Canker? Treatment?

[binza1979]

I have been pulling smelly cheese-like boogers out of my 4 year old bantam modern game hen since December. Her nares will be clear for about 24 hours before they plug up again. It take about a week until her nose if fully clogged and I can pull the boogers out. I have been watching for sores in her mouth, and before today there weren't any. Today, she had white grainy bumps inside her beak on the sides of her tongue. I cleaned her nares and wiped her mouth and nares out with hydrogen peroxide before putting her back in the coop. She appears to be the only bird effected.

After doing some research, the only thing that seems to fit is "canker." I have no idea how she would have picked it up, but that doesn't matter now. She needs treatment. What do I use? How much? How do I give it to her? If I don't treat, will it kill her?

 

[dawg53]

It sounds like she is possibly inhaling feed granules. Once trapped in the nares, mucus forms and they harden giving the appearance of yellowish looking canker. Also, removing canker attached inside the mouth, throat, or sinusus would cause bleeding. Additionally canker is contageous via waterers/feeders. Can you post pics?

 

[binza1979]

If she was inhaling food particles, would it become a 6 month problem? One time recently when I pulled out the booger in one nare, it bled. If it were food particles, would is smell like infection? I just don't know what to do for her. I didn't like the look of the white spots. It looked like she had canker score in the corners of her mouth and then around her beak beside her tongue. I am so frustrated because I can't figure out what is wrong and nobody seems to have suggestions to clear it up. This is not the first time I have posted about her. So, thanks dawg53 for offering advice.

 

[dawg53]

Treatment for canker is metronidazole 250mg; one tablet a day for 5 days. It can be purchased online as "Fishzole."

 

[binza1979]

Thanks. I will give it a try and see if there are any changes.

 

[binza1979]

Is there anything else you would suggest? Will Fish Zole hurt if she doesn't have canker? She is a tiny bantam...is the dose still the same?

 

[dawg53]

Is there anything else you would suggest? Will Fish Zole hurt if she doesn't have canker? She is a tiny bantam...is the dose still the same?

You can give her 1/2 tablet once a day for 5 days if you wish. Any vet might sell you metronidazole or flagyl (same.) The only reason I suggested fishzole is that you get ALOT more pills for what you pay for. Whereas a vet will charge you the same amount for only 5 pills. It would be best to have a good quantity of the pills on hand since canker is contageous. IF this is what you're dealing with.

 

[binza1979]

I'm not going to bother with the vet...I don't think we have a vet in our area that deals with chickens.

So, I will be heading the fish store after work to pick up some fish zole.

Thanks again for your help dawg!

 

[binza1979]

This might be a dumb question, but how do you go about getting a chicken to take a pill?

 

[dawg53]

You can crush it and mix it in a little water, use an eyedropper to dose her. Or you can have someone hold her, then you pull her wattles down and her mouth will open. Then toss the pill in her mouth and immediately release her wattles so that she can swallow the pill on her own and not aspirate. Do the same when dosing with the eyedropper.