Chicken with cancer?

[bigbird]

My hen had a small lump on her eye a few weeks ago. Put beta dine on it and non pian neosporin on it. It looks like this now. Just that quick it has turned in to this. Can chickens get cancer? Any idea what this is, and if there is a solution to fix it? Has a great appetite and not lethargic. I have isolators her to keep others from picking at it. Thanks in advance.

 

[Eggcessive]

Yes there are several types of cancer that occur in chickens. Some are associated with viruses, such as leukosis or Mareks disease. Do you have any pictures of when you first saw it? That is really affecting her eye. Have you tried to scrape any of the crust off to see if there is pus underneath? I would be tempted to try to see what is inside. Can you take her to a vet?

 

[cleoandtheflock]

Yes you need to bring her to the vet
Is she eating and drinking?
I agree with eggcesive very much
try to see what is underneath that and tell us how she is doing
Is she being quarantined?

 

[bigbird]

Yes, she is quarantined. I failed to mention, but this thing is a hard cornified structure growing under her eyelid. I feel to pull it off would be very painful.

 

[Eggcessive]

I would then be tempted to put her down, and send her body into the state vet for a necropsy and diagnosis. Here is a link from the KY poultry lab:
http://vdl.uky.edu/LaboratoryServices/Sections/Necropsy.aspx

 

[cleoandtheflock]

I’m so sorry this is happening
How is she doing?
Does she seem in pain?
Does she have a name?
Just give her lots of love and your best efforts
We will help you as much as we can
But sadly putting her down might be the most humane thing to do at some point if it goes downhill from here

 

[bigbird]

Thank you all so much for your advice and kind words. This is really just a nightmare. Penelope is one one the sweetest hens you’d ever want to be around.
I have sent these pictures to a vet to look at for confirmation, but he said from my description, it sounds like a “corn “! If it is indeed confirmed to be this, the only way to remove it is by surgery.
It’s hard as a rock.

 

[Eggcessive]

I am sorry that it would require surgery, but with the location, I would probably put the chicken down. Someone I know who looks at tumors a lot, thinks it might be a melanoma. Melanomas are not the most common cancers in chickens, such as lymphoma or sarcoma, but they do occur. Below is a picture of melanoma on skin and on organs of a chicken from a poultry journal.

 

[bigbird]

Very interesting! Would it be better if possible to try and send a specimen out to determine if it cancer or not? I would hate to think I put her down for noting. I still haven’t heard back from the avian vet yet. I’ll let you know his thoughts as soon as he does. Thanks for sending the above.
It makes sense that chickens can get cancer too. When you think about it, why not.

 

[Eggcessive]

Your state vet can do a necropsy and identify the cancer or whatever it is. The final pathology report should have it listed which they will send to you or your vet.