likeastar--x Posted April 11, 2010 Share Posted April 11, 2010 some of you may have seen i posted a week or so ago about my chicken, minnie, who had a mass below her eye which has grown so large it obstructs the inside of her mouth. she therefore also has trouble breathing. she was put on some medication and despite the hope that she would turn out okay, it looks like shell have to be put down, because it has gotton to the point where she cannot close her mouth to pick up objects, eat or drink. im posting a couple of pictures because i wasnt aware of this disease, but it can be spread by wild birds who poop where your chickens are or drink the water of free ranging chickens. im hoping that by showing you these pics it will help others recognise what is a serious disease. it wasnt nice to take them. whats really heartbreaking is that when i let her out, she preens, scratches and has the spirit of a healthy chicken. shes also less than a year old, and is a beautiful, friendly girl im really sorry that i dont know the name of the disease, but i will find out tomorrow when i take her to the vets. i feel so horrible that shes been suffering for quite a while and i didnt notice please take note and get immidiate help from a vet if you see something similar, as it is treatable, but her case was pretty severe. thanks for reading xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daphne Posted April 11, 2010 Share Posted April 11, 2010 Thanks for posting - pictures really help all of us to learn. I'm sorry to hear about Minnie and hope you get on alright at the vets tomorrow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reikiranf Posted April 11, 2010 Share Posted April 11, 2010 Poor Minnie & poor you I haven't a clue what it is, but is your vet an avian specialist? if not I'd be tempted to take her elsewhere for a second opinion, in the hope that possibly an operation might help her, it seems a shame to have a lovely young girl put to sleep but I suppose it's kinder than the alternative. Thank you for warning us. Amanda xxx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandyhas3chucks Posted April 11, 2010 Share Posted April 11, 2010 Before you have her PTS and before you go back to that vet please look here. http://free-at-last.org.uk/#/freebies-life/4536988906 You can go on you tube too and see Freebie when she was first rescued search for "Freebie the rescue hen" I think. She looks just like your girl. She is fine and stunning now !!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chucky Mama Posted April 11, 2010 Share Posted April 11, 2010 Might it be 'Fowl Cholera' or Pasteurellosis See Here Caution Some Graphic Medical Images Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandyhas3chucks Posted April 11, 2010 Share Posted April 11, 2010 but it COULD be just a solid pus ball like Freebies! Are there no other syptoms with those 2 diseases CM? Seems odd that LAS chook is hea;thy i every other way isn't it? had a quick look but waS A tad "heavy" going! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chucky Mama Posted April 11, 2010 Share Posted April 11, 2010 Oh, yes it could be a dirty great abcess too. I don't know anything about Fowl Cholera to be honest, I was just going by the swelling and the fact that the vet said it could be caught from wild birds. I would have hoped that the vets checked for an abcess as that would have been my first thought too. Sorry about some of the nasty piccies on that link I have now put a warning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwing Posted April 11, 2010 Share Posted April 11, 2010 Swelling of the eye and sinus could be Mycoplasma, I would expect more symptoms though If it is Myco then Tylan will clear it up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
likeastar--x Posted April 12, 2010 Author Share Posted April 12, 2010 i dont think it was myco...although it was an infectious disease rather than a tumour. her vet is an avian specialist and despite rarely to never treating chickens in our area he seems to know all his stuff. if it was just the lump under her eye than maybe i would consider asking for a treatment, but the thing is because she cant close her mouth i think she cant pick up food or drink, and as the lump blocks a large part of her mouth she has trouble breathing, and i dunno if its fair to let her live like that... the question i need to ask the vet is whether its actually plausible that she could get better with treatment, because if there is only a small chance then i dont want her to be put through all this pain for nothing. and also if she does get treatment, i dont want to risk any kind of infection to my other chickens, so shed have to live in a cat box for longer than 2 weeks... im really torn not taking her until half 4 today x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daphne Posted April 12, 2010 Share Posted April 12, 2010 Ask the vet all these very sensible questions and then make your decision. It'll be hard, but you are thinking on the right lines about all the possiblities. Best wishes for later today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandyhas3chucks Posted April 12, 2010 Share Posted April 12, 2010 hey LAS.. I know how hard you found it finding a good vet nearby.. glad you have. Can you post on here the vet for others in need in your area of a good vet! Did you look at all the Freebie stuff? good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
likeastar--x Posted April 12, 2010 Author Share Posted April 12, 2010 i just got back...and unfortunatly she was put to sleep. i weighed the options, and although the vet (like most vets) was thinking of the money rather than the ethical issues, and it wasnt fair to try another course of treatment and let her either die of starvation or suffocation. im glad with my decision, and i know i was right! i will post about the vets because we found it hard to find but it is a little gem. i hope by posting about it people are aware of it because i hadnt heard of it before, and i will look up what the disease is and tell you guys what that is aswell thanks for the kind wishes, from me and from my poor little minnie xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted April 12, 2010 Share Posted April 12, 2010 Sad news, but you have made a sensible decision. She can't have been enjoying life. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daphne Posted April 12, 2010 Share Posted April 12, 2010 Very sorry to hear your sad news Well done for taking a tough decision. RIP Minnie. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reikiranf Posted April 12, 2010 Share Posted April 12, 2010 Sorry to hear your sad news, you made the best decision for Minnie, it's always sad to lose a girl but at least you saved her from suffering. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandyhas3chucks Posted April 12, 2010 Share Posted April 12, 2010 ah.. what a shame. happy forever free ranging Minnie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chucky Mama Posted April 12, 2010 Share Posted April 12, 2010 That is tough, I am sorry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
figarogir1 Posted April 13, 2010 Share Posted April 13, 2010 Sorry to hear about your sad news. It is a horrible decision to have to make but now at least we will all be watching out for this disease so hopefully some other hens symptoms will be caught in time. Thankyou. RIP Minnie. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
