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.

 

[josie1]

He is a big boy. This is him back in the summer.

 

[casportpony]

@casportpony can these be given together?

They sure can be given together! It's probably what I would do if I had one like this.

 

[casportpony]

Hi think with so many pills I might crush them, add water, then syringe the liquid.

 

[casportpony]

If the problem is a bacterial infection that is sensitive to Baytril or metronidazole you should see some improvement in his breathing in 24-48 hours. If canker, might be 3 days before you see improvement.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Thank you both @Wyorp Rock and @casportpony. He is a special boy. My children named him King Henry because he has 6 girls who love him lots so they are his wives! Also he is a ginger like the king.

I have cleaned pus from his ears today so I can see inside them now and there is yellow gunk in there. I tried with a qtip to get it out but couldn’t. Do I leave it or try again tomorrow? I used hydrogen peroxide and antibiotic cream.

I like the name! King Henry is so fitting

If he is doing o.k. I would probably see if the gunk will move/come up in the morning.
You may need to put a warm compress over the ear to help loosen it a little, worth a try.
If he is agreeable and holds still, you also may be able to reach in with a thin pair of tweezers and pull out the gunk(?) Just some thoughts there.

Is the mucous and white plaques going away?

 

[josie1]

Thank you both! I won’t give him any more meds and will just watch and wait to see if the symptoms come back. He will be pleased not to have anymore stuff put down his beak that’s for sure!

I really am so very grateful that you not only gave me advice when I needed it but that you kept checking up on him every day. I was feeling so helpless but thanks to you I had a treatment plan and support. I will update next week on his progress and hopefully he will still be well! Thank you so much once again.

 

[micstrachan]

Yay, King Henry! You’ve been doing a great job with him. @casportpony abd @Wyorp Rock have helped me and my flock through a few things, as well!

 

[josie1]

@casportpony and @Wyorp Rock I just wanted to update you on King Henry.

I left him to get on with things but I checked his mouth and ears yesterday and all was clear! No mucus, no lesions, no signs of infection. He is also a very happy rooster, chasing girls, eating well, crowing lots, attempting to fight his son for his corner of the farm. So whatever it was, it looks like it has gone. I’ll never know if it was a bacterial infection or canker but the medication combo advised on here worked and he is now well. I really am so happy as after losing my other old rooster earlier in the year to something similar to this, I didn’t have much hope for him. He’s a big part of our flock, not only because he’s so handsome and we love watching him but all the hens absolutely adore him.

I will keep a close eye on him and if he starts to show signs of going backwards I will be back to ask for help again.

Thank you all once again and Merry Christmas!

 

[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.