Hen Eye Problems

[303hunter]

I have a 10 month old black Orpington hen that appears to have an eye infection. The right eye keeps swelling up, with hard puss. We've pulled the puss out with tweezers, and treated with neosporin with no results. It keeps coming back.

Last Saturday, we treated her with tetracycline/hydrochloride powder mixed in her water, along with wazine wormer. Have left it in her water since then.

Checked her this morning and it's coming back, what should I do?

She only lays once every couple weeks, but didn't lay well before the infection.

 

[Eggcessive]

Has she had any respiratory symptoms such as sneeze, nasal drainage, wheezing or rattly breathing since she has had the problem? Does she smell bad? Coryza can cause swelling of the eye or face, and pus to form in the sinus. Was she pecked to cause this? Can you get some drugs from your vet? If it is a peck wound that has become infected, you may need to give something like Baytril or enrofloxacin to treat it. If it is coryza, then Sulfadimethoxine or Sulmet, in combination with Tylan may help. Chronic respiratory diseases such as MG and coryza can come back, and infect the whole flock or make carriers. So you may want to get her tested if those are possibilities. Here is a good link about respiratory diseases: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps044

 

[303hunter]

She has no respiratory problems that I can tell. No discharge or sneezing, and she eats well, and she's very active.

I don't think it's a peck wound, because after we get the puss out, it clears up in a couple days, and she seems to see fine out of it. The infection comes back in 2-3 weeks. There's no signs of injury.

 

[Eggcessive]

Along with cleaning the eye with saline, I would probably apply some Terramycin eye ointment or Vetericyn eye gel twice a day. If you would like to try some enrofloxacin, here is a link that may help: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/959119/baytril-enrofloxacin-sources

 

[303hunter]

Got some of the ointment you mentioned. After we got the puss out, I noticed that the pupil of her eye is now a white spot. Any ideas?

She hasn't lost weight, and her appetite is good. Don't think she can see out of that eye though.

 

[Eggcessive]

Got some of the ointment you mentioned. After we got the puss out, I noticed that the pupil of her eye is now a white spot. Any ideas?

She hasn't lost weight, and her appetite is good. Don't think she can see out of that eye though.

That's too bad. Infections can blind the eyes. Could you post a picture of the blind eye if possible?

 

[303hunter]

Don't know how to post pics yet. I finally figured out the avatar, but still working on posting in threads. Just don't understand the lingo.

Starting to weigh my options on the hen though. I've got way more invested in medicine than I do in her. Going to give it another week or so.