Treating upper respiratory infections

[173rd]

Peacock just sneezimg and other one is gasping for air No swelling No bad smell No runny eyes or nose and not eating

 

[barkersbirds]

Thanks for the helpful information, Eggcessive. I headed out before the snowstorm today to a new grain store that had the 12.5% Dimethox concentrate as well as the Tylan 50 injectable. I started him on the Dimethox today and will continue that for five days as it suggests. He seems to be better today just being in from the cold, but he always sounds better when he is here in the house. The feed store also recommended that I give him some nutri-drench and healthyflock tabs as soon as I finish the Dimethox. RooRidgeFarm also had some great ideas about how to use apple cider vinegar with Mother and saline spray to help relieve the congestion. I am going to try that as well. Keeping our fingers crossed that something helps him soon. We really don't want to lose him.

 

[barkersbirds]

If the odor was bad, he probably has coryza, and that is hard to treat. It can come back, and can spread to the other birds. Di-Methox is best for coryza, and Tylan50 injections are better for CRD or mycoplasma. TSC has Tylan50 usually, and some feed stores will carry Di-Methox. Here is a link for it online: http://www.jefferspet.com/product.asp?pn=A2-DA&green=3A6DF43E-A6F8-5DB8-07AB-BAAC25ADE2A4

Thanks for the helpful information, Eggcessive. I headed out before the snowstorm today to a new grain store that had the 12.5% Dimethox concentrate as well as the Tylan 50 injectable. I started him on the Dimethox today and will continue that for five days as it suggests. He seems to be better today just being in from the cold, but he always sounds better when he is here in the house. The feed store also recommended that I give him some nutri-drench and healthyflock tabs as soon as I finish the Dimethox. RooRidgeFarm also had some great ideas about how to use apple cider vinegar with Mother and saline spray to help relieve the congestion. I am going to try that as well. Keeping our fingers crossed that something helps him soon. We really don't want to lose him.

 

[casportpony]

Peacock just sneezimg and other one is gasping for air No swelling No bad smell No runny eyes or nose and not eating

Not eating and gasping for air bother me way more than sneezing. How old are these peacocks, have they ever been wormed, what does their poop look like and have they lost weight? Peafowl are very good at hiding illness, more so than other birds, so often it's too late to save them by the time you notice they're sick. If you want to save them you need to take this very seriously and act quickly. Your best option would be to take one to the vet.

I'm no expert, but I do have a few years of experience with peafowl and I currently have 40 of them.

It would be really helpful if you could:

• Post poop pictures
• Give peafowl ages
• Weigh peafowl

With the above we might be able to determine what type of illness they have and how long they have been sick. I can tell you from personal experience that if they haven't been eating they will need to be tube fed at least twice a day and that you're going to need some wormer and antibiotics.

-Kathy

 

[Eggcessive]

Thanks for the helpful information, Eggcessive. I headed out before the snowstorm today to a new grain store that had the 12.5% Dimethox concentrate as well as the Tylan 50 injectable. I started him on the Dimethox today and will continue that for five days as it suggests. He seems to be better today just being in from the cold, but he always sounds better when he is here in the house. The feed store also recommended that I give him some nutri-drench and healthyflock tabs as soon as I finish the Dimethox. RooRidgeFarm also had some great ideas about how to use apple cider vinegar with Mother and saline spray to help relieve the congestion. I am going to try that as well. Keeping our fingers crossed that something helps him soon. We really don't want to lose him.

You're welcome. I hope he starts to respond to the meds. Keep us posted.

 

[barkersbirds]

OK, we did five days on the Dimethox and seem to have significant improvement on the coughing, sneezing and snicking. Nasal congestion seemed to have stopped too. He is still quarantined and inside with fresh air flowing by way of a window nearby. The weather is warm here for winter in New England. It was about 60 degrees today!

He still has good appetite and is drinking lots. I have begun to add nutri-drench to his water and to also give him about 2 ml directly with an eye dropper each day.

I was planning to move him back out today but have two concerns I thought I'd ask about. His right eye is very swollen today but not runny and...it's clear to me now that he has some lice. Certainly not a major infestation of any kind, but I've seen a few on him. Should I be concerned with treating either before I return him to the flock?

Would love to hear your thoughts!

 

[barkersbirds]

Hi,
This won't 'cure' his illness, BUT it will make him more comfortable and better able to breathe...

Use ORGANIC apple cider vinegar (the one with the "mother" in it-sludge at the bottom of bottle).
Shake bottle well to mix sludge.
Use a clean eyedropper, medicine dropper (kids liquid medicines usually have one) OR a small plastic syringe from Tractor Supply Co etc.
Mix about 3/4 apple cider vinegar to 1/4 or a tiny bit more of clean room temp or slightly warm water. Making a TOTAL of about 1cc worth.
Give orally to the chicken-taking your time so he won't aspirate it.

The vinegar cuts through the mucous and helps break it down and wash it away so they can swallow and breathe better-plus the vinegar is healthy. You can do this several times a day to cut the mucous.

Any nasal help can be offered following the Vet RX directions. And you can also use a sterile saline rinse that is for humans if the nose is really congested. Just put a few DROPS in of the nasal saline in each nostril a few times daily to break through crusty or congested nostrils.

Tylan 50 will help the infection-1/4 cc 2X's daily for smaller chickens/bantams, or 1/2cc 2X's daily for large size. IMPORTANT: Treat with Tylan 50 a FULL 5 DAYS! As with any antibiotic, you must complete the course! And overuse of antibiotics does more harm than good at diminishing effectiveness, so try using only once and then rotate to a different antibiotic in the future.

I think your chicken should be isolated, kept warmer than outside temps, reduce stress, mix probiotic powder in his food, feed extra protein (egg yolks are great), treated w/Tylan, given oral vinegar, and mix soluble chickens vitamins in his water for three days, and always remember to worm-which if he has worms will make it harder to overcome his illness.

In order to make sure you reduce the chance of contamination to your other chickens: Thoroughly clean the waterer and feeders with a bleach mixture. Then add 1 teaspoon of bleach for every gallon of drinking water. Adding the tsp of bleach is completely fine and kills any entering bacteria/germs that some of the other chickens may have (helping reduce cross contamination). You will have a good idea if any others have what he has in a couple of weeks, so sanitation is essential. I learned all this from the state department of poultry where I live.

Best wishes!

Thanks for this very helpful advice! It helped a lot! Especially the vinegar and saline. I just posted a separate update as the Dimethox helped alot. Only remaining symptom is swelling in his eye today and I have discovered from holding him in the last couple of days to administer meds that he also has a very light case of lice...

 

[Eggcessive]

I think I would keep him separated another week at least because of the swollen eye, and he is still infectious. The lice can be easily treated with 5% Sevin dust or permethrin. Here are 2 good links to read: http://partnersah.vet.cornell.edu/avian-atlas/node/580
http://www.merckmanuals.com/vet/pou...overview_of_infectious_coryza_in_poultry.html

 

[barkersbirds]

I think I would keep him separated another week at least because of the swollen eye, and he is still infectious. The lice can be easily treated with 5% Sevin dust or permethrin. Here are 2 good links to read: http://partnersah.vet.cornell.edu/avian-atlas/node/580
http://www.merckmanuals.com/vet/pou...overview_of_infectious_coryza_in_poultry.html

These links are very helpful. Thanks for sharing. Do you think we need to move onto Tylan or should we just wait it out and keep giving him the nutri-drench?

 

[RooRidgeFarm]

OK, we did five days on the Dimethox and seem to have significant improvement on the coughing, sneezing and snicking.  Nasal congestion seemed to have stopped too.  He is still quarantined and inside with fresh air flowing by way of a window nearby.  The weather is warm here for winter in New England.  It was about 60 degrees today! 

He still has good appetite and is drinking lots.  I have begun to add nutri-drench to his water and to also give him about 2 ml directly with an eye dropper each day.   

I was planning to move him back out today but have two concerns I thought I'd ask about.  His right eye is very swollen today but not runny and...it's clear to me now that he has some lice.  Certainly not a major infestation of any kind, but I've seen a few on him.  Should I be concerned with treating either before I return him to the flock?  

Would love to hear your thoughts!

It's good to hear he is improving! As far as keeping him separate-definitely until there are no visible signs of illness. A great and affordable way to treat the lice externally is to use food grade de (diatomacious earth) and dust his hot spots daily.
And you mention using Tylan. If he has made huge improvements, less is more. Try using the least amount of medications to get results if possible. As with any medications, overuse of them makes them less effective when you really need thm to work.
!
On a side note...it was actually 80 degrees in SC today! Enjoy your warm spell