Duck Eye Problem

[TurkeyGoat]

All right, we rinsed the eye of each duck with pure water since my Tractor Supply doesn't sell the saline solution in store (maybe I could make my own solution?), dabbed the area with gauze, and then used a Q-tip to spread the Terramycin into and around the eye area. But we weren't sure how deep to put the ointment in. Do you go in there and give everything a good coat, or just sort of go around the lid?

The other photo didn't show this as well, but as you see in this photo, that white part in her eye looks solid, like a chunk of something you could take out. I can't tell whether it's a buildup of discharge or a swollen membrane or something else. Can anyone tell what that is?

 

[Isaac 0]

All right, we rinsed the eye of each duck with pure water since my Tractor Supply doesn't sell the saline solution in store (maybe I could make my own solution?), dabbed the area with gauze, and then used a Q-tip to spread the Terramycin into and around the eye area. But we weren't sure how deep to put the ointment in. Do you go in there and give everything a good coat, or just sort of go around the lid?

How is she this morning?

Refer to this link in regards how to make a saline solution:
https://www.healthline.com/health/make-your-own-saline-solution

I cannot say I've ever seen that before - it is possible the white part is the sclera, and the eye has rotated backward? Such scenarios can happen subsequent to eye injuries, irritations, infections, etc. With the Terramycin, gently apply a coat over the whole eye.

 

[coach723]

It looks like pus to me. Some manipulation may help it come out. The eye won't get better if there is still pus in there, it has to come out for the ointment to do any good.
You can use any sterile saline, home made or from any drug store/pharmacy.

 

[TurkeyGoat]

How is she this morning?

Refer to this link in regards how to make a saline solution:
https://www.healthline.com/health/make-your-own-saline-solution

I cannot say I've ever seen that before - it is possible the white part is the sclera, and the eye has rotated backward? Such scenarios can happen subsequent to eye injuries, irritations, infections, etc. With the Terramycin, gently apply a coat over the whole eye.

She's about the same. I don't know if they even have a white part of the eye, though. I thought the eyeball was black all around.
This white mass also seems to be bulging out a bit, so it's hard to believe it's the eye.

It looks like pus to me. Some manipulation may help it come out. The eye won't get better if there is still pus in there, it has to come out for the ointment to do any good.
You can use any sterile saline, home made or from any drug store/pharmacy.

Can I be sure it isn't a swollen body part like a membrane that isn't supposed to come out? I guess we'll try manipulating it with a Q-tip to see if it's loose.

Either way I'll try the saline rinse.

 

[TurkeyGoat]

We just did treatment again with the saline recipe and ointment, and we explored the area with a Q-tip and got a better photo. We were able to move the Q-tip 360 degrees around the sides of the white thing, which appears to be actually attached to the eyeball. We can barely see what looks like the eyeball beneath. It's hard to tell what that white thing is, though -- it looks like a growth on the surface of the eyeball; it's almost fibrous or mushroom-like. I don't know much about medicine, but it's what I imagine a tumor looking like. A sort of wart maybe? We didn't try to take it out or anything because it's not loose.

There was some clear discharge from the eye, somewhat viscous and kind of oozing out, but that part didn't look too extreme. The black duck had it less -- it looked more like simple tears. They both are acting normal and active otherwise.

Comparing this photo with the last it looks as if the swelling and redness may have gone down slightly in the white duck, and the black duck seems to be looking better if anything.

 

[TurkeyGoat]

@Isaac 0 @coach723

We've been continuing the treatment of a saline rinse and Terramycin for a week now, so here's an update on the ducks with the problem:

The Welsh Harlequin still has that white thing on her eye. It is definitely attached to the eye. The surrounding area looks pretty normal now -- the swelling has mostly subsided, so the white thing bulges out quite a bit. It's difficult to tell if there is any change in size or shape of the growth. The area now looks pretty normal other than the white growth, but we haven't wanted to try pulling at or it anything yet.

The Black Swedish has had a much more minor infection with swelling and some discharge, which also seem to be subsiding mostly. We just noticed a slight irritation of the eyelid of the other eye, but it looks pretty minor.

We just yesterday noticed a third hen (Buff Orpington) has slight irritation and leakage on her one eye. This makes me curious because I have been keeping all the healthy ducks out of their pen in case that was the source of the issue, but now we see this new case in a duck that's been staying outside.

Does this shed new light on what the source might be? Maybe it's something that they were infected with a little while ago but is only now flaring up? There are some wild Canadian geese that hang around, but I don't think they really get that close to the ducks.

 

[coach723]

I still think that looks like a layer of pus that has formed over the eye. I would try flushing and using a qtip to work ointment under the edges and try to gradually loosen it and get it out. It may take several attempts and some time to get it all worked loose. I can't say as far as if the eye itself will be damaged from the infection or not. In chickens I would lean towards some viral or bacterial thing going on since there are multiple birds with the same/similar issues, rather than an injury. I'm not familiar with ducks and the more common issues with them.

 

[TurkeyGoat]

I still think that looks like a layer of pus that has formed over the eye. I would try flushing and using a qtip to work ointment under the edges and try to gradually loosen it and get it out. It may take several attempts and some time to get it all worked loose. I can't say as far as if the eye itself will be damaged from the infection or not. In chickens I would lean towards some viral or bacterial thing going on since there are multiple birds with the same/similar issues, rather than an injury. I'm not familiar with ducks and the more common issues with them.

I began to look for clues in the ducks' droppings when I learned worms could be the culprit. I've found some white substance in their droppings here and there, but there was no movement.

Also when I cleaned out the pen (I've left the ducks out of the main pen for the time being), I noticed a patch of what seemed to be white, silky mold, and now I see traces of the same stuff on one of the pen walls. It looks similar to what's in the droppings.