eye trauma vs. mycoplasma?

[hannahshatchery]

We have a small backyard flock to which we recently (3 weeks ago) added two more hens from another local. She acquired them from a hatchery last spring. After a couple weeks of separation and sharing outside space separated by chicken wire we integrated everybody last weekend. Yesterday I noticed one of the new hens had a swollen and slightly foamy eye. I immediately separated her and have her in a dog kennel in the house. I bought some Liquamycin at TSC yesterday and gave her a shot last night. I have also ordered Denegard to preventatively treat the rest of the flock for mycoplasma. I contacted the lady I got her from who was shocked and has had no other illness in her flock. Everyone else is fine.

I immediately thought the worst due to the timing that this happened, but am now questioning if this could be something more simple such as an eye trauma. There has been plenty of pecking as they are all figuring things out, and my rooster is particularly interested in her and I have seen her square up to him a few times. The area around her eye is still very swollen today and I just treated it locally, cleaning it out and applying an opthalmic antibiotic drop. There were just very few bubbles in the corner, but no gross pus or drainage. She is not wheezing or sneezing or acting sick in any way.

Should I just keep treating her for both? I would really like to know if she is going to be an MG carrier/our flock will be. We have no plans to add to it but it would be nice to know. From what I understand diagnosis is only possible at necropsy, is that correct?

Any advice gratefully received as always. Thanks!

 

[dawg53]

You've done your homework and know what you're doing. Keep her quarantined and continue the injections. Try flushing her eye liberally with saline solution in case it's debris, then apply the ointment as needed. The ointment will help in case she was pecked, causing possible injury. MG is contageous as you know. Since she has already been with your other birds, it possible other birds will start showing symptoms. If it is MG, it might be a mild strain, time will tell. As far as your quarantined hen goes, if in fact it's MG and she's a carrier, you have a tough decision to make whether to cull or not. I'd wait and see if other birds start to show the same symptom(s) and give the meds time to do their job with your hen. Let's hope it's environmental or a treatable injury and not MG.
It's your choice if you want to use the denagard on your other birds since there's no resistance to it. You could use it on your hen, but not in conjunction with liquamycin if you decide to keep her. (If in fact it's MG)

 

[hannahshatchery]

Thanks for your input. I too am hopeful, and hope I don't have to make that tough decision.

I thought I could use Denagard in conduction with the Liquamycin…the source I was given actually recommended it for a synergizing effect.

I guess my question is, if she improves and no-one else shows any signs, do I assume that it wasn't MG, or just that she was successfully treated?

 

[dawg53]

Thanks for your input. I too am hopeful, and hope I don't have to make that tough decision.

I thought I could use Denagard in conduction with the Liquamycin…the source I was given actually recommended it for a synergizing effect.

I guess my question is, if she improves and no-one else shows any signs, do I assume that it wasn't MG, or just that she was successfully treated?

If your source is reliable, then yes go ahead and use both if you wish.
I would assume that if the other birds dont show symptoms, it would be safe to say that it's not MG. (We know what assume means.)
If it is MG, the meds only "mask" symptoms, not cure her. Then when she's stressed, reintroduced to the flock for example; she could possibly relapse into showing symptoms again.
Poultry mycoplasma diseases can be detected via bloodwork. Some states have NPIP personnel that draw blood to test for MG for a fee. Perhaps your local extension office can point you in the right direction getting her blood tested. That's the only way you'll know for sure. Then again, the meds may interfere with testing, you could ask about that as well.
Right now it's a wait and see situation.

 

[hannahshatchery]

Great info thanks so much!

 

[hannahshatchery]

just to give an update. it's the third day after her oxytetracycline dose, and i have continued to treat the eye with antibiotic solution three times daily. her eye looks much better but there is some residual swelling around it. i'm going to give her another dose of the liquamycin tonight. she still shows no other symptoms. the denagard arrived today so i am going to treat everyone with that, including her, for the next 5 days. still stumped as to what caused this. i feel like if it was an eye trauma it is odd that the tissue around her eye is still swollen, but if it were MG i am a little surprised that she has shown no other symptoms and that everyone else is fine.

the mystery continues!