I'm sorry I was right.
I learned "the hard way", too. However, I bought nearly my entire flock from one guy... as pullets/young hens. As it turns out, they were already exposed/infected.
First off, there is no threat to humans or other animals from the CRD. It only affects fowl. Neither the eggs, nor the meat are a problem. NOW, if you have a budgie, that COULD me another matter... the budgie could possibly contract it, I don't know. I would assume it could since wild birds can carry/transmit it, a budgie could as well. I'm assuming the budgie isn't in any direct contact with the chickens, so practice good biosecurity there. Wash hands, change clothing...don't cross contaminate or track anything in to the budgie. I have no idea what the effects would be on a budgie or if mortality could be higher.
But dogs/cats/humans/other livestock... no risk of anything.
As for the bird in quarantine...well, I suppose there's not any pressing reason for her to be kept isolated. As you've experienced, anything she's capable of spreading has already probably already been done.
What's done is done, so just move forward from there.
One of the reasons I use Denagard is because it has no egg/meat withdrawal. The biggest reason any of the medications have meat withdrawal is because many of the meds are also used in humans. (it's not that they are toxic or harmful to humans) When using any of these meds, a small portion of it will be shed in the eggs and meat for a short time. In the case of meds also used in humans, this unnecessary very low exposure contributes to medication resistance... so when we NEED to treat something in a human, the medication won't be as effective (or effective at all) because a resistance has been built up because of that unnecessary exposure. The same holds true for the medications used in dewormers. Most are used in humans from time to time as needed... and withdrawals times are used so that a resistance isn't built.
Denagard is a medication that is NOT used in humans (not because it's "bad" for us, only because we use other medications for treatment) and there is no 'fear' of the active ingredients becoming worthless due to minute exposure/resistance. In the countries where it is widely used for poulty, it has no egg withdrawal.
I eat the eggs with no withdrawal and there is no noticed difference in flavor or 'reaction'. Having said that, I suppose anyone could be sensitive/allergic to any medication used, even if it was just trace amounts in an egg... so you'd have to be mindful of that, but it hasn't been a problem for any of us.
I don't know if Denagard will be available for purchase over the counter for you or not. I live in a rural, farm area with heavy livestock (poultry, pigs, cows, you name it) and it can't be found, even labeled for swine, anywhere I've searched. I had to order it online. I ordered it on a Thursday and actually got in Saturday, which I thought was super fast shipping. Hopefully, if you have to order it, you get it quickly despite where you live.
The only downfall for it is it is very bitter to taste. At treatment doses (about 15cc's per gallon), some of the birds may not want to drink it. I mix a hefty dose of sugar in with it, and that helps. Some people use honey. I still mix it in with my preventative monthly treatments, but they seem to drink it better at that dosage. (8cc's for about 5 days or so monthly) I have 21 birds and expect that the bottle I ordered will last 9 months to a year, depending on my monthly dosages. I dose them monthly to help prevent relapses during stress... I may or may not continue to do that... I may cut back the doses to 3 days instead of 5 and see how that goes, or I may just stop once the weather improves and see if I actually do have any symptoms crop back up. Right now, I'm "testing" it in a way. I have some young chicks that have just been exposed/introduced within the last two months. At the time I decided to expose them to the bigger birds, I dosed both flocks for a week, and have continued the monthly doses for 5 days a month. I'm watching carefully to see if any of the chicks develop symptoms. So far, they have completely avoided getting sick, even now that they are fully integrated with the older flock. Does that mean it is completely preventing them from getting it at all? Or does that mean it's just preventing them from showing any symptoms at all? I have no idea, but regardless, I'm pretty impressed. Without testing, I would STILL consider them "infected" and potential carriers (meaning I wouldn't sell them or otherwise expose other people's healthy birds to them), but still... I'm impressed that two months of extreme exposure to my carrier flock hasn't resulted in even one of the 8 chicks showing any signs of infection yet.
Know that your birds will be carriers, like the new bird you brought home. They will be able to infect other healthy birds. They really shouldn't leave your property alive... no sales, no giving away, no showing. I think it's the only responsible thing to do knowing the flock is infected... to help prevent others from the same fate. Unfortunately, not everyone else shows the same responsibility.
But if your birds are just personal pets and for eggs/meat... there's no reason why they can't be treated and then managed as needed. Once out of the acute phase, they'll return to be seemingly healthy, and you'd never know they are carriers unless they have a 'relapse' of symptoms. A good medication like Denagard should clear up the remaining evidence of sneezing that your new bird still has. (Tylan and even baytril didn't get rid of the lingering sneezing of two of my birds...but the Denagard did)
*I* wouldn't waste money/time on a vet if it were me... unless that's the only way you can get certain medications. At least in this area, most avian vets still have no idea about chickens OR chicken diseases (if you can even find a vet to SEE a chicken), and the outcome is the same regardless. If a vet is the only way you can get needed medications, though... it'd be worth it. I'd call to see if they have the Denagard available... or Baytril (second best in this case, IMO)... Baytril is by Rx only (in this country anyway). Be aware that none of the medications get rid of the virus... they basically manage the secondary symptoms that crop up quickly. The CRD virus that's involved will still have to "run it's course", but the medications will help speed that up only because it will keep all the common secondary infections clear.
Good luck-- and sorry to hear you're dealing with this!
