An update on Emerald

I am still really worried about Emerald. I talked to the vet on Friday about her. I described her symptoms and he agreed that it sounds like gape worm. He also agreed that Flubenvet was the treatment and that it should be given for seven days then given again for a further seven days after three weeks to break the worm and egg cycle.

On the third day of treatment Emerald stopped gaping in the afternoon and brightened up. She ran to greet me and ran to the treats and I thought we had turned the corner.

By the next morning Emerald was gaping again and spending a lot of time dozing. I haven’t found any worms while poop picking and Emerald seems to have brighter moments and then seems to go down again.

We are now on day five of the flubenvet and I am not sure what I should do if she is still the same by day seven. I will pick up more flubenevet tomorrow so will ask at the vets.

I am concerned that she is still gaping and lethargic but my husband pointed out that she has stopped the head shaking and he thinks maybe her throat is remaining uncomfortable and maybe the whole thing is running her down. She is eating, drinking, pooping, preening and running for treats but I would really like to see her stop gaping and back to her lively self again.

I tried to get a photo of her gaping but my camera isn’t fast enough and I only managed one just as her beak was almost closed again.

Emerald after gaping

Emerald after gaping

Emerald dozing

Emerald dozing

She is spending a lot of time like this.

While I was trying to get a photo of Emerald gaping Peaches and Barley had one of their little spats. I quickly turned and managed to get just one photo.

Peaches and Barley with their ruffs raised

Peaches and Barley with their ruffs raised

They raise their ruffs and run at each other then away. It happens so quickly that it’s over in seconds and a second after this photo they were both pecking at the ground together beak to beak.

I really hope Emerald starts to improve soon and will update again after talking to the vet tomorrow.

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4 Responses to An update on Emerald

  1. Jackie says:

    Oh dear ! And we thought she was improving on Friday . Poor Emerald ,you can not do any more than you are doing now .
    Love the photo of the two sparrers .

    • Carol says:

      Yes that day of improvement was day three. She seems to go up and down. I have done loads of research and can only find symptoms and treatment (flubenvet) but no information on how long it takes or how long they continue to gape. She isn’t head shaking and is doing all things chickens should do which is encouraging but she is still gaping and dozing. I have everything crossed.

      I have been trying to catch that photo from when I first had those two and had just about given up ever catching it. They are so funny because it is so quick then it’s over and they are so together in whatever they next decide to do.

  2. Double the dose of the Flubenvet … I read somewhere official (sorry can’t remember where) that you can use twice the dose to treat gapeworm. Same routine, but twice the amount. (It’s one reason I don’t worry about measuring too accurately)

    Hope she’s sorted soon.

    • Carol says:

      I will try that. Tomorrow is day seven of the flunenvet. I am separating Emerald to give her the flub to make sure she gets her share. What I will do is continue to separate her and give her double the dose but stop doing the rest of the flock until the next dose in three weeks time.

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