Hen has growth blocking nostrils (?)-PICS POSTED-MORE pics #15 and #16

[seminolewind]

Pete, what should I do? I gave the one pill flagyl treatment 2-3 days ago. Should I wait with the pen G im? She doesn't look or behave any different .

 

[Chemguy]

Have you noticed any improvent following the flagyl?

I would keep doing what you are doing which, from what I can tell, is the best that can possibly be done. The point about antibiotics and fungal infections is that you need to be on the lookout for fungal infections when using antibiotics over a prolonged period. That is not the case for your hen, she's just started to be treated. So, you've begun a good regimen. You knew that I'd go ahead and treat with the Pen G as planned, and keep an eye out for any signs of a fungal infection, like an increase in the growth in her nare or increasing discomfort. If these signs are observed, there's a greater likelihood that antibiotics aren't the answer and that she's got a fungal infection.

 

[seminolewind]

Hi, thanks Pete. She got her flagyl, and nystatin cream on her nostrils. I can't say I notice a change. I picked her up today and she still turns blue. And still mouth breathes, more like gasping when she naps. I'll give her a shot tomorrow. I don't think there's much else to do. She walks slow. She has not lost weight.

I don't think the blocked nostrils have to do with her breathing, I mean unblocked nostrils , I don't think, would make things better. I just don't know what's been growing below the nostrils, I guess I don't know what's in the lungs, they sound clear.

 

[seminolewind]

Aside from sinus canker, there's pox that can grow in the trachea, sinuses, etc. It can lay dormant and only come out at times of stress. She's had the mouth breathing during the last 2 summers (hot). Could be a very long molt this past late fall. It can be slow growing and leave scabs, and there's no treatment. I guess that would be another possibility.

She's very good weight, and shiny feathers.
Possible Marek's? Some adults can show untypical symptoms, and slow growing tumors.

 

[nikki_r5]

Hi,
When I contacted you before I guess I didn't say what exactly I didn't ...

I, too am having problems with:
Quote: What have you done to deal with this problem ?
(I will be off line for awhile, Thank You)
nikki_r5

 

[seminolewind]

I gave the Flagyl 4-5 days ago and no change. I will be giving her Penicillin shot. If I had to guess, I think that something has been growing perhaps in her respiratory system, like tumors. I'm hoping it was fungus, or pox, but tumors are a possibility.

My flock carries Marek's. The hen is 4.5 years old. Tumors can be a possibliity. But then why the nostril growth?

 

[cocosandy]

I have a silkie with a crossed beak who has been a constant around here for a few years...Im used to her...anyway, I noticed a couple of weeks ago that she had a swollen head and it was obviously in her sinus, but blocking her nose holes totally.
The inside roof of her beak was swollen and I thought it could be a tumor.
So, with that in mind I figured that Id better soak and loosen the stuff and see what was in there.
I peeled the crud back and used a pointy sorta tooth tool to pick some out till I got into a place where it seemed wet-ish.
I then squeezed the upper roof of the beak where the swelling was and also below the eye, and all of this hard pus came bursting out. I pressed till it got blood tinged and then stopped and did the other side.
Remember that chicken pus is like cottage cheese and hardens like rock....so if you can pick it out, you can usually get to the infection inside.
I also gave tylan for some days then sulmet, and am now using gallamycin and some canker meds....
For the fist week, it kept filling up again, but the hard part didnt re-form because I just gently pushed at the sinus as I explained above.
She is much better now and eating/drinking....
This thing was so huge and her nose was so blocked that I was sure she was a goner....but she is a fighter and I wasnt shy about getting the infection out.
I would remove the plug every couple of days.....soak it or scrape it....and press firmly around the sinus to see if anything drains.
the antifungals are one thing....and do a course of that, but also then try a sulfa med like sulmet, and then a sinus med like dennaguard, gallamycin, or the like.
Tylan is my go to med to start .....
Im not too shy about getting these things out because if its fungus or pus or a scab, whatever it is, it needs to be removed and kept clean.
try a hot compress.
If you think that the alternative for her is not being able to breathe and gasping for breath while a fungus or infection festers in her sinus and beak, its worth it scrape the thing out.
unless you drive a tool through her head or poke her eye, you wont really hurt her...just go slow and try to get the plug to soften and see if anything comes out behind it.

good luck...take more pics and let us know how she is.

 

[seminolewind]

I have been trying to soften it with cream , and really have to try to soak with warm water and try to pick it out. Maybe do one nostril at a time. I just have a feeling that it goes way beyond the nostrils.

 

[seminolewind]

Update: I did give one pill of Flagyl, but in doing some reading, I should be giving a pill a day for 5 days. So that will start tomorrow. I'll bet she has it in more than one place.

 

[Chemguy]

I hope that she's doing well. Since you haven't posted recently, I'll guess that there hasn't been a large amount of change, and that things haven't gotten worse.