Wet and Dry Fowl Pox - Graphic Pictures of Pus and Scabs

[casportpony]

Hmmm, I wonder if that's some sort of secondary infection that extends into the sinus cavity?

-Kathy

 

[estamets]

Hmmm, I wonder if that's some sort of secondary infection that extends into the sinus cavity?

-Kathy

It could be. I'm going to keep an eye on it before I make any decisions. If it seems to get worse, or if she starts showing signs of nasal irritation or infection, I can dose her with Tylan 200 and see if that helps.

Do you have other thoughts?

 

[casportpony]

Quote: Maybe take her to UD Davis and have them take a swab for testing?

-Kathy

 

[estamets]

Update:
Chuck's weird lesion seems to be responding to the iodine, it looked smaller and *weaker* somehow this morning.
I got a big chunk (gross, I know!) off of Waffles' tongue today, and it felt like a massive victory. I made sure to swab carefully with iodine and get under the remaining gunk as much as I could.
Coconut's scabs are starting to fall off (I'm helping by picking a little). Her mouth lesions are still accumulating plaque, but it is in small quantities and easily cleared.

All 3 girls are eating and drinking well, and show no signs of secondary infection.

I tried to vaccinate the others this morning, and I couldn't bring myself to do it. The vaccine needles are blunt and wide, and the process made me feel sick to my stomach. I've poked and prodded and stuck animals with needles and shoved tubes down their throats before - this particular vaccine delivery system, though, is a little too much for me.

I've resigned myself to mouth checks every morning for 6 weeks or so, and caring for any that fall ill.

 

[MrsBachbach]

Update:  
Chuck's weird lesion seems to be responding to the iodine, it looked smaller and *weaker* somehow this morning.  
I got a big chunk (gross, I know!) off of Waffles' tongue today, and it felt like a massive victory.  I made sure to swab carefully with iodine and get under the remaining gunk as much as I could.
Coconut's scabs are starting to fall off (I'm helping by picking a little).  Her mouth lesions are still accumulating plaque, but it is in small quantities and easily cleared.

All 3 girls are eating and drinking well, and show no signs of secondary infection.  

I tried to vaccinate the others this morning, and I couldn't bring myself to do it.  The vaccine needles are blunt and wide, and the process made me feel sick to my stomach.  I've poked and prodded and stuck animals with needles and shoved tubes down their throats before - this particular vaccine delivery system, though, is a little too much for me.

I've resigned myself to mouth checks every morning for 6 weeks or so, and caring for any that fall ill.  

If you are worried about hurting them, you really shouldn't. I don't think there is alot of blood vessels in the wing web. I've had many birds tested there in the wing web and then they have this metal id clip practically stapled in that wing web and I never hear a peep out of them when that is done. I really don't think it hurts them. They don't protest alot in my experience. Having someone hold the bird and spread the wing while you clear a few feathers would help alot and make it much faster. The scabs that fall off the birds are infective also and it will likely be on your soil for a long time. After the horror pictures I saw on this thread, if I had a bad case of dry pox or wet on my place, I wouldn't hesitate to vaccinate. The pox would be much worse on the birds than the needle stick.

 

[estamets]

If you are worried about hurting them, you really shouldn't. I don't think there is alot of blood vessels in the wing web. I've had many birds tested there in the wing web and then they have this metal id clip practically stapled in that wing web and I never hear a peep out of them when that is done. I really don't think it hurts them. They don't protest alot in my experience. Having someone hold the bird and spread the wing while you clear a few feathers would help alot and make it much faster. The scabs that fall off the birds are infective also and it will likely be on your soil for a long time. After the horror pictures I saw on this thread, if I had a bad case of dry pox or wet on my place, I wouldn't hesitate to vaccinate. The pox would be much worse on the birds than the needle stick.

It turns out that I had a blunt needle! Jeffers Pet is awesome and is sending me a new batch of vaccine, and I'll try again.

 

[estamets]

Okay, so I'm not going to vaccinate after all (but I will pass on the vaccine to my friend who just lost a bird to pox - the infection was deep in her throat and she never saw the lesions).

A bunch of my other birds had tiny, tiny bits of plaque this morning. I cleaned them all up and reintegrated the 3 that were isolated. I'll just dedicate my mornings to digging in chicken mouths for a few weeks.

How can I know that they are "cured"? If the plaque stops accumulating, and I don't see any for a few days, can I assume they've fought it off, or should I keep checking for a certain amount of time?

 

[casportpony]

I considered mine cure when I saw not more lesions/scabs and when they were acting 100% normal.

-Kathy

 

[estamets]

I considered mine cure when I saw not more lesions/scabs and when they were acting 100% normal.

-Kathy

Thanks! Waffles has been squatting for two days, I think that's a good sign!

 

[estamets]

Wow... what a difference a sharp needle makes! I received the replacement pox vaccine and needles from Jeffers today, and was able to vaccinate all my birds in less than one minute each. It was quick, and relatively painless, it seems; my friendliest girls hung out on my lap for a few minutes after being stabbed! I did not do my roosters: one has dry pox, and the other escaped as I tried to grab him, and is going to be dinner in a few weeks anyway.

Waffles laid an egg this morning. Despite having a little build-up on her trachea, I guess she's feelin' alright.