Mystery Respiratory Illness

Post by **WLLady** » Sat Nov 12, 2016 9:46 am

Hate to say it but the swelling going up is probably because they are no longer dehydrated....very common with bacterial secondary infections they set up fever and water is lost theough evaporation and panting more than usual. She really needs to do all treatments concurrently. If the vet cant get there same day or next day then try another. Another thing she can try is calling ottawa university microbiology department or university of guelph vet college and see if someone can come do a nasal swab and at least identify what is in there.

Jaye · Post by **Jaye** » Sat Nov 12, 2016 9:52 am

WLLady wrote:QR_BBPOST Hate to say it but the swelling going up is probably because they are no longer dehydrated....very common with bacterial secondary infections they set up fever and water is lost theough evaporation and panting more than usual. She really needs to do all treatments concurrently. If the vet cant get there same day or next day then try another. Another thing she can try is calling ottawa university microbiology department or university of guelph vet college and see if someone can come do a nasal swab and at least identify what is in there.

Good idea about the U of G vet college - Kemptville campus is in the vicinity. Don't know if they work weekends though.

Edited to add ... Contact Info:
AHL-Kemptville Emails and Phone Numbers
Lab Section Name Email Phone #
Veterinarian inquiries Andrew Brooks (Lab Head) asbrooks@uoguelph.ca 613-258-8320
Jan Shapiro jshapiro@uoguelph.ca 613-258-8320
Specimen Reception Inquiries Thomas McLean tmclean@kemptvillec.uoguelph.ca 613-258-8320

Post by **Killerbunny** » Sat Nov 12, 2016 11:50 am

I understand what you're saying SR. I culled my best Jake earlier because he developed a swelling on the face and wanted to make sure it wasn't the nasties. When I autopsied him it was clear he'd got an abscess fighting and been injured but no way I take those chances..

windwalkingwolf · Post by **windwalkingwolf** » Sat Nov 12, 2016 2:50 pm

Skinny rooster wrote:QR_BBPOST Hmm, I'm thinking that I know it would be hard on this person but for the sake of every other poultry keeper in the area, this flock should be put down. She could disinfect and start over in the spring with healthy stock. I would never ever want a bird that came from this farm from this day forward. Not trying to be mean but I think most people understand my point.

I agree, skinny rooster, at least with the peacocks and turkeys, and I've argued that point, as well the turkey poults especially must be suffering with their poor little balloon faces that's been going on over a month. But only testing to find out what the bug is will tell her if she needs to destroy her chickens as well, or if it's something like a fungus that will go away with better management , or some new strain of something. None of the birds she has are difficult to replace except maybe the peacocks, but I think it's academic at this point

nekoatsume · Post by **nekoatsume** » Sat Nov 12, 2016 3:45 pm

Wow - keep us updated. Seriously curious as to what it is..

Jaye · Post by **Jaye** » Sat Nov 12, 2016 4:10 pm

windwalkingwolf wrote:QR_BBPOST
Skinny rooster wrote:QR_BBPOST Hmm, I'm thinking that I know it would be hard on this person but for the sake of every other poultry keeper in the area, this flock should be put down. She could disinfect and start over in the spring with healthy stock. I would never ever want a bird that came from this farm from this day forward. Not trying to be mean but I think most people understand my point.
I agree, skinny rooster, at least with the peacocks and turkeys, and I've argued that point, as well the turkey poults especially must be suffering with their poor little balloon faces that's been going on over a month. But only testing to find out what the bug is will tell her if she needs to destroy her chickens as well, or if it's something like a fungus that will go away with better management , or some new strain of something. None of the birds she has are difficult to replace except maybe the peacocks, but I think it's academic at this point

I do want to add one thing. In my limited experience, having had to euthanize 2 hens, I do know that I regret having let them suffer as long as they did, in the vain hope of being able to save them. My Annemieke suffered at least a week longer than she needed to - if I'd just got my head out of the sand and realized that she wasn't going to get better, and that she was too far gone already by the time I noticed something amiss, and that the right and proper thing would have been to end her suffering. As it turned out, it wasn't even something I could fix.

Post by **Killerbunny** » Sat Nov 12, 2016 5:22 pm

Thanks for saying that Jaye. It's never easy but you do what's best for the flock and the bird.

windwalkingwolf · Post by **windwalkingwolf** » Sat Nov 12, 2016 5:42 pm

You're right Jaye, it's a hard lesson to learn when you love an animal, and one that I still struggle with. That's why I set myself a hard and fast 3 day rule--no improvement in 72 hours and it's time to say goodbye. I still sometimes argue with myself a little like with Boris and his back injury, but such arguments have never served myself or my animals well in the past.

Mel.B · Post by **Mel.B** » Sat Nov 12, 2016 6:35 pm

I think coryza and it doesn't always infect all birds and every bird doesn't get all the symptoms she should treat with galamycin powder in the water and polysporin for eyes or BNP from the vet for eyes. for that bird the eye infection might have taken the eye and hell lose it.

kenya · Post by **kenya** » Sun Nov 13, 2016 4:28 am

In the end taking one to a vet will probably cost less than experimenting with different medications to try and find something that will work.

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Question Mystery Respiratory Illness