Sick Chicken - Eye/Sinus Issues

[schnebbles]

She's been on every medicine known to me - she's been to the vet (farm, not avian) and he's cleaned and flushed her eyes.

She's a silkie hen - no other chickens are ill.

She gets sinus gunk, really hard nasty stuff that comes up from her sinus and roof of her mouth into her eyes. She's blind in one eye from it I'm sure. It's so gross and I am ready to have her put down.

Does anyone have any ideas what on earth it might be? It's a yellowish hard gunk - it seems like it just keep growing so it ends up in the poor things eyes and she cant see and it's impossible to keep it cleaned out all the time.

I don't think it's CRD. All other birds are fine. This has been ongoing for a long while. My flock has had mareks but all have been vaccinated and I don't think it's that.

Nothing I've found online matches. the only way to describe it is I've had similar things in my tonsil area that kind of pop out every once in a blue moon. It's gross.

This is my last shot before I take her to put her down, she's a sweet bird and I hate to do it but I can't have her living like this any longer.

thank you!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Can you post some photos?

What course of treatment(s) have you tried?

It's hard to know from your description - but could she have canker?






Oral Canker

​

Canker is a condition mostly associated with pigeons and is caused by a tiny parasite called trichomonas. This parasite is often spread through contaminated drinking water. The parasite causes a ‘yellow button’ of pus to form in your bird’s mouth. This can stop your bird from eating normally leading to weight loss.

​

What to look for

• Weight loss
• Birds picking up food then dropping it
• A cheese-like plaque in your birds mouth (see photo)
• A reluctance to eat

Treatment

Treating canker or suspected canker is a job for a vet who will likely prescribe an anti-parasitic medication.
Prevention

Ensure that your birds' drinking water is changed daily. Try to keep the drinkers in the chicken house to discourage wild birds from sharing your birds’ water.

 

[schnebbles]

It looks like that, but it's in her eyes and upper mouth so I feel like it's sinus related.

Maybe I can ask for some anti-parasite med.

I've tried literally everything, everything at TSC, baytril and I can't even remember but nothing worked at all.

 

[schnebbles]

I'd think coryza but all other birds are fine. It's so strange.

 

[Kiki]

Did you worm her?
(anti parasitic)

 

[casportpony]

I'd think coryza but all other birds are fine.  It's so strange.

Has the vet ruled out a foreign body in the sinus cavity? Have they done a sinus flush? Have they done a culture/sensitivity? It would be helpful if you could list all the drugs used so far.

 

[schnebbles]

He did flush it. Its been ongoing but I know I've used baytril, Tylan 50, Tetracycline injectable (LA200 I believe from TSC).

Peter Brown just said to try his canker tabs so I've ordered them, meanwhile he said to use iodine on the lesions. He said it can get in the eyes.

and, the vet did wonder about a foreign body as well that keeps getting infected or whatever and causing it to keep growing. It used to be just bubbly eye on one eye and it's progressed to the nasty stuff in both of her eyes.

No culture.

 

[casportpony]

He did flush it.  Its been ongoing but I know I've used baytril, Tylan 50, Tetracycline injectable (LA200 I believe from TSC).  

Peter Brown just said to try his canker tabs so I've ordered them, meanwhile he said to use iodine on the lesions.  He said it can get in the eyes.  

and, the vet did wonder about a foreign body as well that keeps getting infected or whatever and causing it to keep growing.  It used to be just bubbly eye on one eye and it's progressed to the nasty stuff in both of her eyes.  

No culture.  

Did he flush the sinuses or just the eyes? You can try the metronidazole in case it's canker, but I doubt it is. Be careful with the metronidazole because it comes as 250 mt pills, which is way too much for a silkie. Can you take her to an avian vet?

 

[casportpony]

FWIW, I had one like your hen, and he had a foxtail in his sinus cavity.

 

[schnebbles]

hmm, an avian vet is an hour away, I could do that. I was trying to save the drive. I think he flushed the sinus. The first time he got so much crap out I couldn't believe it.

The 2nd time, not quite as much.

Any idea how much of that to give her? I can message him again, he's so nice.

Not to sound dumb, but what's a foxtail?

At first I was sure it was coryza but since no one else is sick, I'm sure it's not that. CRD but again, no one else is sick. Only her. I suppose I've screwed up trying to cut corners not going to the avian vet