Gasping hen

[Willit]

My favourite hen is gasping for breath. She's been getting worse over about 2 months. The vet has run out of ideas and is puzzled as to what is wrong with her. All the other hens are fine, she's had 2 lots of antibiotics and been treated for gapeworm and it's made no difference. She's had no other symptoms, she's been laying and feeding and has no discharge from eyes or beak. Just struggling to breathe and she's now starting to get tired. Any ideas what else might cause this?

 

[dawg53]

Look inside her mouth for any lesions, small white patches or anything else out of the ordinary and let us know what you see. Put your ear to her side and listen for a whistling and/or clicking sound. Let us know what you see and hear.

 

[Willit]

Neither I or the vet could see anything in her mouth, throat and her airway looked clear. She was originally making a gurgling and wheezing sound, now it's more just panting and then stretching out her neck and coughing

 

[dawg53]

Neither I or the vet could see anything in her mouth, throat and her airway looked clear. She was originally making a gurgling and wheezing sound, now it's more just panting and then stretching out her neck and coughing

Did the vet actually examine a fecal sample under a microscope for capillary worm eggs or gapeworm eggs?

One other possibility would be that she mightve accidently swallowed something down in her trachea causing her to aspirate.

 

[Willit]

No, I'm not sure how familiar she was with chickens. Is it possible she could have gapeworm even though nothing is visible in the throat and her airway looks clear? I was wondering whether to treat her again just in case...

 

[Willit]

Any advice, help or ideas would be greatly appreciated

 

[dawg53]

The only way to verify gapeworms is by examining fecal samples under a microscope. See post #7 in this link for photos of gapeworm eggs.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/where-can-i-get-doxy.1460157/#post-24321556

 

[Willit]

Thanks, I'll treat her again anyway and see if it helps. She's such a lovely hen...

 

[Shelley97]

Thanks, I'll treat her again anyway and see if it helps. She's such a lovely

 

[Shelley97]

Hi could I ask for a update on your favourite hen?