wild turkey with severe sinusitus or airsacculitis

[madaboutmaude]

Hey everyone, I have a turkey with very swollen cheeks, I have been drawing fluid out for the last 3 days with a syringe and I have tylan 50 shipping to me from the states. She has been receiving injections from a farm vet for the last month and a half with the first treatment being responsive however all follow up injections seem to be doing nothing. She is eating and drinking and otherwise seems healthy. Is there anything else I can do? It seems we drain the stuff out of her cheeks and within 12 hours they are filled back up again. The first day was a yellowy milky flegm, and now it seems to be more dark brown which I'm assuming is blood . Is there any light at the end of the tunnel for this poor girl?

 

[1-duckling]

I have a Rio Grande hen named Cheeky who went through similar events as you are now going through. She was at a local feed store with her cheeks so swollen her eyes were nearly closed and she was sneezing terribly. They didn't want to do anything to help her so I took her home and put her in a dry stable and started researching the issue. The Tylan 50 water soluble treatment reduced the swelling and I thought she was in the clear but within a week of ending the treatment they swelled back up. Then I started the injections of Tylan 200 into her breast and shoulder, rotating injection points because I read it can cause muscle damage. She recovered completely for about three weeks and then one side of her face swelled back up. After many more hours of research at backyardchickens.com and other sites I came to the conclusion that her last hope was injecting the Tylan 200 straight into the sinus cavity as I had read in several posts. It took a little less than 0.5 cc injected into the swollen sinus cavity and three days to subside. I chose the amount based on how much goop I was removing with the syringe. She has been healthy ever since - 5 years now. It was so long ago I don't remember all of the details or exactly which post I found the information. It's here somewhere.Talk to your vet about this as a possible solution to the issue.

Best wishes for a speedy recovery and thank you for caring enough to help the turkey.

 

[madaboutmaude]

Thanks and I would agree without this site, she wouldn't be here today. I got the info on how to drain myself (was definitely reluctant ) but saw no other option. I believe I have read enough times thati injecting directly into infected area is the most efficient way to beat this thing. Just need to get my hands on this stuff. Its so frustrating how little is available to the average joe in Canada as far as meds for our animals are concerned. Vets definitely have the upper hand. Fingers crossed, will keep ya posted.

 

[madaboutmaude]

The tylan arrived 2 days ago, and we have been draining and injecting .5 CC,s into each cheek for 2 days. She is a bit bruised and the swelling has not gone down yet, but as I've read it takes some time. Just wanted to keep you posted

 

[1-duckling]

Thanks for keeping us posted. In the states there are laws being passed about medications for animals. I understand they don't want the food supply to have so much antibiotics given leading to super bugs that make the antibiotics ineffective, but it takes a toll on us little guys who just need enough for an animal or two when they get sick. Do you still have the vet involved? Just curious as to what they thought about direct injection into the sinus cavity. Were you able to obtain the Tylan 200 injectable or just the Tylan 50?

 

[madaboutmaude]

I didn't even try for the tylan 200. I was under the impression that he only difference was amount administered is just based on the strength of the drug but both were equally effective. If this doesn't work I guess the 200 will be the next step. I was waiting to see the results from the injections before I called on the vet again. He was reluctant to give me the name of what she was receiving from him, however I didn't think it would be safe to have her on too many things at once. I'm optimistic but will take any suggestions. One thing I do know is the less I have to visit the vet, the happier he will be lol

 

[casportpony]

I didn't even try for the tylan 200. I was under the impression that he only difference was amount administered is just based on the strength of the drug but both were equally effective. If this doesn't work I guess the 200 will be the next step. I was waiting to see the results from the injections before I called on the vet again. He was reluctant to give me the name of what she was receiving from him, however I didn't think it would be safe to have her on too many things at once. I'm optimistic but will take any suggestions. One thing I do know is the less I have to visit the vet, the happier he will be lol

You are correct, Tylan 200 has 200mg tylosin per ml and Tylan 50 has 50mg tylosin per ml. Here is the dosing info I have for it:


-Kathy

 

[madaboutmaude]

Thanks Kathy. I haven't been giving her enough. She's definately better but the cheeks are still swollen. I did order the 200 but will up my dosage of the 50 according your chart . Thanks.

 

[casportpony]

You might want to try injecting the majority of it in the breast muscle or under the skin. Caution - Tylan can cause injection site reactions!

-Kathy

 

[madaboutmaude]

OK guys. Has anyone ever come out to find their turkey has blood everywhere ? Its coming from her mouth and sounds like its from the throat not the lungs. We are still battling 1 swollen cheek and she's gotten lazy from the long winter but eats poops and drinks. I boarded her at the vet for a week and since her car ride home has had a sore leg, but never to the point that she can't stand up until today. So her current condition is blood from her mouth with labouredbreathing however its not from her lungs. She isn't wheezing but she is panting and has been on and off since she hurt her leg. She is still on tylan but was taken off the injections as per my vets instruction and now getting the soluble in her water. This has been going on for over 2 months and I have no idea what else to do. My vet basically told me that I can't go on like this forever, but I just keep hoping that if we ever get spring, maybe she will come around once she's outside moving around again.