Yolk Peritonitis?

[tiedyemommy]

This is "Red", our 7-month-old Red Sex-Link who began to show signs of Yolk Peritonitis last night. Initially we thought she was over-heated, then we thought she was egg-bound...but her breathing was raspy & she began discharging yolk-colored globs. We brought her indoors when we noticed she was behaving strangely, in the hopes that the A/C would help cool her off and perk her up. When we thought she was egg-bound, we gave her a warm bath, but that only annoyed her and didn't appear to help her situation at all (except clean her vent). She's been in our guest bathroom since we brought her in, and whenever I check on her she is usually in the same position/place she was the last time I checked her. There is a cardboard box with pine shavings in there for her to lay in, and occasionally I put her on the cool tile floor for a change of scenery. By the look of her food and water, she hasn't touched either since we brought her indoors. I sliced up some apple for her, last night, and that is untouched as well. I did get her to eat a few dried meal-worms this morning, before she lost interest in them too.

My husband and I have already explained to our 4yr-old daughter that Red may not survive this (we haven't told her we plan on culling her so she won't have to suffer much longer), and so my daughter really wants to have a backyard funeral for Red...complete with a headstone and flowers. My daughter has been an excellent helper, and I can tell she still has hope our efforts will help Red to pull through...she checks on Red with me, pets her and talks sweetly to her. I don't think it'll really set in until Red is gone. We have some neighbors who've been raising chickens for years (for eggs and meat), and so we plan on asking them to help us cull her this weekend. We just don't feel right waiting it out and watching her suffer.

 

[tiedyemommy]

I felt bad for Red for being cooped up in our bathroom, so I let her out since she seemed a little more with-it than she had been. She still has raspy breathing, the occasional cough & randomly leaking yolk-colored globs...but I thought a little time outside would do her good. She instantly spread out to sunbathe a bit before finding a shady spot under some bushes. The temperatures haven't gotten ridiculous...yet...so I will check her in another hour to see how things are going. If she weren't perkier than she'd been since this all started, I would have left her in the bathroom. I don't know if there's any hope for her, but for now she doesn't appear to be suffering too much.


While she was spread out on the ground, I got a fairly decent look at her vent area (not her actual vent). Her feathers are moist, but there doesn't appear to be much swelling or oozing or crusties. I also felt around her abdomen and haven't noticed any spongey/swelling associated with Yolk Peritonitis...but she did just recently discharge another yolk-colored glob shortly before I let her outside. All we can do now is wait and watch.

 

[Eggcessive]

Gosh that seems young for internal laying or egg yolk peritonitis. Is a vet a possibility? Some strong antibiotics might help for a bit, so that she can get her strength built back up. Unfortunately procaine penicillin G is the strongest antibiotic at most feed stores, but many use it to treat EYP. I would literally give it a shot. The dosage is 1/4 ml or cc, injected into the breast muscle 1/4 inch, once a day for 4 days, with a 20 gauge needle. So you will need 4 needles and 4 -3cc syringes if you decide to treat. It might work in case you can get her to the vet on Monday.

 

[tiedyemommy]

Gosh that seems young for internal laying or egg yolk peritonitis. Is a vet a possibility? Some strong antibiotics might help for a bit, so that she can get her strength built back up. Unfortunately procaine penicillin G is the strongest antibiotic at most feed stores, but many use it to treat EYP. I would literally give it a shot. The dosage is 1/4 ml or cc, injected into the breast muscle 1/4 inch, once a day for 4 days, with a 20 gauge needle. So you will need 4 needles and 4 -3cc syringes if you decide to treat. It might work in case you can get her to the vet on Monday.

Definitely worth looking into. Thank you!

Right now she's livelier than she's been since this began, yesterday afternoon/evening. I don't think she's eating much, if any, but being outside seemed to perk her up a bit. She might be foraging a little, and her tail is raised (as opposed to down and droopy tail and head last night/this morning). Does this sometimes clear up on its own? Because she is so young, is there a chance she's strong enough to absorb/get rid of the yolk enough to get through this?

 

[tiedyemommy]

When I went to check on Red, I found her positioned between the water and the food. She was drinking when I walked up to her (the first time I've seen her drink since this began). After I'd talked to her she got up and walked around a little before just standing there for a while. I sprayed the bushes and grass with the water hose and tossed some cold grapes for The Ladies to enjoy, but Red didn't want to join in the frenzy, or even eat the grapes I placed directly in front of her.

 

[tiedyemommy]

Red has been back indoors and settled in the bathroom since mid-afternoon. Her head and tail went droopy again, and she still hasn't eaten for (at least) 24hrs. All attempts to feed her just tick her off and make her too excited.

 

[tiedyemommy]

Red is still lethargic, raspy/coughing & appears to be unable to get comfortable. When I pick her up, her feet clench and she makes sounds consistent with discomfort or pain...I still have not been able to get a clear look at her vent for signs of swelling or infection, and I still don't notice (not to say it isn't there, though) any swelling in her abdomen. I don't believe she's discharged anymore yolk-colored globs since she came back inside this afternoon...but she is certainly no better than she has been since this all began. This afternoon's outside adventure and attitude did give me hope, but now I'm back to wondering what would kill her first, the peritonitis or starvation.

 

[tiedyemommy]

Red is still uncomfortable, raspy, lethargic, dehydrated and pretty much waiting to die. My husband did some research and asked if I thought it would help if we tried Duramycin10 (or a similar broad spectrum antibiotic). At this point I don't know. I'm not even 100% certain she has Yolk Peritonitis, but she does have most of the symptoms...and everything I've read on the subject says it's almost always fatal. Since she's gone all weekend with little to no intervention (because we had no idea what to do, or no hope anything would work), I'm afraid now would be too little too late. Husband and I are discussing treating her (if we can get the antibiotics TODAY), or saying goodbye to Red tonight. Any thoughts?

 

[mamadawn]

Lots of things to consider... What is the recovery rate if treated or not treated? Can you afford a pet if she never lays again? Could she be contagious???
Since you don't seem to be apposed to culling her, it might be best all around. Poor girl- good luck.

 

[cafarmgirl]

If it were my bird I'd probably treat with a round of antibiotic's and see if she perks up. In the absence of a diagnosis it can't hurt to try. She is young to have already developed internal laying and resultant peritonitis.