Worms under skin..what are they?

[kinardmommy]

I have four black Australorp hens that are 20 wks. Over the past two weeks two of them have developed a sneeze with alot of caked up snot on the beak. I was positioning one of them in my arms to give an injection of Tylan and while searching for a good spot to give the shot in the breast I saw a worm of some kind moving under the skin. It was red and thin, it looked like a vein but it was moving. I had to do a double take and watch it for a few minutes. It is definately a worm. What type is this and could it be causing the trouble they have been having?

 

[SundownWaterfowl]

Heartworm? I have no idea. I heard about works under the skin but I cant remeber what they are called.

 

[gumpsgirl]

Did you notice if the worm was "Y" shaped? The reason I am asking this is because the gapeworm is "Y" shaped, red, and affects the windpipe, bronchi, and lungs. Symptoms are gasping, coughing, eyes closed, head drawn in, yawning, and head shaking. Treatment is levamisole.

The only other red worm that I can find is the stomach worm. Symptoms are diarrhea, anemia, and emaciation. Treatment is to control the intermediate host.

I can't find anything with the other symptoms that you have listed. I would lean more towards the gapeworm, but where I can't see the bird personally, it is hard to diagnose.

 

[kinardmommy]

Thank you gumpsgirl. I have been researching too and have not found anything yet.

 

[Pine Grove]

You wont find gapeworms under the skin, Migration is from the intestine to blood stream then on to the lungs then finaliy to the trachea...Heres only two out of about 400 that my book shows that would be found under the skin, If you cant find the info on the web, I have several pages on each species that I can send you........

 

[gumpsgirl]

Hey Pine Grove! I looked and looked through my book and all I could find that were red worms were the gapeworm and the stomach worm. Was there any info. on how she could treat this problem?

 

[kinardmommy]

I have looked all over the internet for info on both of the parasites that were shown and could not find anything. I am going to continue to look tomorrow and if I find anything I will post it. Thank You for all of your help.

 

[gumpsgirl]

I looked for you also, but never had time to get back on here to post my findings. I searched under "nematodes in poultry". I found that a nematode is a roundworm and that there are many different species of the roundworm. I can't find the ones that Pine Grove listed specifically, but will post what I did find so you can look through it. The book does show that the specific hosts for those worms that Pine Grove lists are turkey, quail, and grouse, not chickens, so I'm wondering if that's why all the universities sites are not listing those certain nematodes as chicken parasites. I did find one that lives in the arteries called angiostrongylus costaricensis. It is round, red, and might possibly be what you've seen since it can travel through the arteries. Here is that link with a few others. Hope it helps.

http://www.cdfound.to.it/HTML/angio.htm
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/PS012
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/PS/PS01200.PDF

 

[WoodlandWoman]

Regardless of what it is, what would be the best thing to use to kill it? Without knowing what kind it is? Some form of ivermectin?

 

[gumpsgirl]

Quote:
There are many different treatments for many different kinds of worms. That's why it is important to diagnose what this is so kinardmommy will know the best treatment there is to get rid of it. For some kinds of worms there isn't a treatment available. There is only prevention and how to clean up tips.