Eye infection, how long does it heal?

[elimasmz]

Found this chick (we think it’s 1-2 weeks old) on the street 3 days ago. It was in terrible shape, both eyes closed, crusted over and dirty. Not eating, drinking or doing much.

Took it to a vet that prescribed terramycin eye ointment and chamomile drops to clean the eyes 2-3 times a day.

His (or her) eyes look better during the day, but every morning they are very swollen and he keeps scratching them

I’m just wondering when should they start getting better or if I should get him back to the vet to seek additional treatment.

Here are some photos from the first day to today

First two are from the day it was found before taking him to the vet.

The following photo is the same day after the vet cleaned and opened his eyes.


These are from yesterday and the day before yesterday.

The last two are from today and they look worse than yesterday evening.

 

[elimasmz]

Bump

 

[Eggcessive]

Do you see anything in the eyes that resembles a small worm? Can you check the chick for mites and lice? The Terramycin eye ointment should be helping with an eye infection, but it seems that something in the eyes or around the face is very itchy. Eye worm is more common in tropical areas such as Hawaii, but it could be a possibility. Do you have Valbazen or albendazole for worming where you are?

 

[elimasmz]

Do you see anything in the eyes that resembles a small worm? Can you check the chick for mites and lice? The Terramycin eye ointment should be helping with an eye infection, but it seems that something in the eyes or around the face is very itchy. Eye worm is more common in tropical areas such as Hawaii, but it could be a possibility. Do you have Valbazen or albendazole for worming where you are?

No worms but there are mites! I haven't seen them on the head though. Mostly they hide on the body or under the wings, sometimes a couple of them end up on my hands after handling the chick. No idea if I have those medications available, I wil have to ask the vet..

 

[Eggcessive]

I wouldn’t worry about the Valbazen (albendazole) since you don’t see worms. I would get some lice and mite garden dust or permethrin 10% spray, and treat the chick. The Valbazen was to put in the eye (mixed with water) and to give orally for the possible eye worms. Camomile tea is a herbal treatment for conjunctivitis (pink eye.) Do you think there is more itching since that has been used?

 

[elimasmz]

I wouldn’t worry about the Valbazen (albendazole) since you don’t see worms. I would get some lice and mite garden dust or permethrin 10% spray, and treat the chick. The Valbazen was to put in the eye (mixed with water) and to give orally for the possible eye worms. Camomile tea is a herbal treatment for conjunctivitis (pink eye.) Do you think there is more itching since that has been used?

Thank you! I’ve been using the chamomile since the first day I found him so yes, there has been more itching. He keeps scratching his eyes, the left one is more inflamed and irritated than the right and right now he managed to scratch itself. It bled a little bit.. I cleaned both eyes and applied terramycin as usual. I’m thinking maybe it need something to reduce the inflammation and the itching, maybe corticosteroids?

Anyways, if tomorrow morning isn’t better I’ll try to get it to the vet.

 

[elimasmz]

So today the scratched eye is swollen shut. The other one hasn't gotten better. It's irritated but seems clean. Unfortunately the vet is closed today so I'll take him in tomorrow.

I really hope the chick won't loose its eye

 

[elimasmz]

I just wanted to update, the chick got better on its own! I took her to the vet on Monday, he doesn’t know much about birds but suggested I add some penicillin to the water and find “brosin” for the eyes because he didn’t have it.

The drug store didn’t sell me antibiotics without a doctors note so I wasn’t able to get the penicillin.

Anyways I kept cleaning the eyes and using the terramycin. I took the chick outside and it had a blast! She stopped scratching her eyes and is looking a lot better.

I make sure to let her roam every day