Wheezing & Sneezing

Cassondra53

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Hello BYC! I've got a sweet little Sapphire Gem that is sneezing and has a little whistle when she breathes. She's otherwise very healthy - eating and drinking normally, her poops look normal, and she's got plenty of energy. I've had her free ranging around my living room and kitchen for the last two days to keep her warm and isolated from the flock. I've used VetRX, since there isn't a poultry vet nearby. The closest one is an emergency vet in the nearest metro area, which I could take her to if needed. Her breathing has improved slightly since I first brought her in the house, so I haven't been too worried.
However, if anyone has any feedback/advise,/ideas, I would love to hear your thoughts. I'm not sure if this little angel should be taken to the animal ER, if she needs meds, and how long something like this might last. Ideas? Thank you, BYC community!
 
Have you had a respiratory disease issue with any other birds before? What are all of her symptoms? Is there any eye drainage or bubbles/foam, and facial swelling, wheezing or crackles when breathing? Sneezing every few minutes only could be a virus such as infectious bronchitis. It might be from an environmental cause, such as dust in feed or the coop, ammonia odors, or other irritant. Since there are a few diseases caused by mycoplasma or bacteria, it is important to look for signs of those diseases where a certain antibiotic might help.
 
No eye drainage or bubbles/foam, no facial swelling, nothing major. Only that she sounds like she's kind of lost her voice when she tries to talk to me (she's still audible, but her voice sounds like she went to a concert the night before haha!), and she sneezes maybe once every 30 minutes or so. Sometimes she's cruising around the house and I can't hear any wheezing, but sometimes it's like a little whistle when she's breathing. Their living situation is super clean - I clean their coop twice a week. They've got lots of space. The flock is 6 hens and only this hen is showing these symptoms.
 
I would probably let her go back in with the other chickens if she was part of the flock before. The others would have been exposed to a disease, if she has one, at the same time she was. Unless she is a new addition to your flock, she may lose her place in the pecking order if she stays away for long. If she has infectious bronchitis virus, expect to see more cases, since it can affect many in the flock. IB makes each survivor a carrier for up to a year. Other chronic respiratory diseases can make the whole flock carriers for life. MG, coryza, and ILT are some other diseases that you can learn about here:
https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps044
 
Thank you! I will read the page you linked to - looks like a great resource!
When would you take a chicken to the vet? What symptoms should I look for that should make me go that direction? I want to make sure I am doing my absolute best for my girls.
 
Most people treat their own chickens or learn about their diseases, since most of us cannot get vet care from someone familiar with chickens. If she or any develop eye bubbles/foam or swelling of the eye or face, then I would either seek vet care to get a proper antibiotic, or try to get one yourself online. Drugs that treat MG are Tylosin, doxycycline, oxytetracycline, and others. Some may be available online for pigeons. If all you see is sneezing and a whistle, I would try to keep her drinking and help her fight off the problem. Make sure that your coop has excellent ventilation.
 
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This might be a really stupid question, but if her nostrils are blocked with dust, is there anything I can do to help with that?
 
You can clean the nostrils with a wet tissue or QTips. If nostrils become clogged use a few drops of saline or a drop of hydrogen peroxide, wait a few minutes, and use your fingernail or a wooden toothpick to very gently remove it. Mucus, dirt, and feed can become embedded in the nostrils.
 

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