My Chick has an Eye-Infection and I Don't Know What to Do!

[cochinbantam-lover]

Oh I'm sorry about Odin's eye, I thought it was going to be ok! Try the ointment, it's what I used with good results and it might be just the thing for Odin too!

 

[DragonHatcher]

I'll try it,but I think it's too late. Today she was trying to fly ("fly" being a term used loosley, it's more of a fluttering) and she crashed into the fence!

Thanks for your concern,though!

 

[cochinbantam-lover]

Oh no, poor little Odin!

I'm still hoping!

 

[spook]

If it makes you feel any better, my 3 year old sighted birds fly at me when I come out of the house...directly into the fence, bounce off and regain their regal state.

Sorry that the tea did not work.

I have known several blind hens, you would never guess they were blind. So, there is hope, odin has one good eye!

 

[DragonHatcher]

thank you!

 

[Mrs.ChickChick]

Quote:
Are you talking about normal topical triple antibiotic ointment or stuff made specifically for eyes? Because the common topical stuff says not to use in eyes. Or is that something to ignore?

Thanks!

 

[sangel4you]

does anyone know the answer to that last question. I have just hatched chicks out that have had an eye problem since birth...I am going to try the tea and then the triple antibiotic before I go buy teramycin. I had two chicks with this issue, one healed the other seems to have gotten worse.

 

[HollyKMS]

My Welsummer bantie had it this Fall. I took her to a bird vet who said that it was conjunctivitis--an extremely common bird eye infection (in wild AND domestic birds) to get. It's extremely contagious, but it can be treated easily, with antibiotics. It will usually lead to blindness if left untreated.

She prescribed Neo-Poly-Bac opthamologic ointment for animals. Throwing antibiotics at everything really isn't effective- You need specific opthamologic anti-biotics that include anti-inflammatory meds to treat conjunctivitis in birds. Neo-Poly-Bac comes in a tube and is a thick petroleum-type ointment (definitly get the ointment and not the suspension. The suspension is watery and doesn't adhere to the eye.)

With very clean hands, you'll need to gently force open the lid (they have three eyelids, so make sure you get them all open!) then carefully squirt a little line of the ointment directly across the eyeball horizontally. Gently let the eye close on the line of ointment then open it again to make sure it's doused pretty well and all over both the eyeball and the lids. It doesn't hurt them but obviously they don't love their eyeball being messed with! lol

You'll need to do this every 12 hrs for 7 days. In two or three days, the eye will probably look completely normal, but she said to make sure to treat the whole 7 days because the bacteria is probably not all dead and they could have a relapse, this time with resistance to the meds!

Our Rhode Island Red bantie also got conjunctivitis a few weeks later (prior to getting Marek's and dying), and I treated her with the same ointment. Worked perfectly for her too.

One of my Ameraucanas started holding one of her eyes half open the other day and I immediately started dosing her. She hasn't shown any signs since.

That vet charged (READ: ROBBED!!!) me: $32 for a 3.5g tube

but I found it online for $13 @ petmeds.
http://www.1800petmeds.com/Neo+Poly+Dex+Ophthalmic-prod10184.html
[Most vets (around here, at least) will price-match, so if you print out the petmeds page and take it in to your nearest vet, they should match it.]

BTW- you should keep it in a ziploc (ie, dry) in the frig. The ointment, like any other med, will lose efficacy over time but if you keep it in the frig, it keeps the potency longer.

I keep a tube around all the time now, in case I notice an eye looking suspicious. 1/7-ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure!!!

Good luck!!
Holly

 

[AmyBella]

I had a baby roo that was blind in one eye... we think from a peck. Boy did I love that bird! He functioned very well despite his disability. He developed a bit of a hunched look because he always had his head turned to the right. It took him awhile to get his depth perception. At first I would put a mealworm on my palm and it would take him five trys to get it! He improved but would still miss his target from time to time. Unfortunately we had to put him down this summer. I still miss him.

 

[sangel4you]

I was going to post pics, but I decided to go to the emergency section bc it's much worse today and looks horrible. PLus, now he's scratching it making it worse. It snowed here overnight so there's no way I can get to TSC today and tmrws the holiday and I work the weekend so unlessI can get there after work sat I need some extra help. I cleaned it with saline today and put bacitracin ointment on it, and he opens it now but I'm thinking that's because of the lubrication. The fact that he still scratches really worries me that he will infect it more. But I wanted to thank you all for your help!