Help while I wait for vet appt 🙏🏻🐓💜

[ANiceKaren]

Hi everyone! I’m hoping to get some advice for my Lilac girl. She is a 4 year old Lavendar Orpington who seems to be feeling sick. Some history: In June/July 2024 Lilac stopped laying and seemed sick.. lethargic, swollen abdominal area, yellowish poops.. I took her to the vet who drained some liquid and put her on antibiotics which helped! She has been healthy for past 6-7 months. However with Spring on the horizon I’m seeing some of those same symptoms reappearing.. lethargic, laying around a lot, I can hear a bit of gurgling breathing when she is laying down (especially at night). Also she stopped roosting because I think it’s hard for her to jump a few weeks ago.. She is eating, drinking and will walk around for a bit but laying down much more. Her poops are not yellow.. very normal actually. I have another vet appt on Wednesday of next week (she canceled on me today because she was sick-vet) I have some antibiotics on hand and wondering if I should start anything… thoughts? I don’t see signs of infection so not sure.. if I had to guess maybe cancer of reproductive system..? Her tummy feels a bit swollen… not too much though… she has so many feathers it’s hard to tell. Here is what I have on hand:
3 injections of LA 200
Fish Amox 250
Doxyvet-pigeon
Battrill 10%
I can tell she is going downhill slowly and I hate to wait a week with no treatment for vet… should I start any of these? I love this girl so I’m trying to help her. Here is a pic of her today.

 

[Chicken_Obsesser]

She's so pretty! I'm sorry you're having to deal with this! @Eggcessive @azygous @Wyorp Rock

 

[Chicken_Obsesser]

Maybe give her some electrolytes in the meantime to boost her energy a little bit.

 

[Eggcessive]

If she has a reproductive infection, Baytril or amoxicillin could be helpful. If she was drained, she has ascites (water belly.) It is a chronic condition usually due to egg yolk peritonitis, fatty liver disease, cancer, or heart failure.

 

[ANiceKaren]

She's so pretty! I'm sorry you're having to deal with this! @Eggcessive @azygous @Wyorp Rock

She is! I love her! Thank you

 

[ANiceKaren]

If she has a reproductive infection, Baytril or amoxicillin could be helpful. If she was drained, she has ascites (water belly.) It is a chronic condition usually due to egg yolk peritonitis, fatty liver disease, cancer, or heart failure.

If she had an infection would I see signs? Yellow poo or anything? Not seeing that.. if it’s ascites would antibiotics even help? I’m sure if that’s what’s going on vet will drain her but I have to wait a week

 

[Wyorp Rock]

4 year old Lavendar Orpington who seems to be feeling sick. Some history: In June/July 2024 Lilac stopped laying and seemed sick.. lethargic, swollen abdominal area, yellowish poops.. I took her to the vet who drained some liquid and put her on antibiotics which helped! She has been healthy for past 6-7 months. However with Spring on the horizon I’m seeing some of those same symptoms reappearing.. lethargic, laying around a lot, I can hear a bit of gurgling breathing when she is laying down (especially at night). Also she stopped roosting

I don’t see signs of infection so not sure.. if I had to guess maybe cancer of reproductive system..? Her tummy feels a bit swollen… not too much though

I'm sorry about your hen, she is a pretty girl.

The gurgling breathing at night, likely points to the Symptom Ascites (Water Belly). This symptom can accompany reproductive disorders as mentioned - Cancer, Salpingitis, EYP, etc. The symptom can also be due to organ failure/dysfunction.

Treatment and supportive care as you did last year may help and give her some more time. Unfortunately, these conditions which may improve for a period of time are usually chronic and will show up again.

Giving an antibiotic might help give some relief as would draining fluid.

 

[ANiceKaren]

I'm sorry about your hen, she is a pretty girl.

The gurgling breathing at night, likely points to the Symptom Ascites (Water Belly). This symptom can accompany reproductive disorders as mentioned - Cancer, Salpingitis, EYP, etc. The symptom can also be due to organ failure/dysfunction.

Treatment and supportive care as you did last year may help and give her some more time. Unfortunately, these conditions which may improve for a period of time are usually chronic and will show up again.

Giving an antibiotic might help give some relief as would draining fluid.

I'm sorry about your hen, she is a pretty girl.

The gurgling breathing at night, likely points to the Symptom Ascites (Water Belly). This symptom can accompany reproductive disorders as mentioned - Cancer, Salpingitis, EYP, etc. The symptom can also be due to organ failure/dysfunction.

Treatment and supportive care as you did last year may help and give her some more time. Unfortunately, these conditions which may improve for a period of time are usually chronic and will show up again.

Giving an antibiotic might help give some relief as would draining fluid.

Thank you so much. I’ll keep loving on her until we can get into the vet and hope it’s not too late. I had a feeling it would be chronic and at some point I know the difficult choice is coming but she is worth another vet appointment. I hope she can stay strong until I can get in next week. I appreciate you all so very much

 

[ANiceKaren]

I'm sorry about your hen, she is a pretty girl.

The gurgling breathing at night, likely points to the Symptom Ascites (Water Belly). This symptom can accompany reproductive disorders as mentioned - Cancer, Salpingitis, EYP, etc. The symptom can also be due to organ failure/dysfunction.

Treatment and supportive care as you did last year may help and give her some more time. Unfortunately, these conditions which may improve for a period of time are usually chronic and will show up again.

Giving an antibiotic might help give some relief as would draining fluid.

Since I have to wait a week here is what I’m thinking… perhaps giving her the 3 injections of LA200 and the anti inflammatories I have from the last time she got this… not sure if 3 injections is smart or will do anything? When she got this in summer doctor gave her la200 and it didn’t quite work so she started with Excede which really helped.. but maybe this would be a good start until I wait till Wednesday? Thoughts? these injections are 6 months old but I’ve had them refrigerated?

 

[Eggcessive]

LA 200 is used as an injection in cows once, or again in 3 days. It is oxytetracycline that is use in chicken more for respiratory diseases. The amoxicillin or Baytril is used more often for reproductive infection. Baytril use is frowned upon in chickens by the FDA and vets, but it can be effective against E.coli and other bacteria that may lead to infection.