Two Sick girls one with Pox and another with amputated leg

[Zwings]

Hi everyone. So I have two questions, (two injured chickens.)
1. I believe my little girl (grey bantam “Dovey”) has pox. (I’ll try to get a photo) She has developed these grey crusty lumps all over her little face.) What can I do to help her get cured? I’ve been monitoring her, put some ointment on her but she just seems to be getting worse. The rest of the flock is clear. She stays away from the rest.
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2. Unfortunately I made the decision to amputate another one of my girls (Big Red’s) leg. (Picture posted) I started monitoring her prior to this decision because I noticed she appeared to have been bit by a spider (brown recluse or black widow?) Within a week her foot decayed and toes were falling off and rotting!! I panicked. I have some training with wounds as I worked with wildlife rehabilitation but not raptors (birds), my experience was with mammals. I sanitized my tools and table and decided to amputate. My reaction was to save Big Red. She is doing really really well. She is thin so I have been giving her Baytril orally 1ml 2xday because I feel injection site is not good. My concern is her stump (cut right below her joint) is a bit warm and a little red but does not smell putrid. Is this just the healing process? I’ve never had to amputate a chicken’s leg and feel it’s different than that of a raccoon, opossum and such. I change her bandage once a day keeping the wound clean applying numbing and ointment. I couldn’t suture. The leg didn’t bleed much as it was so bad that circulation was not very good. I cut above the decay to prevent it from coming back. On a side note She’s hopping around, eating, and even laying eggs (which I discard due to the baytril.) I did keep her separate from her flock for a day or two but she missed her sisters so she back with the flock.

Any information is appreciated. I want to help my girls.

 

[coach723]

Without pictures, it's difficult to answer for either bird. We'd need to be able to see the stump and how it's healing, and need to see the lumps on the other birds face in order to even guess. I would think Baytril would take care of most infection possiblities.
I did treat one case of suspected osteomyelitis and used a combination of SMZ/TMP and clindamycin.
If the one bird does have pox (pictures needed) then it's viral and it usually runs it's course in a few weeks. There isn't any treatment really, unless a secondary bacterial infection sets in in an eye or a lesion. Pox is usually transmitted by an insect bite, most commonly mosquito's, so depending on where you are located, that seems less likely in winter.

 

[webmistress32]

It's amazing that you did surgery yourself. Did you knock her out first?

 

[Zwings]

Without pictures, it's difficult to answer for either bird. We'd need to be able to see the stump and how it's healing, and need to see the lumps on the other birds face in order to even guess. I would think Baytril would take care of most infection possiblities.
I did treat one case of suspected osteomyelitis and used a combination of SMZ/TMP and clindamycin.
If the one bird does have pox (pictures needed) then it's viral and it usually runs it's course in a few weeks. There isn't any treatment really, unless a secondary bacterial infection sets in in an eye or a lesion. Pox is usually transmitted by an insect bite, most commonly mosquito's, so depending on where you are located, that seems less likely in winter.

Thank you so much for replying. Here is a picture of Dovey. She’s the one with the “pox.” She is currently quarantined and I think it could have been mosquito.

I will get a picture of the stump on Big Red tomorrow when I change her bandage. I don’t want to mess with her more than I need too.

 

[Zwings]

It's amazing that you did surgery yourself. Did you knock her out first?

Thank you. I was very nervous but we don’t have a vet anymore for hours. We have to travel out or wait for days he comes in during the month. I worked with a vet before and learned. Also, working with wildlife rehabilitation we had to be very creative in helping some animals. Learned a lot about wounds and healing but when it comes to poultry I’m somewhat new.

 

[coach723]

That doesn't look like typical pox to me. I'm going to tag a couple of others to see what they think. @Wyorp Rock , @Eggcessive

 

[Eggcessive]

I agree that the picture does not look like typical fowl pox, but that would be my best guess. It can look different in different birds. Make sure that her nostrils are open and that she can breathe normally. Normally it is recommended to not remove fowl pox scabs, since it can spread the pox virus, but when nostril or eyes are blocked, it should be done.

 

[webmistress32]

Thank you. I was very nervous but we don’t have a vet anymore for hours. We have to travel out or wait for days he comes in during the month. I worked with a vet before and learned. Also, working with wildlife rehabilitation we had to be very creative in helping some animals. Learned a lot about wounds and healing but when it comes to poultry I’m somewhat new.

Right, but did you knock her out for surgery and how.

 

[webmistress32]

View attachment 2523145Thank you so much for replying. Here is a picture of Dovey. She’s the one with the “pox.” She is currently quarantined and I think it could have been mosquito.

I will get a picture of the stump on Big Red tomorrow when I change her bandage. I don’t want to mess with her more than I need too.

That looks like some kind of canker.

 

[Zwings]

Right, but did you knock her out for surgery and how.

Local numbing on the leg. She didn’t even twitch. Got up when I was done and hopped away.