pneumonia :(

[geordiemols]

Lost one of my hens today, she was sitting soft and labouring for breath. I took her to Edinburgh University Vets but as soon as the vet took her out the cage she just about died on him. He advised that I put her to sleep and they do a post mortem........not easy decision I can say......

They were checking for Mega Bacteria and Trichomoniasis, both came back clear but he said she had Pneumonia as it showed in her lungs.....they are sending tissue away to see what caused the Pneumonia so I should get the results back in 7-10 days. In the meantime I have to treat all the birds that aren't breeding with baytril.

One heck of a day

[Hezz]

Ah, sorry to read this, my friend. It is never easy losing something in your care. It is good though, that you are going the next step and hopefully get to the bottom of the hen's health issues. Your other birds will be better for it, I am sure.

[Budgies Retreat]

So sorry to hear this fella. I can only second Hezz's comments and furthermore hope that it is a single case.

[BudgiesBuddy]

I am sorry for your loss and all the trouble you went through. I hope you get to the bottom of the problem.

[mizloco]

Sad for your loss

[geordiemols]

Thanks Guys,

Vet said it was possibly a isolated case but I had a cock bird in with her. So I put him in another cage after I noticed she was sick and have f10'd the cage that they were in.

Treating the birds that aren't breeding wont go amiss anyway will it.

I'll need to get a good probiotic to treat with after the baytril, can anyone recommend one please.

Cheers.

[starlingqueen]

You can get bacterial and viral pneumonia. Hopefully it's the bacterial kind and wont spread to the rest. So sorry you lost her though.

[geordiemols]

Mar 11, 2014 13:05:43 GMT starlingqueen said:

You can get bacterial and viral pneumonia. Hopefully it's the bacterial kind and wont spread to the rest. So sorry you lost her though.

I think that's what he's sending samples of tissue away for analysis starlingqueen, he says he would be happier doing that and getting to the bottom of it, so will I to be honest.

[moonkira *Julie *]

So sorry to hear about your little Bird .

[geordiemols]

Mar 11, 2014 14:02:17 GMT moonkira *Julie * said:

So sorry to hear about your little Bird .

Thanks Julie.

[geordiemols]

Well I went to the vets to pick the baytril up and got hit with another bill........so that was £73 yesterday and.......£119 today.........I'm not being funny or owt but what do people do who cant afford those kind of prices?.......

On a brighter note the hen had laid a clutch of eggs around 3 weeks ago but only 1 was full so I marked it and swapped it to another hen who was due to hatch eggs roughly the same time......so as she was put to sleep her chick was readying itself to be born.....I only hope the little blighter makes it.

[Hezz]

People who can't afford the treatments don't get the treatments, @georgiemols, unfortunately. A slush fund, even if it is only a bikkie jar to toss your loose change in, can help offset the pain in the back pocket at times like these. In all honestly, I think that if you can't afford the potential vet bills, you shouldn't have the animal in the first place. I realize you aren't meaning yourself - you are doing what you can - but seriously, aren't they worth a bit of sacrifice?

And I hope the egg-chick makes it. Here's hoping.

[geordiemols]

For me they are worth the sacrifice......and as you say people who cant afford the treatment/diagnosis wont get it.

I checked on the chick earlier and it had been fed so fingers crossed.

[Hezz]

Oh, so it has hatched, at least?? Good stuff ...... at least you may have some of your hen's genes to carry on the line. Hope the chick takes after her - it is such a lottery.

[geordiemols]

Mar 12, 2014 1:46:35 GMT Hezz said:

Oh, so it has hatched, at least?? Good stuff ...... at least you may have some of your hen's genes to carry on the line. Hope the chick takes after her - it is such a lottery.

Hatched and getting well fed by the looks of it .......so fingers crossed again