Emergency Animal Disease Surveillance
Online training – Case study 2: Lethargic backyard chooks
Physical exam
On clinical exam the chicken appears lethargic but will stand up. The chicken has ruffled feathers and there is mild ocular discharge and elevated respiratory rate but no excess respiratory sounds on auscultation. Rectal temperature is 43.2°C* and the chicken is soiled around the back end due to diarrhoea.
You offer to perform some faecal smears and take some blood for biochemistry or serology, but Dave can’t afford any diagnostics. He asks for something affordable to treat the chicken with and he is prepared to undertake nursing care at home.
*Normal chicken (daylight) rectal temperature range 40.6–43.0 degC