Several questions about poultry vet care

[Linita]

I have many questions relating to poultry vet care. I have labelled them with numbers so it's easy to answer. I know they're a lot so I don't expect everyone to answer to everything, but hopefully they'll be all covered in the comments. I appreciate you take the time to answer
Here are the questions:

1. How can you tell if a bird is dehydrated?

2. When should you apply a bondage to a wound and when should you leave it open?Is there any alternative for a bondage something like vaseline?

3. Should antibiotic cream be applied into a wound only when there's an infection already, or also as a preventative measure? If so, how long should you apply it? Until it makes a scab?

4. Similar question for disinfectants. When the bird gets a wound, how many times a day should you apply disinfectant and until when?

5. Are the systemic absorption % for topical medicines the same for birds and humans? I am wondering particularly for ketoconazole and clotrimazole. The first says it's barely absorbed through the skin into the bloodstream and the second says only 0.5%. But that's for humans anyway, how is it for birds? Is it the same? Should I be worried about topical max doses?

6. My quail doesn't want to drink the water with the vitamins. Can I give to her the corresponding daily dose of vitamins orally with a 1ml seringe mixed with a bit of water? Or is it bad to drink it like that because it's too concentrated all in one go?I have calculated accurately her daily dose by measuring how much water she drinks in a day and how much vitamins would go there.

7. How to choose a good hepatic/renal protector to administer alongside medication and during recovery. Same question as with vitamins, can you administer the proper amount in a seringe if she doesn't want to drink the medicated water?

8. If a bird is choking for trying to swallow too big of a piece of food is there anything you can do? What should you do? (Besides obviously not providing big pieces of food, but sometimes you give a big piece for them to peck, and they may try to swallow a big chunk).

9. When you apply topical medication cream, do you need to cover it or not necesarily? Does it depend on the type of medication? Any examples?

I am particularly interested in question 5.

 

[AidKD]

1. It should be pretty easy to tell. The bird will be panting, combs and wattles pale, litsless, lethargic, and his feathers won't be very healthy looking, to name a few.

2. As a rule it's always a good idea to cover up wounds. Covering it up prevents the other chickens from pecking at it, and it'll help keep out any bacteria. Vaseline would be a good thing to rub on it regardless.

3.-4. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. As soon after the wound happens you should add a disinfectant to it and continue to add it as long as the wound is open and raw. I'd say 2-3 times a day.

5. I'm not sure.

6. I don't think that would be an issue. You could also try floating some of her favorite treats on top of the water to encourage her to drink.

7. Not sure.

8. That type of thing has happened to my birds many times. They have always been able to clear it themselves even if it takes a couple minutes. You could always try reaching your fingers down their throat and pulling it out. I've almost had to do that before.

9. I would always make the cream cover the whole affected area.

Hope I could be of some help!

 

[Linita]

1. It should be pretty easy to tell. The bird will be panting, combs and wattles pale, litsless, lethargic, and his feathers won't be very healthy looking, to name a few.

2. As a rule it's always a good idea to cover up wounds. Covering it up prevents the other chickens from pecking at it, and it'll help keep out any bacteria. Vaseline would be a good thing to rub on it regardless.

3.-4. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. As soon after the wound happens you should add a disinfectant to it and continue to add it as long as the wound is open and raw. I'd say 2-3 times a day.

5. I'm not sure.

6. I don't think that would be an issue. You could also try floating some of her favorite treats on top of the water to encourage her to drink.

7. Not sure.

8. That type of thing has happened to my birds many times. They have always been able to clear it themselves even if it takes a couple minutes. You could always try reaching your fingers down their throat and pulling it out. I've almost had to do that before.

9. I would always make the cream cover the whole affected area.

Hope I could be of some help!

Thanks for your reply!

In question 3, it wasn't very clear to me if you meant it's a good practise to apply antibiotic cream alongside disinfectant while the wound is open. I think so because you said "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." but I'm not sure.

In question 6, when you said it shouldn't be an issue you meant giving the vitamins concentrated on the syringe? to be sure idk if you meant that it will solve with the treats and didn't comment on if it was ok

In question 9 I meant covering it with a bandage, what do you think about that?

I appreciate you took the time to reply.

 

[coach723]

2. I only bandage when it's absolutely necessary in order to keep a wound clean, as in bumblefoot. Most wounds will do better just covered in ointment to keep them covered and moist and left open to the air. Reapply several times a day as needed to keep it covered in ointment and moist. If pecking at wounds is an issue then the bird will need to be separated from others until it's healed enough that they no longer peck at it.

3. When and what to apply to a wound is going to depend on what the wound is, size, depth, how it happened. A plain triple antibiotic ointment is good, if there is any bacteria in there it can stop it early before it has a chance to become infected. I have also used Manuka honey on some wounds. Vaseline can also be used on superficial wounds. Deeper wounds, I would use the ointment.

4. A disinfectant, like chlorhexidine, diluted betadine, plain mild soapy water, or sterile saline is good for flushing out new wounds, and wounds should be reflushed if there is still debris in them, or discharge indicating signs of infection. After that is resolved, just use the ointment. Keeping a wounded bird on clean towels or puppy pads in a crate will help to keep things clean, no loose bedding to get stuck in there.

5. I have never had issue with topical antifungals with my birds, I just apply to cover. Some other medications could be an issue, some pain meds could be absorbed too much. Oral medications, like antibiotics and wormers are often a higher dose per kg of body weight than other species because they metabolize them much faster.

6. Some vitamins can be mixed with a bit of moistened feed, so they stick to the food, and gotten in that way. If you have the correct dosing, you can give them orally. This link tells how to safely administer oral medications: https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...dications-to-all-poultry-and-waterfowl.73335/

7. Don't know, never have.

8. They can actually swallow pretty large things, frogs, lizards, mice, small snakes, etc. It's not a big worry unless they get something that they shouldn't be eating at all, pieces of plastic, metal screws, nails, staples etc. If you think something is caught in the throat then open the beak and use a flashlight to look down there. Sometimes if it's obvious, it can be removed with tweezers. Small hairs, strings, etc can be swallowed and wrap around the tongue pulling the tongue down the throat, that is how those are removed, carefully with tweezers and tiny scissors.

9. See answer 2.