3 y/o hen with eye crusted shut

[SarahLadd]

Thank you in advance for advice.
My bird has been to a veterinarian yesterday morning when I first noticed her eye. She has received a breast muscle injection of docyxycline, and out of my own supply I have been giving her oral metacam .04ml dose for pain and swelling reduction.

She is eating and drinking. This morning her eye is open, nitictating membrane has some dried mucous keeping it from being completely normally functioning. I'm afraid to try to clean her eye as it seems very painful to her. She has normal activity, holding her tail up, alert. She is isolated completely in another building in a large kennel. No other birds show symptoms. I've cleaned their coop completely with bleach

The doctor I saw wanted to put my bird down. He also reported my visit as possible bird flu. They tested her with a throat swab and told will know in 3 days. He wouldn't test her for anything else and said if it's bird flu all my birds will die in the next 48 hours anyway. 'In case' it is mycoplasma he gave the doxy and scheduled me for 2 more visits for doxy injections from my car.

To say I'm devastated and terrified for my whole flock is an understatement. Can this really be bird flu?

 

[SarahLadd]

Bump

 

[SarahLadd]

Fortune has her eye open still being just a little winky. It is still puffy. But she is alert still eating and drinking. Whole flock still healthy

No one has any ideas at all about eye problems??

 

[coach723]

Well hopefully it's not flu, most things say that kills fairly quickly. Since she seems to be feeling better today, it seems less likely. MG is a possibility, I don't really understand why they would not test for that at the same time. MG is chronic, so if that's what it is then symptoms can return during times of stress. It's also possible that it's injury or infection from getting something in the eye, particularly if there are no other smptoms like coughing, sneezing, wheezing, discharge etc. I would flush it well with sterile saline or eye wash and apply some terramycin (you can get that at many feed stores or tractor supplies without prescription) ointment in the eye several times a day. If you can't find terramycin then you can use plain neosporin.