy

 

[timebider]

I did this twice before and got 18, and one person got 20.

-Kathy

Okay, I'm going to do that in about ten minutes and will post the total as soon as I have it. I'm confident now that this is a respiratory infection because the other hen I put in with the sick one has begun open-beak breathing occasionally. So unless you think I should syringe-dose her, too, I'm inclined to make up a batch per the package instructions and put it in her water as well as that of the other seven still in the garage. Yet again—I so greatly appreciate your expertise and all of the time you've taken to share it and help me figure things out.

 

[casportpony]

 
I did this twice before and got 18, and one person got 20. 

-Kathy

Okay, I'm going to do that in about ten minutes and will post the total as soon as I have it. I'm confident now that this is a respiratory infection because the other hen I put in with the sick one has begun open-beak breathing occasionally. So unless you think I should syringe-dose her, too, I'm inclined to make up a batch per the package instructions and put it in her water as well as that of the other seven still in the garage. Yet again—I so greatly appreciate your expertise and all of the time you've taken to share it and help me figure things out.

You should syringe dose her for sure, so get that tablespoon count.

-Kathy

 

[casportpony]

If you mix it per the package instructions she will not get enough medication. I think the max dose listed on the package calls for 800 mg per gallon. The vet said to give her 60 mg twice a day, so that's 120 mg. How many ounces of water does she drink in one day?

-Kathy

 

[timebider]

I counted slowly and carefully, and got 14 level tablespoons. The tablespoon I used has a 15 mL marking on it, for whatever that's worth. I will syringe dose both the indoor girls once I figure out the dose; for tonight, I syringe-dosed the sickest girl with just over 1/4 teaspoon in just enough water to make a slurry, and gave her friend (who is in a separate wire crate right next to her) drinking water with the 800 mg dose it says to use on the package, along with the seven hens out in the garage. I really can't say how much the sicker girl drinks; she will sometimes take a few sips when I hold a bowl up and coax her, and yesterday I saw her drink quite a bit around lunchtime, but I don't have a reliable way to measure. This is why I prefer syringe-dosing an amount I can know for sure she got. Her friend who is now occasionally mouth-breathing is a bit bigger than she is; I'm guessing around four pounds.

All nine hens have sneezed occasionally pretty much from the first time I moved them outside at two months old. The sneezing seemed to coincide with bedding changes and whenever else they were exposed to dust, and because there were never other symptoms of any kind and they were always active, I thought nothing of it. With the sudden sharp change in weather a week ago (one day it was 60 degrees and the next it was 25 and snowing with 20 mph wind) and the move to the garage, I hear them sneezing more often. The sick girl had begun to show signs that something was wrong even before they came inside the garage, and the sneezing is still the only potential symptom I can find in the ones still out there, but given what has happened, I feel safer treating them, too. Do you think giving them the tetracycline drinking water is sufficient, or should I syringe dose all nine chickens?

 

[Ravynscroft]

Got for you and your girls! So glad Kathy is helping you out...

 

[pennyJo1960]

Me also been continuing to monitor ever since I asked Kathy to step in