possible eye infection?

[michleeh]

My hen has had an issue with her eye since she was a chick (she's almost 2 years old). I'm guessing she was either pecked or got something in it, but either way it was a weakness. Most recently over the winter that same eye has has a problem with oozing or draining. It gets bubbly and gooey, and if it's not wiped every day it would seal her eye closed, especially in the freezing weather. This morning after wiping her, she drank and more came out, though I'm not sure if some how that's connected.

Any thoughts? Anything to help make it better?

Thanks,
Michele

 

[Eggcessive]

Have their been any other signs of respiratory disease such as swelling around her eye or face, nasal drainage, gurgles or rattles, or sneezing? Is it always the same eye? Mycoplasma or MG/CRD can cause the sticky, runny, foamy eye, but usually has more symptoms. Antibiotics such as Tylan, oxytetracycline, Duramycin, and Gallimycin will treat symptoms of MG. I might check into getting an eye swab done by your vet (you could do it yourself at the house with a kit,) and have it tested for MG. An eye ointment such as Terramycin from the feed store may help after cleaning it. A vitamin A deficiency can cause some similar symptoms. Here are some links that might be worth reading:
http://www.thepoultrysite.com/disea...ction-mg-chronic-respiratory-disease-chickens
http://www.thepoultrysite.com/diseaseinfo/166/vitamin-a-deficiency-nutritional-roup

 

[michleeh]

No other symptoms like that. She's always had problems with that eye, but once the colder weather hit it started getting this way. I'm hoping in the spring it will clear as it was in the fall. The vitamin A thing sounds like it would have other symptoms too. She had a hard winter, going into molt at the worst time and it seemed like the feathers took forever to grow back. She got frostbite badly and is in the process of losing a toe, maybe more.

Is the Terramycin ointment general treatment or is specifically for the MG sicknesses?

 

[Eggcessive]

The terramycin ointment is oxytetracycline antibiotic and is for use in eye infections or where there is injury to the eye. You can also use Neosporin ointment without pain killer in the eye.

 

[michleeh]

I have some neosporin on hand, but how do you put it in the eye? Do you just wipe it over the eye, I'm sure she'll be closing her eye.

 

[dawg53]

Put the tip of the neosporin tube close to her eye and squeeze about a 1/8-1/4 length of the ointment on her eye. it will melt once it gets on her eye. I would flush her eye with saline water first before applying the neosporin. Like you mentioned, there might be something stuck in her eye, flushing her eye may get rid of whatever it is.

 

[ten chicks]

I too have a rooster that has bubbles in one eye occasionally(he has no weeping such as the photo of your girl,just bubbles)he has had this since day one and has been to a vet just to rule out anything contagious. In his case i am convinced he has a plugged lubricating duct(nictitating membrane has it's own lubricating duct and is similar to humans tear duct). It flares up from time to time and i just flush his eye and apply an antibiotic eye ointment(i have tried antibiotics,but they did nothing,so now i just flush eye). I do keep his crest trimmed from around eye(he is a silkie)and keep his nails short to prevent irritation/scratching. Other than his eye issue he is fine.

 

[michleeh]

Do you flush with saline? Either way, is flushing just putting drops in the eye?

 

[ten chicks]

Do you flush with saline? Either way, is flushing just putting drops in the eye?

I use either a saline solution or warm water and flush/wipe eye with a face cloth,be careful to not get water in nostrils. Then apply antibiotic ointment.