WTH is THIS? Cancer?

[TJAnonymous]

Noticed yesterday that one of my hens looked egg bound from behind. I managed to catch her and clean her up a bit.

First of all, she is eating, drinking, and pooping just fine. She is very alert and acting totally normal. She's quite a spaz actually... I do NOT think she is laying but I'm not sure. I do have her quarantined right now so I'll know over the next few days.

Anyway, upon examining her closer, her belly is squishy and very extended. Skin is pale and normal on the bottom. No mites... But near the back, just below her vent, it is red, mottled, and lumpy. It's also warm to the touch. She doesn't like me pushing on it really but because she is nutty anyway it's hard to tell.

Anyone ever seen anything like this before? I'm wondering if it's some kind of tumor?

 

[tlcmurphy]

It looks like it might be a prolapsed vent.

@Eggcessive @azygous @Wyorp Rock

 

[TJAnonymous]

Her vent isn't prolapsed. Her vent looks normal. This is about 2 inches below her vent.

 

[azygous]

It appears to me to be a sign of a massive reproductive infection. Since she's behaving normally, the infection may be treatable. This is probably not contagious. No need to separate her from the flock.

https://jedds.com/products/enrofloxacin-10?variant=40215712661693
Dosage is 10 mg per every 2.2 pounds twice a day for 5 days.

 

[Eggcessive]

How does it feel, hard or soft? I haven’t seen anything like that, but with the feathers sparse and sticking out, I suppose it could be a series of ingrown feathers cysts, but a tumor could also be possible. That would be something a poultry vet would maybe know. Since she is eating, drinking, and active, it would not hurt to give the enrofloxacin, and see what happens. What is her weight?

 

[TJAnonymous]

I'm not sure of her weight. She is too flighty to be put on a scale. As for meds, I have Doxycycline, Metronidazole, or Amoxicillan that I can give her. I haven't given her anything yet except Calcium Citrate.

The portion of her belly that's hanging down and extended is about baseball sized. It feels soft and squishy. When I touch that lumpy area that sticks out under her vent area like the horn of Africa, it feels harder than the squishy area below. The best way I can describe it (apologies in advance for the grossness) but it feels like a hard mass of hemorrhoids... Like, it's still soft tissue but kinda hard and lumpy.

I may try to reach out to the poultry vet at University of Arkansas and see if they have any ideas...

 

[TJAnonymous]

Here's the response from the poultry vet/Professor from the Poultry Department at the University of Arkansas. They have quite an extensive research center up there thanks to Tyson.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

But near the back, just below her vent, it is red, mottled, and lumpy. It's also warm to the touch.

How does it feel, hard or soft? I haven’t seen anything like that, but with the feathers sparse and sticking out, I suppose it could be a series of ingrown feathers cysts, but a tumor could also be possible. That would be something a poultry vet would maybe know. Since she is eating, drinking, and active, it would not hurt to give the enrofloxacin, and see what happens. What is her weight?

I agree, it looks like it may be ingrown feather cysts.
I'd try the antibiotic and see if that helps. Look to see if there's any ingrown feathers that need to be coaxed out.

 

[LaFleche]

A hernia comes to mind.

You can feel her pelvis bones situated on either side of the cloaca to see if she is laying or not. @aart has a great article on the topic:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/who-is-laying-and-who-is-not-butt-check.73309/

 

[NewcoopNewpoop]

Here's the response from the poultry vet/Professor from the Poultry Department at the University of Arkansas. They have quite an extensive research center up there thanks to Tyson.

View attachment 4125785

Since all roads point to excision, what is your plan of action?