HELP!!! Baby chick with a crazy swollen eye!

[ChickaGalaxy]

A friend gave me this chick because she didn't know what to do and knew I fix up my birds when they're sick. It has a super swollen eye. It can't open the eye and is constantly crying. I don't really know what to do, I've never dealt with anything like this. One of my cats had an eye infection a while ago, and I still have the eye drops. My dad's a pharmacist and said it's actually the same dose as a person's eye drops and they use the same stuff for animals. So I put a littke drop on the chicks eye and I am going to give it more every 4 hours like I had to with my cat. But if anyone has any advice or anything, I would really appreciate it.

 

[Eggcessive]

You really need to open the eye and see if there is swelling or any gunk in the eye. Take a picture or let us know what it looks like. She may have been pecked and has an infection. How old is she? The eye drops, or a small dot of Terramycin or plain Neosporin ointment is to be applied into the eye. Clean or dab it with saline before applying drops or ointment. This chick should be hand fed with moistened chick starter feed and lead her to the food and water since she cannot see. I would try to get a friend to grow up with her. Do you have a heat source for her?

 

[ChickaGalaxy]

You really need to open the eye and see if there is swelling or any gunk in the eye. Take a picture or let us know what it looks like. She may have been pecked and has an infection. How old is she? The eye drops, or a small dot of Terramycin or plain Neosporin ointment is to be applied into the eye. Clean or dab it with saline before applying drops or ointment. This chick should be hand fed with moistened chick starter feed and lead her to the food and water since she cannot see. I would try to get a friend to grow up with her. Do you have a heat source for her?

I tried to open the eye, but i can't really open it much, I can see that is is the eye that's swollen, no gunk just a really swollen eye, the eye is grey though, so I'm concerned that she's going to loose they eye. I have no idea how old she is, I'm assuming she's between 1 and 3 weeks, not sure though. My friend said she is a little smaller than her siblings, but that's all I know. Yes I have a heat lamp for her.

 

[ChickaGalaxy]

I tried to open up her eye again, and her eye is actually trying to pop out of the soket. It made me want to puke. I stopped trying to open the eye so it wouldn't pop out cus I dont want it to if i can't help her heal right. The eye is clear like glass, with white dots on it. At this point i know there's no hope for the eye. Does anyone know how to safely remove the eye and/or let it heal right?

 

[thecatumbrella]

The eye drops, or a small dot of Terramycin or plain Neosporin ointment is to be applied into the eye.

We're using Terramycin right now (from our vet) and it's making a difference in our pullet with 6+ weeks of swelling. I'm so sorry. That looks so painful.

 

[Eggcessive]

I would not try to remove the eye. Clean the eye gently with either saline or a warm wet cloth, and keep applying the ointment twice a day. Eventually the swelling should go down, and the eye may be gray or sunken. If you notice thick pus or goo, that should come out. There are some gross videos on how to press out pus. I will try to post them, but have been having problems with my internet today.

 

[Eggcessive]

Here are the graphic videos on removing pus from the eye:

 

[ChickaGalaxy]

I would not try to remove the eye. Clean the eye gently with either saline or a warm wet cloth, and keep applying the ointment twice a day. Eventually the swelling should go down, and the eye may be gray or sunken. If you notice thick pus or goo, that should come out. There are some gross videos on how to press out pus. I will try to post them, but have been having problems with my internet today.

I'm not going to remove it, I'm just worried that it might get to a point where I need to, or the eye pops out on its own and I need to do something for that.

 

[ChickaGalaxy]

Little update.
I've been cleaning the eye, putting eye drops in the eye, and putting Vaseline on the eye every 4 hours. She's started trying to open her eye every now and then, it's still swollen so she can't really, but she's trying. The white dots on her eye have started coming off when I clean her eye. I'm hoping that means the infection is starting to go away. Hopefully by the end of the week I'll start to see an improvement on the swelling. Ill keep you guys updated.

 

[ChickaGalaxy]

Update
She's started opening that eye a little more often. (She always closes it when I pick her up because she knows eye drops are coming, lol) Her eye is clearly blind, but I have some hope now that she'll at least get to keep the eye. The swelling has gone down a little, but not to much yet. I'll see if I can get some pictures for you guys