Rooster with trouble breathing

[mbailey78]

Yes the dosage is the same by injection or orally. The yellow material might be early signs of canker, a protozoan infection common in pigeons, or a fungal infection, thrush (candida, yeast.) Canker is treated with metronidazole (Aqua Zole, available online.) Thrush is treated with Nystatin (Medistatin powder available online.) Wet fowl pox can also look similar, but would only be suspected if mosquitoes are out and you have seen dry fowl pox scabs. Note that Canker has a bad odor, and that may not show up right away in early stages. Canker can spread to the throat and crop and can make eating difficult, and block the airway.

Can I treat for both at the same time? If not, I will probably start treating Thrush.

 

[mbailey78]

Yes the dosage is the same by injection or orally. The yellow material might be early signs of canker, a protozoan infection common in pigeons, or a fungal infection, thrush (candida, yeast.) Canker is treated with metronidazole (Aqua Zole, available online.) Thrush is treated with Nystatin (Medistatin powder available online.) Wet fowl pox can also look similar, but would only be suspected if mosquitoes are out and you have seen dry fowl pox scabs. Note that Canker has a bad odor, and that may not show up right away in early stages. Canker can spread to the throat and crop and can make eating difficult, and block the airway.

Called the vet and I’m getting Nystatin. Said to start on that and see how it goes. Thanks for your help.

 

[mbailey78]

Some feed stores have the injectable Tylan 50, syringes and needles and dosage is 0.25 ml per pound given 3 times a day. If you get the oral powder, the dosage is 1 tsp per gallon of water for 5 days. You probably could mix a smaller amount in a more concentrated mix, and give it throughout the day.

Is 10ml a day too much for oral Nystatin? Seems like a lot. The script is for 7 days. I tried looking on this site for dosages but can‘t seem to find any.

 

[chicknmania]

Can I treat for both at the same time? If not, I will probably start treating Thrush.

Like I said, you do what you want, but if it were mine, I'd keep him on the Tylan for at least another day or so and see if he keeps improving. If he does, I certainly wouldn't take him off the antibiotic. Also, it's not good to start antibiotic and then immediately stop it. If he improved that dramatically the very first day from being on the antibiotic, I would be kicking myself for switching medications midstream. You can monitor the lesions in the mouth for a few more days and see if they get worse and same thing, judge at that point which way to go! Either that, or go to a poultry vet, then you'd have the best advice. Just remember, the best advice is from a veterinary source that can see and treat your bird; but they do have to be poultry vets and even they don't know as much as you would think they might...the same as with anyone on here. In seventeen years of having chickens, I have learned quite a bit...just from experience. And I have seen cases where lesions in the mouth were neither Canker nor Thrush...one case in particular in our peacock where he was being treated by a poultry vet...so you can't just automatically assume that lesions are Thrush or Canker..in our peacock's case, they were neither, according to our vet.

 

[mbailey78]

Like I said, you do what you want, but if it were mine, I'd keep him on the Tylan for at least another day or so and see if he keeps improving. If he does, I certainly wouldn't take him off the antibiotic. Also, it's not good to start antibiotic and then immediately stop it. If he improved that dramatically the very first day from being on the antibiotic, I would be kicking myself for switching medications midstream. You can monitor the lesions in the mouth for a few more days and see if they get worse and same thing, judge at that point which way to go! Either that, or go to a poultry vet, then you'd have the best advice. Just remember, the best advice is from a veterinary source that can see and treat your bird; but they do have to be poultry vets and even they don't know as much as you would think they might...the same as with anyone on here. In seventeen years of having chickens, I have learned quite a bit...just from experience. And I have seen cases where lesions in the mouth were neither Canker nor Thrush...one case in particular in our peacock where he was being treated by a poultry vet...so you can't just automatically assume that lesions are Thrush or Canker..in our peacock's case, they were neither, according to our vet.

I’m sorry, I should have been more clear. I’m not taking him off Tylan. I meant both Thrush and Canker. That was probably a silly question from me to begin with since it would be better to treat for one at a time to see what works. But I’m treating him for Thrush for his mouth right now and see how that goes. Unfortunately, there is no poultry vet anywhere near me. I called around and best I could do was a vet that has a friend that’s a vet that deals with poultry sometimes and they are in another state. So I rely on this site for information. I told my acquaintance who is my vet that I’m going to make her into a poultry vet . A lot of people around here who have issues with their chickens immediately cut the chicken‘s head off so vets don’t get the experience. The pharmacy staff yesterday got a kick out of a script for Rooster “insert my last name”. They were wondering if someone named their kid “Rooster”. When I picked up the med they all had a good laugh so definitely not use to preparing meds for chickens. The vet didn’t have the med I asked for in stock.
Update on my roo: he’s about the same as Sunday. Still wheezing and gasping for air but definitely less sneezing. When I went out to give him meds this morning he tried crowing but I would only know that because I was looking at him. The noise that came out was barely anything. He only wants to eat blueberries and black oil sunflower seeds. He did eat cucumber I cut up for him. But at least he’s eating. Hoping his breathing improves very soon. Thanks again for your advice and everyone else’s.

 

[Eggcessive]

Is 10ml a day too much for oral Nystatin? Seems like a lot. The script is for 7 days. I tried looking on this site for dosages but can‘t seem to find any.

How much does the chicken weigh? The dosage for chickens is 300,000 units per Kg given 3 times daily squirted into the beak. Do not dilute it in water or food. That would be 136.000 per pound or 1.36 ml 3 times daily. You can read the dosage here in post 11:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/nystatin-liquid-suspension-for-vent-gleet.853787/page-2

 

[chicknmania]

OK...just saying, I'm not sure you should be using Nystatin and Tylan at the same time. I know people have in some instances, but it's not really advisable. You might want to double check with your vet. You are very lucky to have a vet that will do that for you! Not many will, any more, although we've been lucky to have similar experiences here.
True, lots of people will just cull their birds, but it's so rewarding when you can get one better, because it's such a challenge! I think the public interest in recent years in keeping poultry as pets rather than just food animals, took the veterinary industry by surprise, and they just aren't as up on it as they might be. Poultry veterinary medicine is always a challenge, from my past experiences. They're so weirdly complex.

 

[mbailey78]

How much does the chicken weigh? The dosage for chickens is 300,000 units per Kg given 3 times daily squirted into the beak. Do not dilute it in water or food. That would be 136.000 per pound or 1.36 ml 3 times daily. You can read the dosage here in post 11:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/nystatin-liquid-suspension-for-vent-gleet.853787/page-2

I haven’t weighed him but would guess around 6lbs. I will weigh him so I know his exact weight but if he is 6lbs then about 8ml a day then. So not too far off. Thank you.

 

[mbailey78]

OK...just saying, I'm not sure you should be using Nystatin and Tylan at the same time. I know people have in some instances, but it's not really advisable. You might want to double check with your vet. You are very lucky to have a vet that will do that for you! Not many will, any more, although we've been lucky to have similar experiences here.
True, lots of people will just cull their birds, but it's so rewarding when you can get one better, because it's such a challenge! I think the public interest in recent years in keeping poultry as pets rather than just food animals, took the veterinary industry by surprise, and they just aren't as up on it as they might be. Poultry veterinary medicine is always a challenge, from my past experiences. They're so weirdly complex.

My vet seemed to think it was fine but not to add anything else.

 

[mbailey78]

Update on Romeo: yesterday was a big turning point- his comb is back to red, he is only gasping for air a little when I pick him up to give him meds- I assume from being stressed (but works out a bit since it’s easier to give him meds), he is trying to crow more but it’s still really bad, he is still sneezing once in a while and still wheezing, his thrush is almost gone, he’s preening himself, and he might be getting spoiled for food- he stopped eating blueberries- never thought one of my birds would do that- he doesn’t eat his regular feed but eats some of the mealworms I give him, loves chopped up cucumbers and black oil sunflower seeds. Last night and today I gave him some mashed potatoes and peas from leftovers from my dinner. Hopefully he will continue getting better. Thanks again for all the help!