Rooster Update: Suspect Avian Pox

[avalon23]

I posted a few days ago about my rooster having a strange looking eye infection. Well it's gotten worse and now it's so bad that both eyes are completely closed with yellow ooze and his wattle & comb has dark yellow discoloration & just today developed blisters (which is why I now suspect pox) It's very aweful and he smells "dead." So far I have give him a some water with some tetracycline, and neosporin on the eye lids to try to get them open. I just read to treat secondary infections with penicillian injections. I think his eye trouble is secondary infection. I need help asap, I am trying to save this rooster!

 

[luvchicks8]

I would pm threehorses she is wonderful. Good luck

 

[ScoobyRoo]

Sorry I cant help. But please keep us posted on what you do and the progress.

 

[avalon23]

He seems to be slightly better today, but his eyes are still completely stuck shut. Looks like yellow pus-like stuff and big warts. It's horrible. I've been applying neosporin to his eyes since it did do some good last week when this first started. Do I need to get his eye lids open with a warm wet cloth? Should I feed him some cod liver oil? I give him water with a syringe otherwise he won't eat or drink on his own. I hope he will make it through this, but it just doesn't look good.

 

[greenfamilyfarms]

Quote:
The neosporin could be interfering with the draining of the pus and may prolong the healing process. Also, make sure that the neo you use on chickens does not have the numbing medication in it since it is toxic to chickens.

 

[dawg53]

Sorry to hear about your roo having fowl pox.I strongly believe your roo has the"wet" pox rather than the "dry" pox. Dry pox is usually confined to the wattles and comb.it appears as yellow looking scabs as well as black warty looking bumps.Chickens can get fowl pox from wild birds and mosquitos.It cannot be cured,neither dry nor wet pox.Dry pox will run it's course and usually disappear in 30 days.It can be contained to the affected areas by putting iodine on it.Iodine shrinks the scabs.The scabs,treated or not,fall off onto the ground and contaminate the ground.It is highly contageous.I'm sorry to say that your roo most likely has wet pox and should be culled immediately and taken far away from your other chickens and disposed of by deeply burying the carcass or burning it.Wet pox will eventually spread into the mouth,then throat.For dry pox,eggs are safe to eat,it is not contageous to humans.

BTW, fowl pox is a virus,antibiotics wont work.

 

[avalon23]

So you're saying that he won't ever get better? He was in with the other hens until yesterday morning. So I'm assuming that they are already exposed. No signs on any of them yet. He is only seperated from them now by a chicken wire fence. Is it possible they aren't exposed and I should remove him immediately??

 

[avalon23]

I know that it's a slow infecting virus so the others could be exposed and just not showing any signs yet. But I just moved him into a different location away from the chicken coop. I just gave him 2 syringes full of water and some applesauce with bread (first thing he's eaten in maybe 3 days. That was with me putting it right at his beak.

 

[MandyH]

Have you searched Infectious Coryza? It smells "dead" and is not a good thing to have in your flock at all. From what you describe in your first post, thats what it sounds like.

http://msucares.com/poultry/diseases/index.html

 

[avalon23]

my roo doesn't have any respiratory or nasal symptoms. I'm 99% sure it's avian pox...I'm not sure if it's wet or dry though. It doesn't look like he has any signs of it in his mouth and he is breathing fine. It's just all on his comb and wattle...the blisters and warts around his eyes which are making his eye area swell and crust shut. It looks like yellow cheesy stuff around his eyes. I just put a warm cloth and water on his eyes to try to hopefully get them open but without success. It's a horrific sight so I'm not sure I should post a pic as it is one of the most terrible things I've seen in my life. although it might to educational to someone if they ever experience the same thing. He is our pet so we are trying to help him best we can.