Fowl pox - eyes are shut

[wildheart]

Halo everyone, I am Afrikaans and from South Africa. I have 9 Silkies, Harry and Sally and their 7 chicks that were born on the 15th of Jan 11. They are all free range but do have sleeping corners. I started seeing sores on two of the chicks faces but thought that it was maybe because of fighting. Sally has a heart-attack every time that we get too close to the chicks so I left them because I did not like stressing her. I noticed that the sores were getting bigger and decided to catch all of them for a closer inspection - what a tough time that was! The sores looked terrible and we took all of them to the vet and he prescribed antibiotics and ointment for the eyes that I've been using for the past week. He also said that I can use the ointment on the sores.

The problem is that 2 of them have huge sores and they are yellow, the one's eye is completely shut as well.

I've been reading on this forum to use Betadine which I will do tonight. What must I do about the eye, I read to rinse it with saline and then to put the ointment in - but this eye is really completely shut. Must I force it open? I am scared that it will do more damage than good, but leaving it is clearly not working either?

We broke down their sleeping corners last weekend and sprayed mosquito spray - there was at least 10+ mosquitoes sleeping under the tin roof. The silkies are now sleeping in one of our store rooms and it makes it easier to catch and give meds before they are allowed free in the garden. I went home to try and take a photo of them but I failed miserably. I will take a photo tonight when they are back in the storeroom.

Thanks for all advice, I feel so sorry for them and really want to make it easier for them.

 

[Judy]

I wouldn't force it open as dried drainage could tear healthy tissue. Saline is a good idea, but it sounds like it might need more than just rinsing. You might want to soak it with the saline, maybe by putting a compress on it soaked with the saline. You might be able to soak dried drainage off this way, and it might take more than one soaking. Hopefully if you can soak the drainage off, the eye will open. I would use the ointment when you are finished with the saline, whether you got the eye open or not. It could take more than one round of this to get it open, if it is going to. She could have some swelling and irritation and even infection just from a lot of mosquito bites, in addition to the pox.

Poor birds. I hope this turns out well for you and your chickens.

 

[wildheart]

Thank you for your response. I will do the soaking thanks, before and after work. My heart is really bleeding for them. I will take photos tonight and ask as we go along with the treatment.

Both Harry and Sally have no bites on them, they look perfect. I HATE mosquitoes!!!!

 

[Chicken Chaperone]

I don't have any advice to offer but I did just want to say welcome to BYC and we'll be keeping
you and your chicks in our thoughts and prayers for the best outcome possible! Please keep
us posted and know that we're sending you all our best thoughts!

 

[wildheart]

Thank you for your warm welcome.

We did what you said and I could almost see the corner of his eye after this mornings soaking, maybe it is just me hoping so hard. Here are the photos of the two that I am really concerned about.

This one seems to be doing fine and is eating happily.

This one however have trouble seeing. I gave them superworms last night as a treat and he is always first by the bowl. He pecked at the dish that was full of worms and ran away with one, but the worm dropped and he could not find it again. This morning he stood inside the dish that was filled with veggies, greens and fruit, he ate for a loooong time, he must have been really hungry - maybe he cant find anything to eat in the garden?

Here is mom and dad, Harry and Sally.

I would have thought that things would have gotten better after the vet visit but it did not. I am really worried, should I go to another vet or am I already doing everything possible?

 

[Judy]

Did he vaccinate them? I have read (I will give you a link to one source) that says the vaccine can be given during an outbreak of the disease to reduce the severity or the outbreak. Of course this is the US, and the situation could be different there.

I think I would call and give an update and ask if they need to be seen again, but that's only what I think I would do.

Good luck with whatever you decide, and do let us know.

http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps030

So sorry this had to be your introduction to BYC.

 

[wildheart]

The vet did discus the vaccine with us when we were there, he said that it is pointless given it now and I should wait until our next summer around November. After reading up about it on this forum I kept on reading that everyone says that they become immune against fowl pox after they had it once?

This made me wonder why the vet would say that I must bring them later this year for the vaccine, does he just want to make money or is he maybe not well informed? He also did not mention anything about it making the symptoms lighter. Also why is Harry and Sally not affected at all, are they maybe immune against it already.

I am going to do the saline soaking again tonight and tomorrow morning and if the eye does not look slightly better then I will go see another vet.

Thanks for your help and yes I am also sorry that this is my introduction.

 

[Judy]

Hmmm...

I had a round of fowl pox summer before last. We have plenty of mosquitoes here in the summer, but I never saw a sign of it the next year. Mine were mild cases so I did not vaccinate. Even in new birds I have seen only a couple of tiny lesions since then, which of course could have been peck marks or another minor injury.

I think I'd find a different vet, too, at this point. It's hard to imagine that the protocols for this are so different in your country.