Hen with persistent infection in face/cheek

[Winchikn]

Hello - my first post to the site seeking advice for a 1 yr old Caramel Queen hen with a persistent infection in her face. The hen is otherwise in very good health with bright comb and wattles, good appetite, and regular laying.

We believe the infection started from a peck wound last fall that gradually increased in size over approx 7 mos. The spot looked like a lump in her cheek and would swell and then shrink, sometimes getting a scab that would then heal. About a month ago the lump swelled significantly, got pecked by some of the flock and did not heal up properly again.

We took the hen to a local vet who was willing to investigate and after assessment agreed to attempt surgery. We administered antibiotics [Aventi-clav] for a week prior to surgery. The surgery took place on June 2 and revealed encapsulated infection in a few pockets in the cheek and under the eye, which the vet believed she thoroughly removed. Healing appeared to be going well for the first week (with 3 days antibiotics [Aventi-clav] post-surgery), but on June 9 I noticed a bit of swelling returning to the site, and today it is noticeable. Our hen has been isolated throughout treatment (approx the last 2 weeks) from our small flock of 10 chickens.

Looking for any advice as to whether further antibiotics might be of any benefit and if another surgery would be more intervention than is ethical. Our vet is new to chickens but willing to pursue care, and we are willing to go a bit further with treatment.

Photos below show progression of wound from late Nov, to mid Jan, to a blurry shot of the day before surgery on June 2. The first two pics are times when the wound was looking worse - there were extended periods where it would heal over completely but a lump would remain under the skin.

 

[Stipenvlerk]

Hello, first Welcome to BYC.
I’m not an expert on this topic but I give you a bump to the top!

hopefully people will be able to help. are you sure this is only an infection? Can it be a malign growth too? Again not an expert. Hopefully you find someone with answers here

 

[Winchikn]

Thank you for the welcome and the bump!

Pretty sure there is no other infection going on and the vet was concerned about malignancy but ruled it out.

 

[coach723]

If malignancy is ruled out then I would think it needs to be cleaned out again. Chicken pus is firm rather than liquid, so even if a tiny bit is left in there then the infection will come back. Just like when treating bumblefoot, every bit of the gunk has to be gotten out for healing to happen. Antibiotics may be helpful, but the gunk will still have to come out first or they won't do any good. I don't think it would be unethical to do it again, it's just a matter of what you want to do and are able to handle financially.

 

[Winchikn]

Thank you. We'll contact the vet and make a decision from there. It's strange this time because the infection seems quite spread around the surgery site - not a singular spot like in the beginning.

Here's another pic of the surgery cheek. It looked pretty good for the first week post-surgery, then started to swell on June 9. We're two weeks post surgery as of tomorrow...

 

[Winchikn]

Brief update that the vet decided another surgery was not reasonable as all the infection she could find was removed on the first round.

We are trying another week of amoxicillin along with antibiotic eye drops, and I've added some colloidal silver to see if that helps but I'm not feeling too optimistic at this point.

 

[Winchikn]

Another update that our hen held pretty stable for about a month but the infection has taken off again. If the vet won't do another surgery than I'm afraid we'll have to euthanize her and from the reading I've done about bumblefoot, oral antibiotics aren't going to help.

Repeated surgeries on a foot make seem more feasible than on a cheek where damage to the eye is a risk and wrapping is almost impossible. Facing our first cull and feeling heartbroken...

 

[Winchikn]

Another update in this thread...

We convinced a different vet at the same clinic to try another surgery on July 31. This time she left the wound open so we could flush with antibiotics and try to keep pushing the infection out. We managed that for about 3-4 days before feeling like we were torturing our hen without much benefit as the hole was closing and the infection site was swelling right back to where it had been. So we stopped flushing but kept it clean and the hole healed up well but with the infection clearly remaining inside.

We have watched her for the last two months and the infection has slowly grown and is now enormous on her cheek - but remarkably has not ulcerated/ split open - just a few small peck injuries or scratches now and then. We’re feeling it must be pretty uncomfortable but are still struggling to put her down as she seems right as rain otherwise - eating well and active with the flock. After having attempted surgery ourselves once and having been told by the vet that they have done all they can, we feel we’re out of options. Such a difficult place to be....

A pic from a couple of weeks ago. The infection is even larger now.

 

[Vickischics]

If she's eating, drinking and doing normal chicken stuff, then I say leave her be.
It will rupture at some point. At that time, put a warm Epson salt soak cloth on it to encourage drainage, irrigate it with Chlorihexdine, fill the wound with a Triple Anribiotic oint and leave it.
I'm also wondering if you use a small piece of gauze in it which would act like a drain and prevent it from sealing over and closing which would encourage it to continue to drain longer.
I know her picture hurts my heart, I can see its truely hurting yours.
Don't cull her until some of the Experts respond with their treatment plan. They know a ton more than me.
@Eggcessive,
@casportpony,
@azygous,
@LaFleche,
@Wyorp Rock They're more Experts that we can summons too if needed.
Hope this helps you.

 

[Winchikn]

I can’t tell you the sleep I’ve lost and the tears I’ve shed over this hen. Any advice is most welcome and I will do whatever is within my abilities...