Mucus and white lesions in mouth, please help

[josie1]

Earlier this year, I had a rooster with mucus and yellow lesions inside his mouth that he eventually died from despite me trying to treat it. I used a fungal and canker medicine for pigeons which was all I could get at the time and also used gentian violet and veterycin spray. The lesions in his mouth grew so much they bulged his cheek out before he died.

I never found out if it was a bacterial infection or canker or oral thrush.

I now have what seems like the same problem AGAIN in my remaining rooster who is a huge buff Orpington, 5 years old and has been up till now in great health. His lesions are not yellow but white and don’t seem as bad as my first rooster. His breath smells bad. He is still crowing and eating and his crop is emptying but the mucus in his mouth is getting him down. Is it just coincidence that this is similar to what my first rooster had and if so does this mean it is canker?

I have ordered metronidazole for pigeons in case it is canker but it has not arrived yet so in the meantime I have started treatment for thrush. I have been giving him over the counter thrush cream orally twice a day (which I never tried with my first rooster) and also swabbing his mouth and throat with betadine. I’ve been doing this for the last 5 days and his breath seems less bad but the mucus is still there as are the white lesions. I tried to remove the mucus with a baby nasal syringe but it didn’t work.

Should I stop treating him for thrush and try antibiotics in case it’s bacterial? I just wonder how likely it is that 2 of my flock get bacterial infections 6 months apart. I have baytril if that is advisable.

Just don’t know what to do next for my poor rooster and am feeling helpless.

Thank you.

 

[azygous]

First, a photo of his open mouth would be a huge help to us so we can actually see what the gunk looks like. Have someone operate the camera while the other holds his mouth open. Also, try describing the odor better than a simple "smells bad". Is it sour like sauerkraut or fetid like road kill?

Just this past week we had another thread with a rooster with plaque and mucous in his mouth. The OP described the smell as both sour and fetid. They used coconut oil (unrefined) to coat the mouth and an antibiotic. The roo improved after just a couple days where he previously was suffering from difficulty breathing.

Yes, it's not unusual for chickens to suffer the same illness weeks and months apart when the source of the infection hasn't been identified and corrected. A lot of the time it would mean a thorough disinfection with a strong anti-fungal/anti-bacterial cleanser such as Oxine.

 

[josie1]

Forgot to add I have been giving acv in the water (3 tablespoons to a gallon).

Also how long does it take to show an improvement when treating oral thrush if it is thrush?

 

[josie1]

Thank you so much for your helpful reply. I will get a photo tomorrow morning. The white lesions aren’t that easy to see unlike the big yellow mass my first rooster had.

The smell is not like road kill, just like something has gone off, like it is sour. Which is confusing me as his crop is full at night and empty in the morning.

I will get some coconut oil for him. Do you think I should try with the antibiotics? I went with the thrush cream first as I didn’t want to make it worse with the antibiotics if it was thrush. I will also try and find the thread you mentioned.

 

[azygous]

It sounds like Candida (thrush). Yes, stick with the coconut oil right now. It's a very efficient anti-fungal as well as a natural antibiotic. It will coat the mouth and work its way through the digestive system. If the plaque is beyond the mouth, it will work on it all the way down.

If he gets worse and the smell turns to a rotten meat smell, then I'd try the Baytril.

 

[josie1]

I really appreciate you relying so quickly. I just feel I let my other rooster down and want to try and save this one so much. I hand reared him from when he was 2 days old.

I haven’t been able to find the thread about the coconut oil yet. Do I syringe it down him or just coat the inside of his mouth and throat with it?

All my other chickens are unaffected st the moment.

 

[josie1]

Sorry for all the questions, but do you recommend I carry on with the thrush cream as well?

 

[azygous]

Use the coconut oil exclusively for now. If the roo improves, we will know it was the coconut oil. Do this just for today. Make a note to remember what his mouth looks like so you can compare it to what you will see in the morning.

In the morning, check his crop to be sure it's emptying as it should. If his mouth is still the same and not improved, then you will know you need to try the antibiotic.

We don't want to fool around for too long if this problem is bacterial or protozoan.

 

[josie1]

Thank you.

I have to order the coconut oil unfortunately and it won’t be here till Tuesday morning. It is night time here now and he is in bed so I will get a photo in the morning.

When I get the coconut oil, how do I administer it?

 

[josie1]

I’ve found fractionated pure coconut oil that comes in a spray bottle and raw organic virgin oil in a jar. Which is the best one?