I have a 17 month old silkie rooster that has a continual ear problem..ever since he was about 6 months old, he has an ear that gets infected. There is a thick cheesy plug when I pull it off and all kinds of cheesy gross stuff in his ear. I use peroxide on it. I give him Tylan..should I be giving him some penicillin? The cheesy stuff is really gross and tonite when I came home from work, his head was turned to the side almost like he had wry neck and he had the thick plug again!!! Please give me some suggestions on what to do to get rid of this problem. I know he has the be hurting...he is such an awesome boy.....
I'm not sure if their ears are the same as humans, but I would think that it would depend on if it's an inner, middle or outer ear infection as to what antibiotics would be the best. For the basic ear infection amoxocillin is the basic one used. If it is really bad and has caused a hole in the ear drum, then of course you could not put any type of drops in the ear. I would worry about the infection getting to the brain which can cause serious problems. But, I think you can use Penicillin and other antibiotics together, but I can't be certain on that. Would have to do some research first. Have you gave him any aspirin for pain?
I haven't given him an aspirin yet, but I'll give him one when I go home to check on him on my lunch hour. I am going to call the feed store to see what kind of penicillin they have. I though Tylan would work but it isn't. At least he had his head up this morning some. I can tell that it is really bothering him because he keeps turning his head to the side and almost upside down. I cleaned it all out last night and it was really gross!!! I need to help him!!
It sounds fungal. My dog gets fungal ear infections, so the vet put him on $30 ear drops. DH pointed out that the drops are the same medicine as ladies' Monostat, which is >1/2 the price. This might be an option for you.
Could be fungal; could be mites/lice, viral or bacterial; or any combination of the above. I think you need to have a vet look at it under a microscope and make a recommendation. Even a vet who does not treat chickens could do that much. Antibiotics would generally be contraindicated for a fungal infection, but necessary for a bacterial one. Tylan is typically used for respiratory illnesses, but not a lot of other ones. Penicillin is pretty broad spectrum. The idea of monostat or another antifungal is pretty good--if it is a fungal infection. An iodine flush would be pretty useful for any of the possibilities.
Thanks Suze...just emailed Peter Brown and he said that it is ear canker and said to use Amoxicillin and Otomax...Just have to get ahold of some quick...none of the vets want to give anything without talking with him first....not too many vets around here know alot about poultry....all I want is the meds so I can get him better!!! Dr. Brown said left untreated, it can cause brain damage....I went home at lunch and his poor head is turned to the side...need meds quick!!!
Canker in general refers to a protozoal infection- neither amoxicillin (antibiotic) or otomax (topical antifungal, long acting steriod & antibiotic) will kill this organism. Thrush is a fungal infection (candida)- amoxi won't treat that. Otomax might be helpful- but it also has other distinctly unhelpful for a fungal infection stuff in there). Classic canker AND thrush don't tend to be in the ear- they like moist places- like the mouth/inside of beak, throat and crop. Stinky ear crud sounds more like an abscess, and a chronic one at that. Head tilt implies that the pus is already in the middle ear. Ideally this bird goes to a vet who will look at the crud under the microscope- relatively easy to tell the difference between canker, thrush and bacterial infection if one looks at it microscopically & stained properly for the yeast vs bacteria part. Peter Brown is not a vet, he works for a company that sells farm and pet supplies. E-mail help can only get you so far. In any event, it sounds to me more bacterial than anything else- but only hands on diagnostics will tell you for sure. If bacterial and in the middle ear- it needa to be cleaned out and appropriate systemic and topical antibiotics started. Don't put corrosive things into the middle ear like peroxide or drying ear cleansers. Use something gentle like saline or trizEDTA from the vets office. If this is a beloved pet chicken, and you can fund the visit- go to the vet, get them to look at the crud under the microscope, and even culture it if they think it is bacterial.
if cost is an issue, maybe you can bring a sample of the crud to the dr. for analysis as opposed to a full exam? I take my birds to the vet when sick and think this is best but I know this isn't an option for everyone. Good luck, hope he gets better.
