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Nurse needs Help with feathered patient! Would Resp Illness be on just one side (see photo)? How sho

Discussion in 'Emergencies / Diseases / Injuries and Cures' started by Knurse, Feb 13, 2014.

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  1. Feb 13, 2014 #1
    Knurse

    Knurse Out Of The Brooder

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    [​IMG][​IMG]
    Top photo: Left side swelling of cheek around eye and nostril drainage with straw adhered
    Bottom photo: Shows healthy Right side flat cheek and eye open and clear
    New owner of 4 Silkies for 1 month. 3 days ago my son noticed our best Silkie girl named Lilly has some small bubbles near her left eye (no swelling), upon inspection we noticed a sizable piece of dried poo attached right above her eye. I thought well that could be a major irritant so while my son held her she stayed perfectly still & I carefully cut the poo off. 2 days later I come out and see the whole left side of her face swollen (like she was in a boxing match) and her eye is open but has a glassy/watery appearance and her left nostril has discharge. I pressed on her swollen cheek it is very firm. A slight smell from the drainage but nothing foul. I haven't seen her sneeze or cough-yet. She always has a big appetite and still scratching- eating, laying her daily egg. I hope this is not a death sentence.....WHAT NEXT? I'm trying to decipher all these crazy respiratory illnesses chickens get and how to treat ASAP since it's going on day 4. I called a woman at a feed store asked if they carried Tylan 50 but she recommended a (something)mycin. But now I'm reading that if it's Coryza that sulfa med's work better. I am a nurse but have no clue how to treat my feathered much loved friend. Thanks in advance!!! Will keep you posted
     
    Last edited: Feb 13, 2014
  3. Feb 13, 2014 #2
    Knurse

    Knurse Out Of The Brooder

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    PS: Hope there are night owl's or early birds that will reply before I drive out to feed store tomorrow around noon. Thank you Kindly
     
  5. Feb 13, 2014 #3
    nuttinfancy

    nuttinfancy Chillin' With My Peeps

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    It looks to be a respiratory infection but hard to say which one. Mycroplasmas have those same symptoms too. Duramycin-10 is a good antibiotic to start with. You can mix 5 tsp. per gallon of water and give it for 5-7 days. It can be repeated at same dosage 2-3 days later if you still see symptoms.
    Are any of the others showing signs? Do you have her separate from them now? Any sick bird/s should be isolated to minimize spreading of the illness.
    http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps044
     
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  7. Feb 13, 2014 #4
    Eggcessive

    Eggcessive Chicken Obsessed Premium Member

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    It's unfortunate that someone sold you birds who were carriers of respiratory disease. I would call the seller. If this is coryza, I wouldn't want that in my flock. It is not curable, and meds like Tylan, Gallimycin, and oxytetracycline may only lessen symptoms. Secondary infections are common. Both mycoplasma gallisepticum (CRD or MG) and coryza are carrier diseases. Coryza tends to have the gunky swollen eyes. Here is some info on both diseases: http://www.merckmanuals.com/vet/pou...overview_of_infectious_coryza_in_poultry.html
    http://www.thepoultrysite.com/disea...ction-mg-chronic-respiratory-disease-chickens
     
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  9. Feb 13, 2014 #5
    chickengeorgeto

    chickengeorgeto Overrun With Chickens

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    If your up to it and what nurse isn't, you can pull a small hackle feather from her neck, screw the quill end of the feather halfway into the left nostril, next reach inside the mouth, then pull the quill end of the feather out of the roof of the mouth and all the way through the nasal passage. This will usually clean the mucus from the nostril and allow the bird to breath a bit easier. Then repeat as needed.

    I don't know if you can hear a chickens lungs but you sure can hear their air sacks, I think there are nine of them and they act like little bellows, blowing, sucking, and moving air through the chickens trachea.

    [​IMG]

    Look into injectable Gallimycign and Trylan 50 and Trylan 200. I don't know if it'll help your hen but these drugs are about the best there are at curing chicken respiratory issues.
     
    Last edited: Feb 13, 2014
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  11. Feb 13, 2014 #6
    Eggcessive

    Eggcessive Chicken Obsessed Premium Member

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    I would clean any nostrils with saline and a Q-Tip.
     
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  13. Feb 13, 2014 #7
    Knurse

    Knurse Out Of The Brooder

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    Heading to the feed store, to quickly answer some questions: When I got the birds 1 mo ago they all appeared healthy (well except one with a nasty butt), and the one sick Lilly is the "chicken in charge" all the other chickens follow her lead she has had a voracious appetite and the most alert & active. I have not separated her, I thought that might stress her out and I talked to "chicken guy" at a feed store who said he wouldn't do that so I went with that answer. Also my other 3 girls have no signs or symptoms, thus far, hoping it stays that way!!!! Thanks for the quick input! I really DO NOT want to lose this sweet girl ; ([​IMG]
    Question: Wondering if when I get the medicine, should I let other girls drink it too IOW treat them prophylactically?
     
  15. Feb 13, 2014 #8
    nuttinfancy

    nuttinfancy Chillin' With My Peeps

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    She needs only water with meds so it is going to be tricky to have "clean" water for them and medicated for her. I don't think it would hurt the others to have medicated water for the 5-7 days as it could prevent them from "catching" what she has. When mine were sick, the vet had all of mine on antibiotics to help prevent spread of infection/disease.
     
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  17. Feb 13, 2014 #9
    chickengeorgeto

    chickengeorgeto Overrun With Chickens

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    look into
     
  19. Feb 13, 2014 #10
    Knurse

    Knurse Out Of The Brooder

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    UPDATE: The woman in charge of the "chick room" at the feed store recommended I start LinxSpec 50 (Lincomycin) soluble powder in their water, which I did as soon as we got home along with cleaning nostrils. #1Lilly appears better today, and #2 Sassy looks fine too, but then I notice drainage coming out of #3 Silkie named Flo but behaving normal, and off to the side is #4 Grace fluffed up and looking terrible, I can hear her congestion and she's gasping...... DANG IT DANG IT!!!!!!! This is so discouraging as a new chicken owner. We just added Grace and Flo 2 weeks ago from the same woman we bought Lilly and Sassy. We enjoyed our first two Silkies so much and realized we had plenty of room for 2 more. Hope for the best but really really bummed.
     
    Last edited: Feb 13, 2014
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