Chick with chronic eye infection

[Pandang81]

I have a 2 month old showgirl silkie that has had an eye infection off and on since it was 3 days old. I hatched it with 15 other chicks and first noticed when it was 3 days old that it’s right eye was goopy and crusted closed. At that time I began treating it with terramycin for about a week and it cleared up so I thought. A few weeks later it came back, same crusty goopy eye so this time I treated it twice a day with terramycin and also gave it oral SMZ/TMP antibiotic all for 10 days. the eye infection cleared up again and looked really good, hair around the eye started growing back and the eye was clear for about a month. Now it’s back again, I notice it getting watery and bubbly with slimy goop in it so I’m back at cleaning it then putting the terramycin on it. I’m not sure why it keeps coming back. It’s only on one eye and only on this chick, it’s hatch mates were all unaffected. Here are some photos. I’m the photos it doesn’t look as bad because Ive been treating it but if I stop it will eventually close up into a slimy goopy mess. Does anyone have experience with something chronic like this and any other treatment work better than the terramycin? It’s obviously not killing the bacteria completely so I’m assuming it’s resistant…Thanks in advance!

 

[azygous]

Along with the Terramycin twice a day, you also need to flush the eye twice a day with saline eye wash prior to applying the eye ointment which removes a lot of bacteria to help the antibiotic to be more effective.

 

[Pandang81]

Along with the Terramycin twice a day, you also need to flush the eye twice a day with saline eye wash prior to applying the eye ointment which removes a lot of bacteria to help the antibiotic to be more effective.

Thanks will give it a try. I also switched to a stronger antibiotic eye drop rather than the ointment so hopefully it helps.

 

[ChickNanny13]

I have a Serama with the same symptoms ... Treated as a URI at the start (hatch) went to the Vet & finally stable. I did the VetRX treatment, several antibiotic treatments, resorted to Vetrycin cleaning & Triple Antibiotic applied to the eye. Did this 3x day "forever" ...

Then discovered bedding was a possible issue ... Stopped using pine shavings, she living in the patio brooder helps, changed to a small animal bedding; learned the dustier the worst her eye got. Ended up with Kaytee bedding (clumps of cardboard material) which seemed to work best however would stick to her eye now & then. Recently switched to hemp bedding and so far it's been alot better.

She hatched (single) last year Christmas, it took me 6 months to say whatever she had/has it better. I'm finding the ambient temperature makes a difference, it's been WARM and she does well but a cool night and her eye does get watery but I don't see the bubbles like early on.

No clue if it's a URI or allergy but she's fine being raise alone, bonded with my dog & it's so cute. She knows her name, has the whole backyard to roam at her pleasure or hang out in the patio where she has her section of the brooder.

 

[Pandang81]

I have a Serama with the same symptoms ... Treated as a URI at the start (hatch) went to the Vet & finally stable. I did the VetRX treatment, several antibiotic treatments, resorted to Vetrycin cleaning & Triple Antibiotic applied to the eye. Did this 3x day "forever" ...

Then discovered bedding was a possible issue ... Stopped using pine shavings, she living in the patio brooder helps, changed to a small animal bedding; learned the dustier the worst her eye got. Ended up with Kaytee bedding (clumps of cardboard material) which seemed to work best however would stick to her eye now & then. Recently switched to hemp bedding and so far it's been alot better.

She hatched (single) last year Christmas, it took me 6 months to say whatever she had/has it better. I'm finding the ambient temperature makes a difference, it's been WARM and she does well but a cool night and her eye does get watery but I don't see the bubbles like early on.

No clue if it's a URI or allergy but she's fine being raise alone, bonded with my dog & it's so cute. She knows her name, has the whole backyard to roam at her pleasure or hang out in the patio where she has her section of the brooder.

Good to know. I suspect that bedding plays into this one’s eye infection also somewhat. She seems to do better when not in coop so as she gets older & has more freedom to free range hopefully she’ll get over it. It’s a pain to treat every day.