What to feed hen with gout?

[sarahbobo]

I personally would wait until the vet sees her to drain the sore. It can wait two days. I would start the antibiotic to see if it helps by the visit. What antibiotic is it?

Well, I put her in Epsom salts and the abscess popped. We drained it as much as we could, then soaked her in echinacea tea + water. I didn't wrap her feet for tonight, since I want to let it air out overnight. I'm going to soak her a couple times a day until I can get her to the vet. Vet gave us Clavamax - not sure how I'm going to get her to take that...the last girl who got prescribed it never would, lol.

 

[sarahbobo]

She is dehydrated, but she is drinking excessively - the water is going somewhere.

Does she have acites\water belly? Does her abdomen feel like a water balloon? My hen had issues staying warm when her condition worsened and she absolutely had acites.

Unfortunately, she is an old girl and is in decline. There's likely much more going on here than what's visible and I would be hesitant to cause her any undue stress at this stage. This could a be tumor-related illness, which isn't something that can be treated.

Palliative care until she can get to the vet, or see if they can take her into ICU early if you feel she's that far in decline. The feet are a symptom, but probably not the underlying issue here.

It doesn't feel like she has ascites, she just feels skinny :\ Tonight her crop felt hard and big, so I'm definitely going to check for whether her crop is emptying overnight tomorrow morning.

Very true....she could very well have too many different problems or unidentifiable/treatable problems to save her. I'm preparing myself for that possibility. So far, she's at least still enjoying life.

Are there ICUs for birds? I agree, the priority is keeping her happy and comfortable right now.

 

[Lizzy733]

Well, I put her in Epsom salts and the abscess popped. We drained it as much as we could, then soaked her in echinacea tea + water. I didn't wrap her feet for tonight, since I want to let it air out overnight. I'm going to soak her a couple times a day until I can get her to the vet. Vet gave us Clavamax - not sure how I'm going to get her to take that...the last girl who got prescribed it never would, lol.

That a liquid or pill?

Liquid is easy with a 1ml syringe, just have one person hold while the other manages the mouth or put her between your legs facing away from you(sitting on top of her) so she can't back away, open the mouth and go down and to the side of the throat.

If it's a pill, same but push it down the throat with your finger as far as you can.

Mind the trachea at the base of the tongue, this is the only place you 'don't' want anything going.

 

[Lizzy733]

It doesn't feel like she has ascites, she just feels skinny :\ Tonight her crop felt hard and big, so I'm definitely going to check for whether her crop is emptying overnight tomorrow morning.

Very true....she could very well have too many different problems or unidentifiable/treatable problems to save her. I'm preparing myself for that possibility. So far, she's at least still enjoying life.

Are there ICUs for birds? I agree, the priority is keeping her happy and comfortable right now.

Exotic vet offices will usually offer some form of intensive care.

The epsom salts were a great idea and can really do no harm, so keep them up and make sure the burst abcesses stay clean.

Her crop does sound a bit worrying. There's a lot of trouble that follows crop issues like yeast infections, malnutrition, the loss of gut bacteria... Keep a close eye on it.

Has your vet mentioned or done a subcutaneous fluid injection? Usually it's the next step for a dehydrated bird to get fluids back in their system.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Well, I put her in Epsom salts and the abscess popped. We drained it as much as we could, then soaked her in echinacea tea + water. I didn't wrap her feet for tonight, since I want to let it air out overnight. I'm going to soak her a couple times a day until I can get her to the vet. Vet gave us Clavamax - not sure how I'm going to get her to take that...the last girl who got prescribed it never would, lol.

Was there fluid in the abscess or some pus (yellowish waxy type stuff)?

For giving medication, secure the bird, pull down on her wattles to open her beak, then pop the pill in or if it's liquid medication, syringe it into the beak.
Once you do it a couple of times it gets easier!
Photo tutorial and instructions here: https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...dications-to-all-poultry-and-waterfowl.73335/

 

[sarahbobo]

That a liquid or pill?

Liquid is easy with a 1ml syringe, just have one person hold while the other manages the mouth or put her between your legs facing away from you(sitting on top of her) so she can't back away, open the mouth and go down and to the side of the throat.

If it's a pill, same but push it down the throat with your finger as far as you can.

Mind the trachea at the base of the tongue, this is the only place you 'don't' want anything going.

It's a pill - I'm pretty experienced giving liquid meds, but pills are harder for me. I'll do my best this evening!

 

[sarahbobo]

Exotic vet offices will usually offer some form of intensive care.

The epsom salts were a great idea and can really do no harm, so keep them up and make sure the burst abcesses stay clean.

Her crop does sound a bit worrying. There's a lot of trouble that follows crop issues like yeast infections, malnutrition, the loss of gut bacteria... Keep a close eye on it.

Has your vet mentioned or done a subcutaneous fluid injection? Usually it's the next step for a dehydrated bird to get fluids back in their system.

True, I'll try the Epsom salts again tonight. Her crop was small but hard this morning, but I wasn't able to get to her first thing, so she'd already been eating and drinking. I massaged her crop for a few minutes anyway.

She hasn't mentioned that, I'll ask her about it tomorrow when we take Fleur in.

 

[Lizzy733]

It's a pill - I'm pretty experienced giving liquid meds, but pills are harder for me. I'll do my best this evening!

If it's too much, you can also try a suspension - crushing the pill up and mixing with water so it can be given like a liquid. Less waste as a pill though.

 

[sarahbobo]

Was there fluid in the abscess or some pus (yellowish waxy type stuff)?

For giving medication, secure the bird, pull down on her wattles to open her beak, then pop the pill in or if it's liquid medication, syringe it into the beak.
Once you do it a couple of times it gets easier!
Photo tutorial and instructions here: https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...dications-to-all-poultry-and-waterfowl.73335/

It was lots of white pus. I didn't touch it or examine it too closely this morning, but it was white in the center, although it didn't appear to be plugged, and black around the edges, where the dead flesh was. I'm tempted to cut it off, but I think I should wait for my vet to do it tomorrow. Thank you for the instructions!

 

[sarahbobo]

Vet called, and apparently she does have gout. Her uric acid levels are 31, and apparently they're supposed to be 2. So back to gout treatment.