Wet Pox vs. Canker

[FloridaChick88]

Hi all!

I recently had one of my girls come down with what appears to be a bad case of canker. Ive isolated her from the rest of the flock and she is on her second day of treatment with metronidizole. She seems to be responding well and she is finally eating again.

I'm curios though, what is the best way to distinguish wet pox from canker? They both look so similar. Any advice? I know that there is no treatment for pox and that it just has to run its course. Any other distinguishing features of the two?

Thanks!

 

[Eggcessive]

I think that one distinguishing thing is that you would see evidence of dry pox scabs on some of the chickens if it was pox. Also, canker tends to be in the corner of the beak, at least in pictures. Canker smells very bad according to those that have dealt with it. It also seems to grow large with lesions almost blocking the mouth and airway.

 

[FloridaChick88]

Yes, I'd have to agree that the canker in Marilyn's mouth smelled awful. I wasn't sure if this was something that was normal with canker or not. Hers started at the corner of her beak and then spread down the side and back of her throat. We used qtips to remove some of the scabs so that her airway would not close.