Please help...Screw found in hens xray!

[KClivlaughlove]

Hello again all! I took my bossy into the vet for an entirely different reason anyhow had an x-ray done thankfully it X-rays the whole body because they're so small and unfortunately (separate from the original reason why I took her in) x-ray revealed a screw and a staple. I'll attach images of the x-rays. I've read many posts on here where their hands have swollen screws and other odd objects and some have been happy endings and some have been sad endings. Any information I would be so very grateful for and I thank you in advance. BTW... bossy's vet doesn't have much experience when it comes to chickens. He has his own flock. And he is a vet, but he deals in cats, dogs, horses and cows. So after we found the screw and the staple he had asked that I do what I do best research research research to come up with some possible options. He stated that if I'm unable to locate something or someone who is capable and or willing to remove it then he will as he stated he's removed plenty from cats and dogs. My response to that was yeah but the chickens anatomy is entirely different and he agreed but said he's willing to make an attempt.
First 2 pics are her laying on her back.
2nd 2 pics are her laying on her right side.

 

[SmiYa0126]

@azygous @Eggcessive @Wyorp Rock will she pass this on her own?

 

[Kiki]

What was the original reason for going to the vet/getting xrays?

 

[NatJ]

So after we found the screw and the staple he had asked that I do what I do best research research research to come up with some possible options. He stated that if I'm unable to locate something or someone who is capable and or willing to remove it then he will as he stated he's removed plenty from cats and dogs. My response to that was yeah but the chickens anatomy is entirely different and he agreed but said he's willing to make an attempt.

If you decide to try having the vet remove the screw: I suggest another x-ray first, to see if it has moved. Things sometimes come safely through a chicken's digestive tract on their own.

I do not know how likely it is to resolve itself, but x-ray is a rather non-invasive way to check on it, with fewer side effects than cutting her open for a look.

 

[azygous]

Did the vet say if the hardware is in the crop or in the gizzard? If the staple and screw are in the gizzard, no, they will not pass out. If they are in the crop, surgery might be able to retrieve them.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I have no idea if she can pass that or not.

Surgery would be very risky to begin with, but he may be able to remove them.

If he doesn't feel like he can, then research "Hardware Disease" and "Hardware Toxicity" in poultry, you will find information and perhaps be able to provide chelation or some other treatment to lessen the effects of metal toxicity.

 

[Eggcessive]

I agree with others, it is hard to know if the chicken will pass these. There was a thread a while ago where a screw that had been previously swallowed came out of the abdominal wall, which was a miracle. Hopefully, she will survive this, but chickens will eat anything that is left or found in their environment, including plastic, glass, metal, strings or jewelry. I tried to be careful to always pick up things I found around my coop and run. Glass was always a problem pushing up through the ground after a frost. I would not have exploratory surgery on a chicken, but I hope that your chicken survives this.

 

[KClivlaughlove]

What was the original reason for going to the vet/getting xrays?

Had her in in April for gasping and symptoms of respiratory. At that time vet thought it possible she had gapeworm so we treated her for that he also prescribed Tylan 500 because the 50 was out of stock where he gets his prescriptions from so we did a round of that as well and she didn't really get better but she didn't get worse either. However still doing the gasping anytime she ate and or during any activity whatsoever. So I feared she had something stuck in her throat and that was why there reason for the visit and x-ray! Well and behold instead we find a screw and a staple.

 

[KClivlaughlove]

Did the vet say if the hardware is in the crop or in the gizzard? If the staple and screw are in the gizzard, no, they will not pass out. If they are in the crop, surgery might be able to retrieve them.

He did not say but if you look at the one picture where it's blown up you can see it's past her gizzard into her intestines I believe is but that is. And her bum has been puckered out for some time now.

 

[KClivlaughlove]

I've been watching her poop and there's been no bloody poop what so ever. That x-ray was just done yesterday later evening around 5ish pm mtn time.
For the longest time she had no interest in food, her favorite treats, or even in water so i actually had to tube feed her a couple of times. And she had interest in her favorite treats...which we provided cucumber tomato watermelon blueberries and a couple of other things I can't recall off the top of my head...but now she's eating regular food and drinking a lot of water on her own. Her stools have become more as they're supposed to be then they have been in a long time. And the last couple of days she's been fighting me to go back out with the flock and free range and that's not any other but I refuse to allow her because she's been away from him for so long now that it's just nearly a fight when she comes close in contact with any of them and I don't need her any further injured than she already is or could be.