Hen not responding to treatment. Gape worm? Link to video please help assess.

[genesis1981]

I posted about my Austrlorp hen yesterday. None of my more seasoned chicken friends could offer suggestions and since this is our first sick hen we sprung $100 for the poultry vet. The vet prescribed Panacur for worms and digestion but said her lungs sounded normal. Nothing visible in her throat.
Her crop is very swollen and full of fluid. She has bouts of thus almost asthmatic gasping where she crows and tries to shake her head like something is in her throat.
We started a dewormer and I gave her some olive oil and rubbed her crop but didn’t want to hurt her since it’s just full of liquid. She’s been laying on the ground away from the other hens and slept on the floor of the coop. She will eat mealworms when she isn’t having a gasping episode.
We are really stumped. With this info and video maybe someone can think of something we haven’t. Otherwise should we just put her out of her misery? It looks mighty uncomfortable.

 

[Eggcessive]

Did the vet give her anything for inflammation or antibiotics? How much panacur and how often are younto give it? Where are you located (panacur can be different strengths in different countries.) Gapeworm is more common in tropical regions. Did the vet check the poop for worm eggs? Capillary worms and gapes are 2 that might cause breathing problems.

Unfortunately, there is not much that we can do when chickens are gasping and having so much trouble breathing. It is hard to watch even in the video. I would make sure that she is in a room with good air circulation, with no ammonia odor or dust. A humidifier might be helpful. Try to get her drinking fluids out of a cup often so that she does not become dehydrated. So sorry that she is sick.

 

[genesis1981]

Did the vet give her anything for inflammation or antibiotics? How much panacur and how often are younto give it? Where are you located (panacur can be different strengths in different countries.) Gapeworm is more common in tropical regions. Did the vet check the poop for worm eggs? Capillary worms and gapes are 2 that might cause breathing problems.

Unfortunately, there is not much that we can do when chickens are gasping and having so much trouble breathing. It is hard to watch even in the video. I would make sure that she is in a room with good air circulation, with no ammonia odor or dust. A humidifier might be helpful. Try to get her drinking fluids out of a cup often so that she does not become dehydrated. So sorry that she is sick.

We're giving .3ML in syringe every 24 hours for 7 days. If she lasts that long. Maybe it is another kind of worm? I just keep seeing alleged gape worm videos and the gasping is exactly the same. I will look into Capillary worms.

She is just sitting in the run away from the other chickens. I didnt want to separate her because I thought it would stress her more. We have seen her drinking water, eating mealworms when she is calm, and we have also given her some water via syringe just to be sure. Do you think we should bring her inside with a humidifier?

My biggest concern is this is a crop problem not related to a worm and I am not doing the right treatment for it.

 

[Eggcessive]

Can you share your general location and climate? If her crop is remaining full and puffy first thing in the morning, she may be suffering from sour crop. Do not massage a puffy crop because of the danger of choking on crop contents. I would start treatment for a crop disorder as well.

If using the 10% panacur or fenbendazole, dosage for gapeworm and capillary thread worm is 0.25 ml or 1/4 ml per pound of weight given for 5 consecutive days. Is that the strength you have?

For sour crop an antifungal drug such as Medistatin or nystatin available online can be given. Miconazole or clotrimazole creams can also be given orally for treatment. Here is some reading about those and crop disorders:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/

 

[genesis1981]

Can you share your general location and climate? If her crop is remaining full and puffy first thing in the morning, she may be suffering from sour crop. Do not massage a puffy crop because of the danger of choking on crop contents. I would start treatment for a crop disorder as well.

If using the 10% panacur or fenbendazole, dosage for gapeworm and capillary thread worm is 0.25 ml or 1/4 ml per pound of weight given for 5 consecutive days. Is that the strength you have?

For sour crop an antifungal drug such as Medistatin or nystatin available online can be given. Miconazole or clotrimazole creams can also be given orally for treatment. Here is some reading about those and crop disorders:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/

We are in MD zone 6B right near Washington DC.
I didn’t smell sour breath or hear gurgling if sour crop. And the vet did see her and weigh her and give her that dosage of the medicine. But I’m going to read your link right now.
Is her gasp consistent with sour crop though? Most of my friends said it didn’t line up with then their hens had had it.

 

[Eggcessive]

I have seen gasping like that (only in videos) with severe respiratory diseases and with gapeworms. Many times viruses are responsible for the respiratory disease. With a slow or puffy crop they can regurgitate crop contents when any pressure is applied to the crop, and yes that could cause gasping and gaping. Slow crop can progress to a sour crop when it becomes infected. Many times that is a fungal infection.

If her crop empties overnight by morning, it is not a sour crop. The crop disorders I have seen have usually been due to another problem, mostly reproductive infection or ascites. Sometimes we do not know answers until a necropsy is done after death, unfortunately. Vet care is best if available, but it is not usually available or affordable to most of us.

 

[genesis1981]

Here is the other medicine I was given to help her with probably crop issues. Anyone used it?

 

[genesis1981]

I have seen gasping like that (only in videos) with severe respiratory diseases and with gapeworms. Many times viruses are responsible for the respiratory disease. With a slow or puffy crop they can regurgitate crop contents when any pressure is applied to the crop, and yes that could cause gasping and gaping. Slow crop can progress to a sour crop when it becomes infected. Many times that is a fungal infection.

If her crop empties overnight by morning, it is not a sour crop. The crop disorders I have seen have usually been due to another problem, mostly reproductive infection or ascites. Sometimes we do not know answers until a necropsy is done after death, unfortunately. Vet care is best if available, but it is not usually available or affordable to most of us.

Her crop has just stayed full of fluid for the past few days. I went out to feel it first thing this morning and it was still full of fluid

 

[Eggcessive]

Reglan has been used for decades in hospitals to increase gigestive motility in humans. I would read the crop disorder article and consider the antifungals. Chilled coconut oil cut into slivers is something that might help move along the crop contents through the digestive tract. Some use doccusate sodium stool softener capsules as well. Acidified copper sulfate is another remedy used by some, at 1/4 tsp per gallon of water, and it is available here:
https://www.jefferspet.com/products...5RDvw10cTMBwJx5GbMhP8ef5dyBditVYaAry4EALw_wcB

 

[genesis1981]

Reglan has been used for decades in hospitals to increase gigestive motility in humans. I would read the crop disorder article and consider the antifungals. Chilled coconut oil cut into slivers is something that might help move along the crop contents through the digestive tract. Some use doccusate sodium stool softener capsules as well. Acidified copper sulfate is another remedy used by some, at 1/4 tsp per gallon of water, and it is available here:
https://www.jefferspet.com/products...5RDvw10cTMBwJx5GbMhP8ef5dyBditVYaAry4EALw_wcB

Thank you for all your suggestions. It’s gray to have so many in one place from someone that has opinions! Very helpful!!