Infectious Coryza: to treat or to let it run its course?

[humblehillsfarm]

I’ve seen enough posts on here to identify that the most probable disease that is affecting my Polish hen is infectious Coryza. Her jaw, roof of her mouth, and around her eye are swollen. Her swelling is enough to misalign her beak and affect her vocal quality. She’s very hoarse. Her swelling is not affecting her vision. Last year an EE in my flock exhibited the same symptoms. I didn’t realize until recently she probably had Infectious Coryza.

I just became fully aware of her swelling and probable diagnosis today when I was able to observe her in better light, but I noticed a few days ago some things were off about her. I’ve been doing some reading and it seems like the risk of mortality is fairly low and that the disease usually resolves on its own in a couple weeks? So should I treat or not treat?

I do have enrofloxacin (Baytril) available.

 

[dawg53]

Coryza can be treated but surviving birds remain carriers. You can tell if it's Coryza if there's a foul odor coming from the head area, if not, you could possibly be dealing with MG. It's possible that birds can have 2 or 3 diseases at the same time requiring multiple medications. It's better to cull, disinfect and repopulate over a period of time. Otherwise you'll have to maintain a closed flock.
Treatment for Coryza is a sulfa drug such as sulfadimethoxine in combination with the Baytril you have. Baytril will also treat MG. Sulfadimethoxine requires a script from a vet.
Here's a link, scroll down to Infectious Coryza:
https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/PS044

 

[humblehillsfarm]

Coryza can be treated but surviving birds remain carriers. You can tell if it's Coryza if there's a foul odor coming from the head area, if not, you could possibly be dealing with MG. It's possible that birds can have 2 or 3 diseases at the same time requiring multiple medications. It's better to cull, disinfect and repopulate over a period of time. Otherwise you'll have to maintain a closed flock.
Treatment for Coryza is a sulfa drug such as sulfadimethoxine in combination with the Baytril you have. Baytril will also treat MG. Sulfadimethoxine requires a script from a vet.
Here's a link, scroll down to Infectious Coryza:
https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/PS044

I’ve considered MG as well because there is no smell. However culling the flock is non optional. Unfortunately a vet is too. There is one available but his fees are outrageous and unless you schedule an office visit every single time he refuses follow up care or communication of any type. I think I will start antibiotics tonight and hope for the best.

What bothers me is where did this come from, and how did my EE get sick with it last year and none of my other birds got sick up until now?

 

[LaFleche]

I’ve considered MG as well because there is no smell. However culling the flock is non optional. Unfortunately a vet is too. There is one available but his fees are outrageous and unless you schedule an office visit every single time he refuses follow up care or communication of any type. I think I will start antibiotics tonight and hope for the best.

What bothers me is where did this come from, and how did my EE get sick with it last year and non of my other birds got sick up until now?

One thing you might consider: Cull the sickest bird and send it in for necropsy to your state vet lab. Their fees are reasonable to none, depending on where you live.
In doing so you will at least know what you are dealing with and get explicit information on if at all or how to treat.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/-state-and-nahln-laboratory-list--under-construction.1452695/#post-24178092

 

[dawg53]

I cant answer your question about your EE. I think you have a good idea how respiratory diseases can be spread throughout a flock. Even something simple such as returning home from a feed store where the the soil couldve been contaminated from someone else's flock. Personally, I change shoes before going out to my pens, chicken shoes.
Even tires on your vehicle or wild birds etc...the list goes on. It's a tough situation for you.

 

[humblehillsfarm]

One thing you might consider: Cull the sickest bird and send it in for necropsy to your state vet lab. Their fees are reasonable to none, depending on where you live.
In doing so you will at least know what you are dealing with and get explicit information on if at all or how to treat.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/-state-and-nahln-laboratory-list--under-construction.1452695/#post-24178092

I won’t be able to cull my sickest bird either. At least not yet. She’s one of my favorites I had to put down another favorite Sunday. She suddenly stopped eating, finally becoming too weak to walk. There were no other obvious symptoms from her. I can’t handle any more right now. I didn’t send the body in for a necropsy. I had no idea the first steps to take. I regret that now, but last night I have already found my states lab and have their contact information. If another death is inevitable, I will send the body in.

Why do I have to have such sweet chickens I am so attached.

 

[LaFleche]

I won’t be able to cull my sickest bird either. At least not yet. She’s one of my favorites I had to put down another favorite Sunday. She suddenly stopped eating, finally becoming too weak to walk. There were no other obvious symptoms from her. I can’t handle any more right now. I didn’t send the body in for a necropsy. I had no idea the first steps to take. I regret that now, but last night I have already found my states lab and have their contact information. If another death is inevitable, I will send the body in.

Why do I have to have such sweet chickens I am so attached.

Somehow it always seem to be the favourites.

If your state lab is not too far away, you might consider bringing her in alive just as @azygous did lately with her beloved pullet.

 

[Eggcessive]

I learned a lot when I called my state vet pathologist that necropsies can be less expensive for a backyard chicken. Bring in the body in person, and it would save on shipping. Mine said they would have to send results to my local vet, but that is Ohio’s policy. Try to keep the body cold, not frozen, and take it in as soon as possible M-F. Most hatcheries in the US cannot guarantee that their chickens are MG-free. But wild birds do carry MG sometimes, and most of us cannot keep all birds out of our feeders or waterers, if our birds free range. It’s tough dealing with a chronic disease in a flock, but it is good to know what exactly the disease is. You can test your own chicken with a swab from a national lab such as Zoologix for about $80, but a necropsy would be good to test for a lot of things.

 

[humblehillsfarm]

I learned a lot when I called my state vet pathologist that necropsies can be less expensive for a backyard chicken. Bring in the body in person, and it would save on shipping. Mine said they would have to send results to my local vet, but that is Ohio’s policy. Try to keep the body cold, not frozen, and take it in as soon as possible M-F. Most hatcheries in the US cannot guarantee that their chickens are MG-free. But wild birds do carry MG sometimes, and most of us cannot keep all birds out of our feeders or waterers, if our birds free range. It’s tough dealing with a chronic disease in a flock, but it is good to know what exactly the disease is. You can test your own chicken with a swab from a national lab such as Zoologix for about $80, but a necropsy would be good to test for a lot of things.

Unfortunately the state vet is probably four hours away. They are also only open four days a week which means a “timely” death would probably have to happen in order to ship it safely.....

The polish hen is eating and just as active as she always is. I think her swelling is more noticeable but also her beak is aligned normally again so maybe swelling has actually gone down?

At this rate even if I could cull my entire flock our neighbors have chickens and they are very old school with their animal husbandry. They stop by often and although I’ve never seen signs of respiratory disease in their flock, it’s entirely possibly it came from them. I got my first birds three years ago now and they were four adults from a backyard clock. So perhaps they suppressed the illness. I just feel it’s a hopeless cause to cull when it’ll likely be introduced into the new flock. Or I could fight a constant battle of potentially offending and/or inconveniencing the neighbors when it comes to visiting. Roadblocks every way I turn.