Small Flock Veterinary Care

03/06/2023

Hello fellow small flock enthusiasts, please find below a research opportunity led by UBC, SFU, and PIPPS. This is a great opportunity for small flock owners to express their opinions on how to support small flock owners and to prevent avian influenza.
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Hello everyone,

We have an opportunity for small flock poultry producers to take part in research related to avian influenza and biosecurity led by the University of British Columbia (UBC), Simon Fraser University (SFU), and the Pacific Institute on Pathogens, Pandemics, and Society (PIPPS).

We are looking for BC and Yukon small flock poultry owners and producers to participate in an online survey and one-on-one interviews. You will earn a $10 gift card for taking the survey, and a $25 gift card for doing the interview.

To learn more about the study, take the survey, and to sign up for an interview, please visit:
https://tinyurl.com/birdflusurvey

Please note that study participants (or potential participants) who interact with this post (like, share, follow) will be publicly associated with the study (other members of the public will be able to see that you did so).

26/07/2022

13/04/2022

USGS Map - commercial, backyard, wild bird detections on a single map for US/Canada AI cases

https://www.usgs.gov/media/images/distribution-highly-pathogenic-avian-influenza-h5-and-h5n1-north-america-20212022

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS A lock () or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

11/04/2022

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KSCWqibJboQ

For those of you who missed the live zoom Webinar on Update on HPAI and Small Flock Poultry, the Youtube link is now available:

This webinar was held on March 15, 2022 and was organized by the Western Canadian Animal Health Network (http://wecahn.ca) and the Canadian Animal Health Sur...

08/04/2022

Please take some time to review this important message regarding Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) from BCEGG.

We will be sharing more information and helpful resources in the next couple of days.

"Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) is moving quickly across North America. Generally, the path of HPAI has followed wild bird migratory patterns who are known carriers of the HPAI pathogen. The first flocks impacted by HPAI were located on the east coast and since that time the virus has been found throughout poultry flocks making its way to the west. Two days ago we received notice of three confirmed HPAI cases in flocks located in Olds, Alberta. This disease is highly contagious among poultry and results in extremely high mortality rates. The risk of your flock contracting the virus can be lessened through careful implementation of strict biosecurity protocols.

Due to the rapid spread of HPAI the BC Poultry Association is recommending an immediate move to Red Biosecurity Status. This is the most rigorous level of biosecurity standards and is necessary to help slow the spread of HPAI. Please review Enhanced Biosecurity Guidelines for Small Lot Producers - Red to learn what this move means to your farm. This document and additional biosecurity resources are available on our Small Lot Farms webpage.

Our actions today can help prevent HPAI taking hold in BC. Be sure to follow all the biosecurity recommendations and always err on the side of caution. When the risk has lessened and the Biosecurity status is changed a follow up message will be sent."

https://mailchi.mp/c41d09363fe1/enhanced-biosecurity-for-small-lot-farmers-what-it-means-to-move-to-red?e=23ac93639f

15/03/2022

Reminder, the HPAI webinar starts in an hour (5pm PST)! This is a valuable opportunity to learn about Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza and the prevention strategies for small flock owners. Get your free registration at: https://us02web.zoom.us/.../tZMvdOiqrT4oG9Od9TjuDI7AnKIH6...
Hope to see you all at the webinar!

04/03/2022

Free Webinar! This is a valuable opportunity to learn about Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza and the prevention strategies for small flock owners. Registration: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZMvdOiqrT4oG9Od9TjuDI7AnKIH66pu_DZW

Hope to see you all at the webinar!

03/06/2021

Emergency kit for small flocks: wounds/injuries

Paris the pigeon was admitted to our clinic with a bleeding wound on her left wing after being attacked by a racoon. Her wound was treated right away and she was given a course of antibiotic and pain medication to go home. Emergency situations such as wounds and physical injuries can occur when caring for backyard chicken and it is important to be prepared. Paris was very lucky to get immediate veterinarian care and she recovered quickly over the course of two weeks. However, in situations where you are living in a distant location and are unable to get to a vet clinic promptly, here are some steps and the tools for emergency wound care.

Emergency wound care kit checklist:

- Medical grade Manuka honey/hydrophilic gels (Manuka honey has great antibacterial activity and hydration property and it is very safe to be used as a wound dressing).

- Bandage material: conforming stretch gauze, gauze sponge, vet wrap, water resistant surgical tape.

- 20cc, 30cc, or 60cc syringes (For creating higher pressure for wound flushing and draining).
- Tweezers
- Scissors
- Aqueous chlorhexidine gluconate
- Gloves
- Multivitamin premix for chickens
- Clean towels
- Hospitalization pen (A clean, sanitized, quiet area to isolate the bird temporarily).

When birds are injured, it is important to isolate them in a clean, dry, and comfortable environment such as a hospitalization pen (can be small crates, dog kennel, DIY cardboard box). Isolation from the rest of the flock is especially important when blood is present to prevent injuries from pecking from other birds. Open wounds are very attractive to chickens and can stimulate pecking behavior. Ensure there is adequate padding in the hospitalization pen. Avoid concrete and wire flooring that may aggravate wounds (e.g. foot injuries) further. Birds may also be in shock after being injured so fresh water should be provided at all times. Multivitamins/electrolytes can be added to the water for extra nutritional support. Additional heat source may be added (**make sure the bird has enough space to move away from the heat source to avoid overheating).

Inspect the wound and the surrounding tissues carefully once the bird has been stabilized. A small towel can be used to cover the bird’s eyes to minimize stress. Trim feathers around the wound to optimize visualization and minimize contamination. Use a 30 or 60 cc syringe to flush the wound with chlorhexidine solution. Flushing with a syringe helps to create a high pressure to remove foreign material (e.g. rocks, dirt, wood chips). After that, rinse the wound thoroughly with lukewarm distilled water. After the wound is cleaned and disinfected, pad the wound dry and prepare for bandaging. Hydrophilic gels or medical grade manuka honey are great wound dressings. Apply a thin layer of manuka honey on the wound. For bandaging, gauze sponges can be used to pad the area before being wrapped with conforming stretch gauze/vet wrap and secured with surgical tape. Lastly, ensure that the injured bird is brought to a veterinarian as soon as possible for further assessment and treatment.

15/01/2021

Free Webinar - ILT (Infectious Laryngotracheitis) Prevention and Control. For those of you who missed the BC Poultry Symposium in December by Dr. Gigi Lin, you will now have a chance to access to the video recording at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ACtLhLl9uWQ&feature=emb_title

The BC Poultry Symposium is an annual event organized by Canadian Poultry Consultants Ltd. to provide continuing education opportunity to the poultry industry. This year, the webinars will be held online once a month. The event is usually opened to commercial poultry growers only. We are excited to extend the invitation to small flock owners as the topic: ILT Prevention and Control, is relevant to small flock/pet chicken owners. Infectious Laryngotracheitis (ILT), is a respiratory disease caused by a herpse virus. The webinar covers the pathogenesis, epidemiology, prevention and control of ILT.

17/11/2020

Free Webinar - ILT (Infectious Laryngotracheitis) Prevention and Control.
November 18th, 2020 Wednesday 10am to 11am.

Registration link: https://bcpoultrysymposium.com/

The BC Poultry Symposium is an annual event organized by Canadian Poultry Consultants Ltd. to provide continuing education opportunity to the poultry industry. This year, the webinars will be held online once a month. The event is usually opened to commercial poultry growers only. We are excited to extend the invitation to small flock owners as our upcoming topic: ILT Prevention and Control, is relevant to small flock/pet chicken owners as well. Infectious Laryngotracheitis (ILT), is a respiratory disease caused by a herpse virus. The webinar will cover the pathogenesis, epidemiology, prevention and control of ILT.

Monthly BCPS Webinar SeriesPlease take the time to recognize our sponsors as they have provided unwavering support to our meetings over the years. Click an event link below to learn more about a specific Zoom Webinar. Date/TimeEvent 18/11/2020 10:00 am - 11:00 am Zoom Webinar: Infectious Laryngotrac...

10/11/2020

Winter Chicken Disease to Watch for: Aspergillosis (Fungal Pneumonia)

Two weeks ago, a flock of backyard layer pullets were admitted for physical examination. A couple of the pullets were showing signs of respiratory distress. They were open-mouth breathing with extended neck. One of the hens was very lethargic and had purple comb (sign of cyanosis - lack of oxygen) . This particular hen was euthanized humanely and an in-house necropsy was performed.

The most significant necropsy findings were in the lungs and the air sacs. There were multiple pale yellow plaques/nodules attached firmly to the lungs and also throughout the air sacs (photos will be posted in the comment section for those of you who are interested - warning: necropsy pictures). Such lesions cause severe damage to the gaseous exchange system of the hen thus she was showing signs of severe respiratory distress. The samples were submitted to the lab for fungal culture to confirm Aspergillosis - fungal infection.

Aspergillosis is fungal infection; Aspergillus, this fungal species can form spores and stay dormant in the environment for a long period of time given idea conditions. The lower respiratory system of the birds is most susceptible to fungal infection. We usually see fungal pneumonia more often in the fall/winter months of the year for the following reasons:

- Increased humidity in the coop with more rainfall and tight ventilation.
- Higher humidity favours the growth of aspergillosis in the feed, manure, and the environment.
- Tighter ventilation can contribute to poor air quality with more ammonia and dust/dander build up --> damage to the lining of the respiratory tracts.
- Exposure to cold temperatures and drafts can also impair ciliary function of the respiratory tracts, making the birds more susceptible to secondary infection.

The control and prevention of fungal infection revolves around proper coop management:

- Make sure the coop is well-ventilated to remove excessive moisture and ammonia efficiently
- Avoid the use of straw beddings that tend to retain excessive moisture.
- Check feed storage (and feeding pens) routinely for signs of mold and dampness. Wet/moldy feed should not be fed to chickens (or any other animals).
- Water acidification: the use of apple cider vinegar in the drinking water can help to reduce the growth of fungal spores and disease-causing bacterial in the crops.
Providing proper nutrition is always the basic to any disease prevention.

10/11/2020

Rooster looking for a new home! Idli the Buff Orpington rooster is up for adoption, please find description below and contact owner directly. Please remember to practice good biosecurity by having at least 30 days of quarantine period when introducing new birds to the existing flock!

Breed: Buff Orpington
Name: Idli
Age: 5 1/2 months
Looking for a good home for Idli the rooster (too many roosters in the chicken house). He is just entering sexual maturity. He is good at being handled and there are no signs of aggression towards humans or fellow chickens. Happy to transport him to his new home (if in the Fraser Valley).
For more information please send me an email.
Contact: [email protected]

14/08/2020

We will be expecting some very warm temperatures this weekend in many parts of BC. Once again, we would like to share tips on how to prevent heat stress in your flock. It takes more than a piece of watermelon!

- Avoid over-crowding. Allow enough space for birds to spread out and minimize stress.

- The coop should be well-ventilated. If chickens are let outside, please ensure that they have shaded areas to hide from direct sunlight.

- Provide fresh and clean water. Waterer should be refreshed at least once a day. It is important to ensure that the inner surfaces of the waterer are cleaned thoroughly to minimize biofilm build-up.

- If a closed water line system is used, it is helpful to cool the drinking water by flushing the lines multiple times during the warm hours. Water flow should be monitored regularly. Mineral build-up can be a problem depends on the water source.

- Add multivitamin/electrolyte in the drinking water to help replenish mineral and electrolyte loss. B vitamins are good supplements during hot temperatures.

- Vitamin D3, Calcium and Phosphorus through the drinking water can help maintain good shell quality.

- Carefully select feeding times. Feeding during the coolest times of the day can help minimize heat stress.

- Recognize clinical signs of heat stress. The most obvious clinical signs of heat stress is open-mouth breathing or 'panting'. Panting occurs because birds, unlike humans, do not have sweat glands that cool their skin. Instead, birds need to cool themselves by evaporation from their throat and respiratory system. Unfortunately, panting takes significant energy for birds, which, in turn, generates more heat and physiological stress. Other signs of heat stress includes: spreading/lifting wings away from body, lethargy, diarrhea, pale combs & wattles, increase water consumption.

Please note that watermelon should not replace normal diets*

23/07/2020

Roosters up for adoption!
One of our awesome clients have three 12-week-old roosters up for adoption. They are friendly and hand raised: Lavender Orphington, Crele Orphington, and Chocolate Orphington.
Please contact Rebecca via [email protected] for more information.

Please remember to practice strict biosecurity protocols when introducing new birds to your flock.

The quarantine period should be at least 30 days (preferably 60 days) and may be extended if a disease challenge or a sub-optimal health status is suspected. An ideal quarantine area should be as far from other coops as possible. The birds that are housed in the quarantine area should have separate feed, water and equipment supply from the home flock to minimize the risk of cross-contamination. Monitor the birds closely, keep a record of basic health parameters such as behavior, feed/water intake levels, droppings, etc. Always visit your healthy flock (or in some cases, youngest flocks that have weaker immunity) first before visiting the quarantine area (from clean to dirty). Keep a separate set of personal protective equipment (PPE) for different flocks. Basic PPE includes coveralls, clean rubber/disposable boots, hair nets, gloves etc.

26/06/2020

We had some special tiny visitors last week who came in for vaccination. These were probably the smallest chicks that we have ever done a subcutaneous vaccination on. They were a day-old and some of them only weighed just under 20 grams. They were the Golden Neck Millie and d'Anvers chicks. They are bantam breeds so they will be smaller and lay small eggs when they are full grown.

19/06/2020

We had a very cute special visitor today!!! Happy Friday

04/06/2020

Heat Stress Management for Backyard Chickens.

We have Rebecca from Langley shared her gorgeous chicken coop made by her husband over the COVID-19 stay-at-home period. Rebecca's coop set a great example of a good coop design to prepare for the hot summer days.

Firstly, her coop is build partially under the shaded area and her outdoor pen is very well-ventilated. Having a well-ventilated enclosure is not only important to help maintain lower temperature, but also keep adequate air flow to lower relative humidity and lower ammonia and toxic gases build up.

Heat stress in chickens can cause death in serious cases and can have so many negative impacts on bird's health and performance. Reducing egg production and egg quality, impairing the immune system, increasing the likelihood of intestinal diseases are some of the common consequences.

With summer coming up, it is important to get prepared for the warm days.

- Avoid over-crowding. Allow enough space for birds to spread out and minimize stress.

- The coop should be well-ventilated. If chickens are let outside, please ensure that they have shaded areas to hide from direct sunlight.

- Provide fresh and clean water. Waterer should be refreshed at least once a day. It is important to ensure that the inner surfaces of the waterer are cleaned thoroughly to minimize biofilm build-up.

- If a water line system is used, it is helpful to cool the drinking water by flushing the lines multiple times during the warm hours. Water flow should be monitored regularly. Mineral build-up can be a problem depends on the water source.

- Add multivitamin/electrolyte in the drinking water to help replenish mineral and electrolyte loss.

- Vitamin D3, Calcium and Phosphorus through the drinking water can help maintain good shell quality.

- Carefully select feeding times. Feeding during the coolest times of the day can help minimize heat stress.

- Recognize clinical signs of heat stress. The most obvious clinical signs of heat stress is open-mouth breathing or 'panting'. Panting occurs because birds, unlike humans, do not have sweat glands that cool their skin. Instead, birds need to cool themselves by evaporation from their throat and respiratory system. Unfortunately, panting takes significant energy for birds, which, in turn, generates more heat and physiological stress. Other signs of heat stress includes: spreading/lifting wings away from body, lethargy, diarrhea, pale combs & wattles, increase water consumption.

12/05/2020

Look who is back for a 'virtual' visit! Remember Attila the hen with a severe crop impaction and went through a surgery back in October last year? The 2nd and 3rd pictures showed her impacted crop and the material that we retrieved surgically. It has been 7 months since her surgery and we are so happy to hear that Attila is doing great and she even laid her first egg after a long time a couple weeks ago (1st picture)!

Attila has recovered very well from her surgery except she still has a pendulous crop; however, Attila's hooman has been doing a fantastic job in managing her distended crop to minimize complications. She gets crop massages a couple times a day and she is fed frequently with smaller quality.

Chicken with a pendulous crop has a higher risk of developing complications such as crop impaction, sour crop, and injury from trauma. Here are a couple of home management steps that can help to reduce of risk of complications:

1. Diet: chicken with pendulous crop has a slower crop emptying time. By minimizing the volume of feed/water per meal, this can help to reduce the feed and water accumulated in the crop.

2. For chickens that are used to human handling, daily massage of the crop, especially after a meal, can stimulate crop emptying. NOTE: this may not be practical for chickens that are hard to catch and are stressed with human handling.

3. Add apple cider vinegar and probiotics in the drinking water a couple days a week. Probiotic and acidity can help to hinder the growth of fungi and other bad bacteria.

4. 'Crop bras' can be purchased online or homemade to provide physical support and protection to the distended crop. If a chicken is using a crop bra, please check the covered skin/feathers regularly for signs of skin infection and parasitism.

5. In severe cases, the distended crop may need to be emptied and flushed routinely. Please consult a poultry veterinarian for technical training.

06/05/2020

06/05/2020

Spring is coming, it is time to watch out for plant poisoning!

A Case of Foxglove Poisoning

Dottie is a Cuckoo Maran residing in Lake Errock. She is described by her owners as 'the softest chicken both in temperament and feathers'. Dottie and her coop-mates were let out for a walk in the forest one day. During the outing they were observed enjoying some wild plants and grasses.

The next day, Dottie became very lethargic. She had stopped eating, had diarrhea and was open-month breathing. She was slow to leave the coop in the morning and spent a long time laying on the ground under the coop with her eyes closed. Her face wasn't swollen and there was no abnormal discharge noticed. Dottie's owner contacted us right away and she was able to save Dottie with home supportive therapies. It was suspected that Dottie was intoxicated from the ingestion of Foxglove plant where she was in the forest.

In cases where toxicity are suspected, depends on the timeline and resources that are available, there is a couple of steps that can be done to minimize the impact on an intoxicated chicken.

In Dottie's case, she likely had ingested the toxic plant at least 12-24 hours prior to the onset of clinical signs. At this point, it may be to late to use activated charcoal. Activated charcoal and the attempt of emptying the crop can be considered shortly after the ingestion of a toxic substance. Of course, always consult with your veterinarian, the interventions may vary depend on the nature of the toxic substance.

Other important supportive therapies that Dottie's owner has done in addition to the use of activated charcoal include:

1. Immediate isolation. This is important to minimize stress and also in case of any kinds of contagious diseases when a definitive diagnosis cannot be confirmed.

2. Provide warmth through additional heat source/well-insulated space. Sick chickens, just like us, have compromised thermoregulatory system and are more susceptible to chilling.

3. Supportive feeding and drinking. Dottie went off feed and water. Her owner did a great job in tube feeding her and it was definitely a vital step for Dottie's recovery. Multivitamin, enriched diets can be added for extra nutritional support.

With her owner's fantastic care, Dottie was back to her normal self within three days. Attach is a picture of Dottie with her friends after her recovery.

What is foxglove? It is a plant that can be commonly found. Foxglove has been used in Chinese medicine for thousands of years and currently in Western medicine to extract a chemical known as Digoxin. Digoxin is widely use to treat heart conditions. Overdosing of Foxglove has been implicated in gastrointestinal upset and irregular heart rate.

We will put together a list of toxic plants shortly!

Photo credits: Dottie's owner; Walters Garden

28/04/2020

Meet Ford the Pheasant! Ford, a Lady Amherst's pheasant, was found wandering on his own last week and he was brought into Langley Animal Protection Society (LAPS). He is a male, full-grown Lady Amherst's pheasant. Ford has been doing great and he is healthy and active. He is now available for adoption. Please contact LAPS for more information.

Quarantine! Quarantine! Quarantine! If you have any existing birds, it is important to have a quarantine period (for at least 30 days) when introducing new birds to the existing flock. Apparent healthy birds can be asymptomatic carries for disease-causing agents.

24/04/2020

Maria the hen laid her first egg of the year!

One of the happiest moment of being a chicken vet is to hear good news from your clients. Maria's owner share a great picture with us of Maria and her first egg (she looks like a proud mama).

About 2 months ago, Maria's owner brought a new hen hoping to befriend Maria. The very next day, the new hen was showing signs of upper respiratory infection and was very lethargic. Maria's owner did a really good job of isolating the sick chicken right away. The sick chicken, unfortunately, was severely ill and she was euthanized humanely. Maria's coop was cleaned and disinfected immediately and she was put on a multivitamin/electrolyte via the drinking water for the next couple days. Fortunately, Maria didn't develop any symptoms.

Maria's story highlighted the importance of proper biosecurity when introducing new birds to the existing flock. Maria could have contracted deadly infected disease from the new hen.

Anytime you purchase a new bird, attend a show or visit an outside flock, you risk transmitting disease-causing agents back to your home flock. Disease-causing agents such as Mycoplasma species are highly contagious and can remain on surfaces for long period of time. Therefore, it is crucial to create that barrier and prevent these disease-causing agents from entering your loft.

Quarantine! Quarantine! Quarantine!
I cannot emphasize enough the importance of quarantine. Have a designated area on your premise to house new/returning birds temporary before introducing them to the flock. The quarantine period should be at least 30 days (preferably 60 days) and may be extended if a disease challenge or a sub-optimal health status is suspected.

An ideal quarantine area should be as far from other coop as possible. The birds that are housed in the quarantine area should have separate feed, water and equipment supply from the home flock to minimize the risk of cross-contamination. Monitor the birds closely, keep a record of basic health parameters such as behavior, feed/water intake levels, droppings, etc. Always visit your healthy flock (or in some cases, youngest flocks that have weaker immunity) first before visiting the quarantine area (from clean to dirty). Keep a separate set of personal protective equipment (PPE) for different lofts. Basic PPE includes coveralls, clean rubber/disposable boots, hair nets, gloves etc.

Only purchase birds that are healthy and are free of disease/clinical history. Ask questions and get records if possible. Check for evidence of external parasites and signs of illness. Many of the experienced chicken keepers are very familiar with identifying abnormal signs; however, even if birds appear healthy, they are still capable of carrying disease-causing agents. When exposed to stress factors such as with new environment and transportation, there is a higher chance of these apparently healthy birds to shed viruses or bacteria again and cause a reinfection. There is also a possibility that your current birds could infect your new birds as their immune status can be different, this is why quarantine is so important even in birds that are not showing any clinical symptoms.

28/03/2020

This is one of the experiments from Mythbusters that shows how easily organisms can spread! Not only applied to the human world but also demonstrates how important practicing proper biosecurity is in poultry husbandry! Stay safe and healthy everyone!

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=3wPKBpk7wUY

All rights to Mythbusters.

24/03/2020

Hello everyone, there are many questions about COVID-19 and its relationship with poultry. Dr. Mark Jackwood, a molecular virologist and infectious bronchitis specialist, has written an outstanding paper to address some of the questions. I hope this can help to clarify some of the arising questions. Stay safe and healthy!

https://poultryhealthtoday.com/coronavirus-causing-global-pandemic-not-related-to-those-commonly-seen-in-poultry-other-food-animals/

Coronavirus infections are nothing new to the poultry industry, but the common IB viruses in poultry flocks are not associated with the COVID-19 virus at the root of the global pandemic

09/03/2020

We have a couple of seats left at our upcoming poultry euthanasia course next week. The course is exclusive to small flock keepers. It will be held on March 20, 2020 (Friday, from 2 to 4pm).

Being able to identify sick or injured birds and performing proper euthanasia in a timely manner is a very important part of animal husbandry. This 2-hour technical training course will focus on training small flock poultry keepers how to euthanize a bird humanely with minimal tools. We offer a discounted rate to small flock/pigeon keepers.

20/02/2020

Kevin, a three-year-old guinea hen, was brought in for a physical examination after not acting like herself for 24 hours. Kevin (yes, she is the beautiful hen on the left, her owners thought she was a cockerel when they rescued her three years ago from a dumpster). On physical examination, Kevin was very quiet and depress with mild to moderate loss of breast muscle mass. She appeared normal otherwise. Kevin was treated with supportive therapy and was sent home with tube feeding instructions. When birds are unwell, often time they would stop eating and drinking and their condition can deteriorate very quickly. Therefore, supportive feeding and hydration are very important parts of supportive therapy in animals that are under critical care.

Kevin's owners did a fantastic job of tube feeding her and keeping her hydrated. They also did a great job of recognizing that Kevin was not feeling well and brought her in on the same day.

After a couple days of special care from her awesome humans, we are very happy to hear that Kevin is back to herself! She is getting very hard to catch but she is able to eat and drink on her own.