Swollen eye over a month now...

[FloridaChick13]

Cornelia is my problem child. She was a lone intro to the coop and has been the loner ever since. She has had an eye infection with puss coming out in one eye and the other eye had worms. I'm at a loss of what to do with her. I rinsed with saline for a week and treated with vetricyn for over a week. Treated the other eye with valbazen. Worms are gone but the other eye is still so swollen and her third lid covers most of the eye ball. She eats and drinks and poops just fine. She has been in her own pen for a month now. The other chicken is mean to her still. Very jealous when she sees me caring for Cornelia. She behaves fine but the swelling just won't go down. Nothing comes out if I squeeze.

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Have you tried a round of antibiotics yet? Something broad based like Duramycin-10 (chlortetracyline), oxytetracyline, or Tylan.

I presume she was a rescue bird, and I strongly suggest you still keep her isolated from the others (which I think you are trying to do?) as swelling in the eyes can be from a number of things many of which are infectious diseases, such as MG, IB, Coroyza, AI, that could severely affect your flock. For it to continue for this length of time, no matter what the cause, she likely has a bacterial infection that needs systemic antibiotics.

I'd also put the Valbazen in her for worms rather than washing out the eye...was it fly strike? If so, Valbazen won't help with that. The only common internal worm that travels into other body parts would be round worms, to my knowledge, and you would need a good systemic wormer as well as cleaning out the eyes with an eye wash.

Ivermectin can help with internal and external parasites (even fly strike) if applied at base of neck and vent 3 consecutive treatments, 7 days apart.

My thoughts
LofMc

 

[FloridaChick13]

Where can I buy those antibiotics? Do I need to take her to a vet? She is isolated with her own food and water. Has been for a month. She has no respiratory issues. No labored breathing, no funny smell, no sneezing or wheezing. She doesn't even seem bother led any more.
What is fly strike? And I did put it in both her eyes. (Valbazen)

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Fly strike is when flies land on an animal and lay eggs. The hatching larvae (maggots) then live on the dried feces or dead flesh of a wound. To cure flystrike takes a lot of patience, cleaning, and diligence to keep the animal clean and the area free from flies. I only mention it as you are in Florida where flies may still be present. (Most of us northerners are not bothered by flies right now due to the cold season).

Valbazen (Albendazole) is an internal medicine. I have read that some people state to put it in the eyes, but I can find that no where in the literature nor does it make any logical sense. The adult worms are deeper inside the body and are only larvae are migrating to the eyes as the worms find more places to colonize. If you have seen worms in the eye, it may be flukes/tape or round. You have to give the animal something systemically (orally) to kill the worms deep inside the body. Valbazen is good for those types of worms. You administer it generally by putting it in their water or feed the paste inside a treat.

For treatment of the eye, it sounds like you've been doing what needs to be done....eyewash, flush, and gentle cleaning. You may consider adding eye antibiotics and eye steroids. Medicines for the eye have been formulated to not be caustic to the delicate membranes of the eye. Even a diluted hydrogen peroxide can be used as an antibiotic eye wash, just do not repeat often as hydrogen peroxide can prevent healing.

Unfortunately, swollen eyes in chickens often indicate a systemic illness, usually bacterial or viral. Which one is impossible to know unless a blood culture is taken. It is often not necessary to know as the treatment tends to be the same. One way to treat at home is to give a broad based antibiotic to hopefully address whatever bacterial illness might be present, or a secondary eye infection brought on by the extra weeping from a viral illness.

It is each owner's preference whether they take a chicken to a vet. Not only are vets very expensive, but Avian vets are harder to find; those willing to actually treat chickens even harder. Some vets are very helpful; others, not so much. Much of the veterinary research has been done in mind to treating chickens as livestock with most treatments offering either broad-based antibiotics, simple cleaning/disinfecting or culling. If you have a good working relationship with a vet, or can find one willing to treat your chicken and you are willing to pay the money for it, by all means take the bird to a vet to get professional help as this particular issue has been ongoing.

If you decide to continue to self treat, you can get antibiotics (and a lot of other chicken/livestock care products) at a good feedstore. I recommend an antibiotic in the water such as chlortetracyline (Duramycin 10) or oxytetracyline or Tylan (Tylosin) as those are broadbased and cover most bacteria types. You should be able to find eye salves as well. Be aware that feedstore clerks are not known to have information for treatment, and much of what they do know is not always accurate.

If self treating, at this point, I would simply give the antibiotics and watch for the next 3 days to see if the matter begins to clear. If it doesn't, then other thoughts have to be explored.

LofMc

 

[FloridaChick13]

Thank you. She is getting dosed with tylan now. Hoping for good results.