Growth in Cross Beak's Mouth (Non-emergency)

[MilesFluffybutt]

Hello BYC Community,

So my little hospice care cross-beak cockerel, Hawke, is still with me, which I'm glad for because he is a delight. Plus, my dog loves him so it gives her company when I'm not home.

Despite his cross-beak, he is able to eat on his own, if I can get the consistency of his mash right and if I give him enough time. It takes him a good hour or more to eat and boy, does he eat with gusto (read as very messily.) His crop is usually full when he's done. Except lately because he has a sore in his mouth. It started as a small thing that would loosen and fall out when I rinsed his mouth. I rinse his mouth so I can spray it with VetericynVF Plus Antimicrobial Hydrogel to keep the exposed under-beak from drying. My vet thought the sore was caused by dryness. But here we are a few months later, the it looks and behaves less like a sore, and more like a growth.

The point of origin/attachment for the growth is a bit further behind bottom beak and it appears to grow along the choanal slit and over the bottom mandible. It's quite firmly attached. The last time I pulled enough of it off so he could it, one end of it was a bit bloody. So it's clearly growing faster and deeper.

As I said he is a messy eater, and frequently has food up his nose which I fish out. Chickens have sinuses so they empty out in his mouth somewhere. I'm wondering if that could be the root cause? Though his nostrils are clear and healthy looking.

So I'm wondering what it could be? Thrush? Canker? A tumor? Frictional keratosis?

He does have a vet appointment this morning, but I'd like to know what you think so maybe I can make some suggestions to my vet? She is an avian vet, and very good at what she does, but sometimes it's helpful for us both to bounce ideas off each other.

 

[Eggcessive]

It could be canker, especially if it has a bad odor. I have never treated canker, but it does bleed if the lesions are removed. Metronidazole or Fish Zole found online can treat canker. Fungus (candida) could also be a possibility, and that is treated with Nystatin or Medicstatin found online. Let us know what the vet has to say. If there has any fowl pox, the lesion also could be wet fowl pox.

You are doing a very good job keeping your chicken thriving. It sounds sweet that your dog loves her company.

 

[MilesFluffybutt]

He does have a bit of yeasty smell, like beer or good bread, but I think it's more the food that's stuck to his feathers around his head. I'll have the vet give his mouth a sniff because you make a very good point.

We did have a small outbreak of Northern Fowl in late October/early November. It was so late in the season I didn't expect it. I treated with Ivermectin and it cleared up after two treatments. If it is FP, the transmission would have to be through mites as Hawke and my non-house chickens have never physically interacted.

I'm really hoping whatever this is is an easy one. *fingers crossed*

 

[Eggcessive]

Fowl pox is carried by mosquitoes in late summer. It sounds like your chickens had a mite infestation, so that wouldn’t cause pox. She may get yeast or candida just because she has trouble keeping her beak clean inside due to her problems eating. Hopefully, it isn‘t canker.

 

[cmom]

I had a cross beak and she was a true love. Sadly earlier this year she was taken by a fox. She was 3 years old. She ate crumbles fine.

 

[MilesFluffybutt]

We just returned from the vet and have no real update until the biopsy comes back from the lab. Should know in a few days what is actually going on.

The vet debrided the area, removing most of the growth, but he left a small white patch where it was actually attached to his mouth. He just couldn't get it and didn't want to dig too deeply.

The vet thinks it's a low-grade infection.The attachment area is circular and the piece he pulled off is tubular. I wish I had taken a picture. It was kind of interesting to see and would be helpful for folks with this issue in the future.

I did get a good look in Hawke's mouth before and after removal and the growth isn't in the slit - it's to the side. Again, wish I had taken a picture.

So in the meantime, I'm going to clean the area after Hawke eats, apply Betadine and keep up with the spray.

I'll post again when the results are back.

 

[MilesFluffybutt]

@cmom I am so sorry to hear you lost your sweetie. I am gladdened to hear she lived three years, though. It gives me hope that my guy will have a long-ish life.

 

[Eggcessive]

Thanks for the update on the vet visit. Keep us posted on how he is getting along. Did the vet start any antibiotics or other treatments?

 

[MilesFluffybutt]

I was expecting to see our normal avian vet, but Dr. E was tied up in a surgery so we saw the practice's other avian vet, Dr. F. He's a little more restrained when it comes to handing out antibiotics so none yet. It's okay by me considering we're not sure what it is and I'd hate to stress Hawke's already delicate system with a round of treatment that may not actually treat it.

 

[MilesFluffybutt]

I received the test results this afternoon, and thankfully, it's not alarming. It's benign and not contagious so that's a huge relief. There are lot of big words in the report (attached) I need to google when I'm a little less brain dead, but what really sticks out for me is that it could be dietary. So I'm going to work on that and any suggestions or advice you have would be most welcomed.