# Help please, attacked by opossum



## Desiree M (Aug 6, 2020)

10 days ago my friends chicken was attacked by a possum. I was a vet tech for over 15 years so I took her home to see if I could get her better but she still will not eat on her own and she remains upside down with her head twisted upside down as well. It's like her equilibrium is off or something she Bob's her head round and round her eyes like go in circles. I guess I want to know is there any hope or should I just give up now and euthanize her


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## Sylie (May 4, 2018)

Can you get me a picture of her real quick? Let me see what is going on and I may be able to help but it doesn't sound good (just being honest) but lets wait on that judgement until I've seen the pictures


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## Sylie (May 4, 2018)

You may need to make a couple more posts to be allowed to post pictures though so I'll ask you a few questions to answer to up your post count.

1. Does she have any open wounds?
2. Is she drinking?
3. You say she won't eat on her own, does that mean she will eat if you hand feed her?


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

That sounds very neurological. What are you feeding her? She could be deficient in necessary vitamins. 

Try dosing her with vitamin E with selenium. When I have a bird down I use Kaytee Exact hand rearing formula for cage birds. It has most everything they need and can be mixed as thin or thick as you need.

Quick question: Are you able to stop the spasm by holding her neck for a moment? You might also be able to relieve some of the stress by gently massaging her neck.


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## Desiree M (Aug 6, 2020)

Desiree M said:


> 10 days ago my friends chicken was attacked by a possum. I was a vet tech for over 15 years so I took her home to see if I could get her better but she still will not eat on her own and she remains upside down with her head twisted upside down as well. It's like her equilibrium is off or something she Bob's her head round and round her eyes like go in circles. I guess I want to know is there any hope or should I just give up now and euthanize her


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## Desiree M (Aug 6, 2020)

She has been upside down and neurological since day one. I have been hand feeding her. She seemed stronger 3 days ago. Had her on the portch in the sun and she ate all the cabbage i put in there.. 1 leaf torn up. No she has back slid pretty hard. Ive also given her 250 mls of 5% dextrose sub Q over the past week.


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## Desiree M (Aug 6, 2020)

Sylie said:


> You may need to make a couple more posts to be allowed to post pictures though so I'll ask you a few questions to answer to up your post count.
> 
> 1. Does she have any open wounds?
> 2. Is she drinking?
> 3. You say she won't eat on her own, does that mean she will eat if you hand feed her?


She does not have any open wounds she was drinking on her own if I put the bowl in front of her but not totally on her own. Now she will only drink if I use a syringe same with hand feeding


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## Desiree M (Aug 6, 2020)

robin416 said:


> That sounds very neurological. What are you feeding her? She could be deficient in necessary vitamins.
> 
> Try dosing her with vitamin E with selenium. When I have a bird down I use Kaytee Exact hand rearing formula for cage birds. It has most everything they need and can be mixed as thin or thick as you need.
> 
> Quick question: Are you able to stop the spasm by holding her neck for a moment? You might also be able to relieve some of the stress by gently massaging her neck.


If i hold her neck, her head just spins. If her eyes are closed you can see them spin too. Like nystagmus


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Can you get hold of prednisone? It's a shot in the dark but at this point nothing else seems to be happening.

What is she eating? Or what are you giving her?


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## Desiree M (Aug 6, 2020)

I have Pred 5mg tabs
I give her yogurt,
Pedialyte
Ensure
bread soaked in water
oats i soaked in pedialyte and oat milk overnight... and blended into a syringeable liquid.
Fruit pieces from whatever im eating


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Her diet absolutely has to be changed. She is not getting what she needs in any of what you're now feeding her. Blend poultry feed into a slurry if you don't have access to the Kaytee Exact. 

Remember I said it looks neuro? That's very common in birds that are not getting the vitamins and minerals they need. 

Kaytee is available at almost any pet food store. I get mine in five pound bags from Chewy but I use it as a treat for my birds.


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## Desiree M (Aug 6, 2020)

Wow ok thank you


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

It's awfully late to try the pred if it was a head injury so don't use that. Up her nutrition to see if there is improvement over the next few days. There is no timeline on how quickly that will work so give her a week.


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## Sylie (May 4, 2018)

She wasn't like this before the attack, correct?

If she was not like this previously, the problem may be more than a nutrition issue, she probably has nerve damage in her neck. She definitely needs appropriate nutrition. 

Please stop the pedialyte, it contains sucralose, sodium and dextrose, sucralose is toxic to chickens.
Dextrose is okay but it's basically table sugar derived from corn, she is getting a huge amount of sugar in the diet you are currently giving her. Chickens should not have table sugar. Pedialyte also contains a lot of sodium. Chickens should not have that much salt.

If she will drink plain water and eat the slurry that Robin suggested, she will be getting what she needs nutrition wise.

The ensure has to stop also, it contains straight up table sugar. As well as flavorings that chickens should not have. Also contains a LOT of milk proteins (various ones) that chickens should not have. It also contains a lot of sodium.

Go ahead with fruits like you were except no citrus. 

I know that you were a vet tech and have a lot more knowledge and skill with animals than a lot of people would but in this case, you should understand that chickens are not like any other animals. They are very specific in their needs, their ailments are not like others and the treatments are not like other animals. You are doing a good job so far, just keep asking us questions and we'll keep guiding you as to the appropriate things to try for her.


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## Desiree M (Aug 6, 2020)

I took her to be euthenized,
Thank you for all you help


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

I'm sorry you had to make that choice. I know after trying for so long to help her this is not what you wanted to have happen.

Sometimes though it is the kindest most unselfish thing we can do.


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## Sylie (May 4, 2018)

I am very sorry  I know it was hard but Robin is right, it probably was the best thing for her, I seriously doubt she would ever be okay. You (or her original owner) would have had a disabled house chicken. (I currently have one so I understand what goes into it.)

Please know that we are behind you and sympathize with you and the struggle.


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