Need help draining my turkey's mucus swollen cheek

[Wyorp Rock]

Are you having trouble getting prescriptions for your birds? If your TS PetVet clinic won't help you then, you can always use a virtual vet / telehealth service called "Hello Ralphie." They will not only write you a prescription, they will fill it and ship it to you. And the cost of the service is about the same as any other vet clinic.

LOL Nah, I'm good.
I can usually find what I need IF I need anything

 

[skeltom]

Welcome To BYC

Can you please post photos?
How have you been treating the infection? (Medication name and dosing.)

Depending on what it looks like and what you are getting out, you may need to press out the infection. It may need to be lanced or you may get by with applying warm compresses, flushing and applying an eye ointment like Terramycin in the eye a couple of times a day.

I'm going to tag in @casportpony as well. Hopefully the photos will be available when she come online.


https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/sinus-infection-removal-by-george-conner.1328808/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/my-first-sinus-infection.945918/

I’ve been applying VetRx to the top of her head, her nostrils, under her wings and I add a few drops in her water. I treated her also with LA-200. I gave her a shot with 1cc and I am on the 3rd dose.

 

[skeltom]

"Transparent slimy mucous" is a helpful description, believe it or not. Even better than a photo, but we could use one anyway as @SmiYa0126 has requested.

It does sound like a common respiratory infection. Tylan 50 or Tylosin powder would be the recommended antibiotic. No need to squeeze the poor turkey any further. It's just fluid in the sinuses similar to what humans experience with a common cold.

If you give us your location, we may be able to help you locate a source for the antibiotic.

I live in Forestburg, TX.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I’ve been applying VetRx to the top of her head, her nostrils, under her wings and I add a few drops in her water. I treated her also with LA-200. I gave her a shot with 1cc and I am on the 3rd dose.

Looks like she has a bad sinus infection for sure.

@casportpony would you recommend Tylan or Baytril. Removal of pus as well?

 

[skeltom]

Welcome To BYC

Can you please post photos?
How have you been treating the infection? (Medication name and dosing.)

Depending on what it looks like and what you are getting out, you may need to press out the infection. It may need to be lanced or you may get by with applying warm compresses, flushing and applying an eye ointment like Terramycin in the eye a couple of times a day.

I'm going to tag in @casportpony as well. Hopefully the photos will be available when she come online.


https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/sinus-infection-removal-by-george-conner.1328808/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/my-first-sinus-infection.945918/

Thank you for the links. I really appreciate the help.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Thank you for the links. I really appreciate the help.

If she's not one you are planning on butchering, then I'd get some Baytril and treat her.

You may be able to press the pus out of her eyes, but to me, it looks like you may need to lance.
I know Kathy has done this before, so hopefully she'll chime in when she's online. It gets sort of crazy busy here on BYC and we get tons of alerts and notices, so it may take her a while.

 

[skeltom]

Are you having trouble getting prescriptions for your birds? If your TS PetVet clinic won't help you then, you can always use a virtual vet / telehealth service called "Hello Ralphie." They will not only write you a prescription, they will fill it and ship it to you. And the cost of the service is about the same as any other vet clinic.

I have not had issues getting medications. I am just having issues because the puffiness hasn’t gone away and she has been like this for 2 weeks. She seems to be doing fine. She eats good but the cheeks have not gone back to normal. She has mucus inside of them and when I squeeze her cheeks a thick snot like mucus comes out from her eyes and nostrils but it’s only a little that comes out and it’s like little clear mucus balls. The puffiness seems to block her front sight. I am just worried because I have read several threads and some say that the swelling went away but not for Peewee. So, that is why I started this thread to see other options or what has helped others. I will try everything and see what works. Hopefully this won’t happen to me again. I’ve had turkeys, chickens, peacocks, quail and guineas and this is the 1st time this has happen. Thankfully only Peewee got this.

 

[skeltom]

If she's not one you are planning on butchering, then I'd get some Baytril and treat her.

You may be able to press the pus out of her eyes, but to me, it looks like you may need to lance.
I know Kathy has done this before, so hopefully she'll chime in when she's online. It gets sort of crazy busy here on BYC and we get tons of alerts and notices, so it may take her a while.

No, I am not planning on killing her. She is my pet Turkey.

Thank you for the advice. I really appreciate it.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

No, I am not planning on killing her. She is my pet Turkey.

Thank you for the advice. I really appreciate it.

OK. Just had to ask or mention it. People keep Turkeys for a variety of reasons from food to pets so you never know.
If she's a pet and you're not going to butcher her, then Baytril would be what I'd use.

Pus in birds does become somewhat solidified or like a semi solid that has to be removed. It won't dry up on its own even with an antibiotic.
So, removal is needed unfortunately. If you can't press it out, then the other option is to lance and remove. Kathy may have some tips or tricks for removal and recovery.

The poor thing, I'm sure it's uncomfortable. In the meantime, I'd keep her eyes cleaned with saline, apply a dab of Terramycin in the eyes. If you can get some pus out that gives her relief by warm compressing and pressing them out, then do that until you decide if lancing is appropriate. I would also have any supplies needed on hand before I started that process.

 

[Kanekoded]

I have not had issues getting medications. I am just having issues because the puffiness hasn’t gone away and she has been like this for 2 weeks. She seems to be doing fine. She eats good but the cheeks have not gone back to normal. She has mucus inside of them and when I squeeze her cheeks a thick snot like mucus comes out from her eyes and nostrils but it’s only a little that comes out and it’s like little clear mucus balls. The puffiness seems to block her front sight. I am just worried because I have read several threads and some say that the swelling went away but not for Peewee. So, that is why I started this thread to see other options or what has helped others. I will try everything and see what works. Hopefully this won’t happen to me again. I’ve had turkeys, chickens, peacocks, quail and guineas and this is the 1st time this has happen. Thankfully only Peewee got this.

Likely large chunks of dried mucus is what's inhibiting a full drain. Did you try flushing Peewee's sinuses with saline? Salt does wonders to help ease the symptoms, loosen dried mucous and reduce swelling. You may have to do it a few times before it starts to loosen up. Just give her a little break between tries so you don't stress her out too much.

In the event you've never done it before, here's a video of a vet flushing a parrot's nostrils: