ear infection?? Update *with picture*

[vtsarahb]

I just noticed today that one of my one-month-old buff orpingtons looks a little puffy right below her ears... her ear canals are not blocked/swollen shut and there is no pus or anything, but it looks a little swollen right below the ear (kind of near the back of her jaw, above the wattles)... She has been out in the coop for a week, and sometimes goes out on the grass when I can supervise. The other 10 chicks all look fine.

Could this be an ear infection? Some kind of gland? If so, how do I treat her? Thanks!

edit: she is acting normal, eating, drinking, poop is normal, she doesn't seem to be in any pain

 

[Glenda L Heywood]

It is canker

CANKER IN CHICKENS
Glenda L Heywood

I know what it is and there is no cure, and yes chickens get it.and yes in my humble opinion it is contageous
like if you have it in a hen the cock she is mated to will get it
I went on htpp://www.google.com
and put in pigeon canker
THIS IS URL AND ALL RIGHTS GOI TO THE AUTHORS.
Pigeon Canker 1. GD Butcher, DVM, Ph.D.2. Trichomoniasis (pigeon canker) is the most common disease of pigeons. Approximately 80 percent of pigeons are ...
edis.ifas.ufl.edu/VM032 -

but I do know what this disease is
It will eventually go to the lining stomach of the effected bird
Glenda L Heywood

[email protected]
http://www.gkpet.com
click on pet forum for articles


Pigeon Canker 1
G.D. Butcher, D.V.M., Ph.D.2
Trichomoniasis (pigeon canker) is the most common disease of pigeons. Approximately 80 percent of pigeons are infected with this organism. The organism is a microscopic flagellate classified as a protozoan. Different strains, Trichomonas gallinae or Trichomonas columbae , vary greatly in their ability to cause disease. The disease occurs worldwide in warm climates or during warm weather. It may occur at any time of the year in commercial squab operations. Adult pigeons frequently carry the trichomonads without showing signs of disease. When the adult pigeon is stressed, however, the organisms may multiply profusely. A mild infection can then turn into a serious condition. Stresses include other diseases, parasitic infestations, or overbreeding.

Affected pigeons in a loft may cease to feed, become listless and ruffled in appearance, and lose weight before death. Pigeons often have difficulty when closing their mouths because of lesions in the oral cavity. They drool and make repeated swallowing movements. Watery eyes may be apparent in birds with lesions located in the sinuses or tissues around the eyes. Diarrhea, increased water intake, and respiratory distress may be noted. Birds may die suddenly due to suffocation if the lesion blocks the opening of the trachea. The disease becomes more severe in birds that are noticeably emaciated. The thin weakened bird loses the inclination to fly and will "take to the wing" reluctantly.

Pigeons that are carriers often transmit trichomonads to their young during feeding. The disease is common in 10- to 24-day-old squabs. As a method of feeding their young, pigeons regurgitate the sloughed, fat laden cells lining the crop (crop milk) into the oral cavity of the squabs. If squabs are infected with only small numbers of the protozoan, they may develop immunity which is maintained by constant low-level exposure. If squabs are infected with large numbers, a severe outbreak may occur and endanger the entire young generation.

Lesions of canker are usually most extensive in the mouth, pharynx, or esophagus but may occur at other sites including the crop, proventriculus, or sinuses. The infection is promoted by minor injuries to these tissues. The spelts and awns from grains can easily cause small lesions. The lesions first appear as small, circumscribed, and elevated areas on the surface of the oral mucosa. They may be surrounded by a thin red zone. The lesions may increase in size and coalesce. The build-up of white to yellow/tan caseous material may be sufficiently extensive to partially or completely block the lumen of the esophagus. Organisms may also enter the body through the unhealed navel of squabs. In this form, necrotic tumor-like swellings occur under the skin adjacent to the navel. Lesions can spread to various internal organs, particularly the liver. Large, well-defined, and yellowish areas of hepatic necrosis may be found on necropsy examination.

Typical signs and lesions are very suggestive of the disease. Demonstration of large numbers of organisms in the oral fluids is usually considered enough evidence for diagnosis. The small plaques in the mucosa should be differentiated from pox, vitamin-A deficiency, or candidiasis.

Since the organism is transmitted from parent to squab, every effort should be made to treat or remove infected birds from the flock. If possible, depopulate at regular intervals and thoroughly clean and disinfect the premises.

In addition, the following preventive measures should help: practice a high standard of sanitation at all times; do not add birds to an established flock since they may be carriers (if birds are added, quarantine for 30 days); and provide a source of clean, fresh water eliminating all sources of stagnant water.

The antiprotozoal drugs which were used successfully in treating this disease, such as dimetridazole and metronidazole, have been removed from the market. Experimentally, a number of drugs are active against trichomonas infection. Use of 0.1% copper sulfate (100 mg per 100 ml of drinking water), 0.5% hydrochloric acid or 0.02% mercuric chloride (sublimate) is worth investigating. The optimum time to treat breeding pairs is at the initiation of egg production.



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Footnotes
1. This document is VM75, one of a series of the Veterinary Medicine-Large Animal Clinical Sciences Department, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida. Original publication date May, 1996. Reviewed May, 2003. Visit the EDIS Web Site at http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu.
2. G.D. Butcher, D.V.M., Ph.D., professor and avian veterinarian, Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, 32611.



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The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) is an Equal Opportunity Institution authorized to provide research, educational information and other services only to individuals and institutions that function with non-discrimination with respect to race, creed, color, religion, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, political opinions or affiliations. For more information on obtaining other extension publications, contact your county Cooperative Extension service.

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Cooperative Extension Service, University of Florida, IFAS, Florida A. & M. University Cooperative Extension Program, and Boards of County Commissioners Cooperating. Larry Arrington, Dean.

 

[vtsarahb]

is she going to die?? should I cull her?

 

[vtsarahb]

Ok, I've found a place that I can get metronidazole from. I'll check on her when I get home, and if she's got sores in her mouth/throat, I'm ordering the metronidazole.

Any other suggestions? I love my little April very much- she is the sweetest chick I have and I would hate to lose her!

 

[Renee]

Can you separate her from the other chickens and keep a close eye on her? Can you post pictures too? I'd like to see what she looks like...

 

[vtsarahb]

she does look a little puffy, right? I'm not imagining this?

I tried looking down her throat with a flashlight- I couldn't see anything out of the ordinary... then again she was not being very cooperative! She's still acting completely normal.

Should I give her metronidazole??

 

[australorpchick]

My 6mos BR is having this too. Was fine last week and this Saturday, there it was. No runny eyes, no runny nose, no sneezing, no clogged ears, no lesions or anything in her moutheating, drinking and pooping fine, quite active like she normally is. I thought maybe her jaw was dislocated, but she moves her mouth just fine. When I felt it, it feels hard, not sqooshy. Does anybody else have any suggestions on what this might be?

 

[vtsarahb]

My neighbor is a vet, she has chickens too.... I think I'm going to give her a call tomorrow- I'll let you know what I find out.

 

[Renee]

Let us know what she says. It could be that the chickie just hit its head.