Baby chick eye infection???

[thailand]

This is an old thread, but can someone please help me with my rooster eye?

 

[Hen Pen Jem]

Hello thailand,

He has a bad eye infection. Apply Terramycin ophthalmic ointment to the lower lid, when he closes his eye, it will spread over the eye ball. Or, you can use a triple antibiotic ophthalmic ointment (Neomycin, Polymyxin B Sufates & Bactracin zinc). You need to apply ointment every 12 hours, 10 days. You can also use a warm moist wash cloth to gently wipe the outside of the eye.

If he develops an upper respiratory infection, he may also need a broad spectrum antibiotic, either oral or injection into the breast muscle. Sometimes, when there is a bad eye infection, the chicken can get sick from other things. Keep him well fed and hydrated.

I hope this was helpful.

God Bless

 

[thailand]

Thanks for that. He has been on various medications - course of Penicillin, Baytril, and Clavamox. None have cleared this up. I've also tried Terramycin in his eye for several weeks.

 

[Hen Pen Jem]

Wow! One of those antibiotics should have done the job, especially the Baytril.

Is there any chance you could take him to a Veterinarian?

If not, here are my thoughts.

So now, his immune system may be lowered because of all the antibiotics. And the bacteria causing his eye infection, may be resistant to antibiotics. Or, this could be fungus and not bacteria.

What can be done now? You can try holistic healing treatments.

You will need: Organic, virgin, Coconut oil for his eye, Organic coconut oil has antiviral, antibacterial, antimicrobial, & anti-fungal properties , Saline wash - purchase or make it (one tablespoon salt dissolved in one cup of boiled and cooled, filtered water), and poultry probiotics - to restore his gut flora that has been destroyed by the antibiotics. Aloe vera to boost immune system.

• Use organic, virgin, cold pressed (not heat treated) coconut oil. Put a teaspoon of coconut oil in a small bowl. Then, put some hot water in a larger bowl. Insert the small bowl with coconut oil into the bowl with hot water. When the coconut oil is melted (but not hot), suck some up with a sterilized dropper. After cleaning the eye with some saline solution, drop about two drops in each eye. Do this three times a day.

• He really needs some poultry probiotics, they can be purchased on Amazon. Not sure if you can do mail order in Thailand. If you are unable to purchase some mail order, or locally, you can see if he'll eat a bit of yogurt a couple times a week. Chickens are not really designed to digest dairy products, but a bit of yogurt and couple times a week should be OK. If he doesn't like it, you can put two tablespoons of aloe vera juice in one gallon of water, for him to drink. Do this for at least a month. The aloe vera will boost his immune system, till his gut flora restores naturally.

I hope this helps him. Give the coconut oil treatment, at least three days to see if there is improvement.

Poor boy...how did this happen to him. Was it an injury?

I can see how much you care about him. You have tried so many things. As long as he is eating and drinking, he will be strong enough to fight this infection. Also, drizzle some coconut oil in his feed, it will benefit his immune system too.

I hope my thoughts have been helpful.

God Bless.

 

[thailand]

Thank you so much for your suggestions....I'll get onto those.

However, I'm thinking I might give it one more shot at medication first .... can I give him oral anti fungal at the same time as an antibiotic, maybeBaytril? (Hes currently on Itraconazole)

 

[Hen Pen Jem]

Hello thailand,

I honestly believe, the discovery of the antibiotic is one of the most valuable medical discoveries of the 20th century, the modern anti-fungal "statins", is the second. Having said that, one must exercise great care in using them.

Antibiotics only work on bacteria, and certain bacteria require certain kinds of antibiotic. Fungus/yeasts also require the use of appropriate anti-fungal agents. Both antibiotics and anti-fungal medicines have been over used, thus creating resistance.

Here are the possible side effects of the medicines you want to use.

Itraconazole generally has a narrow margin of safety in birds. Vomiting, loss of appetite and loss of weight have commonly been observed in treated birds, however, these adverse reactions are usually mild and dose related.
Itraconazole (Sporanox): an oral antifungal agent used in the treatment of aspergillosis, candida, Cryptococcus in psittacines; may cause hepatitis, bone toxicit, hypokalemia (a lack of potassium in the blood, usually caused by excessive amounts of it being excreted, that leads to muscle weakness, heart irregularities, disorientation, and sometimes cardiac arrest)

Enrofloxacin (Baytril): broad-spectrum antibiotic, useful for a wide variety of infections such as chlamydiosis; injectable, orally and in tablets; multiple injections should not be given—they can cause serious tissue, pain and nerve damage; it is bactericidal and has excellent activity against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative pathogens; this antibiotic has also been used to control certain intracellular pathogens; not well accepted by birds when put in drinking water.

The possibility of negative drug interaction exists. These are both potent drugs, you should check with a Veterinarian before using them at the same time.

Since you decided to use the Itraconazole, you should use it for no more than 10 days. If the rooster displays any of the side effects mentioned above, discontinue use. If the infection is fungal there should be some improvement, a topical would be best, since the infection is in the eye and not in the crop. Give him a break from the antibiotics and give him some poultry probiotics to restore his good bacteria.

He has been on so many antibiotics already, It's my opinion that if the infection was bacterial, one of the antibiotic meds would have shown some improvement.

Besides encouraging resistant bacteria, over use of antibiotics will destroy the digestive ability of the rooster, by killing the good bacteria in the gut resulting in diarrhea. He will also be more prone to fungal infection of the skin, comb and wattles.

In stubborn cases like this, a veterinarian would take a tissue or mucous sample, and examine it under a microscope to identify the bacteria or fungus, then prescribe an appropriate medicine.

You can also try using Manuka Honey mixed with water that has been boiled then cooled. Use 50% honey and 50% water to make eye drops, use three times daily. If you don't have Manuka Honey available, use any honey, as long as it is a new jar. Honey is excellent at protecting tissue and antibacterial, anti-fungal, too. It has saved many chickens from horrible wounds.

I know you want him to get well fast, me too! There is a possibility he will lose sight in that eye. You are doing your best for him.

God Bless

 

[thailand]

Thank you!