Ocular Mareks? Any doubt?

[wondertwinpower]

What could this be besides Mareks? Her pupils are not round in both eyes.

 

[pwand]

Is this the first time you noticed her eyes like this?

 

[pwand]

See if her eyes respond to light, if not then it may be Marek's.
http://partnersah.vet.cornell.edu/avian-atlas/search/lesion/467

 

[casportpony]

Looks like Marek's to me. Call the lab below and get the email for their avian pathologist and email the pictures.

Arizona Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory
2831 N. Freeway
Tucson, AZ 85705 Phone 520-621-2356 Fax 520-626-8696
http://cals.arizona.edu/vdl/

-Kathy

 

[Frost Homestead]

Hmmmm. I wonder if this is like an iris coloboma in humans? I didn't know this was associated with ocular mareks

 

[casportpony]

From:http://partnersah.vet.cornell.edu/avian-atlas/search/lesion/467

Clinical Description

Marekâ€

s disease may be associated with unilateral or bilateral ocular abnormalities. The most common signs observed are changes in iris color and shape of iris/pupil (shown here), caused by lymphoid infiltration.

Clinical Description

Lymphoid infiltration of the iris may interfere with normal pupil dilation and constriction. The miotic pupil, shown here, prevents accommodation to changes in lighting conditions.

 

[wondertwinpower]

I first noticed her eye abnormality 1 week ago, maybe longer. They do seem to respond to light (dilate when I shine a bright flashlight in her eye). I've been unsuccessfully trying to get ahold of the AZ diagnostic lab since mid-December (about a different pullet) and I was attributing their lack of response to end-of-semester/finals/holidays. I will try again. Thanks everyone, I'm really looking for some hope and don't want to euthanize her if she can recover, but also don't want her to suffer.

 

[casportpony]

I have several with ocular Marek's that are living very happy lives, so it's not always a death sentence.

-Kathy

 

[MrsBachbach]

If she is seeing fine, I see no reason for her to be euthanized. I wouldn't breed from her because she is suspectiable to the disease. Some birds develop resistance and others may show some signs but get along fine and others just go blind. If you are worried about it spreading, l'm not entirely sure, but if it is like other kinds of Mareks, it's already on your property and your others have been exposed.

 

[Eggcessive]

Here are a few links about coloboma, a defect in the iris that can resemble ocular Mareks disease:
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/imagepages/8750.htm
http://onthewingphotography.com/wings/2012/02/27/birds-with-blown-eyes/
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15529996