Was this cocci? or ? Help.

[kippermom]

I lost a hen today...she had presented about 10 days ago limping...i separated her into a small isolated cage to rest the swollen ankle. Then I noticed huge diarreah-like droppings, smelly, watery. Bird was good weight and was eating and drinking...the limp seemed to resolve. Then this afternoon she made a couple half-hearted attempts to fly, twisted her neck once, laid down and died...all in about 30 seconds. (The only other bird with any symptoms at all I removed the same day to isolation and have kept separated. She is a bit light, and breathes with her mouth open, but no limp and no diarreah or smelly droppings. Since the potential respiratory involvement is her only symptom, I have started her on a 5 day course of erythromycin for birds ).
I stood in the loft for some time today and see no other birds with any symptoms at all. I have Med-pet 4-in-1 for cocci, e.coli, canker and paratyphoid. Should I treat the whole flock as directed for 7 days as a preventative in case it is one of these diseases or wait for symptoms? Is there any harm in starting this course of treatment for the whole flock?

[TAWhatley]

Kippermom,

Do you have a county/state extension near you that will test the bird? For me in Orange County, I have to go all the way to San Bernardino for the tests (on the dead ones).

Terry

[TAWhatley]

There will be those who disagree .. BUT .. give them the multi-treatment NOW. ALL of them.

Terry

[Pidgey]

Well, it sounds bacterial for sure and probably Paratyphoid. Pigeons don't do well with Erythromycin, though. There's something about it not absorbing well from from the GI if memory serves. I'd tend towards Baytril but if the 4-in-1 is all you've got, better get to it.

Pidgey

[kippermom]

The symptoms of the isolated bird are not the same as the one that died....(yet) so I will just treat them all with the 4-in-1....the rest look okay this AM...I will also do a thorough cleaning, waterers etc. when I get home from work this afternoon. No time now. I wonder if the waters etc got too dirty when I was gone? My well meaning assistant does not clean well or at all! Isn't cocci something that is always present but can become acute/deadly when a bird is young or stressed or overloaded with the "cocci"...maybe with the cage clean and this one having been isolated from the first day of symptoms it will get down to the "chronic", sustainable...normal levels?

[maryjane]

I'm sorry you're dealing with this, Kippermom. How sad to lose one of your girls. I hope the other one and the rest will be okay.

[kippermom]

Alright..the plan is to treat the isolated one with Baytril, and the flock with "4 in 1" as a preventative/just in case. Thorough cleaning and keep a close eye on the rest...ACV after the meds to keep acidic levels up. With that plan, when should pro-biotics be added to the mix? Any other suggestions?

[kippermom]

p.s. I also have sulfadimethoxine on hand....which would be better? Baytril and 4 in 1 or the sulfa.....?

[Charis]

I don't think the 4 in 1 will do anything. Personally, I'd go with the sulfa. Baytril for the individual. Confused yet?

[kippermom]

Yup...confused. But thanks...I do not have enough sulfa on hand for 30 birds...with that said, my revised plan is to dose the isolated hen with Baytril then clean and acidify the flock/loft with dressing and ACV until I can get enough of the sulfa for the whole 5 day course that is recommended and hope for the best in the interim.