Quail Has Swollen Eyelids - Please Help!

[DarkDoctrines]

Dearest fellow bird enthusiasts,

Will it be possible for you to help me figure out what is wrong with my quail?

Two of them have swollen eyelids, to the point where sometimes they can't see at all.

We tried applying an antibiotic cream on the eyelids but it doesn't seem to help.

I also bought DT earth and added it to their dust bath, but I somehow doubt it's mites.

Do you have any idea what it can be and how can I treat it?

Thank you for the help in advance,
Alex

 

[Eggcessive]

It looks like their eyes have been pecked by another quail. Is that a possibility, or have you seen signs of a respiratory disease? Fowl pox spread by mosquitoes can sometimes involve the eye as well. I would clean the eyes with saline eye wash, and apply Terramycin eye ointment or plain Neosporin ointment 2-3 times a day. If they are being pecked, they may need to be separated from that bird.

 

[DarkDoctrines]

Hi Eggcessive and thank you for the quick response!

Actually, the pecking is a possibility, but I highly doubt it. One of the quail
had some swelling around the eye for at least 4 months, until 2 days ago
I noticed that it had gotten so much worse that the poor thing could not see
anymore.

I separated her from the other quail allright and placed in her new "house"
a tub with DT earth.

I will use buy the medications and use them, thanks for the ideas again.

Alex

 

[Eggcessive]

If they are not getting pecked in eyes, scratching themselves from eyeworm or a respiratory disease (mycoplasma or MG) might be suspected. Are you in a tropical area and do the quail get outside of their cage?

 

[DarkDoctrines]

Hi again Eggcessive,

No, we are in Alberta, Canada, where right now is around -20C. Yes, they do get outside
of their cage, they have a 5'x5' outside walking area that they are not terribly keen on using because it's too cold. I assume that any tropical diseases are out of question.

We applied polysporin on the swollen eyelids for the last three days. One of the quail (the boy) is pretty much OK now. The hen (his mother) still has one of her eyelids too swollen and it's closed all the time.

Considering this, do you think there is anything else we should be doing to heal them?

Regards,
Alex