Eye problems, HELP please.

[eschutz]

My 3 RIR x BR hatched back in June and live happily with me in Boston. A week ago I noticed one had her eye closed but was fine otherwise, no signs of lethargy, was still eating, good stool etc, so I rinsed her eye with saline and she was almost instantly better. Her eye did have a little mucus in the lower lid almost like sleepy eye in the morning but that was all I could see.

Yesterday I noticed the eye was closed again and while rinsing the eye I noticed the spot pictured below. Not sure if the cause was an abrasion and now this is it heeling and maybe some dirt is in there? Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

Erich

 

[Eggcessive]

Welcome to BYC. It's possibly an ulcer or abrasion that has been caused by infection, injury, or a foreign body. I would probably consult your vet for some expert care, but also for more powerful eye antibiotic drops, such as enrofloxacin or Baytril. Infection and injury are likely to cause blindness if left untreated. Here are 2 good articles to read on eye disorders, and the second one takes a bit of time to download:
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps031
http://www.joneshamiltonag.com/jh/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/PLT_Poultry-Eye-Disorders.pdf

 

[eschutz]

Thanks, going on a road trip this afternoon and I will give this a read.

 

[Eggcessive]

Also I would consider eyeworm, which is a parasite called Oxyspirura Mansoni, which is spread by eating the Surinam coakroach is tropical areas.Treatment consists of applying Valbazen (albendazole) into the eye, and giving 1/2 ml orally once and repeated in 10 days. Symptoms are extreme itching in the eye, and a tendency to scratch to the point of blindness. Here is an excerpt from Merck Vet Manual, and a picture, which looks similar to yours:

Eggs of Oxyspirura mansoni, Manson eyeworm, are deposited in the eye, reach the pharynx via the nasolacrimal duct, are swallowed, passed in the feces, and ingested by the Surinam cockroach, Pycnoscelus surinamensis. Larvae reach the infective stage in the cockroach. When infected intermediate hosts are eaten, liberated larvae migrate up the esophagus to the mouth and then through the nasolacrimal duct to the eye, where the cycle is completed. Other insect species may also serve as the intermediate host.

 

[eschutz]

She seems to be on the mend. Thank yall for the advice.